When She Flew

Nov 27, 2009

Jenny rated it

Shelves: read-in-2009

This is my first book by Jennie Shortridge, though she has written a total of 4 and I've heard wonderful things about her other books. While When She Flew didn't blow me away, it was a nice read and good story.

When She Flew, a fictional story based on true events, is told in alternating narratives by two of the main characters. The third person narrative is used to tell the story from the viewpoint of Officer Jessica Villareal. A divorced woman in her late 30's, with a sadly distant ...moreThis is my first book by Jennie Shortridge, though she has written a total of 4 and I've heard wonderful things about her other books. While When She Flew didn't blow me away, it was a nice read and good story.

When She Flew, a fictional story based on true events, is told in alternating narratives by two of the main characters. The third person narrative is used to tell the story from the viewpoint of Officer Jessica Villareal. A divorced woman in her late 30's, with a sadly distant relationship with her daughter and grandson, "Jess" devotes herself to her work as a police officer.

The second narrative is that of the child, Lindy, and is told in first person. Lindy has a fascination with birds, and one day while observing a blue heron in the woods where she lives, she is observed by a fellow bird watcher. Up until that point, Lindy had been living with her father, an Iraq war vet, who saved her from the care of her unstable mother, in the woods. The bird watcher reports the girl and the police start a search to find the child in the woods.

Officer Villareal joins in on the search and helps find the father and child. The officials decide the father and child should be separated so the child, Lindy, can be provided with safe shelter in a foster home. But Officer Villareal is then touched by the love she sees between the father and child so she takes matters into her own hands, breaks the rules, all to stand up for what she believes is best. What follows is the story of what Villareal does and the subsequent consequences.

The writing was, in general, engaging. For the first 100 pages, I wasn't sure if I'd really get into the story, but around that point I became hooked and wanted to read more. I definitely liked the first person narration of the young girl better of the two; hers seemed more genuine and less forced. The situation the characters found themselves in was intriguing, but I was somewhat disappointed with the ending. It wasn't bad, but it just seemed anti-climactic.

What I believe the author aimed for is a story about two different "women" (one woman and one girl) and how they each "flew" and took on a challenge or experienced something different. In that sense, the author accomplished her task and provided good female role models. I do think I would have liked the book better if the first part was shorter and the story lasted longer on the end and included a little more. But, in all, it was an enjoyable read that touched on some serious topics that may induce some interesting, and possibly heated, book club discussions!

*educational sidenote on the child welfare system*
I did want to add, however, that there were a couple things I found very inaccurate. I don't think it took away from the story, but as a professional in the field of child abuse, I tend to be sensitive about inaccuracies of the system. Now, keep in mind I only really know how Florida works, but if other states do, in fact, do these things, then they are waaaaaay behind the times.

For one, children do not arbitrarily have physical exams done (down there) to prove whether or not they've been sexually abused. How traumatic and barbaric! And even IF that really was done, the lack of anything there doesn't mean anything! In the MAJORITY of sexual abuse exams of children who have been sexually abused, there are NO findings. There are a lot of reasons for that and I won't get into that, but just keep that in mind. When the characters were in that situation I was thinking, "what?!!??"

The second thing is that the author chose to leave out child protective services from the story though they were integral to the situation. Again, I'm restricted to the knowledge of my state, but here law enforcement has zero say in what happens to a child protection-wise. They deal with only the criminal aspect. I'd be interested in learning more if this is not the case in other states.
*end of sidenote* (less)

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Jan 08, 2010

Cara Lee rated it

This sweet and compelling tale is based on real events. Its fast pace provides an interesting counterpoint to its quiet depth. I felt so concerned about the fate of the girl at the heart of the story that I never wanted to put the book down.

"When She Flew" focuses on a life-changing moment in the lives of two very different people: a girl on the threshold of her teens and a woman on the threshold of middle-age. Lindy is a 13-year-old girl who lives with her father in a camp...moreThis sweet and compelling tale is based on real events. Its fast pace provides an interesting counterpoint to its quiet depth. I felt so concerned about the fate of the girl at the heart of the story that I never wanted to put the book down.

"When She Flew" focuses on a life-changing moment in the lives of two very different people: a girl on the threshold of her teens and a woman on the threshold of middle-age. Lindy is a 13-year-old girl who lives with her father in a camp in the Oregon woods. Her dad is a disabled Iraq War veteran who can't get a job. Lindy feels an affinity for birds, and it's while following one that she is spotted by hikers. Police begin a search for an apparent minor at risk. Officer Jessica Villareal is a 39-year-old cop who takes part in the search. When she finds the well-educated, well-cared-for girl, she must decide whether to place her in foster care, or return her to a father with mental issues who cannot provide a home with four walls.

I fell in love with young Lindy, almost a creature of nature herself, but with the best characteristics of humanity: intelligence, curiosity and compassion. Shortridge writes with a light touch that reveals the emotional contours beneath the surface of things, and Lindy is her strongest voice. When the girl and her dad are fleeing from police, she says, "I wished I could fly, but even if I were covered with feathers, I would not be able to avoid gravity." Meanwhile, Jessica is a mother at a crossroads in her estranged relationship with her own daughter. Lindy brings out Jessica's strong maternal instincts, but Jessica must decide if those instincts are compatible with those of a good cop.

By reshaping the true story and filling it with characters who feel like people I might know, Shortridge effectively dropped me in the middle of it all and showed me every point of view. I found myself stretching my definitions of family and home. I was reminded that life's most important choices require sacrifice. We both gain something and lose something, whether we take the risk to go our own way or the equal risk to reach out to others. (less)

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Dec 03, 2009

Cheryl rated it

Jessica Villareal is a police officer. She enjoys her job, especially when she can help people. Though, she seems to be at a lost when it comes to her daughter, Nina. Jessica is at her wits end. She doesn’t know what to do. Issues between her and her daughter will have to wait. Jessica has a bigger situation on her hands. Someone spotted a little girl wandering. They chased after her, only to discover and she was not alone.

Ray, a war bet and his daughter, Melinda “Lindy” have been l...more

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Nov 26, 2009

Ilana rated it

Jessica Villareel is a average cop. She accidentally messed up her whole family with her daughter and father. After booting the father out of the house, her daughter Nina has somewhat shunned her. Jess takes up a job, to find this girl and the girl's father who live in the woods. They have been missing for an extremely long time, living and thriving in the forest for 6 years. But it turns into a total different case than expected.

I can connect this book to the diary of Anne Frank, be...more

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Nov 21, 2009

Jen rated it

I was fortunate to see the author read from this novel and discuss the genesis of the book. In 2004, a Vietnam War veteran and her daughter were found living off the grid in a large park near Portland. Their encampment was clean, and the girl was 13 but read at a 12th grade level. People were worried about abuse, but they were just a loving father and daughter. A media frenzy ensued.

What intrigued Shortridge was that one of the officers on the case, a single father, felt that they sh...more

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Nov 24, 2009

Yolanda rated it

Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: read-in-2009

I recieved this book as an ARC from Library Thing and at first put off reading it as I was into about 3 other books at the time.I picked it up on Friday and finished it Sunday. It is fast paced and a very believeable read.
The book deals with an Iraq vet and his daughter who are homeless and what the system of govt tries to do for them believing they know best. It truly makes you think about what home really is and family and that sometimes in trying to do good the system actually does ha...more

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Dec 16, 2009

Linda rated it

I'm so glad that Robin Beerbower recommended this book. I did a little experiment and read it at the same time as My Abandonment by Peter Rock; both books based on the same story of a father and daughter who had lived undetected for four years in a park inside Portland's city limits. Shortridge approached the story from a cop's perspective, letting things unfold a bit more like a mystery.

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Feb 21, 2011

Florinda rated it

Shelves: fiction, review, copy, autographed, 2009review

Actual events inspired Jennie Shortridge's newest novel, her fourth, and provide the base for a moving and suspenseful story that explores family relationships, moral choices, and social responsibility.[return][return]Police officer Jess Villareal's dedication to her job is one of the factors in her strained relationship with her daughter Nina, and her relationship issues sometimes influence how she does her job. When her department forms a team to look for a young girl spotted in the woods - po...moreActual events inspired Jennie Shortridge's newest novel, her fourth, and provide the base for a moving and suspenseful story that explores family relationships, moral choices, and social responsibility.[return][return]Police officer Jess Villareal's dedication to her job is one of the factors in her strained relationship with her daughter Nina, and her relationship issues sometimes influence how she does her job. When her department forms a team to look for a young girl spotted in the woods - possibly a runaway, possibly kidnapped - Jess' maternal instincts drive her to ask for the assignment. They do find the girl, Lindy, along with her father, Ray; they've been living on their own in the woods for months, ever since Ray returned from military service in Iraq and took Lindy away from her meth-addicted mother, leaving Colorado for a promised job in Oregon. The job falls through due to Ray's physical and psychological injuries, leaving him and his daughter homeless and getting by on $400 per month from the VA.[return][return]Although Lindy seems to be well-cared-for, considering the circumstances, the police team has to consider their social and legal obligation, which requires getting the social-services system involved. Jess doesn't agree that separating father and daughter is the right thing to do, and while she states her agreement with the team decision, she feels compelled to act differently. She's well aware that following that compulsion could jeopardize her career, but doesn't have a sense of how it might affect the rest of her life as well.[return][return]The characters and circumstances of Lindy and Ray were inspired by a Vietnam vet and his young daughter found living in a forest park near Portland in 2004. Jennie Shortridge explores what their lives might have been like through chapters in Lindy's own first-person perspective, which alternate with third-person narration centered on Jess. I thought that the presentation of a complex situation from the two viewpoints was particularly effective, and the anxiety that situation provoked kept me eagerly reading, but it was the characters themselves that really made it work for me. I felt for Lindy - a strangely sheltered child in some ways, mature well beyond her years in others - but I really cared about Jess. She's a self-doubting, hard-working single parent who takes a lot to heart, and while I may have questioned her choices, I really wanted things to work out for her.[return][return]When She Flew was a fast read, but not a particularly light one; by way of its compelling characters, it touches on some important questions.(less)

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Mar 05, 2011

Sarah rated it

This is the third novel of Shortridge's that I've read and I've loved each one of them. She's a wonderful storyteller, creating thoughtful and compelling characters, balancing the forward motion of the plot with the emotional responses/revelations of characters.

Told alternately through the first person narration of Lindy, the 13 year old girl who has been living for years off the grid in the Oregon wilderness with her father, and a limited omniscient narrator who tells the story f...more

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Jul 13, 2010

Staci rated it

Recommended to Staci by: Publisher

Shelves: 2010-reads

Thoughts: I was captured immediately with the description of Lindy's love for birds and her hope to see a blue heron. I anxiously await each year the blue heron that visits my neighbor's pond. I love birds and owls, so I felt an affinity for Lindy. I was scared for her when the police invade her home and try to separate her from her father. I'm always amazed at how easily people can judge someone else and this book really made me stop and think about what is a "proper" home for a chil...more

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May 30, 2010

Heather rated it

I will admit to being a little nervous when my friend Mary gave be the book When She Flew, by Jennie Shortridge. Shortridge is a childhood friend of hers, and as a result I started worrying about what I would write here if I didn't like the book. (It never occurred to me not to write a review...guess I'm a book blogger for real now!) Thankfully I enjoyed the book, and am therefore let off the hook of having to write a negative review of a friend (which is what it would have felt like!).
...moreI will admit to being a little nervous when my friend Mary gave be the book When She Flew, by Jennie Shortridge. Shortridge is a childhood friend of hers, and as a result I started worrying about what I would write here if I didn't like the book. (It never occurred to me not to write a review...guess I'm a book blogger for real now!) Thankfully I enjoyed the book, and am therefore let off the hook of having to write a negative review of a friend (which is what it would have felt like!).

When She Flew is the story of Jess and Lindy. Jess is a police-officer, a single mom of a single mom-her daughter had a baby at 16 and left home to live with her father. Lindy is the 13 year-old daughter of an Iraq war vet. She and her dad have been living "off the grid" in the Oregon wilderness. When a birdwatcher catches sight of Lindy and reports a child in danger to the police, Jess and Lindy's worlds meet with jarring consequences.

In terms of story, this book reminded me a little bit of Jodi Picoult Light, and I mean that as a compliment. It's the kind of story that Jodi Picoult likes to tell-one about family and love and society and redemption. However, Shortridge's book is heavier on the personal and lighter on the political than a Picoult book is. The story is simple without being simplistic, an easy read that still provides depth and substance. It highlights one of the most current of current-events, the Iraq war and its repercussions, in a way that isn't preachy or jingoistic, just honest.

My only criticism is that Jess's character seemed so guilt-ridden over her choices as a mother. Her daughter, enraged by her mother for kicking her father out when she was 10 or so, becomes combative, finally removing herself mostly from Jess's life when she gets pregnant. Throughout the book Jess expresses remorse again and again for putting her career before her daughter, but nothing about the way that their life is described makes me think she was an absent mother. I think that too often working women are portrayed in media, and made to feel guilty for, having a career and interests outside of child-rearing. We are all supposed to be horribly conflicted and feel guilty the whole time we are away, living only for the moment we can be with our precious child again. While I'm sure that is the experience of some women, there are also plenty of women who see their career as an important part of their identity, and who don't feel as though they have to sacrifice everything about themselves to say they are a good mom. Balance is possible. I understand why Shortridge wrote Jess that way-she needed a plausible motivation for her actions in the story. I just wish some other mechanism could have been found to make that happen.

But, as my friend Mary will tell you, I tend to over-analyze anything remotely feminist in nature. Mary, if you're reading this, I'm sure you are shaking your head and chuckling that I manage to find something political in such a simple, personal story. Well, you know me...I love nothing more than a good debate! Regardless of how I feel about Jess's motivation in the story, this book is an enjoyable, poignant read.(less)

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Mar 05, 2010

Sara added it

13-year-old Lindy Wiggs and her father have been living illegally in a tree fort in Portland s Forest Park for four years. Their life has been idyllic; they grow their own food in a garden, travel into the city to buy necessities and to visit the library so that Lindy can keep up with her homeschool studies. Their peaceful way of life is torn apart when Lindy is spotted in the park by a pair of birdwatchers. Concerned for her safety, they notify the police and initiate a search. What seems to L...more

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Apr 08, 2010

Justine Sof2014 rated it

Shelves: grade-8-ir-books-nicole

This book is called "When she flew" by Jennie Shortridge. Its about Police officer Jessica Villareal, she has always played by the book and always tried to do the right things. She has worked harder on her job then her family. As she focuses more on her job she is approaching a divorce, estranged from her daughter, now she is all alone and unhappy. She felts like a complete fool for making all those bad decisions. Then she meets a vet and his young daughter in Iraq. She avoids all the...more

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Feb 22, 2010

Cheyenne rated it

When She Flew is a story of a somewhat emotionally broken police officer who discovers a little girl, Lindy, who has been living in the woods with her Iraq-veteran father for several years. Upon discovering the small, transient family, Officer Villareal has to decide whether to tear them apart for the sake of "following the rules" or defy her superiors and the regulations of the state in order to keep the girl with her father. When She Flew tells dual tales: that of Officer Villareal a...more

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Dec 29, 2009

Literary Feline rated it

The seeds of a story can come from anywhere: a conversation overheard, the sound of a train rolling by, our own life experiences or even a story heard in the news. Jennie Shortridge was inspired by the true life story of a Vietnam Veteran and his daughter who had been living in the woods for a number of years. The daughter was healthy and well-adjusted, home schooled by her father. They had lived in the wooded park for four years, living off the land. Shortridge's wonderings about their life ...more

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Jan 27, 2010

Samantha rated it

Shelves: 2010

Jessica Villareal is a police officer, sworn to uphold the law, yet her heart and mind can't reconcile what might happen after a Iraqi-war vet father and daughter are found living in the wilderness of a state park. What lengths will she go to help them stay together, and will it mean risking losing all she holds dear?

At the beginning of this book we see Jess struggling to reconcile her rigid thoughts on how others should live. You either fit in or you don't and if you don't, then y...more

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Dec 28, 2009

Serena rated it

Recommends it for: Anna Horner, Anna Eskridge, Sarah Kristensen

Jennie Shortridge's When She Flew is a beautifully written novel about pivotal decisions and their unexpected consequences. Told from the point of view of Officer Jessica Villareal and Melinda aka Lindy Wiggs, the novel shifts from the legal ramifications of Villareal's decision not to split up Melinda from her family and Melinda's experiences with her Iraq War veteran father, her drug addicted mother, and her new home. The novel is peppered with beautiful imagery and a number of passages with...moreJennie Shortridge's When She Flew is a beautifully written novel about pivotal decisions and their unexpected consequences. Told from the point of view of Officer Jessica Villareal and Melinda aka Lindy Wiggs, the novel shifts from the legal ramifications of Villareal's decision not to split up Melinda from her family and Melinda's experiences with her Iraq War veteran father, her drug addicted mother, and her new home. The novel is peppered with beautiful imagery and a number of passages with birds, which emphasize flight and escape.

"Pater keeps looking out the windows, walking from on to the other, hitching up his pants. he reminds me of a finch, all nervous and fidgety, eyes darting this way and that." (Page 255)

Lindy's narration focuses mainly on the love of the forest in which she lives, of her father, and even of her mother whom she left behind, but there are glimpses into the terrible events of her life under the guardianship of her mother while her father served his country. She misses her mother, but for the most part there is a sense of contentment until one day she follows a blue heron too far.

"The central library was my favorite building. It's like going to a palace full of books. I feel like a princess or an important person when I walk up the steps toward that huge brick building with its pretty windows and a roof that looks like a steeple, and go inside the tall oak doors, and the man in uniform smiles and says, 'Good afternoon.' I feel even more like royalty when we glide across the shiny stone floor. Everything is so elegant that I want to just stand and look but Pater always says to hurry along." (Page 14)

Officer Villareal is a mother who hasn't exactly lived up to her own expectations as an officer or as a mother, but she copes with her circumstances by working and burying herself in memories of her daughter Nina, who escaped her mother's tight supervision to live with her father and raise her own son.

"The dirt dwellers she dealt with were like subterranean worms and bugs: drug dealers and pimps, abusive parents, gangsters and thieves. She had tried for years not to notice them when off duty, but she couldn't help it." (Page 5)

Shortridge's prose is gorgeous and immediate, sucking readers into the world she's created in the wilderness of Oregon and the small town outside the forest. When She Flew is about finding one's convictions to break the mold and follow the right path. It is about striving to be better and to find the freedom to grow. Shortridge's writing will blow readers away.(less)

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Dec 18, 2009

Nicole rated it

Ever since the untimely death of her police officer father, Jessica Villareal has known that she too would be a police officer when she grew up. Dedicated to her job and especially to protecting children from predators, Jess hasn’t always been as attentive to her daughter Nina as she has needed to be since she was essentially always on the job.

Nina becomes pregnant as a teenager and leaves Jess to live with her alcoholic father, Jess is left to ponder the decisions and choices that ...moreEver since the untimely death of her police officer father, Jessica Villareal has known that she too would be a police officer when she grew up. Dedicated to her job and especially to protecting children from predators, Jess hasn’t always been as attentive to her daughter Nina as she has needed to be since she was essentially always on the job.

Nina becomes pregnant as a teenager and leaves Jess to live with her alcoholic father, Jess is left to ponder the decisions and choices that she has made with regard to her daughter, and in her present struggles to be apart of her life and the life of her three-year-old- grandson Teo.

When Lindy and her father Ray, a troubled Iraq war veteran, are found to be living in the woods, Jess makes sure to be assigned to the team to bring them into police custody. Acting on a feeling that even she doesn’t understand, she only knows that she will do anything to protect and lookout for Lindy, even if the cost is her career and the vestiges of family that she has left.

This is one of those books that you pick up and don’t put down until you finish. Simply written and emotionally astute, When She Flew got me involved with these characters and wanting to see what was coming next. Jess is wonderfully human, and though she strives to be good person you don’t always agree with her thinking and the choices where her thoughts ultimately lead her. I thought she made a more than one bonehead move, and you can see that her over investment in her job has caused problems with her family.

Fully fleshed out with all of the little things that can run through a woman’s mind through the day, Jess’s thoughts often went from job issues, to her weight, dating, and her options and failures as a parent. It was easy to admire her confidence on the job but to also cringe as she bungled interactions with both her daughter and her mother.

Ray and Lindy were a touching mother and father duo. Shortridge paints a perfect picture of what drives this man to make the choices that he does in living off the grid with his daughter, and details their day-to-day activities so that you can see just how they were able to live and manage going to church every Sunday. Lindy can be very naive but at the same time she is well educated and adult beyond her years. None of the characters were portrayed in black and white and it was very hard to make any decisions about what anyone should have done. I think Lindy was very wise to note at one point that she had done something and the consequences were both good and bad.

I started and finished this book in one day. I love the way that Shortridge rendered the morally complex issues of parental vs government responsibility in a child’s life and what constitutes a good parent and a suitable home, while also delicately touching upon issues of child abuse and the mental and physical health of soldiers returning and what they face returning home from war. I also enjoyed observing the way that the different characters used or rejected faith and personal symbols for guidance in their lives and decision making. There aren’t any easy solutions for the characters portrayed in this thoughtful novel and I am still thinking about the issues explored here.(less)

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Dec 28, 2009

Ti rated it

The Short of It:

When She Flew is a gem of a little book. This story gently unfolds into a beautiful thing.

The Rest of It:

This is one of those stories that flows effortlessly. From the moment I picked it up, I knew it was going to be one of those books. As I was reading about Jessica and her relationship with her own daughter, I was struck with how realistically her life was drawn. The life of a cop, a female cop no less…the need to maintain a game face at all ...moreThe Short of It:

When She Flew is a gem of a little book. This story gently unfolds into a beautiful thing.

The Rest of It:

This is one of those stories that flows effortlessly. From the moment I picked it up, I knew it was going to be one of those books. As I was reading about Jessica and her relationship with her own daughter, I was struck with how realistically her life was drawn. The life of a cop, a female cop no less…the need to maintain a game face at all times, the pressure to hold it all together, it all rings true. Women struggle to be everything, to everyone and sometimes fail in the process. Jess isn’t perfect, and we see her flaws but she is an easy character to relate to. I appreciated the fact that Jess was strong, but flawed. It made her more human.

As she deals with Ray and Lindy, the ‘forest people’ trying desperately to make a life of their own on what little they have, we see what happens when oil and water meet. Jess has ideas of what a good parent is and she berates herself daily, over the mistakes she has made with her own daughter. However, when she sees the fierce love that Ray has for Lindy, she begins to realize that there may be more than one way to be a good parent. That providing the basics such as food and shelter is just a part of what being a parent is.

The story is told with alternating points of view, one of which being Lindy’s. Lindy is a delicate bird. At the age of thirteen, she is becoming a young lady and has learned to appreciate all she has. Taken from an abusive mother, her father sheltered her from society, yet raised her to be self-sufficient, to live off the land. She is educated and wiser than her years but she is anything but fragile. Like a bird, she is ready to take flight but possesses a sensibility that most young girls do not possess at this age.

Ray, Lindy’s father, is an Iraq war vet battling post-traumatic stress. He lives on a very small income and creates a sanctuary for Lindy out in the middle of the forest. Shortridge takes great care with Ray. As a reader, you cannot judge Ray. He’s troubled but makes the best decisions he can for the sake of his daughter. I was touched by his tenderness.

While I was reading the book, there was a small part of me expecting a very pat ending. I am happy to report that this is not the case. Shortridge crafts a beautiful story with well-developed characters. When I finished reading it, I felt the weight of it, and lingered in its warmth for a bit.(less)

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Dec 17, 2009

Andrea rated it

This book is definitely a story about doing what you think is right, even when it goes against everything you were taught to believe. And it really pulled me in and made me think. I find myself going back and forth about whether or not Jess did what was right. There is the teacher side of me that thinks that Lindy needs to be in the "real world", at least as far as the education is concerned and that they need a real shelter. But there is another part of me, that thinks that if her...more

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Nov 29, 2009

Mary rated it

When She Flew is the story of a police officer who is part of a team who search for and find a father and daughter living in the Oregon forest. The father is an Iraq War vet, unable to find work due to a war injury, keeping his thirteen year old daughter safe the best way he can. The police officer knows that the legal system's way of helping the girl is not really in her best interest so she takes matters into her own hands.

I liked several characters in the book, especially Lindy - ...more

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Jan 03, 2010

Lisa rated it

Jessica Villareal is a cop. She's also a mother but she considers herself a better cop than parent and whenever she talks to her daughter she's reminded of her motherly shortcomings. Regret has a big part in Jess's life. She regrets many things, but mostly the over-protectiveness of her daughter as a teenager that eventually pushed her to go live with Jess's ex-husband, taking her young grandson with her. She would give anything to go back and do things differently. But when you're a cop and you...moreJessica Villareal is a cop. She's also a mother but she considers herself a better cop than parent and whenever she talks to her daughter she's reminded of her motherly shortcomings. Regret has a big part in Jess's life. She regrets many things, but mostly the over-protectiveness of her daughter as a teenager that eventually pushed her to go live with Jess's ex-husband, taking her young grandson with her. She would give anything to go back and do things differently. But when you're a cop and you've seen the things Jess has seen, its easy to become obsessed with protecting your family.

WHEN SHE FLEW by Jennie Shortridge is a fictionalized story taken straight from actual events that asks the question What makes a good parent? Is good parenting determined by following societies interpretation of what acceptable parenting should be? Or is it a case by case basis taking individual circumstances into account? Is it illegal to go against the grain of society and do what you think is right for your child no matter what? And should you be persecuted for not conforming to 'normal' social practices?

These are the questions that Officer Villareal faces when she meets Lindy, a thirteen year old girl and her father, an Iraq war veteran who is down on his luck and living in the forests of Oregon. When Lindy is spotted near a wildlife preserve, and takes off running when she realizes she's been seen, fear for her safety becomes paramount. The police assemble an all out man hunt to find this supposed 'lost' child. What they find instead is a father and daughter living self sufficiently in the forest at a camp with sparse, but clean living conditions, a garden of fresh food and no evidence at all that the girl is being harmed in any way.

Things begin to get complicated when Jess learns more about Lindy's family life and disagrees with the actions of social services. As she gets to know Lindy and her father, she begins to understand the choices he's made. Her mothering instincts come out and at the same time she can't help reflecting on her relationship with her own daughter. Jess has always been a follow-the-rules kind of cop but she soon finds herself making decisions that could not only put her job in jeopardy, but also land her on the wrong side of the law.

Jennie Shortridge does an amazing job of telling this story in a way that unfolds beautifully and realistically while bringing to the forefront the different perceptions of the proper way to raise a child. It is told in alternating voices between Jess and Lindy, giving deep insight to each character. We learn that although Jess has made mistakes in her personal life, she is trying hard to make amends yet still stick to her principles. In Lindy, we discover a thriving, smart, teenager who, thanks to her father, appreciates the natural world around her. A girl who as she begins to mature is not naive to her circumstances. She realizes she has dreams of her own and that the situation with her father is unique. She is a young lady with a soul much older than her years, which in this case, is not necessarily a bad thing.

As soon as I started reading I knew I was going to enjoy this book. Between the interesting story and Shortridge's wonderful writing style, I was hooked. I'll be reading more from this author in the future.(less)

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Sep 09, 2009

Bridget rated it

Shelves: 2009-reads

I have an Uncorrected Proofs copy of this book, and reading the little summary blurb on the back cover, I wasn't sure what I would think about the book, or if I would even like it that much.

I think it was good, and I really liked it.

The story details a few days in the life of Officer Jessica Villareal, a police officer in Columbia, Oregon, who has always played by the rules. She is estranged from her only daughter, who lives out of town, and as a result, she seldom get...more

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Dec 26, 2009

Robin rated it

Shelves: oregon-author, best-of-2009, book-group-worthy

Even though I have alredy sent this, I am updating for my Best of 2009 list, and this review goes along with Peter Rock's MY ABANDONMENT:

Both of these are based on the true story of the father and pre-teen daughter who lived off the grid in Portland’s Forest Park for four years but each author treats the story a little differently. Rock’s story is told in an almost surreal and disassociated manner and Shortridge delivers more of an emotional punch. Both are interesting and would be...moreEven though I have alredy sent this, I am updating for my Best of 2009 list, and this review goes along with Peter Rock's MY ABANDONMENT:

Both of these are based on the true story of the father and pre-teen daughter who lived off the grid in Portland’s Forest Park for four years but each author treats the story a little differently. Rock’s story is told in an almost surreal and disassociated manner and Shortridge delivers more of an emotional punch. Both are interesting and would be great for book groups.

If you want to read more from previous review:
A while ago I posted a review of MY ABANDONMENT by Peter Rock, a fictionalized version of the true story of the father and pre-teen daughter found living in Portland’s Forest Park. Jennie Shortridge has also written a novel based on the same event but has made it more of an emotional and moral tale. If you can’t remember the event, in 2004 a father and daughter were found and it was found that they had been living completely off the grid for 4 years, yet even though their living conditions were primitive, the daughter still was well-educated and clean (the library played an important part of her self-taught education). Rock’s book took a strange twist that prevented me from giving it 5 stars, but I am giving Shortridge’s book five stars as it was very well done and this moving novel deserves to get a lot of attention. The story revolves around Jessica Villareal, a woman police officer who is with the team that finds the couple. The story switches between the young girl’s version of their life and what happens after they are found, and the police officer’s story of her issues with her daughter along with her idea that the father and daughter shouldn’t be separated and should be kept together at all costs, even if means breaking the law and losing her job. Very well done and I highly recommend reading both books for the different take on the story and what happens (fiction-wise) to the father and daughter.(less)

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Jul 06, 2011

Mmtimes4 added it

A new novel about faith, family, and finding the courage to do the right thing from the author of Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe.

Police officer Jessica Villareal has always played by the book and tried to do the right thing. But now, she finds herself approaching midlife divorced, estranged from her daughter, alone, and unhappy. And she's wondering if she ever made a right choice in her life.

But then Jess discovers a girl and her father living off the rada...more

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Nov 11, 2010

Anastasia rated it

Shelves: 2010, fiction

This novel is based on the actual event of a father and his daughter who were living, by choice, in a forest. They lived off the land, hid from hikers, took trips to the City to buy food and use the library. The daughter was well-adjusted, intelligent, and homeschooled by her father. Then they were discovered and the authorities got involved. Jennie Shortridge makes an admirable effort, through fiction, to understand not only the motivations of these people but that of the authorities involved i...more

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Feb 04, 2011

Karen rated it

Quick read fiction novel based on a true occurrence of a father and daughter found living in the woods outside of Portland, Oregon. The father, a war veteran with PTSD can’t find work thus can’t afford a home. He takes his daughter to live in the woods, teaches her using the library and cares for her lovingly albeit simply. Found by birders the story revolves around a female police officer who follows her own needs and beliefs rather than the police and other requirements and laws. Story focuses...more

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Jan 17, 2012

Nan rated it

Shelves: fiction

A young girl and her veteran father are found living off the grid in the woods of Oregon by a police officer who has a troubled relationship with her own adult daughter. I liked the descriptions of the natural world, particularly of birds. However, the writing was annoyingly repetitive. I didn't care at all about the officer or believed she changed in any way throughout the book.

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Dec 29, 2009

Dawn rated it

This is a wonderful book! The story of a young girl and her Iraq Veteran father living deep in the woods because he can't hold a job and they can't afford housing. Though the father and child have a plan for staying hidden, she makes a mistake and some hikers see her and report a young girl alone in the woods to the police.

The story is told in chapters by the young girl and by the female police officer who is one of the officers involved in apprehending the father daughter team. ...more

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Dec 19, 2011

Patti rated it

Met this author several years ago at a reading of

Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe

. She was working on this book at the time. Finally I got around to reading it and was not disappointed! Really good.

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title link	preview: When She Flew
avg rating	preview: When She Flew Goodreads rating: 3.60 (209 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6615206-when-she-flew?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1269221982m/6615206.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6615206-when-she-flew?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]When She Flew by Jennie Shortridge[/url]

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