After her parents divorce, Savannah's fun and carefree life with her friends, favorite dog, and normal family was quickly changed when her mother announced that her and her two older siblings, Breanna and Ammon were going to leave school and their home for a year of travel across Asia. As the reader, you can empathize with the 14-year-old Savannah, who was obviously devastated to leave friends and also her worries about missing a year of school. But despite Savannah's many begrudging, whiny pleas to her mother, they were off to an unknown world.
Savannah's writing style captivated me. Her sense of humor made me laugh out loud and even cry when she had to say goodbye to her dog. The reader learns a great deal about the countries and cultures her family visited along the way through dialogue in the story. You feel like you are right there along with her, experiencing the awful bathrooms, delicious or unaproachable cuisine, and the beauty of the countryside and warmth of the people. Sihpromatum reads like a great novel, yet you never forget that all of these crazy adventures actually happened to this girl!!! Savannah wasn't afraid to bare all of the personal quandaries of travel as an adolecent girl in remote, nomadic regions where bathrooms were scarce, and food consisted of dry sour biscuits with sheep hair. So, perhaps be forewarned if you have a weak stomach!!
So...can I just say that I LOVE Savannah Grace? At fourteen, her immaturity is actually endearing even if her complaining gets old- I mean, can you blame her? So, don't be fooled in the beginning of the novel where you hear a lot of complaining! As you watch her learn and expand her worldview throughout the book, she becomes ever more lovable, and I truly care about her and her family, and how their trip ends. She is so funny, and so relatable that it didn't take long for me to become an actual fan of Savannah's.
As the book comes to a close after a crazily near-death experience in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia, they are off to Russia, but we have to wait for the next installment of their journey to find out what happens next. What surprised me when perusing Savannah's website (www.sihpromatum.com) is that their one-year itinerary turned into a FOUR YEAR trip around the world, and all I know is that I can't wait to find out what happens next in her journey.
Don't miss the opportunity to read this book!!! I am sure you will have some time over the holidays to read, or know of someone who would appreciate a memoir that read's like an adventurous and funny novel. I actually loved Sihpormatum so much that I want to offer a GIVEAWAY. So, share this book review for a chance to WIN a FREE copy of Sihpromatum! Just write me a note in the comments section that you shared this review on your Social Media site, and you will be entered into a drawing on FRIDAY, December 7th. Don't forget to check back Friday to see if you WON!!!! Also, for purchasing, you can visit her website at www.sihpromatum.com or at Amazon.
Happy Reading,
Anna
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