I was immediately drawn into the story. Kuehn kept me guessing right up until the final page. Arman suffers from anxiety, self loathing and a host of other issues when he meets Beau. Beau is a father figure to Arman, who offers him a chance to change and grow. To become a new person. Arman journeys with Beau, and a couple of other kids he knows from school, to a retreat in the mountains of California. Not long after they arrive, things begin to fall apart. Beau goes missing and Arman no longer knows what is real or who to trust.
Arman's character was believable. I sympathized with him and felt his pain and anxiety. Kuehn's writing was gripping. I couldn't put the book down. I just had to know how it ended. This book will definitely mess with your mind. I admit, once I finished this story I was still a bit lost. I had to go back and reread many of the passages and attempt to put the pieces together. The vague ending left me with a few questions and a lingering feeling that I may have missed something important.
I'm very curious to hear what others think of this book and the insights that they glean from it. I enjoyed Kuehn's writing style and I fully intend to check out more of her work.
Thank you Penguin Random House and the First to Read program for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
-SW
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