Getaway, zoje stage,author: Brittany Pressley, narrator
When the Beck Blum arranges a hike with her sister Imogen and their friend Tilde, they are exposed to unexpected dangers. They go into the desert of Arizona for a week. They take no creature comforts with them. Phones are forbidden. They will carry their supplies and sleep in the open air. Beck and Imogen had lots of experience camping, but Tilde is a novice.
Imogen, an author, has had to deal with many traumas in her life, including a terrorist attack at the synagogue she attended. She seems timid and has not been very successful in overcoming her experiences and moving on. Beck, her sister, is a doctor. She is married to an African American woman who has had several miscarriages, but is now hopefully experiencing a viable pregnancy. Tilde, was born in the states but is of Mexican background. She is also a writer and has a large presence on social media. She is very pretty and far more fashionable and worldly than the Blum sisters. This hike in the desert will be harder for her. Tilda’s boyfriend is Muslim and they work to protect and support immigrants, legal and illegal.
When Imogen begins to note suspicious events, she voices her concern, but her sister dismisses her fear. This turns out to be a terrible mistake. Their supplies are ransacked, and they are soon taken captive by a man with a bullet wound. Beck treats his injury, but notices, as the others do, that he is mentally unstable. Imogen empathizes with his problems, but Tilda grows angry and resentful. They have each other, but she feels alone and wants to escape. They each learn the meaning of loyalty and courage as they learn about their own strengths and what they are capable of doing in order to survive.
The book is written around several progressive principles: immigration, the environment, education, religion, the “me too” issues, the power of women, gay marriage, prejudice, mental illness, gun control, interracial relationships, and drugs are just some of the areas touched upon. The story is tense and the pages turn themselves, but sometimes the characters seem like caricatures, and the plot seems a bit contrived and obvious.