In this new novel out July 2014, a young Missouri man and two of his friends leave home in a brand new Model T Ford on a quest to see Yellowstone Park in 1910.
Synopsis
It is 1910 and John Hartmann is tired of his small Missouri town. When a blind acquaintance buys a new Model T Ford and invites him to drive it, the two of them hatch the idea to leave town and have an adventure. They decide to take along one of the town's rowdies for driving help and take off.
Before long, they learn the lessons of acting with inadequate preparation. During the trip, they learn to not only face the dangers of being naive on the road, but they also learn to become less selfish, take care of each other, and, in the process, find themselves.
Analysis
Author Nancy Crockett is an award winning writer of juvenile and young adult fiction. That is evident in the way the story is constructed. While some of the subject matter is definitely adult, the dominant focus on the struggles of youth and the way the main characters see the world could come straight out of a YA novel. Some of the historical background of the story also seems a little awkward. Despite that, the story is consistent and the plot is warmly satisfying.
This novel does not fit neatly into any specific genre. The publisher classifies it as literary fiction, but that may be a stretch for adult readers as the prose is more akin to YA Fiction. This book will appeal to patient readers who, much like the characters in the book, don't mind a leisurely trek through its pages.
