Review
It is a brave writer indeed who takes up the challenge of writing in the first person from the point of view of the opposite sex. But Poultney has done just that, and as this wonderful novel unfolds the sex of the author becomes an irrelevance. Born in Canada, John Wade is eight when his mother runs off with another man - she leaves behind her a broken-hearted husband and a bewildered son. The sense of not being in control never quite leaves John, and as a sensitive and wary 15-year-old, neglected by his father, he is uneasy with his contemporaries. Everything seems to change when he meets Anna, new to town and two years older than him. It is not long, however, before a devastating experience abruptly shatters their world. Like his mother, John leaves home - but he leaves alone. Last Chance Texaco traces one young man's battle to learn to trust others and not alienate those closest to him. He makes many mistakes, and suffers considerable loss and rejections, but by the end of the novel it is his ability to keep forging ahead that redeems him. Excellent passages of dialogue and some very touching moments make this almost cinematic novel a real pleasure to read. Reviewed by Miranda Harrison. (Kirkus UK)
Product Description
John is a sensitive and wary 15-year-old. Born in Canada, but raised in California by a neglectful father, he finds solace in a relationship with the new girl in town. Their intensely romantic world is shattered by an experience that marks the first stop to an emotional and geographical journey.
