I recently discovered bookishfirst.com, and was lucky enough to win an advanced reader’s edition of “Leave No Trace” by Mindy Mejia. I had never heard of her, but now she’s an author I’ll keep in the “must read” bit of my brain.
“Leave No Trace” tells the story of a son and father who disappeared into the wilderness a decade before the story takes place, and of what happens when the son comes back out. The characters are broken people, each in his or her own way, and I think that’s why they got under my skin. They feel real, even though they’ve experienced extreme events in their lives. They find ways to piece their brokenness back together, to keep going, to help one another find the light. And they do it while consistently surprising the reader. Every time I thought I knew what was coming, I was proven wrong.
I wouldn’t say this book has a happy ending; rather, it has a real ending. It leaves truth in your mouth, even as it forces a tear down your cheek. And for me, that’s the best thing a book can do.
“Leave No Trace” tells the story of a son and father who disappeared into the wilderness a decade before the story takes place, and of what happens when the son comes back out. The characters are broken people, each in his or her own way, and I think that’s why they got under my skin. They feel real, even though they’ve experienced extreme events in their lives. They find ways to piece their brokenness back together, to keep going, to help one another find the light. And they do it while consistently surprising the reader. Every time I thought I knew what was coming, I was proven wrong.
I wouldn’t say this book has a happy ending; rather, it has a real ending. It leaves truth in your mouth, even as it forces a tear down your cheek. And for me, that’s the best thing a book can do.