Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi

Down and Across

by Arvin Ahmadi

"John Green fans will appreciate this tale." —USA Today
"[A] humorous, deeply human coming-of-age story." —The Washington Post

Scott Ferdowsi has a track record of quitting. His best friends know exactly what they want to do with the rest of their lives, but Scott can hardly commit to a breakfast cereal, let alone a passion. With college applications looming and his parents pushing him to settle on a “practical” career, Scott sneaks off to Washington, DC, seeking guidance from a famous psychologist who claims to know the secret to success.
 
He never expects an adventure to unfold. But that’s what Scott gets when he meets Fiora Buchanan, a ballsy college student whose life ambition is to write crossword puzzles. When the bicycle she lends him gets Scott into a high-speed chase, he knows he’s in for the ride of his life.
 
Soon, Scott finds himself sneaking into bars, attempting to pick up girls at the National Zoo, and even giving the crossword thing a try—all while opening his eyes to fundamental truths about who he is and who he wants to be.

Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on

5 of 5 stars

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Rating: 4.5 Stars

I love a good coming of age story, and with Down and Across I got a GREAT coming of age story.

•Pro: Scott was fab-u-los! I couldn't get enough of him and his musings. Being in his head was a total treat too. Loved him!

•Pro: The side characters in this book were very well crafted. From the major to the minor players, each character had something that made you give them your attention.

•Pro: I loved the whole "grit" concept, and thought the short profiles on people, who Scott considered "gritty" were so awesome. Some of the historical figures I knew a lot about, but there were others I didn't, and I was grateful to learn their stories.

•Pro: I really appreciated that Ahmadi included people with all different viewpoints. There was the far right, the far left, and somewhere in-between. Lots of ideas were exchanged, and the reader is left with many things to consider.

•Pro: I really like when the protagonist's cultural background plays a role in the story. Scott was first generation American, and was trying to figure out how his heritage fit into his life. I really enjoyed all the little bits about his family and their background that he shared with us.

•Pro: One of Scott's biggest struggles was with his parents. He felt like they were too overprotective and that he could never live up to their standards. During his time in DC his appreciation of his parents grows and changes as he grew and changed. It was quite lovely the way Ahmadi worked this storyline.

•Pro: I think so many young adults will relate to Scott. Those later years of high school can be quite a crossroads for many. As graduation looms, some decision need to be made that may affect one's future, and that struggle was explored so well in this book.

•Pro: Right now I am standing and applauding the author on that stupendous ending. That's how it's done folks. I am a closure-ho, and Ahmadi gave me answers, which left me in a state of elation.

Overall: This was such a wonderful coming of age story! I so enjoyed being in DC with Saaket/Scott as he searched for his "grit", and I will forever sing the praises of endings like the one Ahmadi gifted us with. I smiled so hard, tears fell out of my eyes. I will absolutely be on the look out for more books from this author.

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 30 November, 2017: Finished reading
  • 30 November, 2017: Reviewed