Guitar Highway Rose by Brigid Lowry

Monday, April 4, 2011


Guitar Highway Rose by Brigid Lowry
Release date: January, 1997
Source: Bought

My name is Rosie Moon. I am nearly sixteen. I'm hungry for a juicy life. I lean out the window at night and I can taste it out there, waiting for me. 
Popular and smart, fifteen-year-old Rosie Moon is the quintessential good girl. She also wishes she could be someone else for a while, someone more interesting. Asher Fielding is the mysterious new boy at school who has dreadlocks and a love of Jim Morrison. On the first day of tenth grade, Rosie develops a crush on Asher, and when the two pair up for a poetry assignment they quickly form a bond. When Asher is falsely accused of stealing a wallet at school, he and Rosie decide to escape it all—their families, their school, their ordinary town—and hitchhike up the Australian coast. They know they shouldn't, and that is exactly why they do. Part road story, part love story, Guitar Highway Rose is a thrilling ride for anyone who has ever dreamed about escaping everyday life, even just for a little while.

My Review:

Favourite Quote:  Some ideas are not born of logic and good sense. They are made of clouds and cobwebs. They sprout from nowhere and feed on excitement, sprinkled with adventure juice and the sweet flavor of the forbidden. The psyche moves from the realms of the ordinary and takes a delicate step towards the unknown. We know we shouldn't and that is exactly why we do.


Guitar Rose Highway is a fun read. It is quirky, charming and vibrant story that captures the joy and angst of being a teen. 

Lowry's writing has a very lyrical feel and also a little bit different.   There is multiple points of views and no punctuation in parts, snapshots and poetry giving it a very unique format.  It kind of feel likes a happy place between a verse and prose novel.  Also this book is a little bit dated written in the late 90's and has a hippie-grunge kind of feel but I enjoyed it and the memories it brought back.  

The story and the characters really capture how it feels to be a teen with such raw honesty.  Focusing on how you feel your parents don't get you and the feeling of being restricted.  It also has the parents' points of views in a couple of parts showing their feelings. 

Rosie and Asher are amusing and heartwarming characters.   They are the kind of characters that grow on you more and more as the story goes on and in the end you don't won't to say goodbye.

The is a touch of romance that is sweet, tender and a little bit awkward like first relationships are.   It just brings a grin to your face.

"they do not kiss but they both want to instead their feet touch and so do their arms it is electric magic their tiny arm hairs tingling happily lying together the sun warming them watching sky through green-leafed gum branch close enough to hear each other breathe sweet togetherness
this lazy lying down dance of love"

Overall, Guitar Rose Highway was an enjoyable, slightly off beat read that I wish I had read as a teen.   I can't wait to read more from Lowry.

Overall Rating: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Romance: 3.5/5
Cover: 4/5

For more reviews:  Goodreads

This is an Aussie title that is available international for those participating in the Aussie YA Reading Challenge.

21 comments:

Alix said...

I've had this on my TBR list for a while, but this is the first review I've read. Sounds like it stands up to the premise and the cover (love that cover) :)

The writing style sounds really interesting too. I'll be ordering it, I didn't realize it was available internationally yet - thanks :)

Jess - The Tales Compendium said...

I'm so glad you liked this! I read it when it was first released and have re-read it every year or so since then. One of my all-time favourites :)

Cass said...

:D Love that quote!

I didn't know it was in the 90s. If anything that makes me want to read it even more! Nice review Nic. Sounds like a book with substance, but is also fun and groovy.

Steph: Short and Sweet said...

That book sounds so adorable!!! I really want to read that now :)

Nomes said...

love the review Nic. I have the same cover :)

I loved all the little lists in this book. I SO used to make up funky little lists like that all the time :)

Misha said...

Love the first quote! The book sounds like a fun, heartwarming read. There's so much of Aussie YA that I wouldn't have discovered without great Aussie bloggers like you :)

Anna said...

love it, Love it, LOVE IT.
one of my favourite books.

Anonymous said...

I love off-beat YAs...this one sounds fun. Super review....yours are always so cute and well said!!

Jenny said...

I want to print that first quote out and hang it in my house, love it! You always review such interesting books and so many of them I haven't heard of so I'm grateful to read about them on your blog:) You are a wealth of fabulous recommendations Nic!

Jenny N. said...

No wonder I haven't heard of this one before. It sounds like a great summer read and thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Sniffly Kitty said...

People often wish they had other lives it's interesting to see how something like that would play out. I too would probably wished I could have read this when I was a teen.

Savannah said...

This sounds like a great book. I do love that quote you pick. It very wise!

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

This sounds like a nice book. Sometimes I just want something sweet. Plus I love off beat since it's like me. Or is that just being off? Oh well.. great review as always. It's going on the wishlist!

Missie, The Unread Reader said...

This book would probably totally remind me of my teens since I was actually a teen in the 90s. LOL

I really need a quirky book right now, and getting the parents' pov is different and I think that would be interesting to see how it work with the story.

And ahhhh to awkward first loves. :D

Jacinda (The Reading Housewives) said...

You get me to read WAY to many books! I guess that's great, right?! I love the name Asher! I check and my library has this book...I'm going to have to check it out!

Jan von Harz said...

I love books that use a unique format and this sounds like a fun read. The characters also sound like they are well-drawn following their need to get away from parents who do not understand them and looking for adventure. I will have to read this one.

bibliophile brouhaha said...

I love the sound of this book - I ALMOST got this instead of Jellicoe Road (almost). However, I am going to have to go and get it now - lovely review! I was a teen in the '90s, too, so PERFECT - I'll it alone or while watching MSCL :)

It's a Book Thing said...

Hey!!!! Great Review, thank you.

Pop past the ole bloggeroo

A Canadian Girl said...

This one sounds like a fun book, and I'm glad you decided to review a book that's been around for a while. I always feel like there's so many new books to read that you forget about the really good older ones.

Rachel said...

Great review! I've always loved this book, I love all the free-spirited-ness and all around awesome times haha. I'm hoping Asher might be featured in a Book Boyfriend? I'd love to see which hot guy you'd find for him :P

Julie said...

This sounds like a great book! I love the cover. Super cute character names! Fab review :)

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