100 Sideways Miles by Andrew Smith (review)

When Finn was seven years old, a dead horse fell out of a truck crossing a high bridge, landing on Finn and his mother, killing her and breaking his back, leaving him with a strange scar and a seizure disorder. Finn’s author father wove threads of the event into a cult classic about aliens who come to earth, and Finn, now a teenager, can’t help but wonder if that isn’t who he really is—a creation of his father, destined to be forever trapped in a book he didn’t write. His best friend, Cade Hernandez, is no help, since Cade has his own way of setting things in motion that makes Finn part of a larger plan once again. When Julia Bishop comes into Finn’s life, he falls for her, and his need to break free becomes even more acute just as a chance to do so via a road trip comes to him. Finn’s journey to self-discovery is full of surprises in the form of tiny bursts of insight, humor and pathos as he negotiates first love and attempts to stay afloat in Cade’s sea of maddening self-confidence. Like Finn’s father, Cade is a wildly successful plotter, whereas Finn is running as fast as he can just to keep up. A mosaic of recurring motifs, subtle symbolism, wonderfully funny bits, and the best birthday present ever make this a book that repays close attention; the current of genuine warmth that runs through it ensures multiple revisits and enthusiastic sharing.