In the Path of Falling Objects
By Andrew Smith
4/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
Two brothers leave home looking for their father, and find themselves hitching a ride with a violent killer – here is a road trip from hell.
Jonah and his younger brother, Simon, are on their own. They set out to find what's left of their family, carrying between them ten dollars, a backpack full of dirty clothes, a notebook, and a stack of letters from their brother, who is serving a tour in Vietnam. And soon into their journey, they have a ride. With a man and a beautiful girl who may be in love with Jonah. Or Simon. Or both of them.
The man is crazy. The girl is desperate. This violent ride is only just beginning. And it will leave the brothers taking cover from hard truths about loyalty, love, and survival that crash into their lives.
One more thing: The brothers have a gun. They're going to need it.
Andrew Smith
Andrew Smith is the author of several novels for young adults, including Winger, Stand-Off, 100 Sideways Miles, and the Michael L. Printz Honor Book Grasshopper Jungle. He lives in a remote area in the mountains of Southern California with his family, two horses, two dogs, and three cats. He doesn’t watch television, and occupies himself by writing, bumping into things outdoors, and taking ten-mile runs on snowy trails. Visit him online at AuthorAndrewSmith.com.
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Reviews for In the Path of Falling Objects
4 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jonah and Simon are brothers on a search to find their brother, whom they believed escaped from the Vietnam War and is now back in America. When the brothers leave their home, they hitch a ride with Mitch and Lilly. So begins a bloody, violent and disturbing road trip. Mitch's character is a well-developed sociopath and the brothers' sibling rivalry feels real and honest. I only wish the character of Lilly was a bit more developed. She felt more like a device to move the plot along rather than a fully-developed character.The book is well-written with enough tension to make any reader antsy. Recommended.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Generally when I pick up a book I can’t wait to devour it as quickly as possible. This book was different. There were times that I wanted to know what happened next, but I just couldn’t read anymore before processing what I’d just read. Because of this, it took me much longer than normal to get through the story. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t great.Although the book is set in 1970, the story is almost told outside of time (other than the references to the Vietnam War). Jonah has the weight of the world on his shoulders, and I could feel his burden as I read his story. The book’s events only cover a few days in his life, but Jonah’s longing to escape his trap pulsates through every moment of his trip, making for an intense ride. The pacing is slow but deliberate, building the suspense for the inescapable dramatic confrontation between Jonah, Simon, and Mitch.Jonah and Simon’s relationship is frustrating, but believable. I, like Jonah, wanted to beat some sense into Simon, but I could also see why Simon responded to him the way he did. They are accurately portrayed as brothers, for better or worse, and the realizations they make about each other seem legitimate in light of what they faced together. I liked that Jonah and Simon’s experiences with Mitch parallel their older brother’s experiences as a soldier, seen through the letters Matthew wrote Jonah while away from home. Everything that happened between Lilly and Jonah is realistically confusing. There are no answers to the questions about their relationship, just a jumble of emotions and responses that Jonah doesn’t understand and therefore can’t explain. I think where they end up at the book’s conclusion is the best option out of all possible ones, but it seems a little too unexplained. I realize that the way it played out allowed Jonah to feel guilty and believe he may be partially at fault, but it bothers me to have absolutely no answers as to what happened. It would have been nice to get even a hint of an explanation.Mitch is creepily enigmatic. In some stories it may bother me that a character can be summed up in a short description like that, but it works well to make him absolutely menacing. All the reader knows is that he’s crazy and willing to hurt anyone who offends him in any way, and that’s all we need to know.As I said, this wasn’t a quick read for me, but it was definitely worth the read.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fast-paced, dark, and riveting story with lots of suspense but also a lot of thoughtful depth.