Just Fly Away - Hardcover

Andrew McCarthy is the author of the New York Times bestselling travel memoir, The Longest Way Home. He is an editor at large at National Geographic Traveler magazine. He is also an actor and director. He lives in New York City with his wife, three children, two fish, and one dog. Just Fly Away is his first novel. You can find him online at andrewmccarthy.com or on Twitter: @AndrewTMcCarthy.
 

Gr 7–10—Until now, Lucy's life has been happy. That changes when she discovers that she has a younger brother from a brief affair her father had eight years earlier. Suddenly, Lucy loses interest in school and patience with close friends and family. When school ends, she spends her summer with a new friend, Maxine, and develops a relationship with Maxine's brother, Simon. Meanwhile, Lucy gives her father the silent treatment. Her feelings finally overwhelm her, and she unexpectedly hops on a train to New York City and ends up on a bus to Maine to visit her grandfather, whom she has met only once before. During her visit with him, the protagonist learns a lot about the people around her and about herself. This is clearly a coming-of-age story, in which Lucy must realize that her parents (and grandfather) are human and can make mistakes. Her trip to Maine realistically highlights the dangers of traveling alone as a teenager, and her relationship with Simon shows age-appropriate sexual exploration. While the plot seems like it should be action-packed given its story line, the writing is slow and deliberate, which not all readers will enjoy. Save this novel for your most thoughtful readers. VERDICT A good selection for large YA collections.—Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township High School, Cape May Court House, NJ