Looking for Redfeather

by Linda Collison

Life is a highway... Fifteen-year-old Ramie Redfeather leaves Cheyenne with music in his pocket and his thumb in the air. He's looking to find his father, a man he's never met. Ramie gets a ride with Chas Sweeney, a seventeen-year-old driving a "borrowed" Cadillac Eldorado with Maryland tags, who just happens to be passing through Cheyenne. Chas is running away from the wreckage that is his world, sixteen hundred miles away. In Denver Ramie and Chas meet Mae B. LaRoux, an enchanting young singer from Baton Rouge. LaRoux, who struggles with a learning disability, is on a mission to become a professional musician. the three runaways band together and set out on a fast-paced road trip to get to the Austin Music Festival, looking for Refeather on the way. They're on the road -- but it ain't Jack Kerouac's road trip!

229 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 20, 2013

About the author

Linda Collison is the award-winning author of novels, short stories and creative nonfiction.

She has enjoyed a composite career as a registered nurse, a professional skydiving instructor, a volunteer firefighter, parent, and freelance writer. After nursing school Linda studied history at Metropolitan State University. Together, with her husband Bob Russell, she has sailed thousands of miles aboard Topaz, their 36-foot sloop, whose home port is Hawaii. They also served three weeks as crew aboard Endeavour, a replica of Captain James Cook's 18th-century ship -- and it was during the crossing from Vancouver to Hawaii that the idea for Star-Crossed was born.

Published by Knopf, Star-Crossed was chosen by the New York Public Library to be among the Books for the Teen Age -- 2007 and inspired the Patricia MacPherson Nautical Adventure Series. Collison also writes coming-of-age fiction and short dystopian fantasy pulp fiction as L.S. Collison.

Linda loves to travel, by land or by sea. Fast cars and slow boats are her favorites.

Reviews

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

"Looking for Redfeather" is an amusing book about 3 teenagers meeting by coincidence on a road trip. There's a lot to giggle at. There's also a lot to think about.

You gradually get to know those teenagers, their hopes, fears, but above all their reasons for being where they are, in the situation they find themselves in.

Described as a "Coming-of-Age" novel, "Looking for Redfeather" was a little short for my taste, but well worth reading.

[Kimberly Westrope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic! One of the best books I've read this year. The coming of age/road trip story features three truly memorable characters, Ramie Redfeather, Chas Sweeney, and Mae B. Laroux, as they meet up with one another on the road and travel together in search of the mystical musician (and possibly Ramie's father) Redfeather.

I laughed out loud at some of the antics and conversations between these three characters. The way the author gets inside the mind of teenage boys, I was surprised to realize it is a female author. Her perception and spot on teen male attitude is reminiscent of S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. Very well done. I love Ramie's laid back, serious attitude, and the always entertaining, often irritating Chas is just as endearing.

The word usage and bits of knowledge spouted by all three characters is amazing. It really held me captive. At one point, Chas is described as having "a word arsenal and he's not afraid to use it." This, to me, describes this fantastic author. I can't wait to read more of her stories.

I listened to the audio version of this book and narrator, Aaron Landon, did a wonderful job. I felt like I was there, riding in the car with these characters.

[Alaric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good to read a road trip / coming of age story that breaks new ground. The plot is both satisfying and believable; it works well, without the need for extensive props or explanations. Excellent insight into the adolescent mind: highly recommended.

[Maudie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It made me wish I had had the nerve when I was young to take a road trip like this. What a special way to make friends and share experiences. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a sense of adventure.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

original review found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...

received this novel as part of a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

I will be honest and say that had I have passed this book in the bookstore I would not have stopped to review it further. In my opinion the cover is not very good and does not draw you in to want to find out more. That being said it is the content that I am reviewing and not the cover.

This was a coming of age story about three different teens who were either running from or to something and learning some things about themselves along the way. Ramie was on the search for his birth father, Chas was running away from the inevitability of his mothers fate and LaRoux was chasing her dream of the one true thing she was good at.

Through three unlikely friends the reader experiences the highs and lows of the roadtrip as each of the characters tries to deal with their emotional issues. Strong friendships are developed and adventures occur along the way. They must deal with disappointment and each other as they go.

At the end of the day the story is all about leaving so that they can return home and dealing with their personal issues. An enjoyable and easy read.

[Kathleen Guler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda Collison captures the voice and spirit of three dysfunctional teenagers, each running away from a hated life in search of something better. The greatest strength of this book is in the relationships among the deftly drawn characters. Beneath all the profanity-laced bravado, pot-smoking and underage drinking, these kids still find a sense of kindness and for doing the right thing for each other despite doubts, fears and disappointments. Collison’s descriptive writing summons the essence and heart of the old-fashioned road trip across the desert southwest, and in the process she addresses the desire to run away that haunts many of us—that sometimes in running away from ourselves we haven’t realized that whatever we think is missing from our lives has been hidden inside us all along. A fun, short read for the teenager in all of us.

[Barbara Dzikowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOOKING FOR REDFEATHER is an engaging story about three teens on a road trip in pursuit of adventure, dreams, and escape. Author Linda Collison, an accomplished wordsmith whose prose flows as smooth as butter, takes readers on an entertaining, colorful, and, at times, heartbreaking journey, capturing all the vibrancy and pathos of the teenage years. Collison adeptly tells her tale through vivid imagery, characterization, and dialogue. It was a joy to read, and makes me want to read more from this talented author. So grab your sunglasses and jump into Chas' 1960 Cadillac Eldorado. This is a road trip that you don't want to miss!

[S.K. Keogh]

I took time off from my usual reading fare (historical fiction) to read this novel. I'm familiar with Linda's writing from her Patricia MacPherson nautical series, so I had no qualms about picking this one up. Linda did a great job with all the elements here: character, prose, plot. I enjoyed all the characters (not a common thing for me when reading novels nowadays). This is a story that both adults and young adults will find entertaining.

[RACHEL · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Looking for Redfeather" is a beautiful written road trip story of three teenagers as they run from what is, search for what could be, and discover who they might be.

My copy came through Goodreads First Reads program.