Name: Allison
Grade: 8th
Title: The Geography of Lost Things
Author: Jessica Brody
Published in: 2018
Pages: 458
Rating: 3 stars
Review: In The Geography of Lost Things, Ali Collins, an insecure teenager on the verge of losing her childhood home, inherits her estranged father’s beloved 1968 Firebird Convertible shortly after receiving news about his death. Determined to prevent an eviction from her own house, Ali, who can’t drive a stick-shift to save her own life, grudgingly enlists the help of her ex-boyfriend, Nico, to deliver said car to a buyer hundreds of miles away. Of course, the story isn’t as simple as that. During the seemingly torturous road trip, Nico starts to collect and barter items with complete strangers in order to amass enough moola to pay off Ali’s debts. Truths are revealed and lies uncovered. Emotional drama ensues as the two teens first confront and then eventually comfort each other.
As far as teen romance and family novels go, I’d say that The Geography of Lost Things lands squarely in the middle. There’s enough action to keep the plot moving along, but at the same time the story seems to be a little cliched: two exes are thrown together in an uncomfortable situation with strained circumstances and a still-burning flame of attraction. Nico wins the honor of most likable character- he is understanding and charismatic, yet still retains enough insecurities to come across as a realistic human.
For someone who likes emotional stories and teen drama, I recommend this book to you, although you may come to share my opinions about its clichéd plot and characters. Readers may want to set their sights on a different novel instead. Eleanor and Park and To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before are in my opinion similar, better alternatives to The Geography of Lost Things. There are a plethora of novels that share the same elements, albeit with much more interesting storylines and characters.
AFL Teen Book Reviews 