Review Detail

This book provides a glimpse into a lifestyle that most of us have absolutely no clue about: The Travelers. Bridget is sixteen and conflicted. Sure, any teenager is, but her choices have to do with whether or not she wants to get married, whether she should stay a Traveler (they've also been called gypsies and grifters) give up everything she has ever known and try out life in the "regular" world.

It's a tough life, always living on the edge, searching for the next scam to run and never really making any friends outside of the Traveler family groups. And Bridget has a desire to learn more -- something that stands out in a group that generally quits school at the earliest possible age.

I really like that the author doesn't pull any punches and doesn't try to justify either way of life. Bridget's decision at the end of the book may surprise you, but then again, it may not. I also had the sense that, no matter what decision she makes, she'll always wonder about the other path she could have taken.

I recommend this book for all teens. You don't have to know anything about the Traveler lifestyle to appreciate Bridget's struggles. The search for self is universal and poignantly played out here.