For some reason I didn’t get as strong of a road trip vibe as I would’ve liked — more touristy, exploration of identity, a lot of overt discourse on social issues. (Major props for addressing intersectionality, though that exact term is never actually used!) That said, overall it was an enjoyable read with a few key issues.

I don’t like to label things as too PC or SJW-y, but I think this novel is a little too heavy-handed and binary-minded about subjects with multiple shades of nuance: racism, classism, LGBTQ discrimination (though you could really just say homophobia since the T gets only a passing mention and the B not even that), environmentalism (which felt tacked on, popping up halfway through with no warning but persisting to the end as though to make up for its absence in the beginning), vegetarianism, and prejudice in general. Maybe it’s built into the premise — brown kids visit the American South — but still, the episode with “scary camouflage guy” made me cringe with its clobber-the-reader-over-the-head-with-Umar’s-sister’s-softball-bat bluntness. As did all three times Umar says, “I’m starvation nation,” which I can only assume was an attempt at teenage slang. (Seriously, please get an actual teenager to check your slang if you’re going to use it: a friend’s offspring, a betareader from the Internet, someone.)

I can’t speak to the South Asian-American representation, other than applauding its clear presence, as it’s not my culture, but I was disappointed in the lowkey heteronormativity — having a gay main character and multiple delves into the gay scene is a start, but it’s not enough to counteract the “gay best friend” stereotypes (though to be fair, the problematic aspects I noticed were mostly somewhat minor: fashion-focused, a specific type of dramatic; the biggest potential problem is Umar’s interest in drag). And I didn’t like some of Mariam’s attitudes, which never get addressed beyond face value. (“99% of girls are obsessed with their looks, which makes me different and special”; “guys never listen when I talk, except Doug, and that’s why I miss him,” etc.)

Still, obviously no book is perfect, and I do admire the author for tackling these contentious issues at all. The resolutions to each main’s character arc/personal subplot was satisfying, realistic without being too cliche; most of the hallmarks of a good road trip YA novel were present and well done. Taken into perspective as just one of many novels I’ve finished this summer, it’s not half bad.