A review by annaavian
Raft of Stars by Andrew J. Graff

4.0

Two boys involved in a shooting flee into the Wisconsin Northwoods and build a raft to escape down a raging river. At first I thought that this kind of story won’t be something I would enjoy because I’m not a big fan of YA novels but I was pleasantly surprised. This is a large-hearted debut novel about survival, courage and friendship that plays out in a wild, intriguing setting. The characters enter the woods broken and numbed but amid the wilderness they don’t lose themselves, nor do they turn against one another. Instead, they open up and cry, revealing their regrets, fears and needs. At the end they not only survive, but they all become bigger and better versions of themselves.