Travis MulhauserBesprekingen

This is a STUNNING debut featuring a marvelous, scrappy, deep teen heroine, Percy. Every line is a master class in character and the book's gripping emotional landscape. The structure is solid, page-turning perfection. The book is funny, heart-breaking, thrilling. I think Mulhauser is a disciple of one of my other writing icons, Charles Portis (and one of his deeply flawed heroes is named "Portis"). Mattie Ross ([b:True Grit|257845|True Grit|Charles Portis|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1436277655s/257845.jpg|1320617] speaks through Percy as she struggles to save a baby in the pitiless northwest Michigan winter. The story veers into almost fairy-tale-like territory after Percy is prevented from reaching a hospital and must deal with neverending snow, rampaging meth addicts, hired killers and trucks stuck in the deepening drifts. This one's going on my classics shelf along with [b:To Kill a Mockingbird|2657|To Kill a Mockingbird|Harper Lee|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361975680s/2657.jpg|3275794], [b:The Lovely Bones|12232938|The Lovely Bones|Alice Sebold|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1457810586s/12232938.jpg|1145090] and [b:A River Runs Through It and Other Stories|30043|A River Runs Through It and Other Stories|Norman Maclean|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386924914s/30043.jpg|2455271].

My first 'mystery' novel from Blind Date with a Book, and such a good selection! I don't know if I would ever have chosen to read a book like this, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

'Everything got sideways,' he said. 'It all got twisted around.' So says one of the characters in this quirky adventure, and I couldn't put it better myself. Sixteen year old Percy James heads through the snow in northern Michigan to find her estranged doped-up mother at a notorious dealer's house, and instead finds a neglected baby freezing to death by an open window. Instead of returning to her truck and driving to hospital, Percy sets off on foot with the baby to her mother's ex boyfriend, Portis Dale, seeking help. When she changes the baby's nappy, they find terrible sores on her body and realise she needs urgent medical attention, but Portis' truck is also parked miles away. So they have to hike through the woods, in a blizzard, with a malnourished baby. And then they realise that Shelton Potter, the dealer living with the baby's drug addict mother, is coming to get the baby back.

A breathless blend of True Grit and Fargo, I found myself instantly caught up in Percy's (mis)adventures - all she wanted to do was keep the baby safe from her whacked-out mother, only to find herself on the run from a dangerous and completely unstable man, in sub-zero temperatures, hiking across treacherous terrain in unsuitable footwear. Whatever happened to just calling the police? Percy is a great character with a pioneer spirit and a wry sense of humour, and Portis is equally droll but also full of midwestern wisdom. I even felt sorry for addle-brained Shelton, mourning the death of his dog and trying to do the best by the baby and his mother. There is a lot of substance abuse in this book, but I'm guessing there's not a lot more to do in small, cold town.

This is the author's debut novel, but I would definitely read more of his work. Recommended.

Oh my word. Travis Mulhauser!

Signs of a great writer:

1) The ability to horrify the reader with what's happening while making them laugh. Check.
2) Writing from first person POV and swapping with third person - and reader doesn't care/notice/give a damn. Check.
3) Writes about what's happening to his characters in such a way the reader rubs her toes, thinking they too are frost bit. Check.

I read this while flying to and from New Orleans for the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance. It was the perfect airport/plane seat read because I had no clue I was trapped in such crowded conditions. Nope. I was in Michigan with Percy, Shelton (Jughead!), Portis, and all the others.

Die 16jährige Percy hat es nicht leicht. Den Vater hat sie nie kennengelernt, ihre ältere Schwester ist weggezogen und ihre Mutter Carletta ist drogenabhängig. Aber Percy ist auch verantwortungsvoll. Um den Lebensunterhalt sicherzustellen, arbeitet sie statt die Schule zu besuchen, und sie ist in ständiger Sorge um ihre Mutter. Wieder einmal ist diese verschwunden, und Percy macht sich auf die Suche nach Carletta. So kommt sie zum Haus des Dealers Shelton, der selbst drogenabhängig ist, und findet dort eine Baby neben der mit Drogen zugeknallten Mutter. Das Kind ist total verwahrlost und stark unterkühlt. Percy nimmt das Baby an sich, um es ins Krankenhaus zu bringen. Aber sie wird verfolgt und muss durch Schneesturm und unwegsames Gelände flüchten. Unterstützung erhält sie von ihrem alkoholabhängigen Ziehvater Portis.
Das Buch lässt sich sehr gut und flüssig lesen. Wir lernen die Geschichte aus der Perspektive von Percy kenne und aus Sheltons Sicht.
Mit tat Percy leid, die so viel Verantwortung für ihre Mutter übernehmen muss, dabei sollte es doch eigentlich umgekehrt sein. Kaum hat sie das Baby gesehen, fühlt sie sich auch dafür verantwortlich und ganz gleich, welche Hindernisse sich ihr in den Weg stellen, sie will das Baby retten. Dabei ist es nicht nur die Natur, die es ihr schwer macht, auch Drogendealer Shelton ist unberechenbar. Aber da er ziemlich unterbelichtet ist, wirkt er oft gar nicht so bedrohlich. Aber auch die anderen Verfolger sind drogenbedingt nicht besonders helle.
Ich wollte wissen, ob es Percy gelingt, das Kind zu retten, konnte es mir aber kaum vorstellen, da die Flucht langwierig und schwierig ist, das Kind aber nicht für die Wetterverhältnisse angezogen und die Versorgung äußerst dürftig ist. Doch ich will hier nicht verraten, wie die Geschichte endet. Doch dass es dabei Tote gibt, verrät schon der Klappentext.
Die Geschichte ist spannend, aber nicht durchgehend. Es passieren manchmal unerwartete Dinge, doch ist auch sehr vieles vorhersehbar. Obwohl manches auch witzig ist, überwiegt das Tragische in dieser Geschichte.
Ich fand das Buch interessant, aber dennoch konnte es mich nicht hundertprozentig packen.

I think SWEETGIRL was a Michigan Notable book a couple years back, and deservedly so. Travis Mulhauser is quite a writer. This story of drug addicts and crazies in northern Michigan is just one hell of a ride. Its heroine, 16 year-old Percy James, is doing her best to rise above her roots and her meth-addicted mother. And then suddenly there's this screaming, neglected baby that she finds in a meth house, and of course she has to rescue it, and it all takes place in the midst of a raging northern blizzard. And therein hangs this tale - a barreling, non-stop ride of terror and tenderness, leavened with chuckles and amazement at the stupidity & brain-scrambled, drug-addled madness of Shelton Potter, a 'big-headed' villain you can't quite bring yourself to hate. And there's Portis, the closest thing to a father that Percy's ever known, whose wisdom and love shows through the cracks of his whiskey-soaked sadness.

And speaking of Portis, you can't help but think of TRUE GRIT's heroine as you share Percy's flight through the snow-covered woods seeking aid for the baby she's grabbed and run with. I thought too of another classic thriller, John Smolens' chilling Upper Peninsula novel, COLD. Or another winter chiller that came to mind was Bill Roorbach's THE REMEDY FOR LOVE. But that's just me - always looking for comparisons. This Mulhauser guy, he's got his own writing chops. He's damn good. I enjoyed the hell outa this book. Very highly recommended.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the Michigan memoir, REED CITY BOY

So, I am standing in the stacks of my local library trying to find something to read. I want something uplifting but not trite; no chick lit, no WW2, no books about people in India, Afghanistan, no Vietnam War, no sexual abuse....and I pick up [b:Sweetgirl|25817448|Sweetgirl|Travis Mulhauser|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1438643492s/25817448.jpg|45264436].

This book sounded like everything I was not in the mood for; meth addicts, neglected children, an abandoned baby, violence, a snow storm, and a "life and death struggle". Perfect!??? Well, I vaguely remembered reading great reviews about this book so I took it home, started to read and never put it down!

To avoid plot spoilers, I will just say that this book is funny and terrifying, gripping and heartwarming. I could not stop reading as the story took off at full speed and rarely slowed down. The main character is meant to be played by (a younger) Jennifer Lawrence, the supporting characters could be plucked from TV shows like Justice and Breaking Bad. All are memorable and well developed.

What surprised me most was the dark humour, I never felt despair when reading, even though the scenes were desperate. Travis Mulhauser can write, he has a deft touch and bring the characters, the setting, the circumstances and even the snow, to life. There are non-human characters that are as well drawn as their human companions.

Strange as it may seem, this is a very uplifting book! Looking forward to Mulhauser's next work!

This is pretty good, especially for a debut, and if I'd been feeling slightly more generous I would have bumped it up to four. Percy is a great character with a well-realized voice, and the story -- which revolves around a baby that Percy kidnaps or rescues (depending on your perspective) from a negligent mother -- is simple but compelling. But I don't think that the mix of third-person and first-person works (if Dickens can't sell me on it in Bleak House, I'm not going to buy it here, but that may be a personal issue) and I thought the ending was a bit of a mess.

At sixteen, Percy is more grown up than most at her age. Her mother is a meth addict, who has disappeared. Percy goes to the dealer's house to find her mother but instead comes across an unattended baby. She takes the baby and beings a journey through a wild blizzard to get the baby to safety.

A great debut novel!

Dieses Jugendbuch wurde überall recht positiv besprochen, so dass es in unserem Korsika-Urlaub auch alle lesen wollten, zuerst mein Mann, dann ich und nun meine Tochter.
Und es ist wirklich ein tolles Buch. Die sechzehnjährige Percy hat die Schule geschmissen um sich um ihre drogenabhängige Mutter zu kümmern. Auch zu Beginn des Buches ist sie auf der Suche nach ihr, doch sie beim Dealer ihrer Mutter findet sie ein verwahrlostes Baby. Dieses möchte sie retten, sie nimmt es mit und will es in die Notaufnahme bringen.
In Michigan ist aber ein unglaublicher Schneesturm und Sheldon, der Dealer, merkt irgendwann auch, dass das Baby verschwunden ist.
Das Buch ist spannend und aberwitzig. Die Charaktere sind super gezeichnet - bis hin zu Baby Jenna. Percy ist ein starkes Mädchen, ohne Selbstmitleid macht sie sich Gedanken. Ihr Verständnis ihrer eigenen Chancen und Grenzen ist erstaunlich. Ich mochte aber auch die Darstellung des Dealers Sheldon, seine Eitelkeit, seine Unsicherheit. Dass man Carlettas Exfreund Portis einfach lieben muss, ist sowieso klar. Der Autor hat die Milieus, in denen das Buch spielt, sehr gut erfasst. Er erzählt eine schöne Geschichte von Erwachsenwerden und Abnabelung, mit einer ungewöhnlichen Handlung.
Und am Ende laufen die Tränen...

A surehanded debut with a lean, quickly moving plot, good characters and an effective setting. The only thing that took me out of the experience was the dialogue, fabulous and pithy, but possibly a little more polished than you would actually hear coming out of the mouths of methheads, old Michigander alcoholics and a careworn but spunky teen dropout. It was like a book (a pretty good one, really) peopled entirely by Boyd Crowders.

This is pretty good, especially for a debut, and if I'd been feeling slightly more generous I would have bumped it up to four. Percy is a great character with a well-realized voice, and the story -- which revolves around a baby that Percy kidnaps or rescues (depending on your perspective) from a negligent mother -- is simple but compelling. But I don't think that the mix of third-person and first-person works (if Dickens can't sell me on it in Bleak House, I'm not going to buy it here, but that may be a personal issue) and I thought the ending was a bit of a mess.

A promising debut novel. If one wants a "genre" classifications, I'd call this "grit lit plus chick lit" but it's so much more. Library book.

Sweetgirl by Travis Mulhauser is a highly recommended debut novel of suspense set during a blizzard in Northern Michigan. Read this one with a blanket and a warm beverage nearby.

Percy James, 16, drives off to try and find her meth addicted mother, Carletta, just as a blizzard bears down on the northern Michigan woods. Percy checks out the cabin of known cooker and dealer Sheldon Potter. After having to abandon her truck a mile or so from the house, Percy sets off on foot. When she arrives she doesn't find Carletta; instead she sees Sheldon passed out with his girlfriend in the living room. Thinking her mother might still be there in another room, Percy sneaks inside and heads upstairs. What she finds is a dead dog in one room and a baby in the other. In the baby's room the crib, with the name Jenna written on it, is by an open window where the cold and snow are rushing inside.

Deciding that someone needs to save baby Jenna, who Percy nicknames Sweetgirl, Percy grabs the baby and the bag nearby. She's going to go get this baby to safety while still trying to find her mother. Percy heads on foot carrying Jenna to the cabin of Portis Dale, an ex-boyfriend to her mother and the closest thing to a father that Percy has ever had. She and Portis then take off, battling the elements and trying to hide from the criminal thugs Sheldon has sent out to look for the baby after he woke up and found her gone. You read that right. After Sheldon comes to and realizes the baby is gone, he tries to find thugs beholden to his uncle to help him look for her before he takes off in a snowmobile to find her too.

Sheldon Potter is a foolish man and his constant drug usage is addling his thinking. Portis is a hard drinking, but caring, philosopher. Percy is a sixteen-year-old who is wise beyond her years and a scrappy fighter. She is a protagonist that you will be cheering for as she tries to overcome the elements and other forces against her while saving little Jenna. Having the blizzard bearing down on them and bad guys after them creates more obstacles, problems, and difficulties getting to the proper authorities or finding some help.

Chapters alternate between Percy and Sheldon, creating a tension as you follow what is happening. I'm going to have to admit that there were a few things that seemed a bit too pat, like Sheldon's tenaciousness and ability to get around even as he constantly is getting a buzz from something. The biggest stretch of credulity is Percy's inability to get help in this day and age. Sure, most of us would use our cell phones and call for help but Carletta (conveniently) sold Percy's and Portis, naturally, doesn't have one.

The writing is quite good, which really elevates the plot above a cliche'. The setting also does this as one doesn't usually think of meth cooking going on in the woods of northern Michigan. But Percy, however, is the real winner here. She is a great character and this acts as a thriller, as well as a coming-of-age novel. I liked the ending very much and hope to read more from Millhauser in the future.

Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of HarperCollins for review purposes.

http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/2016/01/sweetgirl.html

Somethings did not add up. Such as the length of the hikes the protagonist took to 1) get from the crack-farm to her mother's ex-boy friend home. She stated it was 1/2 mile but the trek was endless. 2) the trek from ex-boyfriends house to his truck which was parked away from his house. They hiked for hours! Noted there was snow and it was Michigan and dead winter. 3) How does a crack head mother not freeze in a blizzard also wandering around lost in a druged haze. 4) why not hop on the abandoned snow mobile? I know it's just me but stuff like that bugs the liver lips out of me.

5) everyone's trucks worked and operated in the snow including the crack mom's bonnieville! !!!!! But the ex boyfriend manages to drive off the road and get stuck.

I read this quickly and the writing is compelling, interesting and fast paced. I cared about the characters and envisioned the cast of Justified as I raced through the book. I was particularly impressed with the ex's vocabulary though it was never explained in a back story. Which actually makes the story better.

A very good first book.

The first thing I noticed about this book was how wonderfully it was written, the words and the plot just flowed aimlessly. Nothing was forced, it was all as natural as a story being told to one person by another. Another thing was the location, grit lit in Northern Michigan. Love it! The characters, Percy and Portis are both very memorable characters. Percy, sixteen years old with way to much responsibility for one so young, trying to take care of her mother who is hooked on drugs and alcohol. Portis, a man who despite his addictions is a stand up guy, one who is there in pinch, always available to help Percy. He really tries to help her, and will pay heavily.

This is an adventure story but also a character study. Drugs, addictions, the harm and sorrow they cause to others and to themselves. So incredibly powerful that even though they wish they were different, could change, that the rough circumstances they find themselves in could be alleviated,they are unable to get out from under the drugs spell. There are bad guys in this novel certainly, but bad guys who it seems wish they weren't.

The book ends on a very hopeful note, that Percy might manage to escape the dire future that seems to beckon and have a fulfilling life. This is a novel about caring, doing the right thing and the hardships and brutality reality of addictions. Brilliant.

ARc from publisher.