Post #4

Dear Readers,
I just completed Ask the Passengers by A.S. King.  In my last post, I wrote about the main character, Astrid Jones, and her struggles with coming out.  I am happy to say that despite difficult and extremely challenging circumstances, she does and is happy being who she is.  I loved this book because yes, it is about Astrid's journey (yes, I said it!) but also about parent/child relationships, friendships, and most of all, loyalty.  How do you stay loyal to the ones you love when you fear they won't accept you?  How do you stay true to yourself when you fear being left all alone?  It's a very powerful story.  Within the thread of the story, A.S. King also manages to spin some truths about equality, small town life, and high school social expectations. Though I liked her other novel, Everybody Sees the Ants, this novel was much more compelling to me.  Astrid Jones is a great character and one I was supportive of right from the start - even when she made mistakes.  I recommend this book if you are interested in moving into some more serious subjects about attitudes pertaining to homosexuality, high school social pressures, and sibling love and trust. I highly recommend this book!