Train I Ride

Wow....

I'm not sure where to start.  I guess first let me say that a book does not have to be long to pack a punch.  This was only 178 pages and my emotions are in a whirl.

Rydr's life sucks.  She has been ferried back and forth across the country between her mother who is a drug addict and her grandmother who cares for her when her mother is unable to.  Then Rydr's mom dies and she has to live with her grandmother.  That doesn't go so well either - her grandmother is old, smokes, and doesn't act like she wants her there.  Of course, then Grandma dies and she has to leave her neighbors, her few friends, her school counselor.  She has to travel across the country on a train to live with an Uncle she has never met who is also old.

Of course, the reader doesn't learn all of this right away but as Rydr's journeys across America she meets wonderful people - the man in charge of the snack car, her chaperone, and a boy scout.  Their friendship helps her come to terms with her reality and keeps the spark of hope alive in her.

Now, happy ending?  No...  we don't know what happens to Rydr when the train gets to Chicago.  Some people will hate that I am sure.  I know for me some of the most impactful books have been the ones without the happy ending, without a sequel, with just your own hopes and dreams to carry you and this character through.  

This is one of the longer posts I have done in awhile.  I was inspired by someone else's review today and I am going to try and be a bit more thoughtful in my reviews and a little less harried.  We'll see if it works.

Bottom line - beautiful.