Ask the Passengers

I really, really enjoyed this book. I started reading it without looking at the summary of it, so I literally had no idea what I was getting into. Boy was I in for a treat.

This story follows Astrid, a teenager that doesn't quite fit in with the town or her family or even her friends. Her mom is an uber-bitch that wants nothing to do with Astrid, her sister is an insanely unempathetic human being and her dad is just a big stoner. Her best friend Kristina is a closet gay and Astrid keeps her secret for over two years. The only thing is Astrid has a secret of her own, something so secret she doesn't know if she can admit it to herself. She is gay as well.

Throughout the book she keeps questioning it, and she really doesn't know if she's gay or not til the end. She enjoys kissing Dee but does it make her gay? With the help of her imaginary friend Frank Socrates (the Greek philosopher who has been graciously given a first name by Astrid) she starts to think about everything in a new light and really begins to question everything. She so used to just passing her love along to others (she lays on the picnic bench and sends love up to all the airplanes that fly overhead, resulting in surprising side stories from airline passangers. It's really an interesting storytelling technique) that she has hardly saved any for herself.

This is really a great read. Like for real. It's my first GLBT teen novel and I thought it was fantastic. For everyone out there who has stereotypes, this book isn't just for gays. It's must read for everyone who has ever questioned anything in their life. It's a very insightful read and you'll be the better for it.