Where Things Come Back

By John Corey Whaley

A quirky coming-of-age story, perfect for fans of John Green, David Levithan and Stephen Chbosky.

Cullen Witter's fifteen-year-old brother Gabriel has suddenly and inexplicably disappeared. Angry and looking for answers, Cullen must navigate his way through a summer of finding and losing love while holding his fragile family together.

Meanwhile a young missionary in Africa is searching for meaning wherever he can find it. As distant as they seem, these stories are thoughtfully woven together, before a surprising and harrowing climax.

Complex but truly extraordinary, tinged with melancholy and regret, comedy and absurdity; Where Things Come Backis about finding wonder in the ordinary and the dream of second chances.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: Mar 12, 2015
• ISBN: 9781471125348

John Corey Whaley

John Corey Whaley grew up in Louisiana. His debut novel, Where Things Come Back, was the 2012 winner of the Michael L. Printz and the William C. Morris Awards. You can learn more about him at JohnCoreyWhaley.com and follow him on Twitter: @Corey_Whaley.

Reviews for Where Things Come Back

[celesteporche · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was crazy! The summer after senior year, Cullen Witter wonders if he will make it out of Lilly Arkansas (population 3,000+), or if he will end up trapped like everyone else who tried to leave but came right back. Daydreaming,hanging out with his brother and his best friend, and fantasizing as he stares through the window of the gas station where he works at Ada, the girl whose last two boyfriends ended up dead, are what there is to do in this town. Then one night, his brother unexpectedly goes missing without a trace.His mother, father, and best friend take turns descending into grief induced psychosis and depression, meanwhile, other strange and unexplained things begin happening.The first chapter or so doesn't have a whole lot to do with the rest of the book and if you can push through it you will find something worth reading on the other side. There is also a second parallel story line that seems completely unrelated, but which ties in near the end for the book to finally give some explanations.This book was almost amazing. It's definitely got that thick and deceptive rambling southern style of prose that you have to read really slowly in order to not miss important information. The main character has the really active and undisciplined imagination of a writer before he has written anything, and that personality type is captured very well by the author. I guess I enjoyed the story and characters much more than the writing style, but that is only a matter of taste. I am excited to see what other books John Corey Whaley will produce as he develops as a writer.

[bkohl_6 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cute teen story about a possibly-not-extinct woodpecker and a missing younger brother. I found Cabot's interest in the Book of Enoch unsatisfying — it's clear that Benton has some problems and might be prone to religious compulsion, but his roommate doesn't seem to have the same background. Likewise the ending was a little unsatisfying, as there are some time periods missing that you're never going to piece together. But the main character is very likable — outsider-y without being alienated, with good friends and useful adults. I especially like Alma's mom :)

[pmlyayakkers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nothing ever happens in Lily, Arkansas - it's as boring as a small town can be. But the summer Cullen turns 17, his cousin dies, a supposedly extinct bird is spotted, and his brother disappears.

[suzemo · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I felt like this book took me ages to read, when it really only took a week. Which is an age (for me) for such a short book, but I didn't really connect well with the characters or enjoy the book that much. (At least I didn't hate it?). Such a resounding "meh" from this corner.

The book is alternating chapters of first person Cullen Witter and third person someone else (Benton/Cabot), which I've been seeing a lot of lately (for whatever reason). Unfortunately the first person chapters were really annoying. They were told stream of consciousness style, which I usually hate pretty badly, and on top of that they would switch to the author talking third person about himself with that same stream of consciousness. When one starts rambling on about ones-self and zombies, one tends to lose some readers. You know, like me.

I also found the writing to be choppy, and I felt like it lacked a lot of depth.

The actual story? Cullen's brother goes missing at the same time someone discovers the lost
"Lazarus Woodpecker" in his small-hometown in Arkansas. So he and his family and friends are dealing with the loss of Gabriel (the brother) while the town is going crazy with the eco-tourism and media hype of the woodpecker.

In another parallel-ish storyline, we see Benton, a kid living in a very evangelical christian household with an overbearing and abusive father. He goes off to be a missionary and comes home; the story is then handed off to his college roommate, Cabot, whose life, more or less intertwines with our A story and becomes involved there.

Again, I found the whole thing weak. Cullen is the broody adolescent writer, Gabriel is his younger hipster brother that is perfect and everyone adores, everyone feels like cardboard cut-outs, relationships were all shallow and meaningless, and the whole thing, I guess is some big meaning of life exercise that bores the pee-water out of me.

The ending - I still haven’t decided if it’s real or not though I doubt it, because Cullen has switched into his imaginary-life third person voice, but in either case, I feel like it was cheap and too easily packaged.

Also: The zombie obsession /yawn. And I used to use the word asshat, but after this book, I think I’ve had enough.

I think the best part of the whole book was the future titles that Cullen kept in his diary.

[librarian1204 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent. Worthy of all the awards. Amazing how young adult literature is often so much better tha 'adult' literature.
I eagerly await the next book by this talented author.

[sparkleponies · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

 This book surprises you … its one that you can’t judge by its cover. It was nothing like I expected it to be when I started it.

[mamzel_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This Printz Award winner takes place in a small town in rural Arkansas during the summer before Cullen Winter's senior year. The story opens with Cullen driving his aunt to view his cousin's body in the morgue. He had died of a heroin overdose. His younger brother has vanished into thin air, a resident of Oregon arrives determined to find a survivor of an extinct species of woodpeckers, and a young man returns from a mission in Africa to the disgrace of his family. With all of this going on, Cullen tries to hold his family and himself together.The points of view and places in time switch almost faster than one can turn a page. Much of the book is first person from Cullen's point of view but he also refers to himself in the third person which confuses things even more.While I appreciated the writing and themes of this book, I will find it tricky to recommend to my high school student patrons.

[erikahope-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the writing in this book. It rang pretty true to me as far as standard teenage behavior, attitude, dialog, internal musings. Maybe the main character was a tad too nice. Certainly the sibling relationship was pretty idealized. Even brothers who get along really well would be a little less enamored of each other I would think. Even just for appearances sake-at that age. But, if it's a fault, it's not so aggrevating. The tiny hint at magical realism (?) or mystery in the novel is kind of intriguing but then doesn't make any bold moves. It's a bit anti-climactic but it almost seems that was his intention. To be a subtle book. It hints rather than states. I'm glad it wasn't sinister. I'm glad there wasn't some horrific conclusion. I don't like books like that which is why I avoid the huge genre of crime and mystery novels. This was an enjoyable book and better written than a lot of YA novels. My ten-year old found it worth reading which initially gave me pause, but I decided it was probably ok. May be the first book he has bothered to pick up from my "book club" pile. I think because it had the word "damn" on the back cover.

[kcarrigan-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review from library copy.

Won the William C. Morris award for 2011 and the Printz award for 2011 - and rightfully so. Excellent book. I started reading it while I was in the waiting room of the hospital while my husband had an EGD, and finished it shortly after we got home (so just a few hours). Highly recommended.

[lillibrary · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

17 yr old Cullen Witter is having a painful summer. His dull, boring life in Lily, Arkansas has been upended by a series of events: the death of his cousin, the alleged sighting of an extinct woodpecker species that's catapulted the town into the national spotlight and the sudden, unexplained disappearance of his beloved brother, Gabriel. Benton Sage has just arrived in Ethiopia for missionary work. He is confused, lonely and unhappy. He eventually asks to return home to Georgia where he enrolls in college. These parallel stories alternate between Cullen's first person narrative and the third person telling of Benton's story, an oddly compelling mix that keeps the reader wondering how these stories can possibly be linked--and when they finally intersect, it is original, unnerving and unexpected. This melancholy slice of small town life is livened by well-drawn characters, quirky comic moments and symbolism that fairly smacks you in the face. A great pick for book club or to recommend to high school teachers. There is implied sex (no graphic descriptions), but it's a minor plot point. What I found surprising were two Amazon readers' complaints about the swearing, which felt in line with the characters and didn't faze me at all. Neither reviewer who was freaked by the language said anything about the premarital sex, so go figure.... I highly recommend this book, although the cover may make it a bit of a hard sell (too whimsical? old fashioned? not really about the bird?). Potential teen readers would probably be your brainy, realistic fiction lovers. Recommend to fans of Melina Marchetta's Jellicoe Road, Peter Cameron's Someday This Pain Will be Useful to You or Holly Goldberg Sloan's I'll Be There. A nice addition for teen music lovers would be to recommend the author's playlist noted on Amazon's page for this book.

[bexaplex · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cute teen story about a possibly-not-extinct woodpecker and a missing younger brother. I found Cabot's interest in the Book of Enoch unsatisfying — it's clear that Benton has some problems and might be prone to religious compulsion, but his roommate doesn't seem to have the same background. Likewise the ending was a little unsatisfying, as there are some time periods missing that you're never going to piece together. But the main character is very likable — outsider-y without being alienated, with good friends and useful adults. I especially like Alma's mom :)

[ginabayne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is written in such a personal way, where the reader feels like he/she knows the main character. The thoughts are shared on an intimate level through its specific opinions or observations of what is going on. This results in a beautifully written book with a lot of different things to the main character needs to balance out and get through.For example, during the narration it says, "All he knew was that he had to carry on the work that God had, in his vision, ascribed to Benton. He had to somehow change the world." This alone is a powerful vision the main character has and gives great insight on what he feels called to do. This isn't an ordinary book where events that occur happen on the surface with nothing deeper mentioned such as visions, thoughts, or callings. This transparency with the character Cullen makes me appreciate this book that much more.A second example is when the text says, "Didn't he know that all I felt like doing was fading into the background? Leaning against a wall and disappearing into it? Lying on the couch, hoping the cushions would swallow me up?" This is how Cullen felt after his brother disappeared and his father paid him any personal interest for the first time. His father kept pushing him to research colleges and think about his future. Cullen's thoughts reveal how irritated he is with his father and how focused he is on wanting to see his brother again. It is another example of personal thoughts that create a more in depth character.The main idea of this book is to present a young teenaged boy's journey in high school with traumatic events such as his gifted younger brother suddenly disappears. It is a journey into adulthood and how he perseveres through everything.

[rvhatha · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved John Corey Whaley's new book, _Noggin_, and after I finished it, I realized I needed to go back and read _Where Things Come Back_, his first novel, which had been on my "to read" list for several years.As the novel opens, Cullen Witter is in the local morgue, identifying the body of his older cousin, Oslo, who's died of an overdose. To Cullen, Oslo's death is more evidence of the dead-end nature of his small Arkansas town, which no one seems capable of leaving or transcending.Then two things happen that shake up both Cullen's family and Lily, Arkansas, that summer: first, Cullen's younger brother Gabriel vanishes without a trace, and then an ornithological zealot named John Barling shows up, saying he's had a vision that the long-extinct Lord God bird--the ivory-billed woodpecker--has come back to life and is living on the river near Lily. News media and birdwatchers pour into town, searching for a bird that probably doesn't exist, while the search for the very real Gabriel leads nowhere.Whaley's novel is incredibly well structured, and the many plot lines and characters that seem so disparate at the outset eventually come together in a convincing and unexpected way. While I didn't find this book as humorous or as touching, ultimately, as _Noggin_, I really enjoyed it. Whaley has a gift for portraying the interior life of his teenage-boy characters, and especially their oddball friendships; in _Where Things Come Back_, we see how such friendships can go horribly wrong, in one scenario, and also how they can be a lifeline, in the case of the friendship between Cullen and his friend Lucas.

[marielreads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had some trouble with the pacing in certain parts of this book, but I thought it had a great plot. I gasped at least ten times while reading it; everything fit together surprisingly well while still conveying emotion and using realistic characters.

[lilibrarian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nothing ever happens in Lily, Arkansas - it's as boring as a small town can be. But the summer Cullen turns 17, his cousin dies, a supposedly extinct bird is spotted, and his brother disappears.

[tahleen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was not as blown away as everyone else by this book, but I did appreciate it's literary merit. Loved the ending, which redeemed the whole thing for me though.

[rosa.mill · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

So Cullen's brother Gabriel disappears but no one is paying it any mind b/c of a sighting of the Lazarus Woodpecker; a bird that was last seen in the 1940s. Cullen finds himself getting angrier and angrier and having a lot of difficulty coping. His parents and best friend Lucas aren't doing much better. The story alternates between Cullen and the story of Benton a missionary and his college roommate. It takes a very long time for the two stories to come together and I was just never able to get into the missionary story line. I also felt like towards the end when the stories finally come together, your emotions are played with and then the ending is just anticlimactic.

This one was just not for me.

[communitylibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Page 202 WTF
Page 206 OMG This actually makes sense. It works. I think the author might pull this off.
Page 228 (The last page) Oh sh**!!! And yes, I said "oh sh**" out loud when I read the last page.

[knitwit2_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In 2012, “Where Things Come Back” was awarded both the Michael L. Printz and William C. Morris Awards. The author tells two stories that seem so far removed from each other that reader is perplexed as to how they relate. When the author makes the connection the reader is left awed.The book opens with the line, “I was seventeen years old when I saw my first dead body.” And so begins possibly the worst summer in the life of any teenager - - ever. Before things go from bad to worse, Cullen, bored with his small town, what little it seems to offer, and a future that doesn’t appear to hold much opportunity, thinks, “I knew that we were all just in the prelude to disappointment after disappointment”. This perfectly foreshadows all that is to come in the rest of the book. Cullen’s brother goes missing. The police think the boy has most likely run away and don’t exert the effort that the family would like in their search. As serious as this is, there is quite a lot of dark humor (reminiscent of a Coen brothers movie). Meanwhile, the town is trying to prosper from the possibility that the Lazarus Woodpecker - - extinct for forty years has reappeared. All the attention given to this bird, who may or may not be real enrages Cullen. He feels it would have been better spent searching for his brother.The second story line involves Georgia college students, Benton and Cabot. Benton has recently returned from a failed church mission trip in Africa. His work and his writing from that time spark something in his otherwise carefree roommate, Cabot. Cabot rapidly turns into a religious zealot, spending nearly all his time obsessively studying the Ethiopian Orthodox Bible. The genius of this book is how the author ties it all together for a very satisfying conclusion.

[wonderland_books · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book in the beginning. I thought, at first, that it was very well written and thought-provoking, but as I continued reading, my praises for this book steadily declined. I began to notice that the writing style continuously flip-flopped between first and third person and it drove me crazy! There were no warnings that this transition would happen, I would just be reading in first person and then BAM! third person. So overall, I absolutely loathed the style of writing in this book.Another downfall to this book was the ending. For those of you who have not read this book STOP READING THIS RIGHT NOW. There will be SPOILERS.So I decided to push through this book despite the grotesque style of writing and found myself liking the “idea” of the book. Just a FYI, I was reading this book on my Kindle and knew that I was about 90% done. I started wondering what could possibly happen in the next 10% of the book. And then…it happened. His brother came back! It was like a glorious appearing and I loved how it made me feel. I began to wonder what would happen next; would he explain to his brother what happened to him and how he was set free or even how he got away? I was anticipating answers to all of these questions. Then I turned the page. Acknowledgments. WHAT?! No. My heart broke. Hence the reason why this book only gets three stars from me. Great idea, poorly executed and the ending was just a huge letdown.

[andreablythe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a story about the sighting of a supposedly extinct woodpecker that reinvigorates a small town, except it’s not really. It’s more about a really decent kid Cullen Witter trying to cope with his brother vanishing one day, about his parents falling apart over the loss in different ways, about Cullen’s best friend trying to be supportive and feeling lost, too, about the girl Cullen has always had a crush on, about growing up and moving on. In other words, it’s about life, messy and frustrating and sometimes wonderful.In addition to Cullen’s narrative, which has its own very clear voice, the book contains chapters from other characters’ points of view. Although they seem at first to be random and unconnected to the main story, they weave together rather perfectly by the end.For the most part, I really enjoyed this quiet book, which felt so real in every way. I just wish the ending could have anchored things a little better. Instead of feeling elated by how things came together, I felt a little let down. I can’t say why exactly, since the ending fits but, yeah.

[rachel.seltz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ages 14+Cullen Witter’s dreams of becoming a writer sustain him while growing up in tiny Lily, Arkansas. Interesting people in his life also make life bearable. His best friend Lucas is sadder than his smile suggests. His crush, Ada, is beautiful, smart, and dangerous. And his favorite person in the world is his brother Gabriel, who thinks the best of people. Things get more lively in Lily when a bird watcher claims to have rediscovered the Lazarus Woodpecker, thought extinct since the 1940s. Just as rediscovery becomes the talk of the town, Gabriel goes missing without a trace. The Lily narrative is interwoven with that of Benton Sage, a young missionary absorbed by the mysterious book of Enoch and its talk of angels, human potential, and destiny.Whaley’s characters show realistic flaws. However, the friendship demonstrated within the story is powerful. Cullen’s relationship with his brother is defined by mutual respect and admiration, making Gabriel’s disappearance all the more heartbreaking. Lucas has the courage to stand by Cullen and do anything he can to help during the terrible situation.Cullen struggles with a devastating and ambiguous loss that makes him question his identity and understanding of his hometown. At turns funny, wistful and piercing, the book tears readers between hope of redemption, and awful doubt. Highly recommended.

[maureene87 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This read like a typical Printz winner–a self-aware male narrator, a hint of bad things that might happen smoothed over by a happy resolution. It’s a fine book, but I think I wouldn’t personally have given it the award. [Jan 2011]

[shelby_kuzma · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Where Things Come Back tells the story of Cullen Witter, a teenager growing up in Lily, Arkansas. It also tells the story of Benton Sage and Cabot Searcy. Cullen's brother disappears one summer day, and John Corey Whaley keeps his readers on the edge of their seats while Cullen tells what happens that summer. Eventually, the two stories intertwine. Plan on reading the last quarter of the book in one sitting, because there is no way you will be able to put this book down.There is an element of mystery, of love, and of religion. The one criticism I have for it is that at the story is not always told in chronological order, so occasionally, especially towards the end, I got a little confused. However, I figured it out and probably would not have been so confused if I could have slowed down and read more carefully. Where Things Come Back was an excellent novel, definitely one of my favorites. It is touching, but not to the point that made me extremely emotional. I absolutely loved it! This book is incredible, especially for a debut novel. I hope to see more from this author in the future.

[plasticatoms · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3Q, 4P. I enjoyed reading the reading of this book, and think most young readers would too; it's well-written and flows very naturally at a good clip. Unfortunately, it felt like it was building to something that never quite materialized--I was surprised when I realized I was almost at the end and very little had really "happened". The protagonist, Cullen, never quite clicked for me--he seems like a bit of a blank, with no real goals or motivations or interests (the fact that he reveals himself as a classic Nice Guy within the first few pages didn't do much to endear him to me, either.) I believe he will grow up to make long independent movies which are an ordeal to sit through. I actually thought some of the supporting characters were much more interesting, particularly Gabriel, but even though the novel revolves around him in a big way he has relatively little page time. This all sounds a bit negative, but the writing was skilled and I enjoyed reading it. It just left me unsatisfied. I felt like a severed head eating dinner; it tasted good in my mouth but it didn't really go anywhere.

[kimjd_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow. Multi-layered story with wonderfully drawn characters steeped in a mixture of quirkiness and angst. This is thought-provoking YA literature that's hard to put down, and hard to get out of your head when you're done, but only in the best way.
Looking forward to our DC KidLit discussion of this Printz Award winner later this week.

[satyridae · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This book was a nonsensical jumble of plots and ideas and characters. I didn't get it, not even a little. I kept reading, doggedly, because I couldn't imagine that something so pointless would walk off with the Printz medal. But it did. There was no one to like in this book. Hell, there was no one to even understand. It was muddy and muzzy and meandering. Also not entertaining, not particularly meaningful and not well-written. Hated it.

[sullywriter_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A brilliant debut novel! Original, superbly written, richly layered, completely engrossing story.

[melissarochelle_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Read from February 12 to 13, 2012** spoiler alert ** I'm torn between three and four stars. There are things I loved, but there are also things that left me a little confused. Despite that I definitely think everyone should read it (if only so we can talk about it).When the Benton Sage chapter first started, I was really confused. However, I was enjoying the book so I just accepted it and kept reading.By the end I understood why the Benton Sage chapters existed, but I'm still not entirely sure what happened. I definitely enjoyed the novel, but there were these references to a Doctor...as if Cullen was seeing a Doctor that makes me think that the ending that we saw isn't what really happened, perhaps it's only what Cullen wanted to happen? Did Gabriel come back or was Cullen imagining it. I mean, he had that third person thing going on that makes me think he's kind of unreliable and that Cabot totally LOST it at the end.Because I like a happy ending, I'm going to go with Gabriel really did come back.

[lnbrns · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This might need to go in the "give it another try" pile. I had very high hopes and it just didn't do it for me. It could have to do with my world being a bit of a mess during the week I was trying to read this. I also think this is one of those books that you don't fully appreciate until later, after you have thought about it for a while. So, I might re-evaluate in a week or so. Maybe I will feel differently after I've thought about it a little bit longer.