The Last Days of California

Journey. I expected to read a few pages of Mary Miller’s debut novel The Last Days of California, and then set it aside from boredom. I didn’t think I would enjoy reading about a car trip with a family leaving Alabama to get to California in time for the rapture. Instead, I was entertained by the way Miller presented family dynamics with efficiency. As farfetched as it seems, I totally understood how fourteen year old protagonist Jess felt an obligation to keep her older sister’s pregnancy a secret from their parents. Miller’s descriptive language provided visual realism for the motels and other settings presented. As a journey which might have been the last few days of the lives of these characters, it was a trip I enjoyed immensely, thanks to Miller’s great writing. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Last Days of California from amazon.com.