Walk Me Home by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Carly and Jen are sisters who are walking to California in search of Teddy, someone who will take care of them. They find themselves alone after the sudden death of their mother and her current creepy boyfriend, Wade. Teddy was a previous boyfriend who had been kicked out of their home right before Wade came on the scene. Terrified they will fall into the hands of Child Protective Services, they begin the long walk.
When exhaustion and hunger take over, the girls find themselves behind the wrong end of a shotgun belonging to Delores, an elder of the Wakapi tribe. She insists they stay and work off their debt of stolen eggs from her henhouse. The younger Jen welcomes the sense of security they are given in Delores' care. Sixteen year old Carly does not. She's a teenager fighting with every ounce of strength to become an adult. We've all been there in our lives so it is easy to see what drives her.
I've read several novels written by Catherine Ryan Hyde. They all share a message of hope, pitting bad people against all that is good in the world. But please don't think that one is the carbon copy of another, far from it. Ms. Hyde's most well known book is Pay It Forward, which I haven't read yet. I've gotten so much enjoyment from Take Me With You, Worthy and now Walk Me Home that I never seem to get to it. I'm still basking in the glow of a well written book with a feel good ending, knowing there are far more good people in the the world than bad. And that's worth reading about over and over again.
Carly and Jen are sisters who are walking to California in search of Teddy, someone who will take care of them. They find themselves alone after the sudden death of their mother and her current creepy boyfriend, Wade. Teddy was a previous boyfriend who had been kicked out of their home right before Wade came on the scene. Terrified they will fall into the hands of Child Protective Services, they begin the long walk.
When exhaustion and hunger take over, the girls find themselves behind the wrong end of a shotgun belonging to Delores, an elder of the Wakapi tribe. She insists they stay and work off their debt of stolen eggs from her henhouse. The younger Jen welcomes the sense of security they are given in Delores' care. Sixteen year old Carly does not. She's a teenager fighting with every ounce of strength to become an adult. We've all been there in our lives so it is easy to see what drives her.
I've read several novels written by Catherine Ryan Hyde. They all share a message of hope, pitting bad people against all that is good in the world. But please don't think that one is the carbon copy of another, far from it. Ms. Hyde's most well known book is Pay It Forward, which I haven't read yet. I've gotten so much enjoyment from Take Me With You, Worthy and now Walk Me Home that I never seem to get to it. I'm still basking in the glow of a well written book with a feel good ending, knowing there are far more good people in the the world than bad. And that's worth reading about over and over again.
I agree wholeheartedly. Her books are rich and moving and lovely, but at the same time, real, ringing with truth of hardship and overcoming those very real hardships. I can't get enough of her amazing books.
ReplyDeleteI always feel good after reading one of her books! Thanks!
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