From the back cover blurbs: "An old B-movie premise -- Car Breaks Down in the Middle of Nowhere -- is given a fresh, distinctly Canadian twist in this wicked little first novel."
Bought it because bookseller recommended it. Delayed reading it because I thought it had a scary psycho-thriller plot. The first few pages are tense. (Then I read the ending.) The worst scenes involve (1) up-chucking after drinking and (2)Carrie falling asleep on disgusting ancient orange shag motel carpet. Plot has some tension, but no blood, gore, or violence.
In the first pages we learn: Carrie is running away from something at home (Toronto). The car breaks down in an isolated area. Girl in dangerous situation does stereotypically dumb-girl thing: she stops to pee -- and makes a phone call before she finishes & has her pants up. Of course someone comes along: A guy in a truck that paints lines on the highway (hence, the title). Have to read some tense pages before we have a better idea of what is happening. Tense episodes recur periodically. Author dribbles out details of why Carrie is running away. Characters spend/waste a lot of time smoking in freezing weather.
Does not have a 'happy ever after, heartwarming, all faith in humanity restored' ending. Does have an ending -- not depressing or vague -- appropriate to the characters and plot. A sequel or series is unlikely.
Good to know: Transport Ontario provides appropriately warm coats for its crews.
Bought it because bookseller recommended it. Delayed reading it because I thought it had a scary psycho-thriller plot. The first few pages are tense. (Then I read the ending.) The worst scenes involve (1) up-chucking after drinking and (2)Carrie falling asleep on disgusting ancient orange shag motel carpet. Plot has some tension, but no blood, gore, or violence.
In the first pages we learn: Carrie is running away from something at home (Toronto). The car breaks down in an isolated area. Girl in dangerous situation does stereotypically dumb-girl thing: she stops to pee -- and makes a phone call before she finishes & has her pants up. Of course someone comes along: A guy in a truck that paints lines on the highway (hence, the title). Have to read some tense pages before we have a better idea of what is happening. Tense episodes recur periodically. Author dribbles out details of why Carrie is running away. Characters spend/waste a lot of time smoking in freezing weather.
Does not have a 'happy ever after, heartwarming, all faith in humanity restored' ending. Does have an ending -- not depressing or vague -- appropriate to the characters and plot. A sequel or series is unlikely.
Good to know: Transport Ontario provides appropriately warm coats for its crews.
