I've been meaning to read Kody Keplinger's RUN ever since it rode the YALit Twitter wave and was wrongly targeted for older teens only because of Bo's bisexuality. After reading, I definitely see why people were upset. RUN is a quick, accessible read, perfect for an ambitious 12 year old and anyone older.

The most defining feature about RUN was the structure. The story starts with Bo and her best friend Agnes's running away from home. Then, the next chapter is in Agnes' POV and essentially in flashback to Bo & Agnes' first meeting. While sometimes this timeline switch was confusing, the way Keplinger lined up the past and the present was MIND-BLOWING during the book's climax. I had to put the book down and bask for a bit.

The diversity in this book was fantastic and well-treated, from Bo's bisexuality and Agnes' disability to the working class Kentucky setting and alcoholism/addiction. All around I was left feeling giddy and happy: Keplinger is a deft storyteller and takes the reader on a journey with just the right amount of angst, friendship, and laughter. Agnes and Bo felt startlingly real.

Keplinger is so good, in fact, that even though this book dealt with darker themes, I turned the last page comforted. As a queer woman in these times, comfort, assurance, and hope can be rare, far things. RUN is excellent, and I would recommend it to anyone.