27. One Wrong Step. Jennifer A. Nielsen. 2025. 336 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, mg historical, mg action, mg survival, mg fiction]
First sentence: It's been almost three years since my dad and I climbed Kings Peak, but I still think about the summer of 1936 every single day.
Atlas, our hero, loves climbing mountains--first with his parents, then with just his dad. However his relationship with his father has been strained of late since his mother's death. The novel is set on Mount Everest in 1939: the world is on the verge of war AND the mountain is on the verge of an avalanche.
Atlas and his new friend, Maddie, are left behind at Advanced Base Camp. Maddie has little to no experience climbing mountains--she is just along with her dad. Atlas has some climbing experience, but at 14 he's not deemed "reliable" and "wise" enough to include in the quest for the summit. For perspective, however, consider that in 1939, NO HUMAN BEING--male or female--had reached the summit. So it makes all the sense in the world why the leader--Atlas' dad--would decide NO.
The book's adventure truly begins when they hear an AVALANCHE above them knowing that the group--including both their fathers--will be in great danger. After their sherpa, Chodak, is greatly injured, these two head out on their own to rescue the team. Against advice--mind you--but the very young do not always do what they are told...
My thoughts: This is an action-packed historical survival-themed coming of age story. I never set out to read a moderate amount of books about mountain climbing. It just happened throughout the years. This one was compelling. It was action-packed yet it had a lot of substance and depth. Atlas is going through a lot--emotionally, mentally, physically. This time on the mountain may just change how he sees everything.
© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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