The Disappeared

July 1, 2008
Gr 7-10-A story set in Buenos Aires in the late 1970s. Despite its peaceful facade, Argentina is rife with guerrilla warfare and run by malevolent generals. Told in alternating chapters by two teenage siblings, the novel relates how one young person decides to stand up for his political beliefs and ideals and ignores his parent's cautions. Eduardo, in his first year of university, is impatient and intolerant of his father's inaction to protest against the vengeful General Lopez. Silvia, his beautiful younger sister, dances from night to dawn. Her brother's outspoken protests seem little more than another family quarrel. As a visible political activist, Eduardo ends up a target. Only when imprisoned, suffering cruel and calculating psychological torture, does he learn the dangers of what it means to be one of "Los Desparecidos". Silvia, awakened to the reality of the situation, does everything in her power to free him. Strategically, she sets herself up as bait for the son of General Lopez, believing that she can win him over and secure her brother's release. The deftly handled voices of Silvia and Eduardo follow the well-intentioned, but often grievous, mistakes of youth. Their compelling tale is a chilling account of the manipulative power of corruption."Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2008
When the police break into Silvias home in Buenos Aires in 1976 and drag her beloved older brother, Eduardo, 17, to prison, Silvia is willing to risk anything to save him, even dating the powerful generals son, Norberto. She dreads the idea that Eduardo will become one of los Desaparecidos (the Disappeared) prisoners who are never seen again. For his part, Eduardo endures torture and worries that Silvia will also be arrested. In terse, alternating present-tense narratives, the siblings talk to one another and reveal their secret thoughts. Most moving are their family memories. Eduardo recalls confronting his physician dad (Why dont you protest?) and calling Silvia frivolous because she kept quiet and did nothing at first. The plot is sometimes purposive, and there are some stereotypic elementsespecially Norberto with his slicked hair, cold blue eyes, and caged birds. But readers will be held by the recent historymany of the victims are still Disappearedand the teen voices personalize the political cruelty and courage.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)