Friday, August 1, 2014

The Girl in the Road by Monica Byrne

Meena is from the future; Mariama is from the past.  One is heading east; one is heading west.  Both are heading towards Ethiopia.  Will their trails cross?

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review (thank you).  This book has been published, so you can get a copy at your local bookstore now.

The story is interesting because it's the story of two different women years apart.  I had a chance to learn about cultural differences as well as economic differences.  Racism is alive there, too.  You also follow these young girls through sexual awakening and experimentation.

The author kept me reading and wondering what was going to happen.  I found the storyline a bit confusing when the author kept switching back and forth from one girl to other, especially since there were so many other characters involved in their lives.  I also felt like I must have missed the point when I got to the end of the book.  I was unsure just what had happened and why.  Even with some time, I'm not any surer.  However, Good Reads shows this introductory statement on this book:  "Stunningly original and wildly inventive, The Girl in the Road melds the influences of Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, and Erin Morgenstern for a dazzling debut."  There are times I can't follow Neil Gaiman either, so she's in good company.

The author's writing flows well and her characters feel real.  It was well worth a read for me.  If you read it and think you understand the ending, feel free to tell me.  I'm curious what others get out of this read.

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