DISAPPEARING EARTH

by Julia Phillips

This debut novel set on the remote Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia tells the fascinating story of two young sisters who go missing one day and the year that follows as the search for the girls ensues. Each chapter is set one month after the previous one and examines the search from a different character’s perspective: the mother of the girls, a neighbor, a witness, a detective. This structure could have felt contrived, but instead added to the overall appeal of the book.

Phillips writes with grace and beauty and emotional honesty. She successfully moves her story forward through the different characters. And the story is compelling. The reader is transported to a corner of Russia very different from that about which we normally read. This is a close-knit community, living with the reality of the Soviet Union’s recent collapse. They distrust outsiders. The story may be set in Russia, but the treatment of ethnic minorities feels very familiar.

Disappearing Earth will grab you from the first page and transport you to another world. Once in that world, you will experience the bewilderment, anxiety and hope of a community that hopes to find two young girls alive. (Liz)