A review by nataliebootlah
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

adventurous slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

After serving time in a juvenile detention center for involuntary manslaughter, Emmett is sent back home to Nebraska where his younger brother Billy awaits him. Eager to start afresh, Emmett’s plan is pack up the farm, pay off his father’s debts, and get the hell out of dodge. His plan goes sideways when two of his fellow detention center buddies show up after secretly hitching a ride in the warden’s trunk when Emmett was dropped off. 

And so the four boys — Emmett, Billy, Duchess, and Woolly — set off on a roadtrip across the country. Emmett is keen on dropping Duchess and Woolly off at the train station so they can head to NYC in search of Woolly’s inheritance while himself and Billy head to California. And of course everything that can go bad, does go bad for Emmett. 

Told from many different characters, The Lincoln Highway is the tale of four boys and the trouble they get into. While I didn’t connect with the story, the writing was still enjoyable and the ending was a surprise. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings