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What a Trip
In this dramatic coming-of-age novel we meet Fiona, an art student at a New Jersey college who is brilliant, beautiful, and struggling to find herself. Through her eyes we relive the turbulent culture of sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll, the first draft lottery since World War II, the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam, the Kent State University shootings, and the harsh realities of war for Americans in their early twenties.
Fiona's best friend, Melissa, is in a dead-end relationship, pregnant, and going nowhere fast. After Melissa's abortion, Fiona and Melissa spend a week in Florida, where they are introduced to tarot cards and the anti-war movement. Following this experience, Melissa becomes obsessed with the occult; Fiona, though intrigued, approaches the tarot cautiously, with the voice of her conservative Christian mother screaming in her head.
After Fiona's return from Florida, she begins dating Reuben--a journalism major and political activist. Reuben decides to move to Canada to avoid the draft and encourages Fiona to accompany him. But is that really what she wants? Caught between her feelings for Reuben and her own aspirations, Fiona struggles to define herself, her artistic career, and her future.
Fiona's best friend, Melissa, is in a dead-end relationship, pregnant, and going nowhere fast. After Melissa's abortion, Fiona and Melissa spend a week in Florida, where they are introduced to tarot cards and the anti-war movement. Following this experience, Melissa becomes obsessed with the occult; Fiona, though intrigued, approaches the tarot cautiously, with the voice of her conservative Christian mother screaming in her head.
After Fiona's return from Florida, she begins dating Reuben--a journalism major and political activist. Reuben decides to move to Canada to avoid the draft and encourages Fiona to accompany him. But is that really what she wants? Caught between her feelings for Reuben and her own aspirations, Fiona struggles to define herself, her artistic career, and her future.
424 pages, Paperback
First published November 15, 2022
2 people are currently reading
2745 people want to read
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November 5, 2022
What a Trip by Susen Edwards. Thanks to @booksparks and @shewritespress for the gifted copy #fallpopup ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Living in New Jersey during the Vietnam era isn’t exactly fun for Fiona. Her and her best friend take a trip to Florida where they are introduced to the anti-war movement.
If you are a fan of the 60’s, you’ll love this one. It embodies growing up in that era perfectly and goes through all the popular events of the decade! It was a great historical lesson and also a coming of age story. It read really fast as it was mostly dialogue and a breeze to read. There was a sad incident I wasn’t expecting and the open ended ending wasn’t my favorite but I enjoyed the ride along the way.
“You can change, you know. Change your mind, change your life.”
What a Trip comes out 11/15.
Living in New Jersey during the Vietnam era isn’t exactly fun for Fiona. Her and her best friend take a trip to Florida where they are introduced to the anti-war movement.
If you are a fan of the 60’s, you’ll love this one. It embodies growing up in that era perfectly and goes through all the popular events of the decade! It was a great historical lesson and also a coming of age story. It read really fast as it was mostly dialogue and a breeze to read. There was a sad incident I wasn’t expecting and the open ended ending wasn’t my favorite but I enjoyed the ride along the way.
“You can change, you know. Change your mind, change your life.”
What a Trip comes out 11/15.
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August 9, 2022In What a Trip, author Susen Edwards takes readers on a whirlwind tour of the peak years of the Sixties, through sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll. It's all there: the music, the protests, the fear and exhilaration of it being young and hip at a critical point in American history. She doesn't just hit the crazy highlights, either. She takes us back to an earlier period when abortion was illegal and date rape wasn't even rape. The college kids that populate her story are as angst-filled as those of any generation, with the same issues (does he love me? What should I major in?) as today along with generation-specific issues, like deciding between being drafted, which could easily result in losing your head, literally in Vietnam, or fleeing to Canada, likely for the rest of your life. And yet—wow! What a time to be young in America! Start with the playlist so you can set the mood for reading the book.
Note: I read an advance reader copy of this book.
Note: I read an advance reader copy of this book.
November 17, 2022
This was so different than my usual read and I loved it. Full review to come!
July 11, 2022
What a Trip by Susen Edwards is like entering a time machine back to the 1960s when many young people were protesting the Vietnam War, grooving to Santana, Clearwater Revival and Janis Joplin at Woodstock, smoking dope, having lots of sex, drinking Boone’s Farm Apple Wine, and trying to figure out who they are. The main character Fiona is best friends with Melissa, a flakey, free spirit who becomes fascinated with the occult. Though Fiona is more cautious and practical, Melissa lures her into various iffy situations, one of which eventually ends in tragedy. Many of the themes in this book, abortion choice, drugs, government corruption are as relevant today as they were then. When Fiona becomes involved with a Jewish boy, an anti-war activist whose number is among the first to come up for the draft, she must decide whether to tie her fate to his and take a big leap of faith. Magic and the occult play a role up to the very end. I greatly enjoyed this trip back in time and whether you lived the “60s or only heard about that transformative time from your parents, this book will take you on a journey you will not regret.
November 2, 2022
This book starts out in the late 1960s with the main character’s best friend finding out that she is pregnant. They are in college and her friend’s boyfriend is kind of a jerk, she can see it, but her friend can’t. It was pre-Roe vs. Wade. I was immediately invested.
Fiona is an art and education major at a New Jersey college in the late 1960s, early 1970s. Her parents are conservative (especially her mother) but as Fiona gets more involved in college, she starts to become more of her own person. She dates different guys, gets involved in political activism and becomes her own person.
I am fascinated by this era (so much change in such a short time) and what I found particularly interesting about this book was how everything was laid out in chronological order the way it happened and I got to experience it through a character that I related to so well. There is a scene where the students gather in a lounge for the draft reading and I had goose bumps. But to see how close that was to what happened at Kent State and then rallies in Washington…it was all so tumultuous and brought about so much change!
Fiona is an art and education major at a New Jersey college in the late 1960s, early 1970s. Her parents are conservative (especially her mother) but as Fiona gets more involved in college, she starts to become more of her own person. She dates different guys, gets involved in political activism and becomes her own person.
I am fascinated by this era (so much change in such a short time) and what I found particularly interesting about this book was how everything was laid out in chronological order the way it happened and I got to experience it through a character that I related to so well. There is a scene where the students gather in a lounge for the draft reading and I had goose bumps. But to see how close that was to what happened at Kent State and then rallies in Washington…it was all so tumultuous and brought about so much change!
November 8, 2022
People say that if you remember the 60s, you weren't really there. I do remember them, probably because I was almost more a witness than a participant. Sex, drugs, war protests, and Woodstock -- I managed to be oblivious. Not so the characters whose story unfolds in Susen Edwards' fast-paced story.
New Jersey college student Fiona O'Brien is majoring in education to please her parents, but it's her minor in art that fulfills her passion and enables her to develop her talent. Since her parents are clueless, Fiona looks to her friends for emotional support and sustenance. Over cigarettes, joints, and liquor, they share their troubles and triumphs. Boyfriends are a frequent source of angst and disappointment. For Fiona, that changes when she meets Reuben Goldberg -- a passionate anti-war protester who "gets" her. Swept along in the rhythms of the 60s and the society-changing turmoil, Fiona and Reuben share a love replete with the challenges of the era. This page-turner is highly recommended, whether or not you were there for the 60s.
New Jersey college student Fiona O'Brien is majoring in education to please her parents, but it's her minor in art that fulfills her passion and enables her to develop her talent. Since her parents are clueless, Fiona looks to her friends for emotional support and sustenance. Over cigarettes, joints, and liquor, they share their troubles and triumphs. Boyfriends are a frequent source of angst and disappointment. For Fiona, that changes when she meets Reuben Goldberg -- a passionate anti-war protester who "gets" her. Swept along in the rhythms of the 60s and the society-changing turmoil, Fiona and Reuben share a love replete with the challenges of the era. This page-turner is highly recommended, whether or not you were there for the 60s.
July 11, 2022
I was born too late to really partake of all the 1960s had to offer, but Ms. Edwards' book made up for that. I really felt I was there, riding around in beat up cars, smoking great weed, having great sex, and listening to music that, to this day, has never been surpassed. I was particularly drawn to the very real, fun, deep friendship between Fiona and Melissa, a reflection of any good friendship between young women, in whatever decade they come of age. I also found Fiona's relationship with Reuben compelling and realistic, and the conflict between Fiona's religious upbringing and her desire to explore other belief systems relatable. Worth reading!
May 22, 2022
Wow--this is a trip! Anyone who remembers those days will find themselves in a familiar world, rich with detail and lyrics of the times, including a song playlist at the end! The author's protagonist has an authentic voice and her worries were our youthful worries. Fiona struggles to save her flakey friend Melissa from many calamities and the cast of characters that swirl around them. Themes read as very contemporary such as pre-Roe abortion, drugs, their dangerous and government's decisions impacting the direction of young people's lives. Reminds me of how lucky I was to survive those times. Many were not so lucky and the twists and turns of Fiona's journey to find her self will seem like a reminiscence with an old friend.
I was fortunate to read an advanced copy of Susen's novel.
I was fortunate to read an advanced copy of Susen's novel.
November 17, 2022
Thank you to Booksparks and She Writes Press for this gifted copy.
Synopsis: The story is set in the 1960’s when the draft lottery was implemented due to the Vietnam War. The main character is Fiona, an art student who lives in New Jersey. Fiona’s best friend is in an awful relationship and get’s pregnant. Fiona and her friend take a trip to Florida where they are introduced to tarot cards. Fiona finds herself opposed to the war and is struggling to separate herself from her ultra-religious mother.
Review: I enjoyed What A Trip. I haven’t read many books set in this time period and I loved learning about the music scene during this time period. I also learned a lot about the Vietnam War.
The book has an element of magic throughout, but I think it was written really well. It felt realistic and kept me wondering what would happen next. I stayed up until 3AM one night to finish this book and became invested in the outcome.
If you like historical fiction, I think you should give this one a try.
Synopsis: The story is set in the 1960’s when the draft lottery was implemented due to the Vietnam War. The main character is Fiona, an art student who lives in New Jersey. Fiona’s best friend is in an awful relationship and get’s pregnant. Fiona and her friend take a trip to Florida where they are introduced to tarot cards. Fiona finds herself opposed to the war and is struggling to separate herself from her ultra-religious mother.
Review: I enjoyed What A Trip. I haven’t read many books set in this time period and I loved learning about the music scene during this time period. I also learned a lot about the Vietnam War.
The book has an element of magic throughout, but I think it was written really well. It felt realistic and kept me wondering what would happen next. I stayed up until 3AM one night to finish this book and became invested in the outcome.
If you like historical fiction, I think you should give this one a try.
November 14, 2022
This novel lives up to its name with a dizzying spin of three girlfriends through all the milestones of the late sixties and early seventies—from sex, drugs and rock roll to hitchhiking, illegal abortions and the Vietnam War. Its characters speak with the casual profanity and drug language we used because it signaled we were part of a new generation and….because we could. The story stands apart from those more typical of the times with its inclusion of the metaphysical --everything from love potions to the Tarot and finally even witchcraft and Satan worship. Yes, these were all part of the experimentation of those days, though involvement could slide easily from curiosity into tragedy. “What A Trip,’ wraps up with a different kind of trip, a final journey of its main character as she emerges from her teenage uncertainty and, with a bit of unusual guidance, learns to trust her instincts. It’s coming of age with the highest of stakes. In the end she faces a huge dilemma as she weighs the price she will have to pay for the freedom she seeks.
September 17, 2022
A coming of age story set during the late 1960s and early 1970s, Susan Edwards paints the issues that defined that era in vivid colors. There are many period references to the music, war protests, cars, clothes and colors of the time that evoke the environment and period. Fiona is a beautiful, talented college student who’s been under the thumb of a domineering mother. She is an engaging heroine who, along with her best friend, searches for independence and selfhood. The two young women rebel and escape through sex, drugs, music, and love. Over the course of a few years, they remain close despite her friend’s fascination with the occult. When Fiona’s serious boyfriend receives a low draft lottery number, he decides to flee to Canada, finish his education, and build a life there. Fiona must decide if she has faith enough in herself to decide how she wants to live her life.
June 15, 2022
An engaging trip through the social and political upheaval of life in the Sixties through the eyes of a young woman looking for love and meaning in life. Sex, drugs, and the Vietnam War provide the backdrop for a story that dramatically illustrates the complexity of the times and the changing values from one generation to the next. Despite the clamor all around them, attempting to pull them apart, the characters in this entertaining and heartfelt novel admirably demonstrate the importance of human connection.
September 2, 2023
Wow, is all I can say. What an amazing book re: a time in my life I totally loved. Life was not easy in the early 79’s yet people were really trying to be better. Letting go of racism, seeing women as actual people, questioning authority and the war, alternative ways of being spiritual, and so forth.
This was also an eye opener as I started kindergarten in 1969. Being a girl around traditional parents or guardians was not easy. The sayings of how “little ladies never get mad” and other horribly sexist attitudes were there. Fiona was STILL treated like a dumb child by her parents even at 19 years of age. Fiona still had a curfew at home when she was visiting from college. Her parents chose education as her major claiming she needed to be a school teacher. Even her summers were micromanaged with work at a Christian day camp. Fiona’s father would not even allow her to buy a used car in 2nd year of college saying it was not needed.
Fiona’s mother was a religious zealot where a lot of the burn finally was somewhat doused when she got on antidepressants and stopped drinking alcohol. Her father became more of her advocate after an incident when he insisted his wife stop drinking and see a doctor. Yes, back then, a woman’s health and habits were dictated by the husbands. A girl went from authority of her father to her husband. Life really did not get better in the O’Brien household because her mother stopped drinking & was in meds. All I will say is Fiona’s father spent more time away from home. That was never explored in the book but that often spells A F F A I R.
Fiona was trying to figure out who she is outside of her family. She has been emotionally battered by her mother. There is the casual sex and drugs of the late 60’s and early 70’s. Fiona has a boyfriend who is not a Christian and who is a bit worldly. Long story short, the two fall in love only for Nixon’s shitty draft lottery showing how Reuben will be drafted after college. Yep. Callously send these young men to fight for the 1%. Ain’t no fighting for freedom. Fuck the military.
Reuben asks Fiona to go to Canada with him. There is a lot of emotional struggle for Fiona. She wants to go for the right reasons. She is not too sure of Reuben being the next person to dictate her life after 20 years of her parents. She is 20 by the time the book ends. Open-ended ending. Still, this is a 5 star review as I was entranced during the entire book. Did Fiona got to Canada? 🇨🇦 I would like to think so!
This was also an eye opener as I started kindergarten in 1969. Being a girl around traditional parents or guardians was not easy. The sayings of how “little ladies never get mad” and other horribly sexist attitudes were there. Fiona was STILL treated like a dumb child by her parents even at 19 years of age. Fiona still had a curfew at home when she was visiting from college. Her parents chose education as her major claiming she needed to be a school teacher. Even her summers were micromanaged with work at a Christian day camp. Fiona’s father would not even allow her to buy a used car in 2nd year of college saying it was not needed.
Fiona’s mother was a religious zealot where a lot of the burn finally was somewhat doused when she got on antidepressants and stopped drinking alcohol. Her father became more of her advocate after an incident when he insisted his wife stop drinking and see a doctor. Yes, back then, a woman’s health and habits were dictated by the husbands. A girl went from authority of her father to her husband. Life really did not get better in the O’Brien household because her mother stopped drinking & was in meds. All I will say is Fiona’s father spent more time away from home. That was never explored in the book but that often spells A F F A I R.
Fiona was trying to figure out who she is outside of her family. She has been emotionally battered by her mother. There is the casual sex and drugs of the late 60’s and early 70’s. Fiona has a boyfriend who is not a Christian and who is a bit worldly. Long story short, the two fall in love only for Nixon’s shitty draft lottery showing how Reuben will be drafted after college. Yep. Callously send these young men to fight for the 1%. Ain’t no fighting for freedom. Fuck the military.
Reuben asks Fiona to go to Canada with him. There is a lot of emotional struggle for Fiona. She wants to go for the right reasons. She is not too sure of Reuben being the next person to dictate her life after 20 years of her parents. She is 20 by the time the book ends. Open-ended ending. Still, this is a 5 star review as I was entranced during the entire book. Did Fiona got to Canada? 🇨🇦 I would like to think so!
December 1, 2022
Content warning: this book contains a copious amount of mature, controversial subject matter.
It was the age of acid, it was the age of alcohol, it was certainly the age of foolishness, and yet there was little wisdom to be found here…for alas, this book is far from Dickens. Edwards’ debut is framed as an epic coming-of-age story, set in the politically volatile, late 60s/early 70s America. The aptly titled novel shows the intoxicating highs, lows, and dreams of eighteen-year-old Fiona O’Brien as she embarks on a tumultuous journey of self discovery.
The reader is drawn into a whirlwind tour of Woodstock, protests against the Vietnam War, and the sex, drugs, and experimental mentality that defined a generation. Edwards’ imagining feels like a time machine, capturing an era where all was ugly and wild and free. It is easy to draw parallels between fierce anti-war protests against the Vietnam War and current events. Remembering the widespread public protests against violence in the 70s brings to mind the ongoing plight of Ukraine today. Despite more than half a century elapsing between Fiona’s time and ours, it makes you ultimately wonder: what has changed?
I had several difficulties with this book. The first issue is the author’s prose, which is rather like her main character Fiona; juvenile, fighting with itself, impressionable and experimental. It was hard to get behind the characters, because they were very unlikable, in my opinion. So many of their actions are irresponsible, and Edwards makes no move to redeem them. The ending will either thrill the reader or make them quite angry: it is completely open, leaving you wondering if Fiona ever learned anything. While this book is indeed a rollicking and raucous trip, it is not one I’d care to take again.
It was the age of acid, it was the age of alcohol, it was certainly the age of foolishness, and yet there was little wisdom to be found here…for alas, this book is far from Dickens. Edwards’ debut is framed as an epic coming-of-age story, set in the politically volatile, late 60s/early 70s America. The aptly titled novel shows the intoxicating highs, lows, and dreams of eighteen-year-old Fiona O’Brien as she embarks on a tumultuous journey of self discovery.
The reader is drawn into a whirlwind tour of Woodstock, protests against the Vietnam War, and the sex, drugs, and experimental mentality that defined a generation. Edwards’ imagining feels like a time machine, capturing an era where all was ugly and wild and free. It is easy to draw parallels between fierce anti-war protests against the Vietnam War and current events. Remembering the widespread public protests against violence in the 70s brings to mind the ongoing plight of Ukraine today. Despite more than half a century elapsing between Fiona’s time and ours, it makes you ultimately wonder: what has changed?
I had several difficulties with this book. The first issue is the author’s prose, which is rather like her main character Fiona; juvenile, fighting with itself, impressionable and experimental. It was hard to get behind the characters, because they were very unlikable, in my opinion. So many of their actions are irresponsible, and Edwards makes no move to redeem them. The ending will either thrill the reader or make them quite angry: it is completely open, leaving you wondering if Fiona ever learned anything. While this book is indeed a rollicking and raucous trip, it is not one I’d care to take again.
June 2, 2022
The cusp of adulthood is both scary and hopeful, and it was particularly fraught in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, with the backdrop of the Vietnam War, the draft, and the deaths of student protestors at Kent State. What a Trip skillfully evokes the era as well as the poignant personal lives of nineteen-year-old art student Fiona O’Brien and her best friend, Melissa. The girls struggle with their insecurities, push against their parents’ rules, experiment with sex, drugs, and protests, work crummy jobs, fall in love, and seek answers in tarot cards. They discover that being an adult means that every decision can have life-changing consequences. My fingers were crossed all along the way for Fiona to figure out who she is, what she wants, and have the courage to take a chance on her future. A novel that feels deeply honest and true.
November 15, 2022
This book is deep yet funny-snarky in the way that only teenagers can pull off. A wild ride through the tumultuous 60-70's: politics, anti-war protests, draft-dodgers, drugs, sex, and rock & roll, with some surprising additional themes to add ennui.
The prose is smooth and eloquent, the plot strong, and the ending satisfying. If you were alive in this time period, or simply wish you were, this book is a must read.
The prose is smooth and eloquent, the plot strong, and the ending satisfying. If you were alive in this time period, or simply wish you were, this book is a must read.
May 22, 2023
I don't read many History Fiction books, but I genuinely enjoyed this one. Watching Fiona grow into her own person and leave behind the thoughts and fears of her family and friends was such an enjoyable read. Reading a book that takes place in the 60's made me want to slow down and enjoy the book much like I feel the vibe of the 60's was. Although the tragic accident that comes out of nowhere and the open ending wasn't my favorite, I still really enjoyed this book.
“You can change, you know. Change your mind, change your life.”
“You can change, you know. Change your mind, change your life.”
October 10, 2022
Wow this book was named perfectly because it was a trip of a story. This was an epic historical story that was a crazy read from my mothers time. It was like being transported back. It was a great read that I could not put down.
March 22, 2023
A coming of age story in the Viet Nam era. The protagonists struggle with their world views , their sexuality and ultimately with the occult. A good read.
April 17, 2023
Got a strong Girls (the HBO show) vibe, but if it took place in the 60s. Meaning, I didn't really like any of the characters but I had to keep reading and find out what happened to them.
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