Tripping to Somewhere [Paperback]

Gilly just wants to be beautiful, and Samantha just wants to go home. At least, that's what the resident crazy homeless guy in their town tells them late one night. The strange part is when he whispers about the Witches Carnival, and tells Gilly that if she hurries, she can catch it. Everyone knows the Witches Carnival is just a myth, something to dream about when you wish you could escape your life. Funny thing is, both of them want just that. The next day at school Samantha convinces Gilly to

run away and search for the Witches Carnival.

The adventures begin. From Alabama, to Georgia, to Florida, to Rhode Island, to London, they chase the Carnival, and the idea of escape. They do and see things and people they could never have imagined. When Gilly hesitates Samantha pushes; when Samantha pauses Gilly convinces. Without each other they wouldn't keep going.

In the end they find out that home isn't always where you'd expect, and beauty is something you have to find in yourself. And that crazy old man might not be so crazy after all, or he just might be...

I feel like I have to add a few notes as to the nature of this book, and some of the things that happen. There is a fair amount of sex in this book. Not just discussions about sex, but actual sex. There's also some drug use. In defense of the drug use, the bad side of both the use and the lifestyle are realistic and somewhat graphic. I would say that both sex and drugs aren't encouraged or discouraged, merely treated as a reality. Overall, though, TRIPPING TO SOMEWHERE is a good, entertaining read.

Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

Billed as Young Adult fiction, this Old Adult started out with a bit of skepticism. I received the book on a Friday night. Saturday morning I picked it up, intending to read a chapter or two, get a feel for the story...

I read the whole book in one sitting. (* NOTE: This is not a short book. It is 368 pages. I just read really fast. YMMV.)

Tripping to Somewhere is a well-done, fast-paced read. It's about two high school girls named Sam and Gilly whose home lives aren't exactly out of any Disney movie. A chance encounter with a mystic sends them off on a road trip to find the Witches' Carnival, a loose group of hedonists who transverse the world throwing wild parties. They've been doing it for years- hundreds of years. The girls' goal is simple, find the Witches' Carnival and join up. But nothing is simple when you're on the run, one of you is gay, and oh, yeah, you've stolen thousands of dollars from someone who'd rather you kept quiet about the theft. No one ever said following a dream would be easy, and the Witches' Carnival tests the boundaries and depths of Sam and Gilly's friendship. Don't underestimate the power of two girls on a mission.

The characters are very well drawn and sympathetic, including Gilly's father, who could have come off as a cliché, but in Reisz's hands rises to the role of anguished parent torn between doing what is safe, and saving his daughter. Watching each character being presented with choices, and how they each deal with those choices is what made this such a fascinating novel. I know there will be howls about the swearing and the fact a character is gay, but the presentation is such that everything works. It is believable. If you think high school girls don't act and swear like that, then get thee down to the nearest institute of education and stand around at lunch time. Reisz was restrained in his use of language.

An extremely well-done first novel. I look forward to reading more from Kris Reisz.

Author Kristopher Reisz delivers an edgy and compelling tale in TRIPPING TO SOMEWHERE, his first novel. It's a compelling concoction of urban noir, teen suffering (angst just doesn't do justice to what the girls in this novel have to deal with before and after the road trip), and dark fantasy. There are also some definite sexual interludes that boost it to a level for more adult-oriented young readers. The language can be harsh and vulgar at times as well, which fits the situations and setting, but not necessarily a parent's view of what their son or daughter should be reading.

Harry Potter spawned a large group of malcontents who weren't happy with the fantasy elements when the first book came out, but most of those were gradually won over. Tripping to Somewhere would probably have more of an uphill battle if more parents were aware of it.

Sadly, though, Reisz is solidly in the world of today's teens (except for the whole paranormal aspect, of course). He writes the way many of them think, talk, and act. This is a good representation of their environment and situations.

Weirdness bumps into Gilly and her best friend Sam's life in chapter one. A homeless man talks to them about the Witches' Carnival, a mythic gathering of beings that have the power to make dreams come true. Dissatisfied with their lives, Gilly persuades Sam to run away with her and try to find the Witches' Carnival. Neither of them really believes the story at that point; it's just a reason to get out of town. They've run away from town before, but had no choice about coming back. They ran out of money. Gilly knows a way to correct that this time. Or at least ensure that they're gone longer than a few days.

The book takes off very quickly from that point, with Gilly stealing her policeman father's stash of illegal money. The amount is in the thousands, which guarantees that her dad is going to be royally ticked but also that she has plenty of money to run for a long way. She picks up Sam, whose life is also a mess because her mother is married to a man Sam believes is a sexual predator waiting in the wings. When Sam pointed this out to her mom, her mom took her stepdad's side.

The book becomes something of a road trip as the girls flee Birmingham, Alabama where they live, to track down the band they're looking for. They end up in England. The adventures they have along the way include a lot of drug use and graphic sex, so it's really hard to pigeonhole this book in any one genre. There are so many twists and turns, and revelations of character, even ones you thought you knew, that you can't help just turning pages to see what's going to happen next.

That anticipation of action is where Reisz excels. Although Tripping to Somewhere is almost 400 pages long, you'll be surprised how quickly those 400 pages turn. The author demonstrates good skill at dialogue and scene structure as well. Almost from the beginning he sets a movie spinning inside your head. Within a handful of pages, you know these girls even if you don't know their world entirely.

I'd be hesitant to pass this book on to just any young adult. There are still a few out there who are innocent in a lot of ways, but many of those are also curious about what adult life is like. This book explores that to agree, and shows that teenagers aren't quite ready to take on the responsibility even though so much knowledge of that adult world is thrust on them through circumstance and life.

I'm of mixed emotions about the book. On one hand I really liked the writing and the pacing, while being somewhat dismayed by the story and -- to a degree -- the language. There's not a lot of hope in here, but there are some interesting character developments.

On the other hand, I can't help wondering if the book should be in the young adult market without warning labels the way music CDs are required to do. A lot of parents no longer read their kids' books, and no longer do kids read the books their parents grew up with. That's a shame, because I feel that both sides are missing out. And that way the parents knew where their kids' minds and maturation were.

Reisz is brutally honest in his writing. He should be read. But I'm conflicted as to who should read him. Kids who live in that world will appreciate his integrity, but I feel the need to shield kids who aren't ready to step into that world. Read the book, decide for yourself who should read it among the young adults you know, and compare notes. Both of you may learn something.