Disappeared

Disappeared by Francisco X. Stork is a riveting story about a Mexican sister and a brother who have to face impossible choices in order to do the right thing and survive. Sara Zapata is a reporter in Juarez and four months ago her best friend disappeared, kidnapped like so many before her and most likely forced into prostitution by the local drug cartel. So many young girls have been snatched off the streets and so Sara writes a weekly column about the missing. She is sent a clue to finding her friend but she also receives death threats against her and her family if she proceeds in her investigation. Meanwhile her brother Emiliano is facing his own difficult choice, he has fallen in love with a girl from a rich family and he will never show more be allowed to be with her as long as he is poor. He is approached and put under pressure by a member of the cartel to use his folk art business to help smuggle drugs. This would earn him the kind of money he needs and even his girl friend’s father tells him that one often has to do things one doesn’t want to in order to get ahead in Mexico.

Things happen quickly and Sara does gather enough information to help her kidnapped friend but she and her family are told to hide quickly as they have become targets and gunmen are on the way to their home. Now this brave family must choose between the love they have for Mexico and their friends or a chance to survive by crossing the desert into the United States.

The author kept both tension and anxiety levels high in this story. You sense the web closing around these two, they do not know who to trust or who they should confide in. Disappeared is a tense, well written thriller that totally engaged me. His characters, even the villains were well rounded and the situation, although terrifying was totally believable. Although this book bears a YA label, it is exactly what I am looking for in a good thriller. show less

This novel is organized in alternating chapters, telling the stories of Sara and her brother Emiliano, both of whom are caught up in the violence and crime cultures of Juarez, Mexico. Sara's story revolves around the disappearance of her best friend Linda, who along with many other young women in the city has been kidnapped, presumably for prostitution and eventually murder. As a reporter, Sara must decide whether to persist in following the story, even though it puts her family and friends in mortal danger. Emiliano is younger, and is trying to lead an honorable life after earlier petty crimes, but finds himself embroiled in a drug organization connected with his girlfriend. Both Sara and Emiliano face moral dilemmas unlike what most show more of us experience, since they are truly matters of life and death. For this reader, the issues facing Mexican border crossers are the stuff of newspaper stories, but this novel brings the situation vividly to life. I found Sara's story to be more engaging than Emiliano's, and I felt there were parts I could skip without missing out on the impact of the story. This could be an interesting crossover book for older teens and adults. show less

While I enjoyed reading about the danger of being a reporter crossing the wishes of some powerful bad people, and I appreciated the desperation of Sara needing to get out of Mexico... I wanted more.
I also wanted to smack Emiliano for his obsession with Perla Rubi and how easily he seemed to forget Linda. I’m not clear why he also wasn’t more upset by her disappearance. He also seemed quite ready to abandon his principals and while I understand that the author wanted to help us understand the attractiveness of money and a nice life... at the same time I wanted Emiliano to hold out just a bit more than he did. Overall... I just wanted something more than this book contained. The escape seemed too rushed and the rescue too sudden. I show more still enjoyed the story, disturbing though it was, but not enough to rank it higher. show less

Four Months Ago
Sara Zapata's best friend disappeared, kidnapped by the web of criminals who terrorize Juarez.

Four Hours Ago
Sara received a death threat -- and with it, a clue to the place where her friend is locked away.

Four Weeks Ago
Emiliano Zapata fell in love with Perla Rubi, who will never be his so long as he's poor.

Four Minutes Ago
Emiliano got the chance to make more money than he ever dreamed -- just by joining the web.

In the next four days, Sara and Emiliano will each face impossible choices, between life and justice, friends and family, truth and love. But when the web closes in on Sara, only one path remains for the siblings: the way across the desert to the United States.

This novel is a realistic look at life on the border.

Sara and Linda are best friends, and Linda is kidnapped at the beginning. This event is a common occurrence in Mexico, so the women of Mexico take precautions. They avoid men on the streets and those that holler at them from cars. They are sure to pay attention to times and ride the bus during the day. Linda is taken right off the streets. Sara, as a journalist, is determined to find Linda. As she investigates and writes articles about the dangers, she is threatened with harm.

The second story concerns Sara’s brother, Emiliano. He is in love with Perla Rubi, the daughter of a wealthy, connected man. Emiliano got in trouble but has been rescued by a group that encourages faith in show more God and not falling into the crime world. Emiliano has developed relationships with people who create things; he takes them to stores where they are sold, so everyone makes money. Emiliano often works with one man who has a new offer for him, but this places Emiliano into the world of crime. This offer also goes against the religious group that has made such a difference in his life. He’s pulled by money that he can make because life is very difficult. After all, the money is a real way out.

Everything comes to a head when the men who kidnapped Linda put Sara on a hit-list. They need to run, but Emiliano doesn’t want to leave his girlfriend and his opportunities.

The novel is listed for ages 12+. Personally, I don’t see many middle school students finding the book interesting. It’s an important book and highlights the dangers of life in different communities in Mexico. I had a hard time having it hold my interest. It took me several weeks to get it read because I didn’t want to pick it up. I honestly didn’t think I would finish it, but I did and am glad I did. The realities of finding a safe haven is a dangerous endeavor. Their attempt to find safety and get away is tense and harrowing, which is why I’m glad I finished the novel. show less

Sara is a reporter for a newspaper in Juarez, researching and publishing articles on desaparacidas, young women who have been kidnapped. Her brother Emiliano, is working hard, finishing high school and doing his best to help support the family. When his wealthy girlfriend's father and some mutual acquaintances make him an offer that can give them a better life, he knows he will do it - even though he also knows it is wrong. Juarez is owned by drug cartels and crooked officials, and when Sara gets a lead that incriminates important people, her life, and her family, are in danger.

DISAPPEARED by Francisco X. Stork tells the powerful story of siblings navigating a world of kidnapping and crime in Juarez, Mexico.

When her best friend is kidnapped, Sara uses her skills as a journalist to attract attention to her friend’s case despite death threats to herself and her family. At the same time, Sara’s brother Emiliano faces the question of whether to take the easy path into the world of crime or work hard to establish a legal business. Stork’s well-developed characters and authentic situations will draw young adults into this suspenseful story.

Librarians will find this to be a popular addition to the growing number of thoughtful, coming-of-age novels focusing on timely issues related to crime and politics along show more the American-Mexican border. Although the setting is different than Stork’s other novels, fans will quickly become immersed in this fast-paced thriller.

Published on September 26, 2017 by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Scholastic. ARC courtesy of the publisher. show less