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    Mosquitoland
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    Mosquitoland
    Unavailable
    Mosquitoland
    Audiobook8 hours

    Mosquitoland

    Written by David Arnold

    Narrated by Phoebe Strole

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    I am a collection of oddities, a circus of neurons and electrons: my heart is the ringmaster, my soul is the trapeze artist, and the world is my audience. It sounds strange because it is, and it is, because I am strange.

    After the sudden collapse of her family, Mim Malone is dragged from her home in northern Ohio to the "wastelands" of Mississippi, where she lives in a medicated milieu with her dad and new stepmom. Before the dust has a chance to settle, she learns her mother is sick back in Cleveland.

    So she ditches her new life and hops aboard a northbound Greyhound bus to her real home and her real mother, meeting a quirky cast of fellow travelers along the way. But when her thousand-mile journey takes a few turns she could never see coming, Mim must confront her own demons, redefining her notions of love, loyalty, and what it means to be sane.

    Told in an unforgettable, kaleidoscopic voice, Mosquitoland is a modern American odyssey, as hilarious as it is heartbreaking.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMar 3, 2015
    ISBN9781101890929
    Unavailable
    Mosquitoland
    Author

    David Arnold

    David Arnold has been the senior pastor of Community Christian Church in Columbus, OH for the past 10 years. Born in 1955 he did not accept Christ as his savior until 1987. Before that he was a wretched sinner. Since his salvation he spent 12 years on the road with his wife Cathy. She would sing country gospel and he would preach in nearly every setting and church imaginable. God has blessed him with a beautiful wife and daughter, a loving congregation, friends he can rely on and 3 wonderful cats.  

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    Reviews for Mosquitoland

    4/5

    193 ratings23 reviews

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    • 3/5
      For more reviews, gifs, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.Mosquitoland is a book I was deeply unsure about, because I just wasn’t sure if it would be a Christina book. I was lured in by the adorable cover, and the reviews which talked about how character-driven the novel is. Going with the audiobook version was partially convenience and partially the fact that I thought it might be a better choice for me. I’ve listened to Phoebe Strole before and thought she did a nice job, so it couldn’t hurt. In the end, Mosquitoland was indeed not a perfect book for me personally, but it was quirky, fun, and kept my attention.Mim (Mary Iris Malone) does have an incredibly strong, unique voice. She is, pun intended, quite a character. It’s one of those funny cases where Mim and I have a lot in common, but we’re still so incredibly different that I didn’t see much of myself in her. Mim’s socially awkward, not shy with her opinions, and possessed of an impressive vocabulary. There’s something acerbic about her. That voice is crucial because, without that strong voice as an anchor, this book would not have worked, because it is WEIRD.A lot books are weird. Believe me, I’ve read enough of them to know, but this one still had me raising my eyebrows at my iPod in wonderment because seriously wut. There’s something almost cinematic in Mosquitoland. It’s like a hipster version of some sort of drunken goofball comedy, only they’re drunk on life and companionship, no alcohol. I don’t know if that makes any damn sense.Mim bounces like a pinball off of bumpers (terrible circumstances) and flippers (kindred spirits). The purpose of Mim’s trip is to see her mother, kept from her since her dad and step-mother moved them to Mississippi, aka Mosquitoland. Armed with money stolen from her step-mother, she gets on a Greyhound and goes. Everything else is a bit on drugs. Still, I do think that the bumpers and flippers on her bouncing journey are a pretty good metaphor for Mim really encountering life, even if things are much more dramatic than in real life. She’s confronting the worst of life and learning important lessons, like the fact that those things are surmountable if you surround yourself with good people you can count on.The actual plot isn’t the strongest part of the book. From a couple chapters in, I could have predicted most of the ending, the fact that the book would be about Mim needing to reevaluate people. Like most road trip novels, Mosquitoland isn’t about the destination but the journey. Anyone would be changed by that hellish trip. I mean, jesus. Here’s a little list of some things that will happen on Mim’s journey: -Mim will fuck up a bus toilet. -One of Mim’s new friends will die. -A gross man will try to force himself on Mim. -Mim will befriend a homeless kid. -Mim will draw lipstick on her face many times. On purpose. -Barfing. Lots and lots of barfing.Those are just a few of the things that happen. It’s not that any one element couldn’t happen but holy shit that’s so much stuff for such a short book. It did make the book hard to put down because I was so fascinated about what the heck would happen next. At the same time, it was hard to take it seriously sometimes.Mosquitoland reminded me somewhat of Wild Awake, not in plot, but in how odd and quirktastic both novels are. There’s a very specific sort of appeal to Mosquitoland, so, if you think it sounds like your sort of book, it probably is. Go get it!
    • 2/5
      I really wasn't that excited about reading this book. I hate the front cover and am not a fan of road trips. Unfortunately, "Mosquitoland" lived up to my expectations. Mim annoyed me and I never really connected with her. Ho hum!
    • 4/5
      Mary Iris Malone, Mim for short, finds a letter from her ailing mom and takes off on a greyhound bus out of Mississippi to reunite with her mother in Cleveland. On the road she meets many interesting characters, takes a few detours, and makes a few friends along the way. I loved Mim's odd and quirky sense of humor! A fun adventure/roadtrip story about a young girl trying to make sense of her own "craziness" and finding her true self along the way. - SBI agree! I really enjoyed this book. I laughed out loud at some parts. This book has some great characters and really speaks to the power of finding your people. -EC
    • 5/5
      Loved it. It was bit difficult for me to get into the head of Mim but once in, man I loved it so so so much. I want more YA books like this.
    • 2/5
      A lot of asides with fat shaming and fat phobia turned me off of this book.
    • 4/5
      Mim runs away from her father and stepmother to find her mother who she hasn't heard from in 3 weeks. En route she meets both dangerous and good people, makes friends, and learns truths about her family.
    • 4/5
      Excellent writing. Smart and insightful.
    • 5/5
      We meet Mim Malone as she is catching a Greyhound bus to leave her new home in Mississippi (Mosquitoland), where she lives with her dad and new stepmom. After learning that her mom is sick, she has decided to return to Ohio. During her eventful trip, we learn more about Mim even as she learns more about herself and the circumstances that led to her move to Mosquitoland. Key to the story are two people who join Mim on the journey, and it is in the way that she relates to them that we learn the most about Mim. I rooted for Mim from beginning to end!
    • 4/5
      I have mixed feelings about Mosquitoland. The writing was engaging and the characters were fun, making it overall very enjoyable, which is why I'm rating it so high. I don't know if I liked some of the messages, though. Mim giving up on her pills felt a little too dismissive of the perils of clinical depression to me, and I also thought she got a little unbelievable at some times, like the author's non-teenage girl-ness was REALLY transparent. I'll probably give it a reread after a while and re-evaluate, though.
    • 5/5
      This is an extremely well-written book about a teen, fearing losing her sanity like her mother, runs away from her dad and his new family in search of her mother who she fears needs her help to survive. Along the way she meets some incredible people and has some amazing adventures. She also discovers some truths about herself and those around her, especially the meaning of family. Great read.
    • 5/5
      I'm generally not one to hand out 5 star reviews. And, while not every single word was absolute gold, _Mosquitoland_ (by David Arnold) was pretty darn spectacular!_Mosquitoland_ is a road-trip-coming-of-age-life-may-NOT-be-what-it-seems novel. It is in turns funny, desperate, familiar and lonely. Sure, Mim doesn't always sound like a 16 year old girl (although she sure does sound familiar), Beck is a little too perfect and smooth, Walt a little too innocent - but they work, the story works, and, even if you cannot completely relate to the specific events, the feelings behind them are universal.This is a fantastic YA book, worthy of your time and recommended for grades 8+.
    • 4/5
      Life is challenging, unpredictable, full of ups and downs for almost anyone, and Mim, a 16 year old trying to find her balance after the collapse of her parent's marriage, has every right to feel a little unsettled. Add in there that she's been moved almost a thousand miles from the home, and mother, she loves, to Mississippi, with her father and new stepmother she's not particularly keen on, and that her mother is no longer in contact with her, and it's no wonder she's a little rocky. Then she finds out her mom is sick. What Mim decides to do is head back to Ohio, on her own, to find her mother and help her. It's a saga of Greyhound bus rides, eccentric fellow travelers, kindness of strangers, cruelty of others, and even fireworks at a baseball game. It's rooting for the underdog, protecting friends, and finding your balance. It's a great tale (and great cover art). And, in the context of the story, has one of the best couple of closing lines I've seen in a novel.tags: read-on-recommendation, 2016-read, thank-you-charleston-county-library, great-title, ya-lit, i-liked-it, great-cover
    • 3/5
      Mary Iris Malone is a collection of oddities and a circus of neurons and electrons. Her family was never perfect, but she wasn't prepared for it to fall suddenly apart. She also wasn't prepared for her father to force her to relocate with him to Mississippi (AKA Mosquitoland) where he suddenly married the waitress from Denny's. Meanwhile, she hasn't heard from her mother in weeks...She sets off across the country to reunite with her mother, who she fears may be sick, encountering a cast of characters along the way.
    • 4/5
      Mim has such an authentic voice. This was a terrific novel. The journey had twists and turns that were unexpected, delightful, and heartbreaking.
    • 3/5
      Saw this on a list of books to watch for in 2015. Mim, whose name is really Mary Iris Malone, is one the lam. She istaking a Greyhound bus up to Cleveland to see her mom, her dad and stop mom having moved her to Mississippi. Mim's story is told partly through her journal and partly through real time. Mim was just a little too much for me, a lot of metaphors and similies to make up a larger than life whole. I stuck with it (and it moved up to three stars) because I did, in the end, want to know what happened to Mim, Walt and Beck. And to find out for sure who Isabel was.
    • 5/5
      Lovely book, great for John Green fans. Mim is a great character and I haven't been able to stop listening to this book!
    • 4/5
      Unbelievable odyssey

      Full review to follow. At the moment I need the ridiculousness of the story to marinate. A thought provoking YA novel that doesn't disappoint.
    • 5/5
      When a family member has mental illness and your dad is convinced you have inherited it, your confidence suffers. When your new stepmother is trying to keep you from having contact with your mom and you have no idea why, you’ll have trouble bonding. When you take matters into your own hands, steal some money, get a on a Greyhound bus headed to Ohio and your mother, people might think your dad is right. Meet Mim.As Mim travels, she meets a variety of zany characters that keep the pages turning. Along the way, Mim writes a series of letters that reveal quite a lot about herself and her family. As the reader comes to understand Mim, it’s hard not to love her.
    • 4/5
      Mosquitoland is the story of 16 year old Mim’s cross country journey to escape from her new blended family and reconnect with her estranged mother. The experiences she has on her journey and the varied cast of characters she meets along the way, help her to understand who she is and what is important to her. Who she is turns out to be a teen dealing with her own mental illness from a family with more than its share of mental health afflictions. She is also a teen who comes to understand how love and friendship, no matter how unlikely or unexpected, can help heal someone.Points off for (SPOILER) having Mim abruptly chuck out her meds at the end of the story. While it makes for a dramatic moment, it seems irresponsible given the teen audience of this book. Arnold does warn strongly against taking such action in the Q&A section of the paperback version though.
    • 5/5
      MOSQUITOLAND by David Arnold follows the gripping journey of a teen runaway on a thousand mile quest to visit her mother.From mental illness and substance abuse to divorce and evolving relationships, this well-written, young adult novel offers the full range of emotions alternating between moments of hilarious self-discovery and overwhelming melancholy. Through interesting narrative, snarky monologues and heartfelt letters, Mim reveals layers of her personality and an engaging backstory that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.Arnold’s quirky characters and witty narrative will appeal to teens seeking a contemporary novel with depth. Mim’s doubts about her own stability and confusion about her relationship with adults will strike a cord with many teen readers.Librarians are always looking for works of realistic fiction that contain the depth of emotion that many teen readers seek. Mim’s journey and specifically her struggle to understand her own sanity will be a draw for the ya audience.Road stories represent a popular sub-genre for teens. Add this to your library’s collection of books that reflect both physical and spiritual journeys. Published by Viking March 3, 2015.
    • 5/5
      There’s no place like home... Sometimes that’s true and ways so many this can be taken. “Mosquitoland” by David Arnold toys around with this notion when 16 year old Mim takes to the road on a Greyhound bus journeying to what she used to call home and who she used to call mom. Armed with a coffee can of money, letters, a P.O. box address, her Abilify perscription and her mom’s red lipstick which she refers to as, “warpaint”, Mim peels back the layers of her life as she weans herself from her medication. Even with one eye and declining medication, Mim sees herself for the very first time.During her journey Mim meets many of the dangers awaiting runaways and some of the joys too. The characters on Mim’s journey drive her self discovery as she learns to protect, defend herself and survive. Some of the characters include Poncho Man who’s a predator and Arlene an elderly woman carrying a mysterious box to be delivered to her estranged nephew. Characters such as these help Mim to see that she is capable even with blindness in one eye.Due to an accident and further impending danger, Mim is sidetracked from her Point A to Point B destination and during this time she meets Walt who maintains special needs and beautiful innocence. She and Walt become travel companions and connect with who becomes her first love, Beck. Living off the proceeds from her step mom’s coffee can of money the three of them cross state borders and through their meaningful, sensitive friendships learn further who they are and how they’ve become that way. Heartbeats away from her mom, Mim makes a startling discovery which crystallizes her new view of herself and everything around her. In an era of micro-parenting, medicating children, and heightened parental narcissism, Arnold without dystopia gives us insight into feelings belonging to emerging adults during their individuation process. He shows us that while there are poor choices and a few bad people, the world is still a good place to discover ourselves in.
    • 5/5
      ‘Life is a journey, not a destination’ is one of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s well known remarks and is so true for Mosquitoland by David Arnold because the end is somewhat predictable and anticlimactic (however, there is a small surprise thrown in).Mary Iris Malone (Mim) is the main character and for a while you are not sure of her age. The book begins with a letter she is writing on September 2 to an unknown Isabel. She explains that a month earlier her father, soon after a divorce from her mother Eve, married Kathy and moved the new family from Ashland, OH to Jackson, MI (Mosquitoland). She further explains that she was called into school principal Schwartz’s office of her new school but before entering she overhears a conversation he is having with Kathy and her father, Barry, in which she hears Kathy say that “We all just want Eve to get better, you know?”From that small snippet of conversation, Mim deduces that Eve is ill and needs her help. On the spur of the moment she decides to go to her mother in Cleveland, calmly walks out of the school and heads home (hoping she’s got a reasonable head start before Kathy and Barry realize she is not appearing in the principal’s office). She steals a coffee can with money from Kathy’s dresser and heads to the Greyhound bus station, purchasing a ticket to Cleveland.The remainder of the book is Mim’s accounting of her journey, interspersed with letters to Isabel and reminiscences of how ‘into the moment’ her mother was as contrasted with her father who was more straight-laced. Along the way she meets a variety of people beginning with Arlene, her seatmate on the bus who Mim describes as “…a Grande Dame from the Old School, if ever there was one”, Beckett Van Buren, her heartthrob, Walt a Down’s Syndrome boy she takes a liking to as well as a variety of malevolent creatures.Of course there are a few epiphanies along the way about family and friends.What makes this book so enjoyable is Arnold’s unique writing style. He knows how to turn a phrase, such as The Leaning Tower of Tuft, referring to the bus driver whose tuft of hair Mim sees before seeing the man himself. Or here, in the second letter to Isabel, “I am a collection of oddities, a circus of neurons and electrons: my heart is the ringmaster, my soul is the trapeze artist, and the world is my audience. It sounds strange because it is, and it is, because I am strange.”Mosquitoland is an enchanting journey with remarkable characters.
    • 2/5
      Way too satisfied with its own cleverness. Also, it's pretty mean, despite wanting to be brimming with kindness and good feelings.

      Oh, and when most of your 16-year-old female protag's thoughts, feelings, and music preferences sound like a 30-something man, you've done something wrong.