Blending elements of Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak and Gary Paulsen's Hatchet, debut novelist Kathryn Holmes delivers a gripping story that author Richard Peck calls a "page-turner about several kinds of survival."
Sophomore Hallie Calhoun has just endured the most excruciating six months of her life. Once the rumors about her and the preacher's son, Luke, made their way around school, her friends abandoned her, and Hallie has completely withdrawn.
Now, on a hike in the Smoky Mountains with the same people who have relentlessly taunted her, Hallie is pushed to her limit. Then Hallie, outgoing newcomer Rachel, and Jonah—Hallie's former friend—get separated from the rest of the group. As days go by without rescue, their struggle for survival turns deadly. Stranded in the wilderness, the three have no choice but to trust one another in order to stay alive . . . and for Hallie, that means opening up about what really happened that night with Luke.
From the catty atmosphere of high school to the unpredictable terrain of the mountains, this novel is a poignant, raw journey about finding yourself after having been lost for so long.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
Quietly heart-wrenching
By Danielle D
I legitimately fell in love with Hallie's story. I was a little skeptical going in because I knew that there was going to be some sort of religious message and, in general, I don't enjoy being on the receiving end of such messages. However, the utterly believable and heart-wrenching questioning that Hallie goes through during her ordeal in the Smoky Mountains was beautifully articulated and relatable. I felt homesick for the Smokies even as I read about being scared, lost, and cold in the park. Read this -- you'll be glad you did. I didn't want to put the book down -- and in fact, stayed up far later than I should have racing through my first reading of the book and *maybe* neglected a little bit of lecture prep so that I could keep reading.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.fun read
By Luke
Great read fun for all ages. Fear, in its many forms, being confronted and conquered. One could say the protagonist is found or rather finds herself through suffering.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.Never been a better time to meet a heroine who learns how to stand up to her bullies
By ViolettePen
I had first heard of Kathryn Holmes' debut novel The Distance Between Lost and Found after listening to her recent podcast on DIY MFA. The story's premise caught my attention on its own. However, hearing Holmes talk more about her story and the importance of creating a believable setting regardless of genre convinced me that I HAD to read her book. Now that I have, I feel moved and uplifted by the journey I've shared with Holmes and her protagonist, Hallie Calhoun.The Distance Between Lost and Found is much more than a survival story. It's about one girl's struggle to find courage, confidence, and renewed friendship after a traumatic experience, and how getting lost in the wilderness of the Smoky Mountains with two other campers galvanizes her recovery. Holmes tackles several weighty subjects (including bullying and social isolation) during this story, and in a sensitive yet realistic manner. She also offers gradual hints about "the incident," compelling readers to guess what happened to Hallie until Hallie herself finally reveals the truth. Normally, stories about the painful moments of our teenage years don't appeal to me, since they remind me of my own difficulties in middle and high school. Not this time. Hallie learns to rise above her situation, and how she evolves is both encouraging and inspiring for teens and adults alike.Distance doesn't have a huge cast of characters, and quite frankly it doesn't need one. By focusing on Hallie and her two companions, Holmes allows readers to get to know all three characters so intimately that they become our friends. Each member of this trio also plays an integral role in the others' physical and psychological survival in the woods: Hallie for her attentiveness and her sense of responsibility, Rachel for her humor and her listening skills, and Jonah for his Boy Scouts savvy and his gentle no-nonsense attitude. Even after finishing the novel, I can't say I favor Hallie over Rachel or Jonah, or vice versa. They're all important and lovable characters in their own right.Another aspect I enjoyed about Distance was its emphasis on setting. The Smoky Mountains becomes its own character, an expansive and lushly beautiful spirit with a will of its own. Every natural element (flora, fauna, rock, and weather) poses a potential threat; and while Holmes doesn't shy away from putting the three campers in danger, she lets each peril creep in one by one to avoid overwhelming the reader. Holmes also excels with planting us in the wilderness by engaging our senses. Sound, color, smell, taste, touch - in every possible way, readers feel like they're also wandering through the forest and bonding with nature.Religion can be a touchy subject for some readers, so I'm making a point to say that Distance touches on the subject. That said, the book doesn't preach any particular beliefs. It instead uses spirituality as a catalyst for exploring all kinds of faith - not just religious faith, but self-confidence (faith in oneself), loyalty (faith in others), and trust. I consider myself agnostic, but I wasn't offended by the few times when Hallie, Jonah, and Rachel talked about God and whether they believed in Him. The topic rises naturally from the characters' circumstances, and only when necessary.What amazes me the most about The Distance Between Lost and Found is how it wasn't even a blip on my radar until the week of its release. Now, it has a serious shot at being one of my favorite reads of 2015. This is a vividly written, beautifully structured window into the triumph of truth and the human spirit. And with all the news flashes about bullying and the heartbreaking damage it can inflict on children, there's never been a better time to meet a literary character who chooses not to be a victim. Even if you only read YA contemporaries on occasion, make some time this year for Distance. Even better, share it with a young reader who can benefit from Hallie's story.
