This book, by the author of The Glass Castle, is a surprisingly engaging story which takes place in the 70’s, about 2 sisters, Liz and Bean, who are essentially abandoned by their mother at the ages of 15 and 12. In order to evade the authorities, they board a bus from California to Virginia to live with their uncle. It is here where they are exposed to the racial integration of the South. It is also here where they learn that it is important to fight for what is right, even if it is not successful.
The relationships among the characters are what is so beautiful about the story. There is no one who is all good and only one character who is all bad. Even their mom, who has left her own children, is portrayed with compassion and humanity. The cousins that Bean discovers become her real family and the glue that holds her together through her ordeal. And while each of the characters is sort of odd in his or her own way, they all complement each other and fit in perfectly to the story.
This is a very quick and easy read — and the ending is …!
kindread spirits 