Auden's New Ride..

along for the ride
By Sarah Dessen




Was Auden "along for the ride" that her divorced parents created for her or was she about to create her personal travels with her own agenda of passengers?

Teenage daughter Auden, of parents whose careers focused in on publishing and analyzing literature, suffered and was deprived of a typical childhood when one parents success overshadowed the other and in sequence followed a divorce.  Auden typically resided with her mother after the divorce as once her father moved out he was too focused on his " funk" of getting his writing career together, leaving little time for Auden.  While this left her with her mother she became accustomed to sitting at lectures, lingering around for wine and dinner talks with her mothers students, and was built to focus on critical grammar and punctuation.  She was the child version of her mother.She missed out on playdates, going to the park and milestones such as learning to ride a bike.  Now it is summer and Auden has been welcomed by her stepmother and father and she doesn't seem to thrilled. 

It begins with the title, " along for the ride".  Sarah Dessen creates a novel easy to connect to for children that come from not only divorced homes but witnesses to them as well.  A lot of times friends, even family " feel bad" for children from divorced homes but they really do suffer greatly and understandably can go unnoticed.  Her choice in the title emphasizes that the kids don't sign up for what comes with the divorce, they are just strapped in and expected to " go with the flow" as best as they are instructed to.  There is very little control.  Sarah has granted readers a connection in this sense. She also caters to average vocabulary, a very relaxing fiction book.  There is detail displayed in description that can easily place pictures to mind such as " I could see my mom sitting at the head of our table, a glass of red wine I one hand"(3). Created is a strong, sophisticated women who is in charge and very intelligent... just based off of that short sentence.  Throughout the novel Dessen uses words such as exuberant and frivolous that I don't see everyday so they challenge my knowledge but they are not words that stop me from reading because I no longer understand.  I believe Sarah Dessen reaches out to a very approachable audience and I have a high interest in her book so far.

I have just began reading this book after a series of books I found uninteresting or too easy.  I will admit that I chose this book a little bit based on the " youth" look of the cover and the description that seemed to describe a teenage girl.  This is because I find books that I can relate to in some way are more enjoyable to read and I am consistent with doing so.  
So yes, so far I do find this book to be not too easy but it isn't quite of a challenge. It is a book thaqt is just right for relaxing or down time, with  no expectations and enjoyable to read.   I plan on finishing this book as I have not completed a book of choice this year and I WANT to meet that goal.