Rating: 3 out of 5.

I was interested in this book because it was described as Mark Twain-like and I really like his style of writing. While I could see what the author was attempting to do with this book, it fell short for me.

I think had Ruby stayed in and around his hometown, rather than venturing to NYC and other far off places, the story would have resonated more with me. Although I am quite certain that 12 year olds could and do take off and end up thousands of miles away from home, the way this story was told made it seem quite far-fetched. I understand that part of the point was that it’s common for young people to stretch the truth (like Tom and Huck), but the point could have been made more subtly than two 12 year olds making it all the way to San Francisco.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Bogie Road Publishing. All opinions in this review are my own.