Review: Literary, etc Review
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 23, 2013
Amy Maurer Jones' Fly Away is the highly anticipated second book in the Wildflower series. If you haven't read the first book, Wildflower, you can read Fly Away; however, I do recommend reading the first only because it sets up the reincarnation lives of Laney, Joshua, and Jordan and I believe you might be lost otherwise.Fly Away picks up a few months after Wildflower ended and I really appreciated that because it gives us the ability to see exactly what happened during the months after Laney and Joshua ran away. Laney is very much your typical high school student but she's also a member of the Wampanoag tribe where one day she will be Shaman. In the 17th century she was a member of the tribe and was named Wildflower. There she fell in love with the son of an Englishman named Joshua and she wasn't aware that she was promised to a warrior in her tribe named Paco. Through a series of unfortunate events Wildflower dies and binds her and Joshua to eternity. There's just one slight problem, Paco somehow attaches himself to them and he too is bound to be reincarnated with them. In the present, Joshua bears the same name and Paco is Jordan. Where Wildflower was about making sense of the dreams Laney experiences, Fly Away is about trying to figure a way out of the binding spell.With regards to characterization, Jones does develop Jordan's character a little more. We finally get to know him better and in many ways, Joshua is the one that hides in the shadow. Joshua becomes friends with Gracie and she has a habit of making Laney's life hell. There's a particular incident in Wildflower that I won't go into detail because it's an important part of plot and gets revisited in Fly Away, but if you disliked Grace then you'll dislike here even more. Now the real treat in Fly Away is the alternating narratives! We finally get what Joshua and Jordan think and see! When they want to work together it's amazing how well they can put aside their differences and my only hope is that no matter what happens in the end, that they can be friends.I know one of the biggest complaints in YA's is the use of a love triangle. Jones gives us a realistic view and reminds us how messy they are in real life. The first line in the synopsis of Wildflower is, "Love can be tragic," and in Fly Away we begin to see why. We're introduced to several of their reincarnated lives and one particular life we see Jordan do something that prompts Joshua to text him in the present with the words, "You stupid bastard!" and I couldn't agree more. Jones delivers a slight twist and makes Laney question the whole love triangle situation. What if Wildflower in a past life chose Paco? How does that affect the initial binding spell? I have so many questions and I feel horrible for Laney because she's been put in a situation that really isn't her fault. While Joshua wants Laney to honor the memory of Joshua and Wildflower, I don't think he's taken into account the time spent with Paco/Jordan. In the lives we've seen, Wildflower spends a considerable amount of time with Paco. Even in the present, we don't get Joshua on the scene until his family moves into town. It makes me question a lot of things, but most importantly it makes me wonder if Wildflower had any real feelings for Paco and if she was just afraid to voice them. If so, it would account for several situations we see in their past lives.Fly Away does end a cliffhanger and my heart stopped when I read the final page! I can't wait to see how Jones ends the series and I know I'll be incredibly sad because it's over. I'm looking forward to the truth coming out and a particular character getting what she deserves.My favorite quotes:"The key to my heart. For real? That is so sappy. Was this the spirits' idea of a joke, or am I really that pathetic?""The guy was so damn proud, just like in his former lives. That stubborn pride is somehow ingrained into his soul in each lifetime, just like my anger seems to follow me in every life I lead."I highly recommend Amy Maurer Jones' Fly Away. Do read Wildflower first so you'll fully appreciate this beautiful heartbreaking series!**This review appears on my blog**