Ahem... Ahem... OK, YOU, LISTEN UP

Courtesy of Kristopher Reisz and his new author fervor, I received a copy of his new book, Tripping to Somewhere. Contingent on a review of course=)

So, without further ado, here it is! (Not deliberately done in a book report style, though I was terribly tempted.)

Young adult, huh? Took me a while to really agree with this. Tripping to Somewhere follows a teenager (older variety) and her best friend through chaos. Self induced to some extent, but chaos none the less. The type of chaos that isn't totally outre for that age. The two girls run away from home for their various reasons, but they aren't just running away. They are running towards something. And then they find it.

What they are looking for is the Witches' Carnival- a sort of mythical group that travels from place to place, finding moments in time that will stand out forever. And the girls want to join it- I suppose it is a new level of the old theme of running away to join the circus.

The double and triple thinking I had to do about the whole 'young adult' category ended up making me feel old. Thanks Kris. The main character is gay, the girls fake passports to get out of the country, and drugs and alcohol are a continual presence. I kept thinking, "This is too adult for YA." But then I started to remember what I had read at that age, and it wasn't really sunshine and roses either. So I really don't have a beef with the label, though it suits for older adults as well. I quite enjoyed it.

Some of the mythological themes in the book were well hidden- I didn't peg Meek until the bit at the end, though my brain was tingling from the first mention of his companion. And usually a first book feels a bit bare, as though the author and editor were trying to keep things from getting too complex or ornate. This one didn't feel that way though. Well crafted Kris!

All in all, good book. And the odd shape of it, more square than rectangular, certainly catches the eye. And, shockingly, the cover really does suit the story. That is always a big plus to me, as though the effort was actually made at the publishing house.

So anyone with YA readers, or anyone wanting a mental return to that age without all the personal angst, pick up a copy!

(/end shameless plug)