The Lincoln Highway in On The Same Page

Sep 16, 2022 Kristine rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2021-releases, pub-sept, countries-usa, books-about-families-siblings-frien, grc-2022

Again, I have come to love Amor Towles writing and characters. I usually don’t compare books, but I just read A Gentleman in Moscow. I did enjoy that book more, there were some flaws in this one, mostly length, getting repetitive, and wow the ending, I had to read that several times. I still need to think on it a bit.

Having a day to think this over here is how I felt about The Lincoln Highway. I loved the book. I get captured into Amor Towles’ storytelling. There are many storylines and charact Again, I have come to love Amor Towles writing and characters. I usually don’t compare books, but I just read A Gentleman in Moscow. I did enjoy that book more, there were some flaws in this one, mostly length, getting repetitive, and wow the ending, I had to read that several times. I still need to think on it a bit.

Having a day to think this over here is how I felt about The Lincoln Highway. I loved the book. I get captured into Amor Towles’ storytelling. There are many storylines and characters if I was to hear about or were written by another author, I don’t think I would be interested. However, this author does a wonder weaving truth and tales that I just want to know more about. This is a coming of age story for Emmett who has just been released from juvenile jail after getting in a fight that kills a man. He comes home to Salina, Nebraska where nothing much is left. He decides to leave and make a fresh start. His 8 year old brother, Billy is young enough to believe his mother who abandoned the family when he was an infant and was going to San Francisco, will still be there. Emmett is not quite as optimistic about his mom, but decides starting over in San Francisco is a good a place as any.

Things don’t go according to plan. His friends from jail, Duchess and Woolly decide to go for the ride without updating Emmett. Next, Duchess takes Emmett’s car and heads for NYC. Billy I found him endearing, yes he could be annoying at times, but that is the way kids are, always asking why this, why that. He idolizes the adventure story, Professor Abernathe’s Compendium of Heroes, Adventurers, and other Intrepid Travelers. Now, they will have to take a train to the city, find Duchess and then start at the beginning of The Lincoln Highway and drive to California. An adventure for Billy, an huge annoyance for Emmett.

This is a story where each character speaks quite a bit. You find out Duchess had a cruel father and he wants to meet up with him in New York. Woolly does come from money, but is an addict and never felt he fit in with his family. The only person he can relate to is his sister, Sarah, but her husband Dennis is not fond of Woolly. You get to know all about these people and it’s really entertaining. So, things are happening in NYC and Emmett and Billy are trying to get there. There are side characters along the journey, Pastor John who is not exactly a man of divine thought show’s up. Fortunately, Ulysses, a vagabond traveler is there to keep Billy safe. I enjoyed hearing his story and Billy offers him hope as only a child can. Finally, the whole group meets up at Sarah’s house and has a wonderful dinner. Even Sally, Emmett and Billy’s neighbor has come.

One last event occurs. I did not know what exactly to make of it, but after reading it over decided what I thought the message was. It was unexpected for me, yet I decided it was fitting.

Probably, my biggest complaint was that I was expecting a Road Trip across the country on The Lincoln Highway. This doesn’t happen. I do wish there was some room for that.

Getting to know so many stories and characters, especially the main four was just fantastic. I loved the journey this story took. This was definitely a different type of book, one that takes many more detours then I expected, but was such a rich telling that I am fine going for the ride.

Rating: 4.5 Stars 🌟 ...more

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Dec 06, 2021 Joy D rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: literary-fiction, xaucc, zzck, journeys, reviewed, north-america, family, coming-of-age

This story is a combination coming-of-age and quest. It is set in the US in 1954. Emmett and Billy discover postcards that had been sent by their mother after she deserted the family. After their father dies, Emmett and Billy decide to travel the Lincoln Highway to find her. Two other teens join them unexpectedly, and their journey takes a very long detour. I enjoyed the relationship between the brothers. The writing is elegant. It is a longish book (600 pages) that feels long. It gets repetitiv ...more

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Oct 27, 2021 Anisha Ogale rated it it was amazing

This book was beautifully written. The characters jump off the page & the setting is the perfect place to make them come alive.

An adventure of heroes- some age-old, some unlikely, & some who don’t know it yet. I loved the juxtaposition of the great histories of heroes from Billy’s book with the fumbling, tumbling, obstacle-laden course that the characters are charting themselves. I absolutely loved the dynamic Duchess and Woolly bring to the novel; I laughed out loud several times throughout re ...more

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