Books Like The Returning
Families who loved The Returning by Christine Hinwood often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Families who loved The Returning by Christine Hinwood often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your teenager is struggling with a sense of 'otherness' following a major life transition, or when they are grappling with the heavy weight of survivor's guilt and identity. It is a sophisticated, grounded story about Cam, a young man returning from a brutal war with a missing arm and a soul full of unanswered questions. Through Cam's journey and the perspectives of those he encounters, the narrative explores how we rebuild our lives when the person we used to be no longer exists. While set in a historical-fantasy world, the emotional landscape is intensely realistic. It deals with the grit of recovery, the complexity of family expectations, and the difficult process of self-forgiveness. It is best suited for older teens (14+) due to its mature themes of war trauma and its slow, contemplative pace. This is a profound choice for a parent looking to validate a child's internal struggle with 'invisible scars' and the resilience required to find a new path forward.
