Published: July 29, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
My Thoughts
Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid was one of the books I've been eager to read since I picked it up at ALA. As soon as I discovered that it included a road trip that involves loss, hope and love, which you can clearly see based on the cover alone, I was sold. I love.love.love road trip books. It's a chance for me to live vicariously through characters that travel the states on a quest. And in this particular story, the potential was clearly there...
The story is told in the third person with the main character Leila journeying through the US. She is on her way to Alaska to see the Northern Lights, and along her journey she meets Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia who are each on the cusp of a life changing moment. Leila meets Hudson on the eve before his college interview for a full scholarship. She collides with Bree who is on a journey of her own battling an itchy soul that just wants to seize the Tuesday. Leila literally crashes into Elliot the night of his prom and spends the evening helping him chase the love of his life. And finally, she stumbles upon Sonia who is rediscovering love after a tragic loss.
Meeting all of these characters was rewarding in more ways than one, as I enjoyed learning about them and their hopes. I definitely had the best time with Elliot, whether it be because of their witty dialog together or the possibility of these two really becoming good friends. Through her travels, Leila changes each of their lives in some small way, which left me wanting to know who Leila truly was.
Unfortunately, what I felt was missing was the necessary character development around Leila. It's not until the final chapters of her story that we discover the true reason for her journey, which in my opinion misses the real essence of road trip books. I believe the magic in this type of fiction is getting to know the main character as he or she travels to their destination, but that never occurred until the very end. I feel if I would have know her circumstance, it would have made her adventure more meaningful to me.
In addition, I question the author's decision to write this in the third person because I feel there were missed opportunities to feel a more profound connection with the main character. So overall, it wasn't until the final chapters that I felt a connection with the experience, which was a bit disappointing.
Overall, I loved the concept, but the execution just didn't quite do it for me. A slight miss in my opinion, but I'll definitely consider picking up other books by Alsaid to see how this author's writing style changes over time.
Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost.
Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named LEILA. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.
There's HUDSON, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And BREE, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. ELLIOT believes in happy endings…until his own life goes off-script. And SONIA worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love.
Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth— sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.
"You know what I've never understood about life?"
"We've reached that point of the night already? It's epiphany o'clock?"
Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid was one of the books I've been eager to read since I picked it up at ALA. As soon as I discovered that it included a road trip that involves loss, hope and love, which you can clearly see based on the cover alone, I was sold. I love.love.love road trip books. It's a chance for me to live vicariously through characters that travel the states on a quest. And in this particular story, the potential was clearly there...
The story is told in the third person with the main character Leila journeying through the US. She is on her way to Alaska to see the Northern Lights, and along her journey she meets Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia who are each on the cusp of a life changing moment. Leila meets Hudson on the eve before his college interview for a full scholarship. She collides with Bree who is on a journey of her own battling an itchy soul that just wants to seize the Tuesday. Leila literally crashes into Elliot the night of his prom and spends the evening helping him chase the love of his life. And finally, she stumbles upon Sonia who is rediscovering love after a tragic loss.
Meeting all of these characters was rewarding in more ways than one, as I enjoyed learning about them and their hopes. I definitely had the best time with Elliot, whether it be because of their witty dialog together or the possibility of these two really becoming good friends. Through her travels, Leila changes each of their lives in some small way, which left me wanting to know who Leila truly was.
Unfortunately, what I felt was missing was the necessary character development around Leila. It's not until the final chapters of her story that we discover the true reason for her journey, which in my opinion misses the real essence of road trip books. I believe the magic in this type of fiction is getting to know the main character as he or she travels to their destination, but that never occurred until the very end. I feel if I would have know her circumstance, it would have made her adventure more meaningful to me.
In addition, I question the author's decision to write this in the third person because I feel there were missed opportunities to feel a more profound connection with the main character. So overall, it wasn't until the final chapters that I felt a connection with the experience, which was a bit disappointing.
Overall, I loved the concept, but the execution just didn't quite do it for me. A slight miss in my opinion, but I'll definitely consider picking up other books by Alsaid to see how this author's writing style changes over time.
3 Snowflakes
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