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Alaska

3.24 of 5 stars 3.24 · rating details · 107 ratings · 27 reviews

Mia's heart made a sound that no one heard except for Mia late one night when she woke from dreams into darkness.

Ethan was asleep beside her, and Em was a forest away. Outside it was night and dark and Alaska. The sky was upside down.

When Mia follows her sister halfway across the world to Alaska, she discovers that love can be found in the most unexpected and beautiful of...more

Paperback, 185 pages

Published June 27th 2011 by Penguin

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Jun 07, 2011 Nomes rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-ya, 2011, crushing-on-the-writing, covers-i-love

4.5 stars

alaska is a gorgeous, gorgeous book. it's breathless and aching and it completely captures that swirl of coming-of-age emotions. the fear and hope and vulnerability we all feel. the fleeting moments of deep happiness pitched against the uncertainties of the world and your place in it.

it's a contemp but written in such a lyrical way that it occasionally has an other-worldy vibe: it's whimsical. sue saliba's prose is stunning ~ she catches sentiments in the most aching of ways. the story...more

17 likes · like · see review

Nov 10, 2011 Reynje rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011, australian, young-adult, cover-loving, contemp-or-realistic

3.5 stars

Some books shout from the page, strident and bold, demanding to be heard.

Other books whisper in your ear. Almost as if to say: ‘Come closer. I have something to tell you.’ So you lean in, sink into the words, and let yourself be submerged.

Alaska is one of the latter. It is a quiet, seemingly simple story, with great emotional depth beneath the plot. The prose is spare, yet somehow heavy – every sentence feels deliberate and significant, each word carefully chosen, rich with meaning. T...more 3.5 stars

Some books shout from the page, strident and bold, demanding to be heard.

Other books whisper in your ear. Almost as if to say: ‘Come closer. I have something to tell you.’ So you lean in, sink into the words, and let yourself be submerged.

Alaska is one of the latter. It is a quiet, seemingly simple story, with great emotional depth beneath the plot. The prose is spare, yet somehow heavy – every sentence feels deliberate and significant, each word carefully chosen, rich with meaning. There is something almost dream-like about the experience of reading this book – the lyrical flow, the delicate handling of the dialogue, the beauty of the language.

While the lack of capitalisation, the short paragraphs and the shifts from past to present initially take some getting used to, they feel fitting for the unfolding of Mia’s story.

Travelling from Australia to Alaska in the wake of her mother’s hospitalisation, Mia discovers love and beauty – in people and her surroundings – and must ultimately decide whether to follow her heart, whatever direction it may lead her in.

The subjects of alcoholism, depression, romantic and familial love – and the way Mia perceives these – are explored honestly without being heavy handed or melodramatic. In particular, the passages that deal with mental illness feel achingly real and insightful. While yet a young woman beginning to figure out her way into the future and experiencing all the accompanying uncertainty, it is here that Mia shows her depth of understanding and empathy.

I loved how the aspect of distance was explored in Mia’s relationships, both geographically and emotionally, and what it means to be close to someone. Or to discover that someone may not be exactly who or what we believe (or want) them to be. The bonds between Mia and her mother and sister, from childhood to the present, were a little bit heartbreaking in their realism.

Alaska is a gentle story of a girl’s self-discovery through connection with her surroundings and finding something to believe in. It's a moving portrayal of courage and what it means to love. Absolutely beautiful.

(I also have to mention the cover. It is stunning - I keep picking it up and tilting it in the light. Perfect for the story within.)
(less)

15 likes · like · see review

Jan 14, 2013 Belle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-aussie-aussie, all-the-feelings, hey-i-just-met-you, inner-teen

Alaska by Sue Saliba is a gorgeous book. From the beautiful cover art to the lyrical, emotive language, it's a delight to hold and devour.

Alaska tells the story of Mia, a Melbourne student who defers Year 12 to live with her sister, Em, in Alaska while their mother is in hospital. Once close to her sister, Mia now finds herself struggling to find a place in the world, as Em is focused on her new family, leaving Mia feeling adrift. She seeks solace in the nearby forest and in the arms

...more

Alaska by Sue Saliba is a gorgeous book. From the beautiful cover art to the lyrical, emotive language, it's a delight to hold and devour.

Mia’s sense of helplessness and disconnection is palpable from the start. Although told in the third person, the lack of capital letters, frequent section breaks and long, rhythmic sentences lend the narrative a stream-of-consciousness style that gives you the feeling you ’ re in Mia’s head. Her confused, hurting and hopeful head. I connected very strongly with this aspect of the novel, and felt Mia’s desire for belonging and for happiness deeply.

Aside from the amazing design, the language was my favourite part of Alaska. It’s the kind you want to read aloud and roll around in your mouth, savouring the texture of each word and the cadence of each sentence. Although it’s not a verse novel, there is something distinctly poetic about Saliba’s writing style. It was sparse but powerful, with each word seemingly deliberately chosen and each space particularly placed. What isn’t said is almost as loud as what is. This is especially true of Mia’s relationship with her sister. Having finished the book, it feels like they barely spoke to each other at all, and yet their silence spoke volumes. It’s heartbreaking and raw and so very real.

The setting of Alaska is one I’ve never read before, but Saliba makes it real and vivid and incredibly beautiful. Her descriptive writing made me feel the exquisite coldness of the frozen landscape, even though I was sitting in 30-degree heat. In the words of Liz Lemon, I want to go to there.

I only wish Alaska was a little bit longer. I appreciated that not everything was tied up in a neat little bow, but I did wish for a little more resolution to certain plot points – mainly the relationship between the sisters, and the future of the forest. I felt like much of the novel was building up those two interrelated stories, just to basically drop them at the end (view spoiler). Nevertheless, Alaska is a dreamy coming-of-age story, with authentic characters, elegant writing and a lovely touch of whimsy.

This review also appears on my blog.

(less)

18 likes · like · see review

Jan 22, 2013 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

The essence of Alaska was amazing, and the depth of emotion expressed through the lyrical words would really come, and you would be pulled in and immersed in the book. It's a peaceful book about a Australian girl who comes to Alaska to be with her sister instead of going to Year 12.
It was the way the words were written: NO CAPS. I guess that detracted my attention from the book because I'm a person who picks up on grammar- also its flowing prose that, though beautiful, annoyed me. The lack of a...more

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Sep 21, 2011 Madison Hamilton rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've not often been a fan of those books that seem to come and go with barely any plot between them. I'm into the epics, drastic changes and exciting action-packed thrillers. This was completely the opposite.
But as much as I thought her writing somewhat corny, her experimental punctuation occasionally too much and the story uneventful - I felt like I could not help but become attached to the world she was creating.
It was like I was resisting as much as I could but I was being pulled me into her...more

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Aug 17, 2011 Marj rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Mia journeys to Alaska to visit her sister, but also to run away from dealing with her mother's alcoholism. But in her escape to the other side of the world, she learns to face the many bonds she shares with her mother.

I really wanted to love this book, as much for the mystique of its sense of place as anything. "Bring me back a photo of the Northern Lights," I'd said to a friend who'd traveled there recently. And she did.

But THIS 'Alaska' did not shine for me. Somewhere along the way, reading t...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Penni Russon rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a lovely package, beautifully presented.

In terms of the story what resonated most was the powerful symbolic realm of the forest, and the sense of an Australian girl trying to translate her intimate experience of a foreign landscape and the connectedness of all living things, when she is not connected to her own family. I admired Saliba's restraint, and the novel has lingered with me in a way it might not have if the story was more tightly observed. However I must admit to some frustrati...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 29, 2011 Amy Han rated it 4 of 5 stars

Alaska swept me up in its poetry and took me to another side of the world, where there are forests with deer and rainbow fish, and a night sky streaked with colour. I really enjoyed Saliba's style in her previous novel, Something in the World Called Love, with every word in lower case. She continues with this writing style in Alaska - somehow this makes it easier to lose myself in the fluidity of her sentences, which I find really lovely.

The story itself is a quiet, sensitive and thoughtful one....more

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Jun 13, 2011 Skye rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-ya, own

mia’s heart made a sound that no one heard
except for mia
late one night when she woke from dreams into darkness.

Sue Saliba’s Alaska follows Mia, who has left home and her sick, alcoholic mother to go to Alaska and be with her sister that she was once so close to.

Alaska is told in gorgeous, lyrical episodic verse, free from constraints of some punctuation. While this aspect takes a while to appreciate, once accustomed to it, it only adds to the raw beauty of the writing.

The relationships betwee...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Kathryn rated it 3 of 5 stars

So this kind of reminded me of a hot chocolate on a Sunday afternoon - as odd as that may sound.
It was nice, peaceful and floaty.
The actual plot of the story though, was really minor. It was interesting to be caught up in the tangle of an interesting life story - I mean who just moves to Alaska to escape their drunk of a mother? - but I felt like nothing really happened but the book still continued.
The forest 'plot' if you can even call it that was rather pointless, and although people can re...more

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Nov 20, 2011 Jemima Puddle Duck rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2005-11, books-by-aussie-authors, ya

I really liked this book and the way it was written, but I didn't like the characters much, and I felt that the story was largely uneventful. Alaska is about Mia and her trip to Alaska, during which she comes to understand herself a little better. Mia irritated me as a character, probably because whenever she was experiencing something she didn't like or understand, her imagination took over and she thought about something else. At times this made it hard to tell what exactly was going on in the...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Romi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, four-star-review, all-time-favourite, romance

After I first saw and heard of Alaska, I couldn't wait to read it... it seemed to be such a different book, so beautiful and intreguing... and I wasn't let down, but lifted up- it wa very different from the brief description's I'd read, there is so much more to it and I loved it!
The cover, is just amazing! I love how if you tilt it the fox on the back dissapears and you only see the dark eyes....
I adored how Sue brought across the Conservation side of the story and it made it a truly amazing rea...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 15, 2012 Jordyn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, aussie, ya, issue-books, love-stories

Mia left her home in Australia, along with her alcoholic mother, to live with her older sister for a while in Alaska. But the close bond that Mia and Em used to have isn't quite what it used to be. Em has a child now, and a hard-headed, always-has-to-be-right husband. She found a way to escape from the dysfunction of their childhood home and now Mia, who finds herself attracted to Ethan, the man she meets in the forest, hopes to find her own escape in Alaska.

The writing of this book is so lyrica...more Mia left her home in Australia, along with her alcoholic mother, to live with her older sister for a while in Alaska. But the close bond that Mia and Em used to have isn't quite what it used to be. Em has a child now, and a hard-headed, always-has-to-be-right husband. She found a way to escape from the dysfunction of their childhood home and now Mia, who finds herself attracted to Ethan, the man she meets in the forest, hopes to find her own escape in Alaska.

The writing of this book is so lyrical. The words seem like whispers and while it's beautiful, this sort of wispy, barely-there writing puts the book at a distinct disadvantage. At less than 200 pages, the book is already incredibly slim and it took me a good portion of the book to piece the plot and characters together. Mia, Em, and Ethan are more like shadows than realistic, fully imagined characters. Their personalities, desires, and histories are often only hinted at which makes it difficult to form opinions about them. Ethan, Mia's sort-of boyfriend often seems to be hiding something, however his and Mia's apparent connection makes for a confusing, complicated, half-there picture. There are bits and pieces of the overall relationship and story, but it never quite comes together fully.

Environmentalism and love for the earth was a big part of this book, with a "save the forests" plot being the main focus, but like the rest of the novel this plot wasn't developed enough to have much of an impact. The ideas and writing are wonderful, but it's not quite enough. Mia's journey in Alaska does eventually come to a head and the last third of the novel goes a long way toward putting the scattered pieces together. Unfortunately the ending leaves many subplots hanging, unfinished. Her relationships with both older sister Em and maybe-boyfriend Ethan are unresolved. However, the pretty, flowy writing made this a book I enjoyed despite the confusion and problems I found with it. If any of Sue Saliba's books are ever published in the US (this is an Australian novel), I'll definitely be checking them out.(less)

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Dec 21, 2011 Infinite Playlist rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mine, genre-ya, genre-contemporary, family-siblings

Lang und breit
Durch seinen lyrischen Schreibstil und die abgelegene Location in Alaska hat mich der Roman sehr an Ali Shaws The Girl With Glass Feet erinnert, ich würde es sogar als dessen kleine Schwester beschreiben. Beide Bücher haben diese magische, verletzliche Atmosphäre, aber Alaska wirkt im Vergleich wie ein Manuskript mit fehlenden Seiten. Sprachlich ist es zwar leichter zu verdauen als das Glasfüßemädchen, aber inhaltlich wirkt es zu flach.

Die Geschichte kam mir am Anfang zu ziellos vo...more Lang und breit
Durch seinen lyrischen Schreibstil und die abgelegene Location in Alaska hat mich der Roman sehr an Ali Shaws The Girl With Glass Feet erinnert, ich würde es sogar als dessen kleine Schwester beschreiben. Beide Bücher haben diese magische, verletzliche Atmosphäre, aber Alaska wirkt im Vergleich wie ein Manuskript mit fehlenden Seiten. Sprachlich ist es zwar leichter zu verdauen als das Glasfüßemädchen, aber inhaltlich wirkt es zu flach.

Die Geschichte kam mir am Anfang zu ziellos vor, sie plätschert beinahe ungehört vorüber und am Ende dachte ich „Das war’s?“. Es werden zahlreiche Themen angedeutet: eine alkoholabhängige Mutter, die Beziehung zur Schwester, die einfach nicht mehr die gleiche ist, eine Liebesgeschichte, Depressionen und mehr. Alles Sachverhalte, aus denen man viel herausholen kann, die aber alle bloß im Vorüberblättern gestreift werden.

Der Schreibstil ist wunderbar. Leicht und poetisch fließt er dahin ohne sich Gedanken über Groß- und Kleinschreibung zu machen. Es werden zahlreiche philosophische Gedankengänge geschildert, bei denen ich mich zwingen musste sie nicht zu überlesen sondern ihnen genug Zeit zur Entfaltung zu lassen.

Die Liebesgeschichte hat mich maßlos enttäuscht. Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob Sue Saliba die Antipathie gegenüber Ethan gewollt hat. Für mich war sein Verhalten ganz offensichtlich und Protagonistin Mia einfach total blind vor „Liebe“. Alles entschuldigt sie ihm und ich habe mich dabei immer wieder gefragt, ob die Autorin in diesen Momenten wollte, dass der Leser mehr weiß als Mia.
Auch die mit Ethan verbundene Enthüllung am Ende fand ich unheimlich vorhersehbar.

Kurz und knapp
Wem The Girl With Glass Feet zu kompliziert und/oder erdrückend war, der könnte mit Alaska glücklicher werden. Der wunderschöne lyrische Schreibstil hat mich persönlich jedoch nicht über die fehlende Substanz des Inhalts hinweggetröstet. Mit den richtigen Erwartungen kann man dieses Buch vielleicht besser genießen.

2,5 Sterne(less)

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Jun 18, 2011 Cass - Words on Paper rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-release, aussie, review-copy, read-2011, minority-groups

4.5/5

The first thing someone should notice when looking at this book is, "Wow! What a cover!" Really, just look at it in person. There is a subtle shininess in the bronze colouring. There is such attention to detail that it's one of those books that I could just stare at for minutes on end. And the barcode at the back is integrated in the cover image, which is really neat and blends in astonishingly well. Also, the cover features three animals - a deer, an owl and a wolf. They're all actually si...more 4.5/5

The first thing someone should notice when looking at this book is, "Wow! What a cover!" Really, just look at it in person. There is a subtle shininess in the bronze colouring. There is such attention to detail that it's one of those books that I could just stare at for minutes on end. And the barcode at the back is integrated in the cover image, which is really neat and blends in astonishingly well. Also, the cover features three animals - a deer, an owl and a wolf. They're all actually siginificant to the plot, which I found a nice surprise.

In ALASKA, 18 year old Mia has followed her older sister from the now-hopeless Melbourne to Alaska. Em has her own family now, and Mia feels as though she's been left in the dust. But then she finds love, and it's more real and frightening than anything she's ever experienced before. Trouble is ahead, when a certain project threatens the life she's wanted more than anything to have -- quoted, "a passionate story of love, family and the power of the natural world."

I loved how atmospheric the prose was - it leaps and bounds, free from the restraints of capital letters and rules. There is also this quiet intensity about it that invites you into Mia's world, into Alaska. The very setting of the book makes it a great winter read, a clever decision on Penguin's part to release it right on the cusp of winter.

"mia looked out at the road as they drew closer to em's house. the trees were almost sticks. winter was approaching. change was relentless." (p. 82)

Saliba's characters were surprisingly well-written given the length of the book. There was potential for a detachment with the main character, Mia, due to the third person narration. But Saliba wrote with her voice and thoughts in mind, and it was as almost as though she were in fact telling the story. I found Em, Mia's sister, a bit perplexing. Her behaviours towards their mum and Mia, and her 'new family': Terrence and Christian, show the complexities in relationships and what family can mean to one person as opposed to another. I loved the way Saliba delves into this topic, especially because family tends to take a spot behind romances, and that was so not the case, at least for me.

Ethan remains mysterious for the majority of the book. I kept shifting my opinion towards him, and even after finishing the book I'm not sure just HOW I'm supposed to think of him.

ALASKA is a prime exploration of the intricacies in family, love, home and belonging and its quiet prose both captivates and vividly illustrates the atmosphere that would be expected of the place of Alaska. The characters, beautifully developed and realistically portrayed, in that, nothing is absolute in a person and perceptions change. I have no doubt that Sue Saliba's deftly crafted book has the power to inspire young adults to find themselves in their own Alaska.(less)

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Sep 26, 2011 Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars

I found Alaska to be a beautiful, sensitively written book that evoked many complicated emotions. It’s a story that rewards a sensitive reader, with poetry implicit in the rhythmic quality of the writing and at the same time the landscape is so vividly drawn that it’s as if it’s almost another character. Saliba presents a unique vision of the world where every creature has its place in things. I loved this book especially for the way it quietly tackles issues that so many of us struggle with.

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Oct 23, 2011 Christopher Hawkes rated it 5 of 5 stars

There's a deceptive stillness about Saliba's writing, an emphasis not on event but the tiny internal creakings that precede. Her characters are imminent, teetering on the verge of changes that they both fear and long for. In the end it is the landscape that leads them, an Alaska magically evoked by the author's spare prose and the beautiful artwork by Allison Colpoys. It is a book trembling with possibility, to be approached quietly and unarmed lest its meaning bolt.

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Jan 10, 2013 Wren rated it 2 of 5 stars

Important Warning: this book contains no capital letters.

I almost closed the book again right there when I discovered this, but eventually decided to give it a go after all, mostly because of my attraction to the cover.

There was a poetry about it, yet I can't say I particularly enjoyed reading it. Usually dreamy, introspective characters appeal to me, yet I could not connect with Mia, and didn't much care for any of the other characters. I kept waiting for Ethan to turn out to be a villian. Mia...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Watermelon Daisy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Alaska was an interesting story, but definitely wasn’t a favourite.

It’s a solid three stars. I can’t give it a single decimal place more, because I didn’t enjoy the story. The characterisation was quite well done, so I had to give it a better rating than two –the mark for an “okay” book.

From the moment I opened the book, I realised I wouldn’t like it. As somebody obsessed with grammar, I was put off by the lack of capitals. To me, it didn’t serve a specific purpose. Was it to make the story seem...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Suzanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, romance

Effortless and beautiful, with really spare and graceful writing. One of those wonderful YA books that really captures the pain and loneliness of adolescence (late teens, I'm assuming). Didn't think I'd like it, and it really resonated with me. Not a single excess word or unneeded scene. really gorgeous.

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Apr 28, 2013 Aiman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really liked this book! At the end I was startled about the decision Mia (a character in the book) had made. Overall it was good. It showed different relationships a young girl can have but can only choose one to live with.

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Nov 07, 2011 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lovely, poetic book but at times a little messy with all of Mia's thoughts... :)

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Jun 16, 2011 nonsensebooks rated it 3 of 5 stars

http://theuncommonnonsense.blogspot.c...

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Jul 26, 2011 Jess - The Tales Compendium rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

In A Nutshell: I'm sorry to say that I just couldn't connect with the story or it's characters.

For my full review, visit my blog:
http://www.thetalescompendium.com/201...

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 04, 2011 Tennille [A.K.A Blair] Chase [A.K.A Mirth] rated it 4 of 5 stars

Link to Review :

http://bittenbybooklust.blogspot.com/...

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Mar 18, 2012 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

You can read some of my thoughts on the book here
:: http://nursepastorfatherhusband.blogs...

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Apr 14, 2013 ingrid rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked it, although I personally think it was a bit slow at times, I liked it and the ending got to me.

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May 08, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Beautiful read... absolutely beautiful and different.

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 23, 2011 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: lovely-covers, aussie-ya, books-i-own, prose-envy, read-in-2011

What a lovely, delicate little book.

1 like · like · see review

May 21, 2013 Emilyanne marked it as to-read

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About Sue Saliba

I grew up in the western suburbs of Melbourne, first in an outer suburb with the skeletons of new houses and paddocks of thistles, unmade roads and secret caves by the Maribyrnong River. Later, when I was a teenager, we moved to Footscray which was not yet fashionable and seemed to me to be full of asphalt and traffic and hotels filled with old men. I spent a lot of time yearning to go back to my...more I grew up in the western suburbs of Melbourne, first in an outer suburb with the skeletons of new houses and paddocks of thistles, unmade roads and secret caves by the Maribyrnong River. Later, when I was a teenager, we moved to Footscray which was not yet fashionable and seemed to me to be full of asphalt and traffic and hotels filled with old men. I spent a lot of time yearning to go back to my childhood home.

One connection I did keep was my school. I travelled there each day by bus and although the school itself was not particularly special, I was blessed with having wonderfully supportive and inspiring English teachers.

Later on, I ended up becoming an English teacher myself and spent a few years at a secondary school before I left to study Creative Writing at RMIT. It was at RMIT that I began to think back to the world of my early childhood home and I wrote my first novel, ‘Watching Seagulls’.

It was also during this time that I was fortunate enough to hear the Dalai Lama speak. I remember being struck briefly by a feeling of connection with everything and everyone that I’d never experienced before. It was as if fear disappeared and the world became fully dimensional and a place of curiosity and deep interest and playfulness. I couldn’t help but pursue my sudden interest in Buddhism and, partly for this reason and partly because of my own restlessness, I headed off to Thailand.
I lived there for about 18 months, in a town east of Bangkok where I found a job teaching English and spent my spare time exploring my new unfamiliar world and beginning my next novel, Imago. As it turned out, Imago ended up being a love story; it was really about obsessive love and the sometimes delusional nature of love and it was set in a small town in Thailand.

I worked on the novel on my own for a while but, at last, back in Melbourne, I decided to join the Creative Writing Masters program at Melbourne University to help me develop it. Once again, I found myself teaching – this time Creative Writing to undergraduate students which was a good precursor for the most challenging of my teaching roles I was about to take on: Novel Writing at RMIT. Now, back where I’d written my first novel – and surrounded by talented and stimulating writers – I reflected on my earlier time as a student and I wrote ‘something in the world called love.’

These days I live at Phillip Island with my husband, Bruno, and my much adored canine and feline companions, Min, Sally and Charbon. We’re incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by amazing and beautiful animals. My appreciation of nature and our precious environment has certainly heightened in the last few years. I’ve become extremely passionate about animals, their rights and our relationship to them both ecologically and spiritually. These have been some of the dominant thoughts and feelings that have filled me as I’ve written my latest novel, ‘alaska.’ (less)

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Quotes from Alaska

“for a moment, she let herself be defeated, wished herself not exactly annihilation but into a temporary absense, into being nowhere and no one just for a little while.” — 3 people liked it

“and it was the pretending that might explain how she could smile so brightly while her mind felt nothing - as if, at these times, there existed a disconnection between outer and inner, a shutting off, and the key to her happiness lay in warding off pain, or dodging it, or pushing it into the shape of something else - like shame or anger or even hope.” — 2 people liked it

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avg rating	preview: Alaska Goodreads rating: 3.24 (107 ratings)
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Alaska

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