Night Road by Kristin Hannah
Working in a library you find that people are always giving you tips about a ‘must read’ book. Mostly I thank the person and promptly forget about it as their description has not matched with my usual taste for reading pleasure.
Not so with this title. One of our regulars described this book to me as one that all teenagers and parents of teenagers should read. So I did. I even managed to get my teenage son to read three pages of it which I thought described the feelings (of all the characters) and the consequences for each of them, which followed the pivotal episode in the story.
This months Year of Reading theme is Dream….sorry, Night Road is actually about any parent’s nightmare!
The scenario is this;
At the start of junior high a new girl, Lexi, comes to town. She briefly meets and forms an instant connection with the boy (Zach) who turns out to be mister popular. Being a loner herself Lexi avoids the school canteen at lunchtime, finds a girl (Mia) reading by herself and strikes up a friendship with her. They recognise the chance for the close relationship neither have ever had before.
It transpires that Mia is the twin of Zach. He never pays any attention to Lexi, as he realises it would take her away from his sister who has had so few good friends. She just thinks he doesn’t like her.
Three years later at the beginning of their senior year, they have their drivers licences, parties are happening every weekend and drink is always available at them. The three often attend together and eventually Zach and Lexi start going out. Mia is hurt but recognises their attraction for each other will not stop her’s and Lexi’s friendship.
At one of the parties Zach, the night’s designated driver, gets horribly drunk. Mia is not much better. Lexi, who had been drinking, but not the same degree, wants to call the twins mother (Jude), who had always said they should. This is idea is rejected by the twins as the last time they tried it Jude grounded them for two weeks. As Zach tries to take the drivers seat, Lexi pushes him aside, knowing she is the least inebriated. Only two of them survive that journey home.
The story is mostly written from the perspective of Jude, so is particularly poingant after the tradegy occurred. This story is about emotions and how they can rule, ruin and create us.
