Preteen Mila travels with her father Gil from London to New
York. A scheduled trip to see Gil's old friend Matthew becomes complicated when
the friend goes missing right before their arrival.
Mila grows more puzzled as she narrates her thoughts through
the search. Slowly, her eyes are opened
to the sadness and betrayal of the adults around her. "A week ago America felt like the
friendliest place in the world but I am starting to see the darkness everywhere
I look. The worst thing is, I don't think it is America. I think it is
me."
Even while meeting various people Matthew has left behind,
Mila is also trying to comfort her friend back home whose parents are splitting
up. Near the end of her trip, she says, "I want to go back to being a
child." The irony being she has been sent with her absent minded father to
keep track of their passports and make sure they eat meals on time.
All is not doom and gloom, however. There are lighter moments when Mila's every encounter with an American elicits a comment on her "accent." She also finds an ally in a boy around her age who bolsters her spirits with well-timed texts. And finally Matthew's dog serves as a loyal traveling companion whose care often draws the humans out of themselves for a little while.
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