Mosquitoland by David Arnold
**This is also posted on Goodreads.
I'm incredibly emotional right now, so I don't know but this might all come out as an emotional, jumbled mess, but nevertheless I hope you understand what I'm writing. I mean, honestly, I'm out of sorts and just whoa.
Basically, Mosquitoland fucks with your heart. It makes you question your barriers and then with each new lesson and story Mim shares your walls are tumbling down and hot damn by the end it's like your world is shined in a whole new light! You start questioning everything, like, would I be a good person in Mim's eyes? Am I really as kind and thoughtful as I think I am? Or am I just another person roaming the world with a fantasy in my head and a reality of nothing but society's expectations? Do I have real friends, like Beck and Walt, or is everything fake? Do I know the real meaning of my life, of why I am the way I am? Can I be better? Can I be me? And you realize, fuck you know nothing, not really. But at least your eyes are opened now, right? That's Mosquitoland. A brilliant, heart-wrenching novel about a teenaged girl and a journey in which she goes on to get to her mother that opens her eyes and the readers' too because everything just makes sense and is true and gosh everything I feel is in this book!
But aside from the emotional pull and the brilliance of the content, the characters are even better. Like, how is that possible?! The main character, Mim (aka Mary Iris Malone), is deep and thoughtful and has had so much shit thrown her way that I just can't believe she is still, well, Mim. And then there's Beck who is a few years older then her and is just as equally deep and thoughtful and is basically the other half of Mim because they've gone through so much and their minds are both so unique. And then there's Walt, who is such an amazing character who has a brilliant mind and laugh and smile and he's just so... Walt. Like, every character is so amazing, they each leave a different impression on you and you can't pick a favourite, at least not just one, because they're all so amazing and I love that.
I especially love how the entirety of the novel is Mim and her traveling to get to her mother because damn her mother needs her and Mim needs her mother! I love all the different characters she meets (cough*Arlene*cough) and the different things she sees and experiences (the tent and "Shadow Boy", the brilliance and awesomeness that are Beck and Walt) and just her overall journey. She learns a lot and because she has seen and learned so much her thoughts are changing and with her thoughts her view changes and I love the process. I especially love the letters she writes. They hold past memories, new memories, and through them, especially the last few, you see how much she's changed and it's wonderful.
I just love everything about this book. It is officially my all time favourite. Numero Uno. The big number 1. The best novel I have ever read. The best novel I have ever read that I am most likely going to re-read over and over again ever though I never re-read books. So you best get to reading Mosquitoland because I assure you, you will not regret it. You will love it. And you will adore it. And you will share the love.<3
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So, that's that. I highly suggest you read this book. I'm not even kidding.
~Sage<3
