Mila is a teen with a keen eye for the world around her, and she is ready to travel to America with her father, Gil. They plan to visit a longtime family friend, Matthew. Before they depart, a call from Matthew’s wife, Suzanne, changes everything: Matthew has disappeared. What was meant to be a simple, relaxing trip quickly becomes a tense search for a missing man, a mystery that presses on Mila and everyone who loves him.
Mila, whose full name is Marieka, relies on senses more than any clue of magic. She notices every sound, scent, and mood, and the way a room feels shifts with the people in it. This heightened awareness makes the prose feel vivid and tactile. Mila’s empathy runs deep; when Matthew vanishes, she throws herself into helping, partly to ease Suzanne’s anguish. Through this crisis, Mila learns that families come in many shapes. Her best friend Caitlin grows up beside parents who argue, creating a home that feels heavy and sad; in contrast, Mila’s own house has always seemed open and lively, though the warmth there is tested by hidden tensions that emerge as the story unfolds.
The narrative follows Mila’s perspective, blending mystery with a travel story. As she and Gil make their way through New York City, the pace and tone shift to reflect Mila’s evolving voice. The city’s streets, bridges, and neighborhoods become more than a backdrop; they press on Mila, nudging her from innocence toward responsibility and a new understanding of trust and secrecy. The trip through this vast urban landscape stands as the fulcrum of her journey into adulthood.
Mila’s descriptions of her travels are detailed and immersive, inviting readers to feel as if they are walking beside her. The sensory richness—sounds from street vendors, the hiss and thrum of subway cars, the chatter of crowds—pulls you into the moment and keeps the momentum alive even when the plot slows for reflection. The narration moves with a rhythm that mirrors Mila’s thoughts, alternating brisk movement with quiet, almost pocket-sized insights that deepen the reading experience.
At times the story carries a darker undertone, yet it remains anchored in honesty. The adults around Mila guard secrets, and that truth reshapes her view of the world. She begins to read people with a practical, almost detective-like clarity, not for show but as a strategy to understand what is really going on. The emergence of a sleuth in Mila feels like a natural response to the layered, hidden truths she encounters, a response that propels her to confront difficult questions with growing composure and resolve.
Rating: 4/5