Wanderlove

I love those books that on page 2 you are already in love with the story and the characters and are so excited to read the rest. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard was one of those books. Within the first chapter I was completely sold, and I loved every page that followed.

I just loved the storyline. The story is a mix of the present, past, and rules of traveling, which was so much fun to read. There were also these simply awesome drawings dispersed throughout the story. Wanderlove made me want to pack up and go travel today, and made me about 1000x more excited for my potential study abroad next spring. Wanderlove really takes the readers on a journey along with its characters. I loved all the places Rowan and Bria went throughout Central America, and all the experiences they had.

The characters were wonderful. I loved Bria. She had such a great story to tell. I loved that Bria had to courage to go try this trip, as I am not spontaneous and would have major anxiety over doing such a thing, but what Bria did is something I would just love to do. Rowan was just as complex as a character as Bria, with his own past that he is trying to escape. He was witty and quite charming. I feel like Hubbard just nailed both Rowan and Bria and the relationship that unfolds between the two.

This was a stunning sophomore novel from Kirsten Hubbard. It's one of those books that I will now be pressing into the hands of everyone I know. It had beautiful writing, an awesome plot, and characters to die for. I really just loved Wanderlove, and now I need to go pick up Hubbard's debut, Like Mandarin.

Author Kirsten Hubbard and I could have some conversations. From reading Wanderlove, I can tell that she has traveled widely and on a budget. In my eight years of living abroad, I did my share of backpacking and also led semester-long experiential education trips abroad. We may have even crossed paths in Central America.

Wanderlove's main character, Bria, decides to go on a group tour of Guatemala when her boyfriend breaks her heart and derails their plans to attend art school together. As soon as she meets her group, full of unadventurous adults, she realizes she has made a mistake. A chance encounter with Starling and Rowan, effortlessly cool backpackers, leads to her ditching the group and learning what travel is really about. Along the way, she experiences romance, adventure, and self-acceptance.

Hubbard nails the backpacking lifestyle, from typical hostel antics to the posturing of 'trustafarians'--kids using their trust funds to support their bohemian lifestyle. I loved the characterization of Bria, someone who is aware that the dreadlocks, toe rings, and flowy clothes are costumes, but is still desperate to give them a try. Her excitement and self-consciousness make me remember why I loved leading students on trips; everything is thrilling and every day holds myriad possibilities.

The novel held some surprises for me: plot twists that I didn't see coming and predictions that fell flat. Between this and Like Mandarin, I am officially a massive Kirsten Hubbard fan. Since the book is written as artistic Bria's travel diary, it is full of sketches that Hubbard drew. Where was I the day they were handing out talent? Get this book and be inspired to strap on a backpack and hit the road.

When I graduated from high school, I wished I’d been brave enough to travel to a foreign place. How exciting would it have been to backpack through Europe, visit the ancient Mayan ruins in Central America, or even go to a yoga retreat in India? Reading WANDERLOVE was like going on that elusive trip with all the sounds, smells, visuals, and yes, even cute traveling companion. I felt it’s warm and let myself be swept away with the lush writing and descriptions.

Eighteen-year-old Bria comes across a travel guide and wonders what it would be like to be a Global Vagabond and travel on a guided tour of a foreign place. She’d just broken up with her boyfriend and also with one of her real loves of her life, her art. What she finds though is that she’d signed up to be with a group of middle aged tourists who keep it ‘safe’ on their tour. This is something she doesn’t want. Then she meets Rowan, a reformed bad boy and his half-sister Starling, who are everything she wants to be: independent and not afraid to go outside their comfort zone. She joins up with them and finds a side to herself she never knew she had.

I totally loved the voice of this novel. Bria reminded me of myself when I was younger, afraid to venture outside of her comfort zone but longing to do so. When she does take that first scary step, we find a piece of her armor stripped away, revealing the hidden butterfly inside. Like a butterfly at times she soars with her new found freedom. We see the one side of Central America that isn’t shown in the glossy travel guides with the realistic hotels and companions. But we also see the more human side as well.

Rowan is also somewhat of a mystery at the beginning but little by little he starts to warm up to Bria. In fact he goes on his own journey. I loved his analogy of his father to the 1969 movie with Dennis Hopper. His father also chased after work and ran away from his one night stands. Rowan hated this and vowed he’d never be the same. But in fact he was like his father. His second travel rule stated: The best way to escape the past is to keep moving forward.

Lush writing with an amazing voice, I fell in love with this story. The dialogue is at times humorous but also heartfelt. The illustrations add to the charm of this book. Bria’s own hero’s journey goes through trials like when Starling ‘leaves’ her with Rowan in the middle of Central America to whether or not she should trust Rowan.

This novel is filled with awesomeness and with characters that breathe a breath of life into a contemporary novel that makes you want to go on your own journey.