Buried Alive

What Happened to Cass McBride?

by Gail Giles

Summary

Cass McBride knows how to talk. She learned from her dad, a high-profile salesman, who climbed his way to the top of every ladder possible. But when her written words find their way into the wrong hands, everything falls apart. After David Kirby finds the note in which Cass tore him down, he takes his own life. His brother, Kyle, decides to avenge his death by burying Cass alive. While the police scramble to find out what happened to Cass, she’s fighting for her life and trying to use her words to make Kyle see what was really at the heart of David’s depression.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

I stayed up reading What Happened to Cass McBride the first night I started the book and proceeded to have nightmares. I was still anxious to know what happened, but I chose to read during the daylight hours after that. Gail Giles’ story is fascinating and disturbing, and it hooks you in immediately. Using alternating narrators was a great way to tell the story and let the reader piece things together. I think what frightened me most was the psychological aspect of the story - there are some deeply troubled characters here, and their problems are happening in real life every day. That being said, Cass McBride is a book that will have you turning pages as quickly as you can to find out what happens - not just to Cass, but to everyone involved.

Reviews

What happened to Cass McBride? Well, she has been buried alive by Kyle Kirby, who blames her for his brother David's suicide. After asking Cass out, David finds a note she leaves for a friend in which she laughs about an invitation from someone so low on the food chain. Then David hangs himself. Told in alternating voices, including that of a police officer, this intense story has some horrifying moments; readers will feel as terrorized as Cass as she struggles to survive, both physically and mentally. At the same time, there are plenty of psychological thrills as Cass tries to win her release by outwitting Kyle. In the teens' dialogues, it becomes clear that both have parents who have withheld love, and the brothers, especially David, have suffered extreme verbal abuse. The depiction of Kyle's mother goes over the top, but overall this packs a wallop. Readers won't forget David's suicide note, pinned to his skin: "Words are teeth. And they eat me alive. Feed on my corpse instead." - Booklist

In the library

This is definitely a book for high school-aged readers, and probably best read individually. The story’s dark content addresses many issues that face today’s teens, such as suicide, popularity, and trouble with parents. Use a group discussion time to address the power of words and how they can help and hurt people, and ask students to think about the impact of their words on others.

SLIS 5420

Module 10, Week of Oct. 26-31