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Thou Shalt Not Road Trip
When sixteen-year-old Luke's book, Hallelujah, becomes a national bestseller, his publishing house sends him on a cross-country book tour with his older brother, Matt, as chauffeur. But when irresponsible Matt offers to drive Luke's ex–soul mate, Fran, across the country too, things get a little crazy. On the trip, Luke must loosen up, discover what it truly means to have faith, and do what it takes to get the girl he loves.
Told with Antony John's signature wit and authenticity, and featuring smart, singular characters who jump off the page and into your heart, this story is a spiritual awakening and rockin' road trip in one.
Told with Antony John's signature wit and authenticity, and featuring smart, singular characters who jump off the page and into your heart, this story is a spiritual awakening and rockin' road trip in one.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2012
17 people are currently reading
3122 people want to read
About the author
Antony John
17 books429 followersAntony John was born in England and raised on a balanced diet of fish and chips, obscure British comedies, and ABBA's Greatest Hits. In a fit of teenage rebellion, he decided to pursue a career in classical music, culminating in a BA from Oxford University and a PhD from Duke University. Along the way, he worked as an ice cream seller on a freezing English beach, a tour guide in the Netherlands, a chauffeur in Switzerland, a barista in Seattle, and a university professor. Writing by night, he spends his days as a stay-at-home dad—the only job that allows him to wear his favorite pair of sweatpants all the time. He lives in St. Louis with his family.
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March 15, 2012I looooooooooove Road Trips
and I loooooooooove Antony John!
<333333333333333
Am I excited?
...
JUST KIDDING I AM SUPER FRIGGIN EXCITED!
and I loooooooooove Antony John!
<333333333333333
Am I excited?
...
JUST KIDDING I AM SUPER FRIGGIN EXCITED!
August 12, 2016
I'm surprised that I ended up giving this book 2 stars. This is the author that wrote Five Flavors of Dumb which I absolutely loved. So what went wrong you say? *sigh* Too much unfortunately for this reader.
Luke has written a little book. A little book that suddenly becomes a nationwide sensation. So what do you do? Go on a book tour of course! Luke is going to do the book tour along with his older brother Matt. Some unexpected traveling buddies come up as well. Matt's long distance girlfriend Alex and her sister Fran are hitching a ride on this road trip too. Fran use to be Luke's best friend but something happened during the summer that created a drift between them. Fran’s not her old self and has run into trouble. At the moment Luke and Fran basically hate each other, but maybe the road trip will help them? If only Luke could get this book touring thing right.
I do want to say a few good things about the book. I think it was brave of John to write something like this. It's not really typical young adult fare and I do applaud him for that. I don't see many books where Christian teens are the main characters and the book is not labeled Christian lit. I also think he made the right choice for the ending. I think if it went another way it would have been grossly unfair to one of the characters. What else he did right I think was the book tour itself. It must be incredibly hard to do them. Especially if you're sixteen and with no professional at your side, so that was a realistic aspect of the book. (Not having a publishing person with you doesn’t seem like something that would happen though, especially if the book is doing real well anyways…) That being said there was a lot I didn't love about the book.
Firstly all the characters are flawed. Good right? Well yeah that makes it believable but you have to find redeemable qualities so you can root for them. And though of course they weren't all bad it just didn't make up for their behavior. Luke, who has written this inspirational book, is a hypocrite and unbelievably naive. Fran seems to over dramatize everything, and that’s too bad because I think her character could have been the most interesting. I get that she comes from a vulnerable place when she does things, but I still couldn’t connect with her. Matt is selfish even if he acts as though that is not the case at all. At least Luke can see through his crap eventually. Alex was basically annoying. I'm not sure why the author thought it was important to even include Matt and Alex because they took away too much story time from Luke and Fran. I want it to be noted that at one point I was pulling for all of them. I thought maybe I was going to see something towards the end that would wrap this up and be happy for them. There is this somewhat riveting speech but that’s about it. I didn’t buy that the characters made huge changes in their lives. What makes this so frustrating for me was that none of the characters are overtly horrible, so I didn’t hate them but I just couldn’t find it in myself to even like them.
Then there is the disappointment of the road trip. It's not really a road trip book. There is one part where they do something road trip worthy but it's mostly filled with death glares and bickering, and the once in a while good thing that would emerge. So if you are reading it for the road trip fun I would skip this one. But if you are willing to read about some different kind of characters I would give it a go. I won't discourage others from reading it because other readers may have more compassion and be able to understand these characters better than I do. I hope there are readers like that.
So will I read something by Antony John again? Absolutely. Even though I didn't enjoy this one I'm glad he has the guts to write something different and can't wait to see what else is under his top hat.
Luke has written a little book. A little book that suddenly becomes a nationwide sensation. So what do you do? Go on a book tour of course! Luke is going to do the book tour along with his older brother Matt. Some unexpected traveling buddies come up as well. Matt's long distance girlfriend Alex and her sister Fran are hitching a ride on this road trip too. Fran use to be Luke's best friend but something happened during the summer that created a drift between them. Fran’s not her old self and has run into trouble. At the moment Luke and Fran basically hate each other, but maybe the road trip will help them? If only Luke could get this book touring thing right.
I do want to say a few good things about the book. I think it was brave of John to write something like this. It's not really typical young adult fare and I do applaud him for that. I don't see many books where Christian teens are the main characters and the book is not labeled Christian lit. I also think he made the right choice for the ending. I think if it went another way it would have been grossly unfair to one of the characters. What else he did right I think was the book tour itself. It must be incredibly hard to do them. Especially if you're sixteen and with no professional at your side, so that was a realistic aspect of the book. (Not having a publishing person with you doesn’t seem like something that would happen though, especially if the book is doing real well anyways…) That being said there was a lot I didn't love about the book.
Firstly all the characters are flawed. Good right? Well yeah that makes it believable but you have to find redeemable qualities so you can root for them. And though of course they weren't all bad it just didn't make up for their behavior. Luke, who has written this inspirational book, is a hypocrite and unbelievably naive. Fran seems to over dramatize everything, and that’s too bad because I think her character could have been the most interesting. I get that she comes from a vulnerable place when she does things, but I still couldn’t connect with her. Matt is selfish even if he acts as though that is not the case at all. At least Luke can see through his crap eventually. Alex was basically annoying. I'm not sure why the author thought it was important to even include Matt and Alex because they took away too much story time from Luke and Fran. I want it to be noted that at one point I was pulling for all of them. I thought maybe I was going to see something towards the end that would wrap this up and be happy for them. There is this somewhat riveting speech but that’s about it. I didn’t buy that the characters made huge changes in their lives. What makes this so frustrating for me was that none of the characters are overtly horrible, so I didn’t hate them but I just couldn’t find it in myself to even like them.
Then there is the disappointment of the road trip. It's not really a road trip book. There is one part where they do something road trip worthy but it's mostly filled with death glares and bickering, and the once in a while good thing that would emerge. So if you are reading it for the road trip fun I would skip this one. But if you are willing to read about some different kind of characters I would give it a go. I won't discourage others from reading it because other readers may have more compassion and be able to understand these characters better than I do. I hope there are readers like that.
So will I read something by Antony John again? Absolutely. Even though I didn't enjoy this one I'm glad he has the guts to write something different and can't wait to see what else is under his top hat.
January 14, 2015
It's been five months since I read an ARC of Thou Shalt Not. I didn't write a review at the time which is not the smartest thing to have done. However after six months I still remember the story line and characters from this book which is saying something.
Antony John's last book, Five Flavors of Dumb, was a big hit with me so I was excited to have a chance to read an early ARC of Thou Shalt Not. I've been on a similar Road Trip when I graduated from High School. My trip was seven weeks long and took a little different path than the road trip in this book but our paths crossed many times along the way. It was fun to hear so many great places I visited years ago described.
There are some Christian undertones to this book which of course is no issue for me. I found Thou Shalt Not to be well written and very entertaining. Another great book from Antony John!
Rating: 4 Stars - Great Book
Content: I didn't take any notes and I read this 6 months ago. I remember some language and innuendo. Sorry!
December 24, 2018
Must I give this book a rating? I couldn’t put it down. I can’t explain why, but trust me, that doesn’t mean this is a good book. Quite the opposite, I hate this book passionately.
Every single character was a terrible person.
Luke, the narrator was hypercritical, selfish, and annoying the entire time. His manner of speaking reflected much more closely what I’d expect from a middleschooler than the highschooler he was supposed to be. There’s a general lack of maturity and common sense on his part.
Luke’s brother’s role is minor and serves little point save for transportation (in the most deviant route possible) and providing conflict. The entire plot is Matt’s fault. Seriously, he’s at the root of every issue Luke has:
*Luke wouldn’t be late if his brother didn’t take the most round-about routes and waited until the last possible moment to get Luke where he needs to be.
*By extension, Luke would be better rested and more prepared for his events if his brother got him there on time and gave him the opportunity to relax, which means he’d probably say less stupid things at those events.
*Matt’s libido is the reason Fran and her sister are here at all (thus, providing the paparazzi with sufficient ammunition to start with), but Matt goes one step further by making the two minors (Luke and Fran) sleep together in the same room (thereby adding more fuel to an already morally critical media).
*Matt is for all intensive purposes, guilty of theft regarding the misappropriation of Luke’s tour funds.
He’s a selfish jerk who always manages to make other people feel responsible for his failures, for all intensive purposes he is guilty of theft, and treats his brother’s professional responsibilities like dirt.
What I was hoping for in order to redeem his character was a scene after Luke’s publisher brought up the suspicious charges to the tour account where Matt reveals that he actually lost the credit card at the beginning of the story and has been paying for the entire trip himself in order to prevent making Luke stressed. That, or I wanted to have Matt really be there for Luke and use the side-trips as a means of helping Luke find himself. Sadly, none of that happened, and he remains in my mind a horrible person at best and a contrived plot device at worst.
Fran’s backstory is so trivial and overblown that I can’t sympathize with her. Up until the reason was actually revealed, there was a lot of attention paid to her arms. I thought she was going to be a cutter (something serious to match the degree of attention). Really she is a victim of verbal abuse, which is serious –don’t get me wrong– but the actual event that sparked her change is downright pathetic.
At the very least, I thought it would come down to the simple fact that she liked being a punk in fassion and attitude, but she doesn’t! She openly states that she doesn’t want to be like this, and she wants someone to tell her to stop.
Her sister, Alex, had no bearing on the story at all save for more useless conflict. We’re told that the reason Fran was brought along on the trip is because they wanted Luke to help fix Fran. However, at the end Alex says that Luke is responsible for Fran’s change in the first place. She blames Luke, and the whole thing either comes across as horribly inconsistent or colors Alex as just as big a jerk as Matt.
Generally, conflict makes a story, but there was no growth or development that sprung from most of these conflicts and there was so darn much of it. It’s everywhere. Literally every chapter can be characterized by two or more characters complaining or arguing, most of it amounting to nothing.
Many of the situations in the novel are so contrived and exaggerated beyond sanity. No one writes a best-selling book in two weeks! In addition, the public’s reaction to the book is preposterous. Everyone takes his obviously metaphorical story as literal. No one leaves a child alone in the desert for a month. Seriously, why would anyone believe Luke’s book wasn’t a work of fiction? Yet, masses treat it like the actual bible. Why do they care so much to the point that the press would try to sully this teenage boy’s image and hack a radio interview?
I’ve seen this book mistakenly classified as Christian literature, though it doesn’t deserve the moniker. This book is plainly offensive to a reader from a Christian background because of the sheer fanaticism and naivety that the book associates with Christians. Moreover, the language in the book would be offensive to most Christian readers.
That said, frankly I don’t understand why Christianity is a thing at all in this book. In fact, it makes more sense not to have it. Christianity has no real bearing on the plot other than pointless persecution, fanaticism, and guilt. Frequently, Christianity was used as an attack on an individual's personal character or as a threat. And, no, it’s not just the secular world doing this. Christians did the same thing to other Christians. It’s offensive.
The story is about being yourself and seeing people for who they really are, something I can deeply respect. However, actual religious faith has very little to do with it. We never get to the heart of what these characters believe exactly. Several times we see Luke experience a crisis of faith without a resolution. The issue doesn’t lead towards character development, so why is it presented at all? Why does Christianity matter in the novel if no one cares to tackle with religious issues?
For that matter, the actual road trip takes a back-seat (no pun intended) in the plot. We only really visit one site in detail and its impact only lasts into Luke’s next event, which, of course, he is late for because of his brother.
I haven’t felt this ticked off at a book in a long time. Many, many times I wanted to stop, tear the book to shreds, and burn the pieces. It wasn’t even so bad that it was funny, but I still couldn’t stop reading. This book was just so terrible that I couldn’t comprehend its existence, and thus, I had to finish. However, please, spare yourselves. Don’t start. Leave and never look back. It’ll be the best decision of your life.
Every single character was a terrible person.
Luke, the narrator was hypercritical, selfish, and annoying the entire time. His manner of speaking reflected much more closely what I’d expect from a middleschooler than the highschooler he was supposed to be. There’s a general lack of maturity and common sense on his part.
Luke’s brother’s role is minor and serves little point save for transportation (in the most deviant route possible) and providing conflict. The entire plot is Matt’s fault. Seriously, he’s at the root of every issue Luke has:
*Luke wouldn’t be late if his brother didn’t take the most round-about routes and waited until the last possible moment to get Luke where he needs to be.
*By extension, Luke would be better rested and more prepared for his events if his brother got him there on time and gave him the opportunity to relax, which means he’d probably say less stupid things at those events.
*Matt’s libido is the reason Fran and her sister are here at all (thus, providing the paparazzi with sufficient ammunition to start with), but Matt goes one step further by making the two minors (Luke and Fran) sleep together in the same room (thereby adding more fuel to an already morally critical media).
*Matt is for all intensive purposes, guilty of theft regarding the misappropriation of Luke’s tour funds.
He’s a selfish jerk who always manages to make other people feel responsible for his failures, for all intensive purposes he is guilty of theft, and treats his brother’s professional responsibilities like dirt.
What I was hoping for in order to redeem his character was a scene after Luke’s publisher brought up the suspicious charges to the tour account where Matt reveals that he actually lost the credit card at the beginning of the story and has been paying for the entire trip himself in order to prevent making Luke stressed. That, or I wanted to have Matt really be there for Luke and use the side-trips as a means of helping Luke find himself. Sadly, none of that happened, and he remains in my mind a horrible person at best and a contrived plot device at worst.
Fran’s backstory is so trivial and overblown that I can’t sympathize with her. Up until the reason was actually revealed, there was a lot of attention paid to her arms. I thought she was going to be a cutter (something serious to match the degree of attention). Really she is a victim of verbal abuse, which is serious –don’t get me wrong– but the actual event that sparked her change is downright pathetic.
At the very least, I thought it would come down to the simple fact that she liked being a punk in fassion and attitude, but she doesn’t! She openly states that she doesn’t want to be like this, and she wants someone to tell her to stop.
Her sister, Alex, had no bearing on the story at all save for more useless conflict. We’re told that the reason Fran was brought along on the trip is because they wanted Luke to help fix Fran. However, at the end Alex says that Luke is responsible for Fran’s change in the first place. She blames Luke, and the whole thing either comes across as horribly inconsistent or colors Alex as just as big a jerk as Matt.
Generally, conflict makes a story, but there was no growth or development that sprung from most of these conflicts and there was so darn much of it. It’s everywhere. Literally every chapter can be characterized by two or more characters complaining or arguing, most of it amounting to nothing.
Many of the situations in the novel are so contrived and exaggerated beyond sanity. No one writes a best-selling book in two weeks! In addition, the public’s reaction to the book is preposterous. Everyone takes his obviously metaphorical story as literal. No one leaves a child alone in the desert for a month. Seriously, why would anyone believe Luke’s book wasn’t a work of fiction? Yet, masses treat it like the actual bible. Why do they care so much to the point that the press would try to sully this teenage boy’s image and hack a radio interview?
I’ve seen this book mistakenly classified as Christian literature, though it doesn’t deserve the moniker. This book is plainly offensive to a reader from a Christian background because of the sheer fanaticism and naivety that the book associates with Christians. Moreover, the language in the book would be offensive to most Christian readers.
That said, frankly I don’t understand why Christianity is a thing at all in this book. In fact, it makes more sense not to have it. Christianity has no real bearing on the plot other than pointless persecution, fanaticism, and guilt. Frequently, Christianity was used as an attack on an individual's personal character or as a threat. And, no, it’s not just the secular world doing this. Christians did the same thing to other Christians. It’s offensive.
The story is about being yourself and seeing people for who they really are, something I can deeply respect. However, actual religious faith has very little to do with it. We never get to the heart of what these characters believe exactly. Several times we see Luke experience a crisis of faith without a resolution. The issue doesn’t lead towards character development, so why is it presented at all? Why does Christianity matter in the novel if no one cares to tackle with religious issues?
For that matter, the actual road trip takes a back-seat (no pun intended) in the plot. We only really visit one site in detail and its impact only lasts into Luke’s next event, which, of course, he is late for because of his brother.
I haven’t felt this ticked off at a book in a long time. Many, many times I wanted to stop, tear the book to shreds, and burn the pieces. It wasn’t even so bad that it was funny, but I still couldn’t stop reading. This book was just so terrible that I couldn’t comprehend its existence, and thus, I had to finish. However, please, spare yourselves. Don’t start. Leave and never look back. It’ll be the best decision of your life.
March 6, 2012
Luke Dorsey was just a regular kid, until his book--really just some reflections he wrote at church camp--was published. Suddenly, he's the new Messiah, a modern day savior, the boy who will lead us all to salvation. His publishers love this of course, and send him on an LA to St. Louis book tour to promote his new gospel.
To complicate matters, Luke's older brother, Matt, is driving and seems pretty excited about the publisher's unlimited charge account. Even worse, Luke's ex-best friend, Fran, is riding with them. While once a champion debater and cutest little girl in the youth group, she now sports purple hair, a drinking problem, and a serious grudge against her holier-than-thou buddy.
John tackles the thorny issue of religion with his typical humor and tact. Luke is astounded by his role as a modern day prophet, but kind of enjoys it as well. He's resentful of Fran, though his concern for her is always a motivating factor. As they travel the nation in a disaster-plagued trip, Fran and Luke both look deep within themselves and aren't exactly excited by what they see.
Set against the backdrop of rural America, the author introduces us to a cast of hangers-on, faithful, hypocrites, people ready to cast the first stone, and folk who just plain need a miracle. It's easy to like Luke: not because he's a saint or a sinner, but because he's genuine. And genuineness is not something people really want in a miracle man.
As with his previous work, Five Flavors of Dumb, Antony John makes us fall in love with a strange group of characters in an unlikely setting. Very much worth the read.
To complicate matters, Luke's older brother, Matt, is driving and seems pretty excited about the publisher's unlimited charge account. Even worse, Luke's ex-best friend, Fran, is riding with them. While once a champion debater and cutest little girl in the youth group, she now sports purple hair, a drinking problem, and a serious grudge against her holier-than-thou buddy.
John tackles the thorny issue of religion with his typical humor and tact. Luke is astounded by his role as a modern day prophet, but kind of enjoys it as well. He's resentful of Fran, though his concern for her is always a motivating factor. As they travel the nation in a disaster-plagued trip, Fran and Luke both look deep within themselves and aren't exactly excited by what they see.
Set against the backdrop of rural America, the author introduces us to a cast of hangers-on, faithful, hypocrites, people ready to cast the first stone, and folk who just plain need a miracle. It's easy to like Luke: not because he's a saint or a sinner, but because he's genuine. And genuineness is not something people really want in a miracle man.
As with his previous work, Five Flavors of Dumb, Antony John makes us fall in love with a strange group of characters in an unlikely setting. Very much worth the read.
December 24, 2018
“Luke, some truly idiotic people have said some truly inspired things. Are we supposed to ignore their words because they couldn't live up to them?”
I'm sure there is a place for this story and many who need it - and I'm glad for those that love it. I did like the other book by this author that I read...but this one just did not work for me. Between the book and the odd holy behavior of the MC to the bumbling odd brother just milking him for money - even as things mellowed out, I just couldn't find anything redeeming about the characters. The road trip went from ridiculous to completely outrageous with this idea that this author wouldn't have anyone with the agency with him? Ugh, I just found it all frustratingly unrealistic and was glad it was a quick read.
I'm sure there is a place for this story and many who need it - and I'm glad for those that love it. I did like the other book by this author that I read...but this one just did not work for me. Between the book and the odd holy behavior of the MC to the bumbling odd brother just milking him for money - even as things mellowed out, I just couldn't find anything redeeming about the characters. The road trip went from ridiculous to completely outrageous with this idea that this author wouldn't have anyone with the agency with him? Ugh, I just found it all frustratingly unrealistic and was glad it was a quick read.
April 8, 2012
Because I loved his first book, Five Flavors of Dumb, I asked the author for an ARC of his new book, Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, and he graciously complied.
This book is about a boy named Luke who writes a best-seller Hallelujah at Bible camp, and because of his growing fame, goes on book tour. He's piloted by his older brother Matt, who just happens to bring his girlfriend, Alex, and her sister, Fran. Luke has a complicated history with Fran, and this trip just magnifies how far they've grown apart.
I'll admit I had a love and hate relationship with this book. Antony John's strength lies in developing characters who are real and very flawed. Because of this, they are allowed to grow and change throughout the book. To me, Luke is not a very likeable guy. He's holier-than-thou, whiny, and almost embarrassingly naive. But when I dug into my own soul, I have known teenagers like him. And part of the reason I felt such a strong dislike for him is because I used to be him, once. So I should allow him grow as I have grown. While Luke was not likeable at the beginning, at the end, I could see glimpses of the adult that he might be.
There were other wonderful aspects of this book. Fran was a beautiful character who we learn to love more and more as the story progresses. Another character that I was completely surprised by was Colin, his agent. To me, his conversation near the end with Luke was probably one of the most true and poignant passages in the whole book.
I did have one significant issue with this book. To me, the passages of Luke's book were not that compelling. I couldn't fathom how it became a bestseller. Part of the problem is that the rest of the book is so well written. I feel that dichotomy worked against the story.
Antony John takes a huge risk with this book, which I appreciate. I'm sure he will turn some people off with his host of characters-- a Bible toting teenager who is hailed as the next Messiah may not be everyone's cup of tea. But while I was not as captivated with Road Trip as I was his wonderful Dumb, Road Trip is well worth reading and I encourage everyone to look past its exterior-- after all, isn't that the ultimate message of this story?
This book is about a boy named Luke who writes a best-seller Hallelujah at Bible camp, and because of his growing fame, goes on book tour. He's piloted by his older brother Matt, who just happens to bring his girlfriend, Alex, and her sister, Fran. Luke has a complicated history with Fran, and this trip just magnifies how far they've grown apart.
I'll admit I had a love and hate relationship with this book. Antony John's strength lies in developing characters who are real and very flawed. Because of this, they are allowed to grow and change throughout the book. To me, Luke is not a very likeable guy. He's holier-than-thou, whiny, and almost embarrassingly naive. But when I dug into my own soul, I have known teenagers like him. And part of the reason I felt such a strong dislike for him is because I used to be him, once. So I should allow him grow as I have grown. While Luke was not likeable at the beginning, at the end, I could see glimpses of the adult that he might be.
There were other wonderful aspects of this book. Fran was a beautiful character who we learn to love more and more as the story progresses. Another character that I was completely surprised by was Colin, his agent. To me, his conversation near the end with Luke was probably one of the most true and poignant passages in the whole book.
I did have one significant issue with this book. To me, the passages of Luke's book were not that compelling. I couldn't fathom how it became a bestseller. Part of the problem is that the rest of the book is so well written. I feel that dichotomy worked against the story.
Antony John takes a huge risk with this book, which I appreciate. I'm sure he will turn some people off with his host of characters-- a Bible toting teenager who is hailed as the next Messiah may not be everyone's cup of tea. But while I was not as captivated with Road Trip as I was his wonderful Dumb, Road Trip is well worth reading and I encourage everyone to look past its exterior-- after all, isn't that the ultimate message of this story?
December 7, 2011
Thou Shalt Not Road Trip is humorous, just like Luke’s Hallelujah, but it’s also incredibly poignant. Antony John addresses so many issues that teens face within the pages, all wrapped in a totally realatable story. John makes the reader think—about what they’d do in Luke’s situation, and about their own beliefs. I love when books have the power to inspire self-examination! And through it all, John keeps the story light for the most part: there’s drama, but there’s always laughter and hope at the end of it.
One aspect of Thou Shalt Not Road Trip that is humorous in its own way is its power to make you frustrated. Some of the things Matt does are just so ridiculous that you can’t help wanting to give Luke a good shake—why does he put up with Matt’s crap!? (Taking a four-hour hike before a signing? No way, Jose.) I just couldn’t get behind Matt, even though he’s ultimately portrayed as one of the good guys. Luke, on the other hand, was a much more likable guy. You get inside Luke’s head, and he’s this incredibly naïve, holier-than-thou kind of kid—but somehow you grow to like him and even root for him! The growth he goes through is incredible, and Antony John does it in such a great way: slowly and subtly.
Thou Shalt Not Road Trip revolves a little bit around Christianity, which might make some readers wary. Fear not: the subject is handled in a great way: it doesn’t make non-Christians uncomfortable, and it doesn’t offend Christians. Antony John does toe the line, which I personally think is great—he gets the readers to explore their faith, as well as the faith of others.
Thou Shalt Not Roadtrip is a great choice for any fan of contemporary YA fiction. It’s a quick read, but it is by no means trivial. Antony John isn’t afraid to ask questions or make you question yourself. The road trip is only one of the great aspects of this book.
One aspect of Thou Shalt Not Road Trip that is humorous in its own way is its power to make you frustrated. Some of the things Matt does are just so ridiculous that you can’t help wanting to give Luke a good shake—why does he put up with Matt’s crap!? (Taking a four-hour hike before a signing? No way, Jose.) I just couldn’t get behind Matt, even though he’s ultimately portrayed as one of the good guys. Luke, on the other hand, was a much more likable guy. You get inside Luke’s head, and he’s this incredibly naïve, holier-than-thou kind of kid—but somehow you grow to like him and even root for him! The growth he goes through is incredible, and Antony John does it in such a great way: slowly and subtly.
Thou Shalt Not Road Trip revolves a little bit around Christianity, which might make some readers wary. Fear not: the subject is handled in a great way: it doesn’t make non-Christians uncomfortable, and it doesn’t offend Christians. Antony John does toe the line, which I personally think is great—he gets the readers to explore their faith, as well as the faith of others.
Thou Shalt Not Roadtrip is a great choice for any fan of contemporary YA fiction. It’s a quick read, but it is by no means trivial. Antony John isn’t afraid to ask questions or make you question yourself. The road trip is only one of the great aspects of this book.
January 17, 2019
This was disappointing. From the author of "Five Flavors of Dumb", which I simply loved, here comes the tale of Luke, a christian boy, who becomes a famous, bestselling, author due to writing about.. God. Somehow he's in high demand, and must travel the country in a book tour, and chooses to do so on a roadtrip with his brother, Matt, who brings his girlfriend, Alex, and her sister, Fran. Only problem is, Luke used to love Fran, until she changed her style and become distant from everything, that meaning the lifestyle they both knew. By doing so, she managed to alienate everyone, and is now a social outcast and viewed as a freak.
Ugh, this book was annoying. I really don't recommend it. Luke came across as mildly retarded; he was meant to portray that Christians can be nice people too, and if a little sheltered they can be accepting as well, but he just came across as immature. Frankly the reason why everybody began to put Fran aside was just stupid and trivial, and I hate the portrayal of religion in this. In my country, we sure aren't bigots like this. I'm sorry if in America this rubbish is how "liberal" religious people are. God help them, if this is what nice Catholics are like, pun intended.
I have more to comment. The way the book Luke writes grabs the nation is thoroughly unrealistic, and a lot of drama that was put in the last act was needless. The only character I cared for was Matt; he might have been only thinking about himself but at least he acted like a rational - albeit selfish - human being. At least he was realistic.
I can't believe I'm saying this about a book that upfront is about religion, but this would have been so much better without it. Which really is a shame because the premise was really good. But the execution was plain lousy, even if I still feel Anthony John has a captivating writing style.
Ugh, this book was annoying. I really don't recommend it. Luke came across as mildly retarded; he was meant to portray that Christians can be nice people too, and if a little sheltered they can be accepting as well, but he just came across as immature. Frankly the reason why everybody began to put Fran aside was just stupid and trivial, and I hate the portrayal of religion in this. In my country, we sure aren't bigots like this. I'm sorry if in America this rubbish is how "liberal" religious people are. God help them, if this is what nice Catholics are like, pun intended.
I have more to comment. The way the book Luke writes grabs the nation is thoroughly unrealistic, and a lot of drama that was put in the last act was needless. The only character I cared for was Matt; he might have been only thinking about himself but at least he acted like a rational - albeit selfish - human being. At least he was realistic.
I can't believe I'm saying this about a book that upfront is about religion, but this would have been so much better without it. Which really is a shame because the premise was really good. But the execution was plain lousy, even if I still feel Anthony John has a captivating writing style.
July 6, 2012
Eh... I really like Five Flavors of Dumb. It was one of my favorites from last year. And I love road trip books, so I was pretty excited for this one. It was okay.
It reminded me of the Disenchantments, which also just came out and also was about a boy-girl long term friendship where the boy really liked the girl and then the girl really disappointed the guy by changing before they go on a road trip, but the girl won't explain why she changed for some reason until their road trip is over and it ends up not being a very big revelation at all and then they decide to just be friends.
Also, both books were disappointing to me.
For the first half of this book, I kept thinking, I hope whatever is "different" about this girl from what she used to be is more than her hair color and piercings. Spoiler alert: it isn't.
Despite all of this, it was a quick and engaging read. It was funny at several parts - especially when I wasn't cringing over the dumb stuff the MC, Luke, was saying at his speaking engagements.
It reminded me of the Disenchantments, which also just came out and also was about a boy-girl long term friendship where the boy really liked the girl and then the girl really disappointed the guy by changing before they go on a road trip, but the girl won't explain why she changed for some reason until their road trip is over and it ends up not being a very big revelation at all and then they decide to just be friends.
Also, both books were disappointing to me.
For the first half of this book, I kept thinking, I hope whatever is "different" about this girl from what she used to be is more than her hair color and piercings. Spoiler alert: it isn't.
Despite all of this, it was a quick and engaging read. It was funny at several parts - especially when I wasn't cringing over the dumb stuff the MC, Luke, was saying at his speaking engagements.
October 25, 2013
Okay so I'm conflicted on how I feel about this book. While the author had a great idea, I don't feel like I connected with any of the characters personally, especially Luke the main character. It's no secret that Luke's best day ever was winning the debate team competition with his best friend Fran, before the book actually starts. But the as the book progresses he is constantly thrown in positions that require him to defend himself and those around him and each time i wanted to slap him because he had no backbone! He couldn't stand up for himself and it made me not sympathize with him because he let everyone walk all over him, quite the opposite of his love interest, Fran. Fran, pretty much up until the end of the book was rude, complaining, and just bitter the entire book. I felt no sympathy for anyone in this book but don't get me wrong as an overall book I can say I enjoyed it and I would recommend it of you can handle Luke and his stupidness.
March 3, 2020
It's hard for me to find something I liked in the book. Usually I LOVE Road Trip in books but this one wasn't it. I liked another book by the author so I had somewhat hopes to like this one ... oh well.
Want to read
December 9, 2011I juz love booooks based on road trips:DDDDDD
WOHOOOOOOO!!!!!! CAN'T WAIT:)
<3
WOHOOOOOOO!!!!!! CAN'T WAIT:)
<3
February 15, 2021
This book was on my shelf for years as something I bought on a clearance rack and never got around to, so I finally decided to crack the spine. I was a little leery about this book because as soon as I opened it, almost on the very first page it comes up that Luke, the main character, is famous for writing a ~spiritual ~self-help~ book that started as a Sunday school assignment. So I was worried I’d unwittingly bought a Christian lit novel and was about to get youth-pastored through 300 odd pages. But I don’t think this book is considered Christian lit, it’s merely a novel with a protagonist who is a devout Christian, and that’s an important part of the story. Which is refreshing, because somehow a protagonist who’s Muslim, or Roman Catholic, or Animist and whose faith is very important to their character always seems normal to me, but any book with a main character of a Protestant faith rubs me the wrong way and comes off preachy. And then turns out to be Christian lit. So this is a nice change, to not feel like I was being taken to Sunday school through the pages of this book.
That being said, that’s not to say that this main character of a Protestant faith was likable. Quite the contrary, Luke Dorsey is incredibly stupid. He’s self-centered, self-righteous, naive, hypocritical, the list goes on.... But I think that was really the whole point. The book starts out with Luke being praised by crowds for his faith and spiritual example, and even though he doesn’t feel comfortable with it he doesn’t stop anyone from saying it. And then when his mistakes come out it all comes crashing down around him. So the reader should be careful not to make the same mistake and get upset by the fact that Luke isn’t a perfect kid. In fact I liked that he was a selfish teenage boy who hurt people around him and then had to face the consequences. He does not make things right and say sorry and suddenly everything is magically okay. He does not escape people’s justified criticism. He does not get the girl in the end. But he does own up to his shortcomings and accept that apologizing doesn’t undo the damage he caused.
That’s the best thing I can say for this book. In general it wasn’t as compelling as it could have been, and some of the stuff the characters did just didn’t make sense....? Plus some of the plot points seemed just plain unrealistic, or at least they needed more context to be believable. And the secondhand embarrassment! Probably don’t pick this one up if you can’t stand secondhand embarrassment as you read about people making fools of themselves. Overall not bad for a YA quick read, now I can say I read it and get it off my shelf.
That being said, that’s not to say that this main character of a Protestant faith was likable. Quite the contrary, Luke Dorsey is incredibly stupid. He’s self-centered, self-righteous, naive, hypocritical, the list goes on.... But I think that was really the whole point. The book starts out with Luke being praised by crowds for his faith and spiritual example, and even though he doesn’t feel comfortable with it he doesn’t stop anyone from saying it. And then when his mistakes come out it all comes crashing down around him. So the reader should be careful not to make the same mistake and get upset by the fact that Luke isn’t a perfect kid. In fact I liked that he was a selfish teenage boy who hurt people around him and then had to face the consequences. He does not make things right and say sorry and suddenly everything is magically okay. He does not escape people’s justified criticism. He does not get the girl in the end. But he does own up to his shortcomings and accept that apologizing doesn’t undo the damage he caused.
That’s the best thing I can say for this book. In general it wasn’t as compelling as it could have been, and some of the stuff the characters did just didn’t make sense....? Plus some of the plot points seemed just plain unrealistic, or at least they needed more context to be believable. And the secondhand embarrassment! Probably don’t pick this one up if you can’t stand secondhand embarrassment as you read about people making fools of themselves. Overall not bad for a YA quick read, now I can say I read it and get it off my shelf.
February 17, 2019
I honestly thought this was going to be a wonderful book. How wrong I wish I wasn't.
Matt is a jerk. I can't stand him. He's a money sucking unfaithful leech of a person. He's probably my least favorite character. He lied. He's manipulative and super annoying. No redeeming qualities whatsoever.
Luke isn't any better. He's a liar and he's a sap. I can't believe I wasted so much time reading this. Well only 2 days on and off. Today I finished it and was very disappointed. The book kept heading in a direction I didn't want it to go. When I thought it was going to get better, I was sorely mistaken. Poor Fran and Alexis.
The reason for the two-star rating is because I'm nice enough not to give it a one star. I did like some aspects of the book, but it wasn't enough to push it to three stars.
Matt is a jerk. I can't stand him. He's a money sucking unfaithful leech of a person. He's probably my least favorite character. He lied. He's manipulative and super annoying. No redeeming qualities whatsoever.
Luke isn't any better. He's a liar and he's a sap. I can't believe I wasted so much time reading this. Well only 2 days on and off. Today I finished it and was very disappointed. The book kept heading in a direction I didn't want it to go. When I thought it was going to get better, I was sorely mistaken. Poor Fran and Alexis.
The reason for the two-star rating is because I'm nice enough not to give it a one star. I did like some aspects of the book, but it wasn't enough to push it to three stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2020
While some aspects of the book have become a tad dated (purple hair isn't as outrageous as it once was nor could we imagine living without YouTube now) the important message in this book is to not judge others for their appearance. Plain and simple. Oh and always tell the truth though both are easier said than done. I'm not a religious person so that aspect of the book really didn't interest me but it was not as preachy as it could have been (which was good for me though it would not be a stretch to label this book as Christian Fiction if that's a thing). This book doesn't dive deeply into many issues, it keeps things surface level to appeal to younger readers and still be a more or less 'clean' read but older readers may pick up on some of the deeper themes John is hinting at. Moral of the story: always watch your first national interview.
Read
April 7, 2021DNFed at 50 pages.
The suspension of disbelief that this book required was too much for me. It follows a teenage boy who just published a religious book and has to go on a road trip book tour with his brother. It was so hard for me to believe that 1. a child could write a book this successful and 2. that LITERALLY EVERYONE at the airport recognized him as the author of a book that only came out a week ago. Also the religious aspect felt a bit preachy to me.
This honestly felt like the premise for a Disney Channel Original Movie.
The suspension of disbelief that this book required was too much for me. It follows a teenage boy who just published a religious book and has to go on a road trip book tour with his brother. It was so hard for me to believe that 1. a child could write a book this successful and 2. that LITERALLY EVERYONE at the airport recognized him as the author of a book that only came out a week ago. Also the religious aspect felt a bit preachy to me.
This honestly felt like the premise for a Disney Channel Original Movie.
April 22, 2012
~4/5 (Maybe 4.5/5)
I was hoping, even expecting, to really like this, especially because of how much I enjoyed John's second book, but then I was nervous when I found out that it was religious (which I didn't find out until I read another review, since I completely ignored the title. I was just like, Antony John['s new book]? WANT, and pre-ordered). (Which might not be surprising, if you've read this one review of mine...) I'm not too big on religion, so I was wary, and then I was surprised by how easily I got sucked into the book. Now, after reading it, I'm glad with how much I liked it, and am debating on its rating...
Thou Shalt Not Road Trip is about Luke, a boy who has written and published a book while still in high school, a book that he now, about a year later, feels very disconnected to. The book takes place when Luke goes on the tour for his book, a little over a week, with his brother Matt, his brother's girlfriend Alex, and Luke's old best friend and crush Fran. And during it all, he's kind of trying to find himself and deal with what happened around the time he wrote the book and after it got published.
So, I liked Luke. Mostly. Kind of. Well, he's sweet and I want to give him a hug, but at the same time, he's kind of self-centered and closed-minded and oblivious and I just want to shake him. But he's trying to get over those things, and he's getting better by the end of the book, so I feel that things are looking up for him, and I'm glad. 'cause even when he bothered me, (and probably because of how well-written he was,) I enjoyed being in his head.
We get to know Matt pretty well, and I wasn't a big fan of his. He's kind of a... um, jerk (douche, I feel, is a better word, but I don't like that word, and so am refraining from using it). But maybe he's getting better by the end? He did realize what he did wrong, and was doing some things to make it better, so... maybe, yea?. I don't feel I got to know Alex too well, but maybe she was okay? I did like Fran. I rather liked her a lot, and felt bad for what she was going through and went through and just wanted to be her friend through it all, when everyone else couldn't, and was wondering what she was thinking through all of it.
The road trip was fun. I haven't been to the places he went (at least, that I remember), and so it was fun to experience them with him. And it felt like more time should have gone by, instead of only a little over a week, but each day went by very smoothly; I was a little surprised with how well-done the pace was (which might be because it wasn't a love-at-first-sight story, since they all knew each other previously).
And now the religion part. Luke wrote a religious book, because he's a religious person, and goes to church and all that, but he's still very much a lost teenage boy (not that, ah, he wouldn't be a teenage boy just because he goes to church or anything; I swear, that is not what I am saying. [Maybe that his religion has not taken over his life?] More that, he still has teenage boy thoughts relating to girls; and also, that he gets embarrassed very easily by them, which is very cute and not bad in any way [this was a religious book with some really good romance, which I am very happy about]). And everything he thought about his religion, was very much of his own thoughts, and felt like they had nothing to do with the authors feelings about it all. It wasn't overbearing, and I didn't mind reading the religious parts, at all. Which was nice.
Also I liked the little excerpts of Luke's book, they were nice. And I found it interesting how disconnected he feels from the book, after all the editing and re-thinking, especially since it started as a journal style thing from youth group (or was it that summer camp thing? One of those things, I think?) only written in Bible format. I liked how he felt so different from when he wrote it, and his first interview was a complete blur in his mind, so he was surprised when everyone loved it so much and took it to be completely true and had such big reactions. I liked seeing how surprised he was when people came up to him, and with how many people came to his signings, and how upset they became later. It was really interesting and really well done.
The ending, I'm not so happy with. Mostly because of how things ended with Fran and Luke, but I don't want to spoil it, and so I won't say too much, but I'm not all that happy with it. I was hoping for something more, and while what happened isn't particularly bad, I was hoping for something different. Am a little disappointed, even though I feel that it is good for the characters, and isn't an overall bad thing. But, I guess, I can just imagine that things change later, progress more in the direction I want, or was hoping for? ([Possible Spoiler!] for Fran, to where she is more secure in him, perhaps?)
Aside from that, the book was really interesting and well done, and it kept me (a little surprisingly) interested throughout the whole thing, to where I didn't want to put it down, even as I had other things I wanted (or needed) to focus on, and even while I was trying to savor the experience. It was really good, and I'm really glad, and I'm super excited for his next book to be released (which, you guys, should only be later this year!).
[Taken from my blog: http://geekyreading.blogspot.com/2012... ]
I was hoping, even expecting, to really like this, especially because of how much I enjoyed John's second book, but then I was nervous when I found out that it was religious (which I didn't find out until I read another review, since I completely ignored the title. I was just like, Antony John['s new book]? WANT, and pre-ordered). (Which might not be surprising, if you've read this one review of mine...) I'm not too big on religion, so I was wary, and then I was surprised by how easily I got sucked into the book. Now, after reading it, I'm glad with how much I liked it, and am debating on its rating...
Thou Shalt Not Road Trip is about Luke, a boy who has written and published a book while still in high school, a book that he now, about a year later, feels very disconnected to. The book takes place when Luke goes on the tour for his book, a little over a week, with his brother Matt, his brother's girlfriend Alex, and Luke's old best friend and crush Fran. And during it all, he's kind of trying to find himself and deal with what happened around the time he wrote the book and after it got published.
So, I liked Luke. Mostly. Kind of. Well, he's sweet and I want to give him a hug, but at the same time, he's kind of self-centered and closed-minded and oblivious and I just want to shake him. But he's trying to get over those things, and he's getting better by the end of the book, so I feel that things are looking up for him, and I'm glad. 'cause even when he bothered me, (and probably because of how well-written he was,) I enjoyed being in his head.
We get to know Matt pretty well, and I wasn't a big fan of his. He's kind of a... um, jerk (douche, I feel, is a better word, but I don't like that word, and so am refraining from using it). But maybe he's getting better by the end? He did realize what he did wrong, and was doing some things to make it better, so... maybe, yea?. I don't feel I got to know Alex too well, but maybe she was okay? I did like Fran. I rather liked her a lot, and felt bad for what she was going through and went through and just wanted to be her friend through it all, when everyone else couldn't, and was wondering what she was thinking through all of it.
The road trip was fun. I haven't been to the places he went (at least, that I remember), and so it was fun to experience them with him. And it felt like more time should have gone by, instead of only a little over a week, but each day went by very smoothly; I was a little surprised with how well-done the pace was (which might be because it wasn't a love-at-first-sight story, since they all knew each other previously).
And now the religion part. Luke wrote a religious book, because he's a religious person, and goes to church and all that, but he's still very much a lost teenage boy (not that, ah, he wouldn't be a teenage boy just because he goes to church or anything; I swear, that is not what I am saying. [Maybe that his religion has not taken over his life?] More that, he still has teenage boy thoughts relating to girls; and also, that he gets embarrassed very easily by them, which is very cute and not bad in any way [this was a religious book with some really good romance, which I am very happy about]). And everything he thought about his religion, was very much of his own thoughts, and felt like they had nothing to do with the authors feelings about it all. It wasn't overbearing, and I didn't mind reading the religious parts, at all. Which was nice.
Also I liked the little excerpts of Luke's book, they were nice. And I found it interesting how disconnected he feels from the book, after all the editing and re-thinking, especially since it started as a journal style thing from youth group (or was it that summer camp thing? One of those things, I think?) only written in Bible format. I liked how he felt so different from when he wrote it, and his first interview was a complete blur in his mind, so he was surprised when everyone loved it so much and took it to be completely true and had such big reactions. I liked seeing how surprised he was when people came up to him, and with how many people came to his signings, and how upset they became later. It was really interesting and really well done.
The ending, I'm not so happy with. Mostly because of how things ended with Fran and Luke, but I don't want to spoil it, and so I won't say too much, but I'm not all that happy with it. I was hoping for something more, and while what happened isn't particularly bad, I was hoping for something different. Am a little disappointed, even though I feel that it is good for the characters, and isn't an overall bad thing. But, I guess, I can just imagine that things change later, progress more in the direction I want, or was hoping for? ([Possible Spoiler!] for Fran, to where she is more secure in him, perhaps?)
Aside from that, the book was really interesting and well done, and it kept me (a little surprisingly) interested throughout the whole thing, to where I didn't want to put it down, even as I had other things I wanted (or needed) to focus on, and even while I was trying to savor the experience. It was really good, and I'm really glad, and I'm super excited for his next book to be released (which, you guys, should only be later this year!).
[Taken from my blog: http://geekyreading.blogspot.com/2012... ]
April 25, 2020
My daughter recommended this off her bookshelf, “I think you might like this.” She was right. I’m sure this is classified as YA, and I’m OK with saying I often enjoy YA.
I also enjoy road tripping, questioning faith and mysterious character turns. This fun read has all three — and more.
I also enjoy road tripping, questioning faith and mysterious character turns. This fun read has all three — and more.
May 17, 2017
This was okay. I wish that I had liked it more, but oh well.
Book 48/50 (2017)
Book 48/50 (2017)
September 4, 2017
I read this in one sitting
November 8, 2020
(1.5/5)
Welp that’s finally over.
Welp that’s finally over.
May 8, 2012
While I enjoyed this book, (I'm giving it four stars, after all)I can't say that I loved it. There was too much left out for it to completely work.
Luke, the narrator, is a wonderfully fleshed out and flawed character. He is a teenage boy and isn't quite sure that he even believes what he wrote a year earlier, but he's off on a book tour anyway. He makes mistakes, some knowing they are mistakes and some inadvertent ones as well. Yet, he is trying to do what he thinks is right or perhaps it is more that he is trying to do what is expected of him.
His brother, Matt, doesn't seem to have much going on except for being self-centered and something of a user. He takes over the book tour, hauling Luke, Alex, Matt's girlfriend and Fran, the girl Luke wanted as a girlfriend a year ago, to all kinds of places that aren't planned, causing chaos and generally being less than helpful. Unfortunately I didn't get much of his personality except his userness. There is maybe one or two scenes where Matt is finally honest and someone Luke can depend on, but by that time, everything else has fallen apart.
Alex, Matt's girlfriend, seems nice. I didn't get much beyond that about her. She seems nice.
Fran, oh Fran, what a drama queen and I didn't really like her much. I think for this story to actually work well, I'd have to really think Fran is wonderful. And I don't. I'm left thinking that she has made her own mess for no real reason.She caused her own problems and I know I'm supposed to think she's very deep, but she seems to me just a teenage drama queen, making her own misery while blaming it on everyone else, particularly Luke.
Hallelujah is the book Luke has written. People believe the book is all true because Luke has stated it is all true. I think knowing exactly what was in the book would have been a big help to me. There are small texts at the beginning of each chapter, but it didn't really explain what the book actually is about. Was it a retelling of the Gospels using a teenage boy in place of Jesus? It is alluded to that people think Luke has done all these things that happen in his book, so I'd have liked to know exactly what those things were. Just some kind of synopsis would have helped or at least someone describing what's in it. All I know is that it's funny and sad and there are bits about spending time in a desert and swimming a river. For me, the book and people's connection to it, were the foundation of the story, it's why Luke is on the book tour, so I needed to understand the book a bit more.
There is mention of the kind of parents Luke and Matt have as compared to Alex and Fran's parents, but neither set is described in enough detail for me to understand that. Luke's parents are nicer, I guess. It's said that Fran's parents house is spotless and they are strict. I needed to know more for me to connect Fran's antics.
All told, I enjoyed this one a lot and the only reason I can't give it a five is the ending. I wanted to know what Matt wrote to Alex. Why mention that he has written to her if we don't get to know what it said? That could've been left out if it was going to go nowhere. I thought the minister, Andy, was cowardly, by not supporting Luke in any way. To shove an adolescent out into a frenzied crowd seemed questionable at best.
And finally, I can't give it a five because of the very last page.
Luke, the narrator, is a wonderfully fleshed out and flawed character. He is a teenage boy and isn't quite sure that he even believes what he wrote a year earlier, but he's off on a book tour anyway. He makes mistakes, some knowing they are mistakes and some inadvertent ones as well. Yet, he is trying to do what he thinks is right or perhaps it is more that he is trying to do what is expected of him.
His brother, Matt, doesn't seem to have much going on except for being self-centered and something of a user. He takes over the book tour, hauling Luke, Alex, Matt's girlfriend and Fran, the girl Luke wanted as a girlfriend a year ago, to all kinds of places that aren't planned, causing chaos and generally being less than helpful. Unfortunately I didn't get much of his personality except his userness. There is maybe one or two scenes where Matt is finally honest and someone Luke can depend on, but by that time, everything else has fallen apart.
Alex, Matt's girlfriend, seems nice. I didn't get much beyond that about her. She seems nice.
Fran, oh Fran, what a drama queen and I didn't really like her much. I think for this story to actually work well, I'd have to really think Fran is wonderful. And I don't. I'm left thinking that she has made her own mess for no real reason.She caused her own problems and I know I'm supposed to think she's very deep, but she seems to me just a teenage drama queen, making her own misery while blaming it on everyone else, particularly Luke.
Hallelujah is the book Luke has written. People believe the book is all true because Luke has stated it is all true. I think knowing exactly what was in the book would have been a big help to me. There are small texts at the beginning of each chapter, but it didn't really explain what the book actually is about. Was it a retelling of the Gospels using a teenage boy in place of Jesus? It is alluded to that people think Luke has done all these things that happen in his book, so I'd have liked to know exactly what those things were. Just some kind of synopsis would have helped or at least someone describing what's in it. All I know is that it's funny and sad and there are bits about spending time in a desert and swimming a river. For me, the book and people's connection to it, were the foundation of the story, it's why Luke is on the book tour, so I needed to understand the book a bit more.
There is mention of the kind of parents Luke and Matt have as compared to Alex and Fran's parents, but neither set is described in enough detail for me to understand that. Luke's parents are nicer, I guess. It's said that Fran's parents house is spotless and they are strict. I needed to know more for me to connect Fran's antics.
All told, I enjoyed this one a lot and the only reason I can't give it a five is the ending. I wanted to know what Matt wrote to Alex. Why mention that he has written to her if we don't get to know what it said? That could've been left out if it was going to go nowhere. I thought the minister, Andy, was cowardly, by not supporting Luke in any way. To shove an adolescent out into a frenzied crowd seemed questionable at best.
And finally, I can't give it a five because of the very last page.
September 10, 2016
Thou Shalt Not Road Trip starts out all clever and funny in the lead’s book and the humor with which he presents his brand of faith, BUT things shift, there’s less and less humor and more and more instances of the narrowness of his views (all their views, in fact) and even an the overly-simple way in how almost everyone sees certain things/ people. So this became less clever and funny, mainly because liking the lead became more and more difficult with each page of him doing what he was doing. Frankly: missing the mark, there was a lot of that going on here.
First, with each page, liking him was becoming more and more difficult… even impossible. He’s written a bestselling book in a two week period, has a lost love he’s made to deal with over the course of a road trip (a road trip that doesn’t SADLY doesn’t add much to the story), and brother who’s there but one he wishes weren’t; then all those things on faith – driving the point home that some people could oversimplify things when they shouldn’t have been. In fact there’s an almost-mocking vibe that last aspect is presented. And sure I’m non-practicing Catholic, but the way things are set forth here: there’s an overly simple way in the way ALL of the react that doesn’t sit right.
So it’s not really about faith; he in fact no Jesus and his book’s is in fact no Bible… expect it’s that hyper-fast way things happen with him in the middle that almost led it there. Perhaps it’s perception: of who his was as others saw him, of who he was as he saw himself, of who he was others expected... even of who Fran was, and even of who his brother was (becoming). So behind the he’s so great, the book’ so great plus the ast way things occur, look deeper and you see he’s just a kid, with ordinary kid problems: what do they think of me, what does she think of me and what do I think of myself?? I wish things were kept at that simpler level because then maybe I could a have loved this more.
And really I could have loved THIS more: the road trip and that long lost love-come back aspects especially. To the first: long have I been a fan of road trip books. It allows for a host of discovery in self in others and what was and what could be… none of those are allowed to happen here. What happens: a set of misunderstandings and clarity on his end that not everything revolves around the him as the lead.
OK, so maybe I liked this aspect after all: it made the story LESS about a lead who I disliked and more about the others around him. In fact, maybe that road trip aspect does have value here: it’s proven that he’s not the center of the universe; things happen, and they’re not always going to be about him. Thinking of things in this light I have to take it back: the road trip angel does serve a purpose… if only to distract from how I disliked the lead.
To the second: on long lost loves and things of that nature. That no-non sense vibe she starts with, that tough girl-schitck, is sadly a really just a shtick. And man what a letdown is all. Anyway: him, Fran and what she’s doing. It’s all about perceptions and reactions. Him reacting then her reacting equals me, frustrated once the ‘real thing behind was unearthed.
So there's a clever start here, but it's a let down in the end.
First, with each page, liking him was becoming more and more difficult… even impossible. He’s written a bestselling book in a two week period, has a lost love he’s made to deal with over the course of a road trip (a road trip that doesn’t SADLY doesn’t add much to the story), and brother who’s there but one he wishes weren’t; then all those things on faith – driving the point home that some people could oversimplify things when they shouldn’t have been. In fact there’s an almost-mocking vibe that last aspect is presented. And sure I’m non-practicing Catholic, but the way things are set forth here: there’s an overly simple way in the way ALL of the react that doesn’t sit right.
So it’s not really about faith; he in fact no Jesus and his book’s is in fact no Bible… expect it’s that hyper-fast way things happen with him in the middle that almost led it there. Perhaps it’s perception: of who his was as others saw him, of who he was as he saw himself, of who he was others expected... even of who Fran was, and even of who his brother was (becoming). So behind the he’s so great, the book’ so great plus the ast way things occur, look deeper and you see he’s just a kid, with ordinary kid problems: what do they think of me, what does she think of me and what do I think of myself?? I wish things were kept at that simpler level because then maybe I could a have loved this more.
And really I could have loved THIS more: the road trip and that long lost love-come back aspects especially. To the first: long have I been a fan of road trip books. It allows for a host of discovery in self in others and what was and what could be… none of those are allowed to happen here. What happens: a set of misunderstandings and clarity on his end that not everything revolves around the him as the lead.
OK, so maybe I liked this aspect after all: it made the story LESS about a lead who I disliked and more about the others around him. In fact, maybe that road trip aspect does have value here: it’s proven that he’s not the center of the universe; things happen, and they’re not always going to be about him. Thinking of things in this light I have to take it back: the road trip angel does serve a purpose… if only to distract from how I disliked the lead.
To the second: on long lost loves and things of that nature. That no-non sense vibe she starts with, that tough girl-schitck, is sadly a really just a shtick. And man what a letdown is all. Anyway: him, Fran and what she’s doing. It’s all about perceptions and reactions. Him reacting then her reacting equals me, frustrated once the ‘real thing behind was unearthed.
So there's a clever start here, but it's a let down in the end.
December 26, 2012
For more of my reviews, check out my blog @ Moosubi Reviews!
When you look at the cover of Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, what kind of book do you think you'll get? A road trip, just full of fun and wit? At first glance, that was what I thought I would get, along with the "authenticity" I was hoping for. Unfortunately, mostly because of the characters, I found that this novel was lacking of the fun I had with his previous novel that I LOVED, Five Flavors of Dumb.
To an extent, you do get what the blurb promises you. The characters are real enough, and I suppose, there was a "spiritual awakening" in the end. The main problem though was that I could not connect with any character in the book. Honestly, Luke was a whiny and innocently naive narrator, that honestly always annoyed me. I was hoping Fran would be the voice of reason, but she was such a drama queen. Matt and Alex (Matt's girlfriend) were honestly nothing special, but they annoyed me at times, too :/
However, the book was realistic. Putting aside any annoyance I had for the characters, what happened to Luke would happen to any innocent sixteen year old that published a national bestseller. Luke's reaction to fame was especially interesting to see, even though I felt bad for his innocent (yet annoying) self. How it all eventually ended was also a bit painful to read through - but again, realistic enough.
The road trip that I was expecting, based on the cover of the novel and about "loosing up" ended up being a huge disappointment. I've never actually been on a road trip, but if they really are like the constant fighting, screaming, and tears spent over the one fun thing Matt, Alex, and Fran dragged Luke through, I'm not sure if I'd ever want to go through with the experience. Most of the novel was actually spent describing Luke's various author events, arguments with Fran, or awkward hotel scenes. So, I suppose if you're looking for a fun read like FFoD, you'll be disappointed with this one...
On a last note, I suppose this book should probably be classified as "Christian Lit". Personally, I don't have a problem with that, but it does make this book drastically different from Antony John's other works, and may turn a lot of readers away. The author definitely took a risk, but the book would probably be a favorite of Christian literature readers.
Overall, Thou Shalt Not Road Trip wasn't quite the book for me, considering what I was expecting and how I saw the characters. If you're interested in reading this book because of how fun Five Flavors of Dumb was, or that the cover portrays a fun road trip story, this book probably wouldn't be for you either. However, Christian lit fans may enjoy this book!
*Thank you to Book Divas for sending me a copy of this book*
When you look at the cover of Thou Shalt Not Road Trip, what kind of book do you think you'll get? A road trip, just full of fun and wit? At first glance, that was what I thought I would get, along with the "authenticity" I was hoping for. Unfortunately, mostly because of the characters, I found that this novel was lacking of the fun I had with his previous novel that I LOVED, Five Flavors of Dumb.
To an extent, you do get what the blurb promises you. The characters are real enough, and I suppose, there was a "spiritual awakening" in the end. The main problem though was that I could not connect with any character in the book. Honestly, Luke was a whiny and innocently naive narrator, that honestly always annoyed me. I was hoping Fran would be the voice of reason, but she was such a drama queen. Matt and Alex (Matt's girlfriend) were honestly nothing special, but they annoyed me at times, too :/
However, the book was realistic. Putting aside any annoyance I had for the characters, what happened to Luke would happen to any innocent sixteen year old that published a national bestseller. Luke's reaction to fame was especially interesting to see, even though I felt bad for his innocent (yet annoying) self. How it all eventually ended was also a bit painful to read through - but again, realistic enough.
The road trip that I was expecting, based on the cover of the novel and about "loosing up" ended up being a huge disappointment. I've never actually been on a road trip, but if they really are like the constant fighting, screaming, and tears spent over the one fun thing Matt, Alex, and Fran dragged Luke through, I'm not sure if I'd ever want to go through with the experience. Most of the novel was actually spent describing Luke's various author events, arguments with Fran, or awkward hotel scenes. So, I suppose if you're looking for a fun read like FFoD, you'll be disappointed with this one...
On a last note, I suppose this book should probably be classified as "Christian Lit". Personally, I don't have a problem with that, but it does make this book drastically different from Antony John's other works, and may turn a lot of readers away. The author definitely took a risk, but the book would probably be a favorite of Christian literature readers.
Overall, Thou Shalt Not Road Trip wasn't quite the book for me, considering what I was expecting and how I saw the characters. If you're interested in reading this book because of how fun Five Flavors of Dumb was, or that the cover portrays a fun road trip story, this book probably wouldn't be for you either. However, Christian lit fans may enjoy this book!
*Thank you to Book Divas for sending me a copy of this book*
January 29, 2012
After reading Antony John's Five Flavors of Dumb, I was beyond excited to get my hands on a copy of his next YA novel--Thou Shalt Not Road Trip. As a fan of novels about road trips (and let's be honest, a closet fan of standalone contemporaries), I had high expectations for this novel. While I wasn't disappointed per se, I wasn't quite as blown away with awesomeness as I expected to be (you have to understand how much I ADORED Five Flavors of Dumb).
When we first meet Luke, he's on his way to start his book tour with his brother behind the wheel and things don't exactly go right from the start. His brother rents an outrageous vehicle, spends money on just about everything you could imagine, and makes Luke late to his very first signing. That's not the end of their adventure--no, no, it's just the beginning. The whirlwind trip of driving and Q & A's and signings and awkward moments with his former best friend are anything but ordinary.
Luke is one of those characters that I, unfortunately, didn't connect with right away. I'm not sure what it was about his personality that failed to really capture my attention. I think I felt like he was trying too hard to be this person that he's really...not (which, also, maybe that's the point, since this truly is a journey of self-discovery in the end). Fran, however, caught my attention from the moment that I met her and I really wanted to get into her head and know what was going on in her life. Luke had obviously turned his back on her, and I wanted to know what had really gone down. Why had she changed? What was Luke, in his teenage boy oblivion, missing out on?!
The road trip aspect of the story worked perfectly. Along the way, each character has a journey to take, even Matt and his girlfriend, Alex (also, Fran's older sister). Luke has moments where you feel like he's almost there, but he's clearly not ready to get with the program. When things really started to head downhill, I was a bit upset for him because as he tried to make things right and figure out what he was really doing, I felt like I finally started to connect with him.
Overally, Antony John's writing is really superb. The snippets of Luke's book that he shares are humorous and convey a sense of this thing that Luke has supposedly written and who the person Luke is trying to continue to be.
When we first meet Luke, he's on his way to start his book tour with his brother behind the wheel and things don't exactly go right from the start. His brother rents an outrageous vehicle, spends money on just about everything you could imagine, and makes Luke late to his very first signing. That's not the end of their adventure--no, no, it's just the beginning. The whirlwind trip of driving and Q & A's and signings and awkward moments with his former best friend are anything but ordinary.
Luke is one of those characters that I, unfortunately, didn't connect with right away. I'm not sure what it was about his personality that failed to really capture my attention. I think I felt like he was trying too hard to be this person that he's really...not (which, also, maybe that's the point, since this truly is a journey of self-discovery in the end). Fran, however, caught my attention from the moment that I met her and I really wanted to get into her head and know what was going on in her life. Luke had obviously turned his back on her, and I wanted to know what had really gone down. Why had she changed? What was Luke, in his teenage boy oblivion, missing out on?!
The road trip aspect of the story worked perfectly. Along the way, each character has a journey to take, even Matt and his girlfriend, Alex (also, Fran's older sister). Luke has moments where you feel like he's almost there, but he's clearly not ready to get with the program. When things really started to head downhill, I was a bit upset for him because as he tried to make things right and figure out what he was really doing, I felt like I finally started to connect with him.
Overally, Antony John's writing is really superb. The snippets of Luke's book that he shares are humorous and convey a sense of this thing that Luke has supposedly written and who the person Luke is trying to continue to be.
June 21, 2012
Low on the road trip, high on the Christian angst wank, plus a clutch of characters that I either actively disliked or just didn't buy. Having had high hopes after Five Flavors of Dumb, yes, I was disappointed.
Sixteen-year-old Luke has written a humorous parable-lite, which has been picked up by the Christian masses and become an inspirational hit. (Think The Shack, but...actually, let's never mention that piece of shite again.) On a cross-country book tour with his big bro, he discovers that Matt is using the trip as an excuse to cozy up with his girlfriend Alex, and Alex's little sister Fran, who Luke previous had designs on, is along for the ride.
Issues:
- The 'Matt as chaffeur' angle, i.e. the whole set up of the novel. Yes, savvy publishing company, put your product - and your company credit card - in the hands of a naive teen and the unknown quantity of his slightly elder brother.
- The characters. Luke is a judgmental prig. Matt is a selfish fucker who is . Fran's 'issues' are laughable - oh woe, her parents are hard-ass and she lives in Christian Conservative Buttfuck Nowhere so she must dye her hair (!), experiment with drink (!), and pierce her own earlobes (!!!).
- Conservative hell. I'm not saying that John's setting is wrong or inaccurate or whatever - it's completely unfamiliar to me, put it that way - but this is a novel peopled by characters who think dying your hair purple and leaving your shirt un-tucked means you are a thieving drug whore. I found it depressing as fuck.
The Good:
- Overnight success. I enjoyed watching Luke founder as he tried to come to terms with the fact that 99% of the people who came to his book signings had their own take on his 'parable'. The media attention, the attempts to catch him behaving all dirty, the way a room can be swayed by inanities were all well observed (and drawn from real life experience?)
The Wasted:
- Route 66. Although there were a few moments that tickled my road trip craving sensibilities, few of the stops that the characters took en route felt really fleshed out for me Amy and Roger's Epic Detour has ruined me.
Sixteen-year-old Luke has written a humorous parable-lite, which has been picked up by the Christian masses and become an inspirational hit. (Think The Shack, but...actually, let's never mention that piece of shite again.) On a cross-country book tour with his big bro, he discovers that Matt is using the trip as an excuse to cozy up with his girlfriend Alex, and Alex's little sister Fran, who Luke previous had designs on, is along for the ride.
Issues:
- The 'Matt as chaffeur' angle, i.e. the whole set up of the novel. Yes, savvy publishing company, put your product - and your company credit card - in the hands of a naive teen and the unknown quantity of his slightly elder brother.
- The characters. Luke is a judgmental prig. Matt is a selfish fucker who is . Fran's 'issues' are laughable - oh woe, her parents are hard-ass and she lives in Christian Conservative Buttfuck Nowhere so she must dye her hair (!), experiment with drink (!), and pierce her own earlobes (!!!).
- Conservative hell. I'm not saying that John's setting is wrong or inaccurate or whatever - it's completely unfamiliar to me, put it that way - but this is a novel peopled by characters who think dying your hair purple and leaving your shirt un-tucked means you are a thieving drug whore. I found it depressing as fuck.
The Good:
- Overnight success. I enjoyed watching Luke founder as he tried to come to terms with the fact that 99% of the people who came to his book signings had their own take on his 'parable'. The media attention, the attempts to catch him behaving all dirty, the way a room can be swayed by inanities were all well observed (and drawn from real life experience?)
The Wasted:
- Route 66. Although there were a few moments that tickled my road trip craving sensibilities, few of the stops that the characters took en route felt really fleshed out for me Amy and Roger's Epic Detour has ruined me.
July 3, 2015
July 2, 2015
After much deliberation, I've decided to demote this from 4 stars to 3. The fact that I couldn't even remember the main character's name two weeks after I read it validated that I don't like it nearly as much as I thought I did.
June 12, 2015
This book should not be called Thou Shalt Not Road Trip. It should be called Everything That Could Possibly Go Wrong on a Road Trip Without Actually Dying. XD
Lately, I've had trouble deciding how to rate books, and this one is certainly no exception.
For the first half of the book, I was giving this a solid three stars. I was enjoying it, but there was never anything jumping out at me as spectacular. However, the second half really won me over. So I've decided to give this a four star rating.
Overall, I enjoyed the characters. My main problem though was that by the end of the book, there were still some characters I didn't feel I actually knew. Alex for example. I liked her, and I understood the reasons behind her actions, but I never felt like I REALLY knew her. I really enjoyed Matt's character, even if at times I didn't really understand him either. Fran's character is the one I think is the most complex, and we really got to see that which I loved. I had a very love-hate relationship with Luke. Many times I really enjoyed the complexity and his thought process, and other times I wanted to punch him the face.
I have to take time to talk about the religion aspect. I've never really read a YA book that focuses so heavily on religion, so it was a cool experience. Not being particularly religious myself, it was really cool to see Luke's journey with his own faith. And I loved that it never felt too preachy. It was a huge aspect, but it never felt overwhelming.
To conclude, overall I really liked this book. There were parts I loved, and parts I didn't love. I think my expectations were very high for this one because of Antony John's previous book, Five Flavors of Dumb. And while I hate comparing the two, this one is no Five Flavors of Dumb. This does not mean, however, that I will stop reading Antony John. If he has any other books in the works, sign me right up. :)
After much deliberation, I've decided to demote this from 4 stars to 3. The fact that I couldn't even remember the main character's name two weeks after I read it validated that I don't like it nearly as much as I thought I did.
June 12, 2015
This book should not be called Thou Shalt Not Road Trip. It should be called Everything That Could Possibly Go Wrong on a Road Trip Without Actually Dying. XD
Lately, I've had trouble deciding how to rate books, and this one is certainly no exception.
For the first half of the book, I was giving this a solid three stars. I was enjoying it, but there was never anything jumping out at me as spectacular. However, the second half really won me over. So I've decided to give this a four star rating.
Overall, I enjoyed the characters. My main problem though was that by the end of the book, there were still some characters I didn't feel I actually knew. Alex for example. I liked her, and I understood the reasons behind her actions, but I never felt like I REALLY knew her. I really enjoyed Matt's character, even if at times I didn't really understand him either. Fran's character is the one I think is the most complex, and we really got to see that which I loved. I had a very love-hate relationship with Luke. Many times I really enjoyed the complexity and his thought process, and other times I wanted to punch him the face.
I have to take time to talk about the religion aspect. I've never really read a YA book that focuses so heavily on religion, so it was a cool experience. Not being particularly religious myself, it was really cool to see Luke's journey with his own faith. And I loved that it never felt too preachy. It was a huge aspect, but it never felt overwhelming.
To conclude, overall I really liked this book. There were parts I loved, and parts I didn't love. I think my expectations were very high for this one because of Antony John's previous book, Five Flavors of Dumb. And while I hate comparing the two, this one is no Five Flavors of Dumb. This does not mean, however, that I will stop reading Antony John. If he has any other books in the works, sign me right up. :)
May 6, 2012
When Hallelujah, the book he wrote chronicling his spiritual journey when he was fifteen, starts selling and gaining attention, sixteen-year-old Luke's publisher sends him on a publicity tour. The only catch is that Matt, Luke's older brother, will be responsible for getting him to the book signing venues on time, and Matt has his own agenda involving his girlfriend Alex. Matt rents a Hummer which he navigates along Route 66. The fact that Fran, a girl on whom Luke once had a crush, comes along adds to the complications. While I loved the descriptions of the book signings during which Luke must field difficult questions and sign until his arm aches as well as the detours on which Matt takes his fellow passengers, I found Fran's explanation for her change in appearance during the previous year to be rather lacking even while her message that the outside of a person often has little to do with his/her inside is one worth noting. It's hard to like Luke as he flounders from one mistake to another, betraying others and disappointing himself as well, but that very fact attests to his realistic portrayal. Luke is, after all, something of a seeker, and if he isn't sure exactly what he believes or how firm that belief may be, at least his intentions are admirable and his seeking is typical of someone his age. Threaded through the storyline is the very real consideration of what exactly an author owes to his/her readers, an issue worth pondering in this time in which authors have written partially fictionalized memoirs. Also, worth noting is the media frenzy that ensues once Luke is found to be less that forthright about his book and some of the events occurring on the trip. Once again, as I read, I considered how quickly the media--or social network, for that matter--can create or destroy someone's image. Although the problems Luke is facing seem resolved rather quickly in the end, this title is thoughtful and encourages readers to reflect on their actions and beliefs. If I've made the book seem serious, it certainly is that, but it's also filled with humor and moments of bonding between siblings and friends.
March 9, 2012
I'm a sucker for a road trip book so when I saw the cover for this one, I knew I had to read it. I think that due to the fact that I was strongly focused on the cover, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect with this book. The summary doesn't tell us a lot so I didn't know how focused it would be on spirituality.
Luke Dorsey is sort of an overnight success. He is very young but is already super famous among book lovers. He has difficulty dealing with this success and is mostly amazed at the way people treat him. Due to his popularity, he is sent on a book tour to promote his story.
Matt, Luke's brother, is supposed to act as his transportation from one signing to another. It's easy to see from the beginning that these brothers are not similar. Matt is a bit irresponsible and not at all prepared for a trip. He is more than willing to use funds from the publisher to take care of whatever is needed for the trip and even with that, they have several missteps along the way.
Soon, they are not only dealing wtih the stresses of travel, but bringing Matt's girlfriend and her sister (who just happens to be Luke's ex-girlfriend) Fran. This creates a bit of drama, but at the same time they learn a lot about themselves and each other.
Luke was a funny character. His writings were hilarious as well. There was just something about him that I liked immediately. He seemed like a typical, awkward young boy. He was funny without meaning to be sometimes just because of how he reacted to his brothers antics. It was a nice touch for this book.
I don't typically read a lot of books with religious topics. Not because I don't like them, but mainly because they can get preachy or, boring..to be honest. This book wasn't at all boring. Antony John's writing really kept the story flowing nicely. But, this book does have a lot of religious talk and internal dialogue. This may be something that most people enjoy, but it brought the book down a bit for me.
Recommended: Road trip fans looking for something funny with a religious meaning.
Luke Dorsey is sort of an overnight success. He is very young but is already super famous among book lovers. He has difficulty dealing with this success and is mostly amazed at the way people treat him. Due to his popularity, he is sent on a book tour to promote his story.
Matt, Luke's brother, is supposed to act as his transportation from one signing to another. It's easy to see from the beginning that these brothers are not similar. Matt is a bit irresponsible and not at all prepared for a trip. He is more than willing to use funds from the publisher to take care of whatever is needed for the trip and even with that, they have several missteps along the way.
Soon, they are not only dealing wtih the stresses of travel, but bringing Matt's girlfriend and her sister (who just happens to be Luke's ex-girlfriend) Fran. This creates a bit of drama, but at the same time they learn a lot about themselves and each other.
Luke was a funny character. His writings were hilarious as well. There was just something about him that I liked immediately. He seemed like a typical, awkward young boy. He was funny without meaning to be sometimes just because of how he reacted to his brothers antics. It was a nice touch for this book.
I don't typically read a lot of books with religious topics. Not because I don't like them, but mainly because they can get preachy or, boring..to be honest. This book wasn't at all boring. Antony John's writing really kept the story flowing nicely. But, this book does have a lot of religious talk and internal dialogue. This may be something that most people enjoy, but it brought the book down a bit for me.
Recommended: Road trip fans looking for something funny with a religious meaning.
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