Books like When Jeff Comes Home

The strongest parts of this book describe the confusing emotions that Jeff feels after he returns to his family: anger, guilt, confusion, and embarrassment. Readers will sympathize with Jeff's admittance that he submitted to some of his captor's attentions willingly in order to get food and the complicated truth of the fact that sexual coercion can often feel good, which is why it's so insidious--and why it's a source of so much shame. Many of the post-return details aren't quite as convincing, however, including the way law enforcement and health officials would deal with a child in this situation. While they would certainly be sensitive to Jeff's trauma, it's difficult to imagine that he would not be put under more pressure to submit to a physical examination, asked for details earlier about his kidnapper, etc, etc. It also would have helped the reader to become more engrossed in Jeff's story if the timeline had been a little more straightforward and flashbacks used with more frequency.This is overall very well-written, however, and provides good insight into how a teen might feel when he's survived such a terrible, life-altering experience.