Mila, a teenage girl, is all ready to travel to America. She and her father, Gil, are going to visit with their old family friend, Matthew. Before they are set to leave, they get a call from Matthew’s wife, Suzanne, alerting them that Matthew has disappeared. Uh oh! Their seemingly relaxing trip has now turned into a suspenseful hunt to find Matthew.
Mila (short for Marieka) is a very perceptive girl. Often portrayed as having almost psychic abilities, the truth is that Mila just notices every sound, smell and emotion around her – which makes for beautiful and descriptive passages. Mila is also very empathetic; so when Matthew goes missing, she tries her very best to help find him for the sake of his distraught wife, Suzanne. She quickly learns that all families are different. Her best friend Caitlin has parents who are constantly bickering, which makes for a very sad household; in contrast, Mila’s house is very vibrant and open (in the end we learn this wasn’t always the case).
Written by the talented Meg Rosoff, this novel is told from the perspective of young Mila. It is part mystery, part travel story and weaves between the two genres to tell an enriching and triumphant tale. As Mila and her father travel through New York City, the writing style develops to go along with how Mila’s character is changing. This trip is the climax of her ascension into adulthood.
Mila gives amazing descriptions of her travels and encounters throughout the book and they are often so detailed that you feel like you are standing right beside her throughout the novel.
At times rather dark, this novel carries a lot of truth behind its message. The story is very relatable to young readers because there is a very definite change in Mila: she starts to have a very mature outlook on life throughout the novel because the adults around her are continually keeping secrets. She develops a sleuth personality to help her better understand the world around her.
RATING: 4/5