Summary
Air is the responsible one. That’s why she’s assigned to wrangle her older brother, Blake, for their sister Jude’s wedding. She’s supposed to drive from their home in DC to Nashville, get Blake from the airport, and get him to the wedding festivities on time. Actually, she was even the person to book his flight in the first place. He completely spaced it, waking her in the middle of the night to say he needed her help. Air to the rescue – again.
Except Blake’s text as she’s on the road to Nashville says, “See you at Dulles.” Dulles?! So Air heads back to DC, back to Dulles. But Blake’s not there waiting for her. And the flight from London is late. The airline isn’t sure where it is.
Christopher is also waiting for the flight from London. His dad was on it. And now it’s missing. After helping Air with some car issues at the airport, she offers Christopher a ride. She’s going to Nashville, certain Blake was on that flight instead. Christopher is on his own until the airline can figure out what’s up with the plane. His estranged mother lives in Atlanta. They can keep each other company, and Air will get him as far as Tennessee so he can grab a bus for the rest of the way. So their road trip begins.
Review
This was engrossing right from the start. It was fascinating to watch these two teens, about to start their senior year, on their own negotiating a missing flight, family drama, and questions about life. I had a hard time putting this one down.
Air tells the story, so you only get things from her perspective. But she does a great job of drawing Christopher out so the reader gets to know him, too. The stops on their road trip hint at the knowledge that they believe the news on the flight isn’t going to be good. They are stalling. And it makes sense considering the big picture for both teens. There’s a folded paper/art thread and an astronomy/eclipse thread that are unique and work well in the larger story about family.
I really enjoyed this! Great for readers who enjoy family stories and for those who like road trip tales. (Language)