Are We There Yet? by David Levithan

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Released: July 12th, 2005
Pages: 215 (Hardcover)
Cover: 4/5 Stars
Plot: 5/5 Stars

Sixteen-year-old Elijah is completely mellow and his 23-year-old brother Danny is completely not, so it’s no wonder they can barely tolerate one another. So what better way to repair their broken relationship than to trick them into taking a trip to Italy together? Soon, though, their parents’ perfect solution has become Danny and Elijah’s nightmare as they’re forced to spend countless hours together. But then Elijah meets Julia, and soon the brothers aren’t together nearly as much. And then Julia meets Danny and soon all three of them are in a mixed-up, turned-around, never-what-you-expect world of brothers, Italy, and love.

Are We There Yet? isn’t about a place on a map, it’s about a place in the heart. David Levithan has written a magical story of a journey definitely worth taking. -Goodreads.com summary

It's been a while since a book filled me with a warm zeal. A feeling which clouds your mind with thoughts, one which you think about long after it's completed. Are You There Yet?, a book comprised merely of 215 short pages, speaks more to me than any monstrous 800 page novel ever could. Falling along with John Green's The Fault in Our Stars and Stephen Chobsky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Are We There Yet? is a book that not only you enjoy, but one that also holds a special part on your shelf.

I loved reading through Elijah's eyes. He sees the small things people usually don't. He percieves the world in a beautiful way. His character is so nice, so observant, and so considerate. Now, in retrospect, I wonder if people like him really exist. Like Augustus Waters (AUGUSTUS WATERS!), he seems too good to be true.

I think I related with Danny a bit more than his brother. He really made me think: when has my world become so small? When did I lose sight of the happiness I have when all I can think of is the happiness I seek? Danny made me realize that the world moves too fast for me to lose myself, and that I have to cherish all the bonds I've created. 

Are We There Yet? takes place in Italy. Like Maureen Johnson's Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes, I relish in the fact that the author didn't force the book to lose itself. I really appreciated the scenery, but I was glad the book didn't get too much into where the characters are rather than the characters themselves. I enjoyed reading how the experience changed them.

So if you're looking for an insightful read, I recommend you go pick this novel up. I know it's only about 200 pages, but it felt so much longer. (In a good way!) 

Palak