BECOMING CHLOE
Catherine Ryan Hyde
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Fiction
Hardcover: 0375832580
Paperback: 9780375832604
224 pages

"They hit the road to discover the truth --- and there's no going back from what they find out."

But, what do they find out?

In bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde's (PAY IT FORWARD) latest YA novel, BECOMING CHLOE, two down-on-their luck characters are thrown together by chance, and instead of separating from each other as most people would, the two stick it out to the end, for better or for worse. It's a heartwarming story in the "do good things for your neighbor and he/she will give back to you" sort of way, but it smacks of the unbelievable at times and borders on feeling forced at others. Nonetheless, Hyde is a veteran storyteller and certainly knows how to weave an entertaining tale that will interest young readers --- especially those looking to travel cross-country without leaving their bedroom.

Eighteen-year-old Wanda Johnston (Chloe) and 17-year-old Jordan are "introduced" to each other under unfortunate circumstances. Jordan is living in an abandoned basement in New York City, accessed only from the street by an open cellar window. One evening, he hears screams and realizes that a girl (Chloe) is being raped by a group of rowdy men in the alley outside. In a selfless moment of pure bravery, Jordan attempts to save Chloe by frightening the men away with his yells about cops. Little does he know that this simple act will change his life forever.

Soon after the rescue and the trip to the clinic to get Chloe checked out, the two become inseparable --- so inseparable that Jordan becomes her guardian angel, of sorts. He calms her down when she gets riled up; he protects her from lecherous men; and he basically takes care of everything else in her life for her (food, shelter, clothing), despite the fact that he is barely able to keep afloat himself. It turns out
that Chloe has some sort of mental illness (although we never really find out what that "illness" is, despite the mention of Zoloft, depression, and various emotional "fits") on top of a horrendous past, and needs a little looking after so that she doesn't get herself into trouble.

The question is...why does Jordan take on that task? Does he love her? Yes, but not in a sexual way --- he's gay (a subplot that is touched upon, but not fully developed). Does he want something from her? It doesn't seem that way, unless you count his subconscious craving for a companion and someone he can take care of in the way that he wasn't growing up. The question is never fully answered, but readers will get a sense that the union between Jordan and Chloe is quite unique --- a cross between friendship, family, and teacher/student --- and one that benefits both of them, each in his/her own way.

Readers will most enjoy Jordan and Chloe's cross-country trip from Connecticut to Big Sur, California, wherein they experience the pleasures of seeing Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, and more. There are a few major bumps during the trip (the car breaking down, getting beaten up by drunk twenty-somethings while hitchhiking), but for the most part, the two spend their time seeping up the beauty that the world contains, while meeting a few interesting people along the way. An enjoyable on-the-road story for the wanderlust with an edge.

   --- Reviewed by Alexis Burling

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