The book is about a teacher called August, who spends his summers travelling around the United States in a motorhome. We meet him early in June one year when his vehicle has broken down. He has managed to find a small and friendly repair shop, but he’s concerned that the cost of getting the motorhome fixed will curtail his trip somewhat. He has quite a tight budget, and there’s one place he had particularly wanted to get to….
The garage mechanic is called Wes. He’s a single father with two young sons; Seth is twelve and Henry is seven. They’re nice lads, and they are very taken with August’s dog. Seth is a serious boy, always feeling that he’s not good enough. And Henry doesn’t speak to anyone… except, sometimes, his brother.
There are some major issues in August’s past. We quickly learn that he suffered a devastating bereavement not long before the story starts. He is also recovering from another problem. The blurb on the back says what this is, but I rather wish I hadn’t read it; I’d have preferred to learn about his past as the story unfolds.
It’s hard to say more without spoilers; suffice it to say (since this is also in the blurb on the back) that Seth and Henry end up travelling with August in his motorhome. He isn’t keen on the idea, and they’re both quite stressed for a variety of reasons. The dog Woody plays a quiet but important part in the book,helping Henry in particular to feel more secure and relaxed. And there are some excellent conversations between August and Seth, as they get to know each other and help each other come to terms with some of their problems.
A book which covers three people’s travelling into a number of national parks and other campsites around the US could have been quite tedious, but Catherine Ryan Hyde makes it a thoroughly enjoyable journey. The focus is always on the people, and the things they learn. The descriptions give an overview; the places are real and can be researched online by anyone wanting to know more about them. But I didn’t skim much, if at all, as I turned the pages, more and more involved in the lives of these three different people,
The writing is excellent, as is the characterisation. I liked August so much; he’s had a difficult life in many ways, but is likeable, full of integrity, and determined to make the most of his life. Seth, too, is a responsible, honest lad. Yet both of them have their flaws. August can lose his temper; Seth is very easily offended. Henry is less three-dimensional, at least in the main part of the book, but I liked him - and believed in him - too.
There are some serious issues covered in the book, but there’s very little bad language - indeed, Seth apologies for even the mildest of bad language - as well as no violence or intimacy. This book would be appropriate for a teenager or even an older, thoughtful child, although some of the issues might be a tad disturbing or hard to understand for a younger child.
But it’s also an excellent book for adults; there is so much to think about, so much that kept the people in my mind and made it difficult to put the book down when I had to do other things. And the last chapters are extremely moving. There is some sadness at lost time - the last section of the book jumps us ahead by eight years, so the boys are grown up - and introduces other issues. It takes the story full-circle, in a way which would, again, be a spoiler to explain. And there were two incidents, in the last couple of chapters, where I had tears in my eyes, at thoughtfulness and love, in the best sense of the word.
It’s not a fast-paced book; if you prefer novels with plenty of plot, or fast action, this isn’t for you. But if you like thoughtful, character-based books which explore issues and develop friendships, this is a great read. It’s supposedly women’s fiction but it only just occurred to me that all the main characters are men.
All in all, I loved this book and would recommend it highly to anyone who likes this genre.
Review copyright 2020 Sue's Book Reviews
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