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Finding Sagrado
A Teenage Odyssey for Adults and Mature Teenage Readers Roger E. Carrier tells an engaging story of youth, redemption, and sexual coming of age in New Mexico. In 1971, seventeen-year-old Shane Russell makes a well-planned escape from a Michigan winter and sets off on a 2,000-mile adventure in search of a town that exists only between the covers of Richard Bradford’s famous New Mexico novel Red Sky at Morning (J.B. Lippincott, 1968). Driven to recreate the nude scenes and vivid characters in Bradford’s fictional town of Sagrado, Shane forever touches the lives of his widowed landlady, the detective hired to find him, and his new friends at a colorful high school deep in the Land of Enchantment. Against the backdrop of his father’s death in Vietnam and life with his stepmother’s new boyfriend, Shane flees the painful realities of his life. In doing so, he finds a place where bats fly and love heals the wounds of the human spirit. He also encounters Mark Twain’s great truth: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
Unknown Binding
First published January 28, 2014
3 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Roger E Carrier
4 books1 followerRaised in Utah, Roger Carrier has travelled through fifty countries by bus and train, including a three-month bus trip from Salt Lake City to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Sleeping in bars and run-down hotels, he made a similar hard-class journey through Africa and India. Mr. Carrier, a retired teacher and businessman, is a recreational mountain climber and collector of rare 19th century books. He is also a mountain climber, a reader of the classics, and a collector of early 19th century rare books. He lives in Utah with his family. Finding Sagrado is his first published novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
July 13, 2017
Finding Sagrado is a smart, honest, thoughtful story about a likable young man charting his own path toward self-realization. Carrier is a fine writer, but even more importantly in this book is how the story causes the reader to re-visit his or her own adolescence. Certainly the circumstances don't match up, but the emotions and dreams of the young character resonate close to home: ambition, loneliness, trepidation, hope... I find myself still wondering about Shane-- as to what may have happened to him after that last page. That is exactly what a good read should do! Hopefully Carrier will use his own experiences to develop another story line and another novel that is just as captivating.
July 20, 2014
After reading the book, and having English as my second language I would recommend this book to anyone learning the language at an intermediate or even advance beginner as the language used is not hard to understand.
Story-wise I like the book. Even if you prefer other genres with more action or science fiction, the author did a good job at keeping it simple while having a meaning, something for the readers to think about. The story start with a teenager trouble by the death of his parents, his father most recently. he finds comfort from reality on his favorite book from which he is able to draw parallels on what goes on with his life. He decides to go in pursuit of a new life in Sagrado, New Mexico. The support character helps him along the way, yet he still faces danger so things are not predictable.
This main character has to go through many situations that we can relate to in our lives that allows the reader to connect to him, and even learn from his experiences. I really like the story.
Story-wise I like the book. Even if you prefer other genres with more action or science fiction, the author did a good job at keeping it simple while having a meaning, something for the readers to think about. The story start with a teenager trouble by the death of his parents, his father most recently. he finds comfort from reality on his favorite book from which he is able to draw parallels on what goes on with his life. He decides to go in pursuit of a new life in Sagrado, New Mexico. The support character helps him along the way, yet he still faces danger so things are not predictable.
This main character has to go through many situations that we can relate to in our lives that allows the reader to connect to him, and even learn from his experiences. I really like the story.
March 24, 2014
Roger E. Carrier immediately drew me in with the premise of a young man trying to find himself in the pages of "Red Sky in Morning," a beloved adolescent novel, after the death of his father. Taking it further, Shane, our hero, goes in search of the life and the characters depicted in Red Sky. What happens along the way and when he reaches his destination is entertaining and keeps the reader engaged. Carrier captures both Shane's need to find his place in life and the compassion he finds from both strangers and family in the process.
Highly recommended for both young adults and mature readers.
Highly recommended for both young adults and mature readers.
March 25, 2014
I love this book. Best book I read in a long long time.
So happy that I decided to read it!
I highly recommend it to everyone. Well written and thought out.
Takes me back, way back and that is a wonderful place to go.
So happy that I decided to read it!
I highly recommend it to everyone. Well written and thought out.
Takes me back, way back and that is a wonderful place to go.
August 5, 2016
I wasn't at all sure if I was going to like finding sagrado when I first cracked the cover on the book. I honestly thought that it was going to be one of those nostalgic trips down memory lane. View the world through rose-colored glasses sort of books and I would not be able to establish a personal connection with the characters or have a reference point for the timeframe of their world. I was soon proven very wrong within the first 20 pages I was hooked!! Mr. Carrier, positively sucked me into his universe, and I realized very quickly that this was not just a trip down memory lane, but it was a chance to listen to some poignant advice of crude by real-life experience, and the 2020 vision of hindsight. The story has qualities of Stephen King's "stand by me." And by that I mean that although the characters are adolescents. The story is not about teenagers or teenage problems. They are simply used as a catalyst to tell a much deeper and richer story and make it relatable to the audience without slapping them in the face with any high moral standpoint or worldview.
It is the same for this story Shane is struggling to come to terms with the reality of the death of his father in Vietnam and the fact that his mother is going to remarry. He finds solace in the pages of "red sky at morning" a classic novel about life in New Mexico, and Shane Long's to live in the peaceful town of "Sagrado" and find his own colorful cast of characters and re-create some of the more memorable scenes of the novel such as watching an artist sketching nude model. The desire to escape his current reality drives Shane to steal his father's secret stash of money and set out on a journey to find his perfect little town where everything will be pure and clean, and he can forget about the horrible ways in which his world turned upside down and make a new life for himself in a new town.
The interesting part of the story for me was not so much the people that Shane met along and how they affected his life and decisions on his journey, but rather how he affected their lives everyone from his landlady in New Mexico to the private detective that was hired by his mother to bring him home. Shane had a lasting effect on all their alliance that indirectly made them confront and deal with their own demons, thereby enriching both Shane's life and of their own beyond measure.
Another reviewer stated that they did not find the imagery of the story very compelling than his own personal opinion and I will not work and I discount it in anyway. Each person view the world differently, all I can say is that Mr. Carrier's descriptions of Shane's travels were rich and textured and compelled me to keep turning the pages. I could see every aspect of the journey from taking his father's stash of money and the dingy bus station. I felt like I was with Shane, every step of the way, particularly in New Mexico. When on his motorcycle rides the wind was tattooing the story if his journeys on his face and hands. I was meaning to every curve and corner right along with Shane (although to be fair I am a devout motorcycle enthusiast)
I wanted to see Shane achieve his dreams and find used piece and come to terms with his new reality and family and take all the lessons of New Mexico, and uses life to better the world. I wholeheartedly agree with Peter Kelton of the Albuquerque contemporary literature examiner when he says "Roger E. Carrier tells engaging story of youth, redemption and coming-of-age in 1971 in Mexico."
Mr. Carrier is a masterful storyteller that will keep you engaged from the very first word to the last. I turned pages so fast that I practically got blisters on my finger, and I absolutely cannot wait to see what other stories. Mr. Carrier has to tell I'm sure this is only the start of what will be a very illustrious literary career.
March 21, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and have passed it on to other family members of different generations as Roger Carrier's writing is a great read whether young or old. A story about an adolescent boy dealing with his father's death, the journey that the main character goes on to find Sagrado is beautifully written, easy to follow and provides the reader with glimpses of poignant moments as well as more lighthearted and funny moments. Reading this book has inspired me to watch 'Red Sky At Morning' for reasons that you'll understand when you read 'Finding Sagrado'. A joy to read, I would definitely recommend this author's book.
March 25, 2014
It was an amazing book. Book that I could not let go. Once you start reading it you have to finish. You have no choice. It sucks you into its world.
Excellent plot and amazingly easy to relate to characters. I began to wonder should I do the same as Shane and try to find something I was missing in my own life. Maybe run away to find a place of my dreams. Oh, wouldn't it be nice to find so many different people that are so eager to help you. Anyhow, I really enjoyed reading it, it was fun, easy to read. I would recommend this book to everyone. You would not regret it.
Excellent plot and amazingly easy to relate to characters. I began to wonder should I do the same as Shane and try to find something I was missing in my own life. Maybe run away to find a place of my dreams. Oh, wouldn't it be nice to find so many different people that are so eager to help you. Anyhow, I really enjoyed reading it, it was fun, easy to read. I would recommend this book to everyone. You would not regret it.
April 5, 2014
Finding Sagrado is a great book. Fun, engaging and interesting, it is written in a casual, approachable language, which ultimately turns it into a pleasant reading experience. The characters experience and relate to the pressing emotions, conflicts and desires which are characteristic of youth and growth. It was a joy reading this book, and I even lost track of time. It is just simply a fantastic book and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.
April 2, 2014
At fist I got this book completely wrong. I thought main charachter has such a good luck that nothing bad happened to him troughout entire book. After discussing this book at my book club we figured something out. Shane is constantly struggling with grief. Actually every charachter in book is dealing with this monster in his/her own way.
March 27, 2014
When I first started reading this book I became spellbound by it. The charachters are so well portrayed, the plot is well thought out. I enjoyed every page and probably will read it again and recomed it to everyone.
March 26, 2014
Loved the book. You should definetely buy it. It'll be worth every penny. From the first page you'll be mesmerised. While reading it I didn't wanted it to end. Had tons of fun.
August 9, 2016
"Finding Sagrado" is a fantastic read! Shane, the protagonist wishes to find his personal Sagrado, a fictional town from his favourite book. And find he does, along with some really nice friends and mentors, similar to the characters from his beloved novel but different in so many aspects and a lot better, because they belong in his life. I appreciated the optimistic tone of the book, the adventure started a bit slowly but once it got going I was all in. Roger Carrier is a great storyteller and he has penned some excellent characters, I particularly liked Birdie and Professor Sam Ford [his appearance in the book is brief, yet thought provoking] Ellen was another favourite, she was spontaneous and bubbly, with a dash of outrageous, all nicely packaged.
The story is about Shane's life and his quest for happiness, really. This young man is a dreamer for sure, but he's a dreamer with guts. It's not easy venturing off like that and living out one's fantasy. As a teenager, there were so many books and movies that I read or watched and wished I could live and breathe them. But that's about all I did, dream it. So naturally I cheered him on his adventure and I liked the fact that he met nice people along the way, who imparted their knowledge and wisdom to him, it just felt right, like the universe wanted him to get on his life and find his haven. As the story progresses, we see Shane form new relationships, learn a lot of important life lessons, start valuing relationships that he took for granted before and begin on his path to maturity. In many ways, he also changes the lives of others around him, releasing them from their own demons too.
I would actually like reading more of Shane and his gang of friends. Finding Sagrado had just the right amount of emotion, adventure and fun. I'd recommend it to everyone!
The story is about Shane's life and his quest for happiness, really. This young man is a dreamer for sure, but he's a dreamer with guts. It's not easy venturing off like that and living out one's fantasy. As a teenager, there were so many books and movies that I read or watched and wished I could live and breathe them. But that's about all I did, dream it. So naturally I cheered him on his adventure and I liked the fact that he met nice people along the way, who imparted their knowledge and wisdom to him, it just felt right, like the universe wanted him to get on his life and find his haven. As the story progresses, we see Shane form new relationships, learn a lot of important life lessons, start valuing relationships that he took for granted before and begin on his path to maturity. In many ways, he also changes the lives of others around him, releasing them from their own demons too.
I would actually like reading more of Shane and his gang of friends. Finding Sagrado had just the right amount of emotion, adventure and fun. I'd recommend it to everyone!
July 29, 2016
If the first few pages of a novel do not suck me in, I usually don’t read further, but “Finding Sagrado” had me engrossed from the very beginning. The plot is unpredictable and the characters are well developed and have layers that are peeled with each turn of a page. The story starts with a teenager having to deal with the loss of his parents, but manage to find solace in one of his favorite books, which has many similarities to his own life. He sets off in pursuit of his personal Sagrado and on his journey, he encounters many colorful characters that help him and broaden his horizons changing the way he sees things. There is also a subtle touch of the supernatural that will also make the book appealing to those who like a little paranormal activity mixed in with real life. This book also touches on many topics that would usually be considered as being a little controversial like homosexuality, religious and cultural differences but Roger E. Carriers shows fantastic penmanship in weaving these subjects in the story. Finding Sagrado is a great read for all ages. It has the right amount of suspense, mystery, action and adventure to keep you hooked until the very last page.
August 5, 2016
What an interesting book! I usually do not read this genre but thought I'd give this one a shot and loved it. The author moved from point to point smoothly while creating a sense of danger throughout the journey. Beginning with the death of his parents, the main character begins to pursue a new life in Sagrado, New Mexico. From there, the plot and supporting characters bring the whole world to life. I love unpredictable works and this definitely was one.
Readers who like a slight supernatural twist might like this book as well. It's subtle but does the job right. The author's descriptions also bring me back to my teenage years and the angst I felt during those times. Shane, our main character, experiences are familiar to me, especially the way he must find his way in life and the compassion he shares.
I highly recommend Mr. Carrier's work. I bought the paperback and could not put it down!
Readers who like a slight supernatural twist might like this book as well. It's subtle but does the job right. The author's descriptions also bring me back to my teenage years and the angst I felt during those times. Shane, our main character, experiences are familiar to me, especially the way he must find his way in life and the compassion he shares.
I highly recommend Mr. Carrier's work. I bought the paperback and could not put it down!
May 18, 2014
Finding Sagrado is a novel placed in America in the time of the Vietnam war. It is a story about easy to like teenage boy, who after his father's death in Vietnam and his stepmothers decision to start dating, decides to escape from home, trying to find himself in the pages of his favorite novel. We can easily follow his emotional journey, adventures and interaction with the rest of the characters of the novel. An easy to read novel, novel about youth, love, independence and all the challenges and dilemmas of growing up. This is a happy end story. Almost all the characters are positive although everyone is touched by the Vietnam war and suffers the consequences. In that sense the only thing that this novel lacks is a critic of the meaningless of war.
This novel brought me back to my teenage days in which, I believe, each and every one of us was a rebel, was in temptation to do something crazy and unreasonable, which is inseparable part of maturing.
This novel brought me back to my teenage days in which, I believe, each and every one of us was a rebel, was in temptation to do something crazy and unreasonable, which is inseparable part of maturing.
December 12, 2015
"Terrific Coming of Age Story"
I really enjoyed listening to "Finding Sagrado." In fact, I think it should/could win a YA literary award. This was a well-written and well performed audiobook. The protagonist Shane decides to set out on a journey that takes him to places he's never been where he meets new people, makes friends, and even enrolls in a new school while in search of the fictional town of Sagrado. It was a good coming of age story and I love that it was set in New Mexico.
This story was richly narrated by Scott Thomas. He did a fantastic job. He did very well with the characters, differentiating them all perfectly. His accents were great. His performance was entirely enjoyable and completely flawless.
I look forward to seeing what Roger E. Carrier does next as well as listening to more audiobooks read by Scott Thomas.
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."
April 8, 2014
Shane Russell is a high school kid that is orphaned when both his parents die a few years apart from one another. After his father is killed in Vietnam he lives with his stepmom and half-brother not really knowing where he fits in. When his stepmom starts dating right after his dad dies he gets angry and decides to run away. Shane is a smart guy so he comes up with nearly flawless plan to go on a solo journey to New Mexico in search of Sagrado, a fictional town from a book he read in English class. The people he meets along the way help him realize that all people not just teenagers struggle and suffer regardless of upbringing, education, religion, income, or circumstances. The book is fun to read and full or real life stuff and lots of adventure to keep your attention.
April 6, 2014
It's been such an awesome read, Finding Sagrado.
The reader follows the travels of Shane Russell, a seventeen year-old runaway who tried to recreate his favorite novel, Red Sky at Morning. He goes on a physical journey, from his hometown to the town he recreated at Sagrado, as well as an emotional journey from resentment of his conditions to acceptance of what the world has given him, and how to better appreciate it.
It's a really good read, and very enlightening, especially if you're at a point in time when you ask yourself what it is you really live for, and what life really means to you.
The reader follows the travels of Shane Russell, a seventeen year-old runaway who tried to recreate his favorite novel, Red Sky at Morning. He goes on a physical journey, from his hometown to the town he recreated at Sagrado, as well as an emotional journey from resentment of his conditions to acceptance of what the world has given him, and how to better appreciate it.
It's a really good read, and very enlightening, especially if you're at a point in time when you ask yourself what it is you really live for, and what life really means to you.
August 13, 2016
Much like the 1971 movie "Red Sky at Morning" Finding Sagrado captures both the spirit of youth and the beauty of the southwest. The book is poetic in its descriptions of the inherent magic of New Mexico, and there are even some magical/mystical elements in the book. It is a book that connected my heart to the characters, I found myself anticipating and secretly praying for their fates. Highly recommended!
April 5, 2014
Roger's writing style opts for the simple over the complicated, making this book a quick and pleasurable reading experience. We watch Shane's character develop against the backdrop of the breathtakingly beautiful and magical U.S. southwest. I would have liked to have gone even deeper into the characters, but I guess we can leave that for the sequel (I hope there is one!)
August 5, 2016
Moving through time and space, "Finding Sagrado" takes us from the cold of Michigan to the beatifully spectacular southwest, as we follow young Shane on his epic adventure to find himself. The story of growth, pain and healing, youth and friendship is one that everyone can relate to. Highly recommended!
April 2, 2014
So what to say about this amazing book? I mean wow. Loved it so much. My best friend refered me to this book, and I'm so happy that he chose to do that. This is my favorite book so far. All of you reading this review should be reading this book instead. You'll not regret it.
July 19, 2016
"Finding Sagrado" is a very interesting read. I picked it up not knowing what to expect, but I found myself identifying with Shane and his adventures and the risks he takes all for the sake of his dreams and desires. Great novel for youth and adults alike!
April 8, 2014
This Amazing well written book was such an ispiration for me and my family. After reading it I've convinced my mother and brother to read it. We lost our father to war. We used to dread over this. This book showed us how to deal with that great loss. I am so grateful to Roger for writing this book.
April 8, 2014
Carrier did a great job of channeling the restless teen spirit onto paper. In Finding Sagrado Carrier writes about a young boy becoming a man and traveling to a far out place to find his real hearts desire. It's a great read for anyone. I give it a five and would recommend it to everyone.
January 21, 2022
This author is a pos. He actually takes time out of his day to find people who don't agree with him about the covid vax and then posts gleefully when they die. I wouldn't give this pos 1 cent
June 15, 2023
Typical self published fare. Not sure how this got in my library reading list.
September 12, 2016
Finding Sagrado more than deserves its five stars, is recommended for adult and mature young adult readers, and is a complex novel set in 1971, revolving around a runaway teen's lofty goals: to re-create the life-sized stone heads described by author Richard Bradford in his 1960s classic Red Sky at Morning.
Shane's unusual dream brings him into contact with a host of disparate individuals from all walks of life. While these are everyday people, they also represent a wide range of lifestyles and perspectives, from a half-Navajo teenager and her white, widowed lesbian mother to Vietnam vets who (like Shane's father) served their country (but unlike Shane's father, survived to come home to a very different atmosphere).
Within the course of Shane's exploration of the world at large lie social issues of his times that may be sideline themes to a larger coming-of-age story, but which add depth and social insights on how travel brings young people in contact with new ideas.
A Taos sweat lodge, for example, is steeped in not only New Mexican traditions but in sacred awakenings that introduce Shane to very new worlds of Indian belief and spirituality. Through Shane's eyes, readers gain newfound knowledge and acceptance of indigenous peoples and New Mexican culture.
Another difference: Shane is no average boy, but comes from wealth - and so his road trip doesn't exactly begin with a lack of funding, but with $3200 he's stolen to finance his 2,000 mile bus journey.
His encounters with people are the heart of a novel that profiles bigotry, promotes tolerance and understanding, and highlights the importance of maintaining a positive attitude against all odds.
This message is embedded in a survey of what it means to 'walk out of your world' (however comfortable it is) and take risks. It's also intrinsic to the idea of remaining open to life's challenges and changes, and to learning how to translate grief and angst into positive perspectives on life.
There are other characters who also find their lives changed in the course of meeting Shane and learning about his mission, from Dave (a detective whose son was also killed in Vietnam, and who has been hired to locate Shane) to a wheelchair-bound veteran who refuses to let his disability become his whole life and, of course, to first sex partner Sandra, who finds her own life transformed as a result of her relationship with Shane. Sandra's own inner strength will both challenge and change both of them, and is a satisfying contrast to the typical diminutive female protagonists that often juxtapose strong male counterparts in coming-of-age sagas.
Shane's experiences with both art and sex are those of a novice: fumbling, uncertain, and emotionally charged. Roger E. Carrier's descriptions of Shane's evolutionary process are precise and realistic: "They talked about everything except their petite lovemaking. It was as if they had forgotten the heart they had scraped on the ground…Shane sensed it was more than first-time embarrassment holding them back. It was the tenderness and fragility of the experience. He sensed that anything he might say about it would be wrong."
It's this focus on navigating emotions, places, and people that keeps Finding Sagrado a vivid coming-of-age story with the ability to embrace both individual and wider-world perspectives. Add doses of humor and spiritual insight and you have a well-rounded story indeed.
It's all about settling on a dream, reaching for it - then accepting the transition points life throws at that dream, before forming another. Finding Sagrado's focus is on identifying and striving for change, acceptance and ethical responses to life's slings and arrows.
When Shane realizes all three goals in the course of grasping his dream, he evolves to become a richer person, ultimately more appreciative of diversity: "…it came to him that his silence about the spying had proven to be more profound than he had thought at the time. Until this moment, he hadn't realized how much he had grown by refusing to participate in the ugliness of the world."
In conclusion (and in a nutshell), Finding Sagrado is a compelling, evocative story that immerses readers not only in Shane's journey and evolution, but in the basic transition points of a life well-examined. Mature young adult readers and those seeking powerful coming-of-age sagas will find it simply engrossing.
Shane's unusual dream brings him into contact with a host of disparate individuals from all walks of life. While these are everyday people, they also represent a wide range of lifestyles and perspectives, from a half-Navajo teenager and her white, widowed lesbian mother to Vietnam vets who (like Shane's father) served their country (but unlike Shane's father, survived to come home to a very different atmosphere).
Within the course of Shane's exploration of the world at large lie social issues of his times that may be sideline themes to a larger coming-of-age story, but which add depth and social insights on how travel brings young people in contact with new ideas.
A Taos sweat lodge, for example, is steeped in not only New Mexican traditions but in sacred awakenings that introduce Shane to very new worlds of Indian belief and spirituality. Through Shane's eyes, readers gain newfound knowledge and acceptance of indigenous peoples and New Mexican culture.
Another difference: Shane is no average boy, but comes from wealth - and so his road trip doesn't exactly begin with a lack of funding, but with $3200 he's stolen to finance his 2,000 mile bus journey.
His encounters with people are the heart of a novel that profiles bigotry, promotes tolerance and understanding, and highlights the importance of maintaining a positive attitude against all odds.
This message is embedded in a survey of what it means to 'walk out of your world' (however comfortable it is) and take risks. It's also intrinsic to the idea of remaining open to life's challenges and changes, and to learning how to translate grief and angst into positive perspectives on life.
There are other characters who also find their lives changed in the course of meeting Shane and learning about his mission, from Dave (a detective whose son was also killed in Vietnam, and who has been hired to locate Shane) to a wheelchair-bound veteran who refuses to let his disability become his whole life and, of course, to first sex partner Sandra, who finds her own life transformed as a result of her relationship with Shane. Sandra's own inner strength will both challenge and change both of them, and is a satisfying contrast to the typical diminutive female protagonists that often juxtapose strong male counterparts in coming-of-age sagas.
Shane's experiences with both art and sex are those of a novice: fumbling, uncertain, and emotionally charged. Roger E. Carrier's descriptions of Shane's evolutionary process are precise and realistic: "They talked about everything except their petite lovemaking. It was as if they had forgotten the heart they had scraped on the ground…Shane sensed it was more than first-time embarrassment holding them back. It was the tenderness and fragility of the experience. He sensed that anything he might say about it would be wrong."
It's this focus on navigating emotions, places, and people that keeps Finding Sagrado a vivid coming-of-age story with the ability to embrace both individual and wider-world perspectives. Add doses of humor and spiritual insight and you have a well-rounded story indeed.
It's all about settling on a dream, reaching for it - then accepting the transition points life throws at that dream, before forming another. Finding Sagrado's focus is on identifying and striving for change, acceptance and ethical responses to life's slings and arrows.
When Shane realizes all three goals in the course of grasping his dream, he evolves to become a richer person, ultimately more appreciative of diversity: "…it came to him that his silence about the spying had proven to be more profound than he had thought at the time. Until this moment, he hadn't realized how much he had grown by refusing to participate in the ugliness of the world."
In conclusion (and in a nutshell), Finding Sagrado is a compelling, evocative story that immerses readers not only in Shane's journey and evolution, but in the basic transition points of a life well-examined. Mature young adult readers and those seeking powerful coming-of-age sagas will find it simply engrossing.
May 2, 2014
While the common term for this kind of a story is “coming of age”, there's more to this book than just the pilgrimage of the teenage protagonist, Shane. Many of the characters, young and older, go on their own journey of self-discovery that parallels the travels of this idealistic boy. He searches for the equivalent of a fictional town in the novel 'Red Sky at Morning', for it contains characters and plot points of a life very different from his own. He's looking to free himself from a lonely existence where his parents are dead and he lives with his little brother, step mom, and the man who wants to date her. And who can't relate to this theme of escapism, whether as a teenager or in our adult years? The idea of traveling to a place that is so familiar yet completely different from anything we've experienced is an intriguing one, and author Roger Carrier explores every aspect of it. The characters are believable, and I was interested enough to see what happened to them. And although there are some situations that seem a bit contrived to fit the story that Shane is looking for, I think that's the point the author is trying to make. You can find people with similar lives, similar tragedies, and similar hopes wherever you go, and that's what binds us together as human beings. Shane leaves his big house and comfortable existence behind to discover a small town where he lives in a chicken coop, but soon learns how much of his personal life he has in common with those living in poorer circumstances.
But although the story and characters were interesting, I thought the writing often fell flat. There are a number of stories and meetings with minor characters that could've been better developed, but are only a couple pages long and then they're gone. I thought this took away from what could have been a more fulfilling story, as is evidenced by later chapters where the author focuses on some of the major characters and offers a more detailed account of what's happening. Some of the situations were simply thrown away, even though they contributed to the story later on. There are a number of chapters that could've had more impact if the author offered more depth and weight to the characters or their circumstances. This is why I feel it's perfect for young adults but may be a bit boring for older readers.
But although the story and characters were interesting, I thought the writing often fell flat. There are a number of stories and meetings with minor characters that could've been better developed, but are only a couple pages long and then they're gone. I thought this took away from what could have been a more fulfilling story, as is evidenced by later chapters where the author focuses on some of the major characters and offers a more detailed account of what's happening. Some of the situations were simply thrown away, even though they contributed to the story later on. There are a number of chapters that could've had more impact if the author offered more depth and weight to the characters or their circumstances. This is why I feel it's perfect for young adults but may be a bit boring for older readers.
July 26, 2016
It is too easy to call “Finding Sagrado” a coming of age story. The main character Shane Russell, feeling so betrayed by his stepmother’s infidelity to the mourning of his father/her husband’s death, decides to retreat from life and shelter himself from reality. Where does he go? Like many teenagers, myself included, he finds refuge in the pages of a good book, running away from suburban Michigan to chase a southwestern fantasy.
As Shane travels he starts to see that everyone suffers, and that many people have lost the ones they love. Basically, that he is neither alone nor special in his tragic circumstances. “Finding Sagrado” is much more than a coming of age story because we see that adults and teenagers alike try to reject the tragic aspects of reality by substituting a fantasy.
The book shows us that if something tragic happens to us it is better to share it and get over it than to dwell on it, and that sometimes it takes the loss of a family member to enable us to treat others as if they were our family. The book, though laced with loss and tragedy, rings with compassion and love. This moral gives a new spin on the title, instead of Shane searching for 'Sagrado', the imaginary town of his favorite novel, he ends up searching for that which is 'sagrado', Spanish for sacred.
With a wholesome cast of characters, a great desert setting with a strong Americana feel, clever realizations, amusing dialogue, and an almost Shakespearean set of coincidences and plot twists, Carrier creates a very valuable and nostalgic (albeit moralistic) narrative about life in American during the Vietnam war.
I can easily see teenagers chasing after the charm of this book as Shane does with Richard Bradford’s classic, “Red Sky at Morning” and, also like Shane, becoming all the better for it. The novel reads like a film and I don't doubt that it will become one.
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