Sarah's review
Crossing California
by Adam Langer
Sarah's review
Crossing California by Adam Langer
Sarah's review
rating:
So I started this book about twenty-seven times, and always got turned off in the first three pages because of the "normal life in the shadow of the hostage crisis" frame. Plus, the name "Muley," and eighth graders lying about giving hickies. If there is anything that doesn't say "relaxation reading" to me it's the hostage crisis; if there's anything less relaxing than hostages it's eighth grade and hickies. Ugh.
But then, if you get past page three things shift--it's not just eight graders and hostages and hickies. It's these three families in sharp focus against Rogers Park, and Chicago, and America, and the world, and despite the grandiose depth of field it actually works fantastically and the details are hilarious and the scope is very sweet, mostly, and tender.
The slow way Langer reveals details about his characters is just like getting to know someone--it's not that they change, particularly, in the scope of the novel, though they do somewha...more
But then, if you get past page three things shift--it's not just eight graders and hostages and hickies. It's these three families in sharp focus against Rogers Park, and Chicago, and America, and the world, and despite the grandiose depth of field it actually works fantastically and the details are hilarious and the scope is very sweet, mostly, and tender.
The slow way Langer reveals details about his characters is just like getting to know someone--it's not that they change, particularly, in the scope of the novel, though they do somewha...more
