Customer Reviews

Traveling Light

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's generally thought that the story of a man or woman "coming of age" is about their struggle to define themselves and their place in the world when they are young and moving into adulthood. Certainly that is true. But the process is one that never really ends. Things like injury, illness, or tragedy can force us to re-examine our lives and our place in the world.

Such is the story of Summer Zwolenick. An injury to her ankle has ended her promising dance career. Her brother is slowly losing his fight with AIDS. Her grandmother is losing a battle with cancer. Her new life as a teacher at a small-town school seems ungratifying to her. There is a lot to force her to re-examine who she is and where she's going. And she's made a promise to her brother. It's this promise that Summer is struggling to fulfill through out the book.

In her book, Kittle, manages to weave a heart-breaking tale of Summer's effort. The book is wonderful. The characters are rich and real. The book moves easily and effortlessly (sometimes impossible to put down). Summer's journey is touching, brazen, and thought provoking. It's examination of Summer's effort helps us to understand the delicate beauty of life and love and relationships. I highly recommend this book.

Summer Zwolenick believes that winter has permanently established a lifetime residency in her soul. Only three years ago, Summer made it into the New York Times as a rising ballet star, but her dreams ended with an injury. She returned to her Ohio hometown to teach school. Summer's brother Todd went to Hollywood only to return to the family horse farm to die from Aids. Even her relationship with Nicholas, who vows he loves her, seems lacking to the depressed Summer, who wakes up every morning wondering if Todd died and if not when will her beloved sibling leave her.

As Summer struggles with life and death, Todd's partner Jacob teaches everyone in the area how to love and be supportive of someone you care deeply for. Summer begins to understand what her father meant when he told her "travel light" as Jacob and Todd teach her what it's all about.

TRAVELING LIGHT is an excellent relationship drama that showcases a new talent, Katrina Kittle, for sub-genre fans to enjoy. The story line centers on Summer's comprehending life's meaning through her mentors, Jacob and Todd. Though the myriad of other subplots tie back to the main story line, they are engaging in of themselves. They add other social issues that somewhat negate the force of the prime tale. Still, Ms. Kittle demonstrates a wonderful ability to relate a complex novel that never turns too maudlin or preachy as she focuses on how fortunate we are in our seemingly darkest winter when we share love.

Although I sobbed my way through many chapters (especially the final few), this is, overall, quite an uplifting book. The lessons that Summer learns from her brother's illness and experiences are educational for all of us. Especially the key lesson referred to in the title: Travel light. In other words, get rid of all the excess baggage you're lugging around with you and focus on what's really important in life--doing what you enjoy and spending quality time with the people you love.

Some of the descriptions of the effects of AIDS on Summer's brother, Todd, are difficult to read; however, they must be included in order to fully appreciate the depth of the love between Todd and his partner, Jacob.

An excellent first novel! Can't wait to read the next...

"Travel light and you can sing in the robber's face." This quote is the catalyst on which this heart-rending story is based. A very sage, wise tale is adapted around the progtaginist, Summer, who is losing her beloved brother to AIDS. She battles lifetime insecurties as well, circumvented by other family relationships, and the tragic fall that breaks her ankle, along with professional dancing aspirations. Todd calls her home to help care for him in his last year. Going home means mending fences, making peace with the taunting past, and eliminating the negative refuse that clutters her future.

This novel is exquisite. The prose is lovely with inspiring quotes interspersed. The style is sharp, yet lyrical, and very honest. No easy answers, no pat solutions; truthful introspection is demanded. I loved this book. I loved it so much I read this 310 page tale in one sitting. It is not flawless, but the flaws are minimal, as the writing is so beautifully compelling. I see great things in the future for Katrina Kittle, and thank her profusely for this first effort.

Traveling Light has some great characters, Summer, Todd and Jacob in particular. I was so completely caught up in the story of Summer and her family, I finished the book the day I started it. The author explores some big ideas- the effects of discrimination, how to live in the moment even as someone you love is dying; but the details are what compelled me to keep reading. I loved the stories of life on a farm, the world of dance and theatre, the highs and lows of teaching, all the stories that brought each character to that point in time and propelled them forward.

I thought this book would be sad, and parts were sad. But Traveling Light is about life not death, and about family, the family you're born with and the family you choose. It is about the daily choices one makes to live. I highly recommend this book!

This book was amazing! The writer never fails to keep your heart involved in the book. The subjects of AIDS, homosexuality, heterosexuality, death, love, living life to its fullest, and forgiveness are all excellently weaved within the story. It is the first book that I became so emotionally involved with that I actually shed tears over. To me, that is a sign of a GREAT book! I am excited that this is a first novel for the author. I hope there are more.

This is a wonderful, thought provoking story of discovering what love really is, what makes a family a family and how acceptance is a part of each of these, acceptance of others and of self. It is the story of a young teacher named Summer who moves in with her dying brother to help care for him. Their parents live on a farm nearby and are taking care of the grandmother who has cancer. The story intertwines all the characters so beautifully, and each person is so real, so well developed that the story takes root in your heart. It deals with prejudices, and reverse prejudice (hating someone because they hate you) and seeing beyond those feelings to the humanity of each person. It is an uplifting story,(even though I cried through many parts,) and it was impossible to not continue reading this. This was one those stories that when you are away from the book, you continue to think about it. This was an excellent story.

"I woke and wondered if my brother was dead; gone before I could keep my promise": so starts Katrina Kittle's first novel Traveling Light. In this story of a young woman's experiences caring for her dying brother, we find out what that promise is and whether Summer Zwolenick will fulfill it. Along the journey, we meet a variety of well-drawn characters, both in and out of Summer's family; both human and animal. At the start of the novel, Summer, a once-promising dancer, now injured, is leaving her home and her lover Nicholas in Cincinnati, Ohio, to return to Old Mill, a small town near Dayton, to help care for Todd, who is dying of AIDS. We see enough of Nicholas to know early on that he is a supportive partner and a true soulmate to Summer. Yet Summer is not so sure -- she thinks she cannot make a commitment so long as she has Todd to consider. In fact, she seems to put everything "on hold," including her grading as an English teacher at her alma mater. The poems and other papers are put aside as she copes with hospitals and chemo treatments, a very strange family, and eventually her own memories and feelings. One of those poems is written by Zachary Hauser, a student who Summer assumes is another lovelorn admirer. In a clever bit of suspense, Kittle returns to the poem several times before she has Summer finally read it, an event which begins a parallel story to that of the young Todd and his "coming out" (another story rich in irony). As when reading a detective novel, the reader is pleased to have guessed Zach's intentions long before Summer does. Zachary's angst rings sadly true, as does the entire school subplot. Some of the richest characters in the novel are those non-humans: the cat, Cooper, who must be an old soul; the family's dogs and horses, whose caretaking provides some stability for Summer; and, most importantly, Chaos, the horse who tames Summer and shows her a new "gift." She, indeed, learns to deal with more than one kind of chaos. The most unique characters in the novel are those in Summer's family and extended family. Jacob, Todd's lover, epitomizes the understanding caregiver, who nonetheless is human. He shows anger at times, and even worries that he "can't do this." Kittle is not afraid to show this couple's anger as well as their love; in fact, some of the richest scenes are those in which they swear at each other viciously, and those in which make love tenderly. The reader "spies" on them along with Arnicia, Todd's attendant, and Summer as they share their nightly toast: "To this day, another day lived together, the one thousand nine hundred and eleventh day we've been together." This love between the two men becomes so perfect in Summer's mind that she cannot imagine hers being even half so good. As Todd's condition worsens, more family arrive, along with Summer's memories of them. The relationships between her sister Abby and the abusive Brad, and between Abby and Summer, bring even more realism to the story. We do not have a Donna Reed household here. Yet, they each do come to terms with who the other is. The best of the family reconciliations, however, is between Grandma Anna and Jacob. Anna goes from a very conservative attitude about gays -- especially regarding their marriage -- to one of acceptance when she, a concentration camp survivor, is taught what happened to homosexuals during Hitler's reign. Other characters undergo similar transformations, including that of the near-skinhead student Denny Robillard. Those transformations are not artificial, however, as each goes through a "trail by fire" to get there. Even Summer finally learns to let go. In fact, in the end, as Summer keeps her promise to Todd, Kittle keeps her promise to us: she reveals her many gifts as she teaches us how to "travel light."

This book is a love story on many levels. Summer is the key character of the novel. She has had to give up her life dream of becoming a dancer because of an injury. She returns to her hometown to care for her older brother Todd who is dying of AIDS. It is through this sibling relationship that we see the love and respect that they both have for one another and with the various members of their family.

We also get to witness the true love shared between Todd and his partner Jacob. They are true soul mates who love one another unconditionally. We also see the members of the family pull together and draw strength from each other through this entire ordeal.

This is a moving novel, one which made me laugh and cry. Todd, who is literally fading from life tries to teach Summer about love and life. He tells her to "travel light", to let go of the emotional baggage that is such a big part of her life. He wants her to fight for her love that she has with Nicholas, and learn to be happy. Indeed it's a lesson we can all learn from.

A touching story that I would definitely recommend.

Traveling Light is one of the best books I have read. I'm surprised that it hasn't made Oprah's booklist yet, as it seems fit that genre. The book is wonderful, what else can I say? I laughed, and I cried. The story is amazingly sweet and tender and shows the better side of humanity.