It's a lot easier to be lost than found. It's the reason we're always searching, and rarely discovered--so many locks, not enough keys.

I read Sarah Dessen's latest novel, Lock and Key, and loved it. Seriously, I'm starting to think I should check out more of her books, because each of them is amazing and unique in its own way.

The main character of this book is Ruby, a seventeen-year-old girl who's been abandoned by her mother. At first she tries living alone, thinking no one would be any the wiser, but soon her landlords understand the situation and report her. After a while, Ruby is sent to live with her sister Cora and brother-in-law Jamie. Cora left the family to go to college and never gave news about hersef again, so the relationship between the two sisters is a bit strained, especially because Runy is well determined to make it on her own without accepting anyone's help. Ruby finds herself suddenly in a new world--living in a big house and in a rich neighbourhood, going to an exclusive private school, being able to consider applying to college for the first time.

The main theme of the book is family. Ruby has to do a proejct about it for school, and struggles to find a definition for the term throughout the book. In the end, that's what she decides:

What is family? There were the people who claimed you. In good, in bad, in parts or in whole, they were the ones who showed up, who stayed there, regardless.

Another theme of the book is change. Ruby's condition changes in an instant, from poor girl struggling to make it on her own to rich girl enjoying a number of privileges. Yet it takes much longer to change yourself. As Ruby learns, there's a big difference between being given help and being able to accept it. And sometimes, it takes reaching out to someone else to save yourself.

I loved this book. I think Sarah Dessen's writing is equally appealing both to teens and to adults. I'd recommend this book to anyone.

Other blog reviews:

• The Reading Zone
• Reviewer X
• Sticky Feet
• Reading Mania