Kelly & Christy Talk about Sadie by Courtney Summers

Both Christy and I were given the amazing privilege of listening to an early copy of the audiobook for Sadie by Courtney Summers, recorded by a full cast (more than 40 voices!). Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and MacMillan Audio for this opportunity, which in no way influences our opinions or thoughts we are about to share below.

Beware there are slight spoilers in our discussion.

 

Sadie

by Courtney Summers
Narrator: Dan Bittner, Fred Berman, Gabra Zackman, Rebecca Soler
Published by: Wednesday Books
on September 4, 2018
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary
Bookshop
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Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meagre clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.

For the complete experience: The Girls Podcast

 

Kelly & Christy Talk About Sadie

 

What parts of Sadie’s story did you most identify with?

Kelly: Well I definitely connected with Sadie’s rage to avenge her sister’s death and her absolute determination to remove the predator from this world. Nothing makes me more angry than adults who prey on children. I am a victim, I am a survivor, some books I can’t read, but Courtney handled the trauma in a way that I could, but fair warning for others that there is very triggering subject matter.

Christy: For years women have been portrayed as emotional and we are finally seeing women’s rage and anger and hurt portrayed in a way that we can relate to.

 

How does the audiobook uniquely bring Sadie to life?

K: You really feel the podcast aspect and the recordings of the interviews. You can tell just how emotional the story is from listening to the cast. They really impart more feelings into the words.

C: Before I listened to the audiobook, I had started the podcast (free for you all to listen to, too!). Every week I was excited to see what the podcast would uncover, making the story even more real. This was carried over to the audiobook, brought to life by Rebecca Soler as Sadie, alongside all of the other amazing voices.

 

If you could give Sadie’s loved ones comfort, what would you say?

K: If I was West McKray, I would say that I truly believe she would be satisified that her fight killed the bastard, and potentially saved so many more young girls.

C: I would tell them that no matter what happened to Sadie, she had a mission and stuck to it.

 

What do you hope for Sadie and all the girls like her after the end of the story?

K: This is hard for me, as the ending didn’t give me any happy feelings, just the feelings of how shitty this world is, and how awful people are, and how many predators are out there. But to know that Sadie succeeded, and everything she went through to get to that place…leaves some motivation and hope in a weird twisted way.

C: I agree with Kelly. Sadie is a reminder of how awful our world can be and I am hopeful that stories like Sadie will help plant seeds and start conversations about how we make it a better place.

 

What message do you think Courtney was trying to send with Sadie?

K: To remind us that some of the missing, that are forgotten, still have people who care for them even ones unrelated. And my dark side wants to say that sometimes when you live with the awfulness and keep it inside you, when you let no one help you, it can eventually kill you in one way or another.

C: I think Courtney gave us Sadie to show the girls who go missing and never make the national news. The ones without support systems who seek their own way in the world. For the people who are underestimated for their perceived flaws. And for the girls in the world who find their own way of gaining control in a world that seems very out of control.

 

What books would you recommend for fans of Sadie?

K: I immediately would say read The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis, it’s brilliant, and very different, but worth it. Also, Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens, I also would suggest Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, all deal with some tough subject matter, but I think we are better for it once we finish these books.

C: It’s easy to compare Sadie to The Female of the Species for the women’s anger component. I would also add A Room Away from the Wolves and Give the Dark My Love, both out this fall.