El primer viaje de Sócrates

by Emil Ostrovski, Noemí Sobregués Arias (Translator)

Me llamo Sócrates y siempre he sabido que soy adoptado. Pero hasta hoy, ignoraba cómo fue todo.
El día de su cumpleaños, mi padre biológico recibió la llamada de su ex: acababa de tener un hijo. Con una resaca de campeonato y en plena crisis existencial adolescente, fue corriendo al hospital. Su misión era, en teoría, entregarme a mis padres adoptivos, una familia de las de verdad, donde no me faltaría de nada. Pero cuando me vio, lo tuvo claro: antes, me llevaría a conocer a mi bisabuela Bob. La viejecita, por cierto, vivía en la otra punta del país...

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Road Trip, Coming Of Age, Fiction, Adventure

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

The Paradox of Vertical Flight is my debut novel. It will be released in English in 2013, and in Spanish and German at a later date.

Reviews

[Emil]

Dear Reader,

Two things struck me with alarming force at the end of tenth grade, when all the sophomores were called in for consultations with their respective guidance counselors.

1. Mitt Paloma (fake name) had a better class rank than me.

2. Mitt Paloma would, in all likelihood, go on to a better college, and generally have a better life than me.

You have to understand something about my relationship with Mitt Paloma. I hated Mitt the way a priest hates a kid who baptizes his pet rock Gloria in the holy water, and then, upon being discovered, proceeds to hurl dear Gloria in the general direction of the bewildered priests's testicles.

What I needed was a trump card. Something to make admissions deans all over the country trip over themselves at the thought of my attending their institution of higher learning.

Writing, I decided, would be this trump card. After all, how hard could it be?

More than a few years, trunk novels, and college rejection letters later, my first novel is coming out.

I hope you enjoy it.

- Emil

[Yi Ly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 años después lo volví a leer y lo volví a amar. <3

------

¡He disfrutado tanto este libro! Creo que llegó a mí en el momento ideal, justo cuando necesitaba una historia así y es que está contada desde una perspectiva más que interesante. En más de una ocasión me he reído a carcajadas con el libro, sin dudas se ha vuelto uno de mis favoritos <3

Reseña: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E-4J... ♥

[Macarena Yannelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quiero un nuevo género para este libro: "Literatura filosófica juvenil".
Este libro fue increíble de principio a fin. Ojala que todos le den una oportunidad para que comprendan la mente de nosotros los que estudiamos o hacemos filosofía (?)
Uno de mis favoritos sin duda y espero releerlo pronto <3
Reseña completa en Gracias a los Libros

[Wulfran Navarro · Rating 5 out of 5]

No sé qué decir de este libro, la verdad. Es bueno. Me gustó mucho. Me reí con ganas. No voy mucho con la filosofía de los antiguos. Es decir, me gusta pensar, pienso bastante a diario acerca de muchas cosas, reflexiono, medito, y creo que por eso sentí un cierto parecido al protagonista en la manera de ser del personaje. Es interesante. Habla de muchos temas. Es la clase de lectura que me llama la atención. Que no es felicidad en todas partes. Que es más meditación y reflexión que cualquier otra cosa. A mi me gusto. Es muy entretenido. Viaje con él y volé con él. Sentí el amor y la amistad. La fuerza de una mirada y la debilidad de una mirada. No sé, aunque siento que algo me quedó faltando, le doy las cinco estrellas porque no me falló. No falló en su forma. No fue menos de lo que esperaba de él. Hay que digerirlo despacio. No hay que tomarse todo en serio. Al fin y al cabo es solo una historia. Supongo que lo releeré en algún momento para ver lo que no vi a primeras.

[Jessie Leigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

It took me over a week to read this less-than-300-page book. That is not a good sign.

This is not a good book. It's self-congratulatory navel-gazing pretensiousness on paper.

It's drivel. It tries way too hard to be Deep and Meaningful and to Say Something Important. It succeeds at none of these things. Zero. Zip. Nada.

And it's dry. Boring. Overwrought. Overwritten.

Review to come on my blog and BookLikes!

[Cristina Ramírez · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 (o quizás un poquito más) ¡Me ha encantado! Este libro es una maravillosa mezcla de personajes temerarios, un road trip en ciernes, conversaciones filosóficas y una pizca de locura. Recomendadísimo :)

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Also posted at Oops! I Read A Book Again*

Thank you to Amy of Lady Reader's Blog Tour and Booki of HarperCollins for the review copy! This in no way affected my views of the novel.

I've been pining for this novel ever since its publication date because of all the raves it got. I thought I'd never get to read it then here comes Amy's tour. I practically begged to be included in the tour and everything was worth it. Oh my, this book just swept me off my feet. And I'm going to list all the reasons why.

Seven Reasons Why I Love The Paradox of Vertical Flight

1. Jack Polovsky. Jack Polovsky is a one-of-a-kind character, one I will never ever forget. The way he thinks, the way he talks, everything. He is certainly one of my favorite characters EVER. He won't wow you in the looks department but oh, the intellect on this one. He talks about philosophy like it's perfectly normal to talk about Nietzsche's eternal return on a daily conversation. I just get him. I might not be as deep as him but I understand all of his views and I just connect to him. Jack Polovsky on his own is awesome but what takes him to the next level is how he interacts with all the characters in the story, which is point number two.

2. Relationships. Even more than Jack, I think the heart of this book lies on all his relationships. Whether it's friendship or love or even his relationship with Facebook, all of these were deftly described and fleshed out by the author during the course of the book. And with that, I will break down each of Jack's major relationships showcased in this novel.

2.1 Jack with Socrates. Jack can't let go of Socrates for adoption and so, he kidnaps him and decides to bring him to his grandmother for them to meet. Jack goes and has tons of conversations and story-telling time with Socrates (all of which I immensely enjoyed). This relationship will just move you because Jack's love for Socrates is just so palpable that even though it would be hard (and stupid) to keep the kid, you can't help but want that. Jack has been having some existential issues and when Socrates came, he realized tons of things and we were there as he got to think about everything.

Then the prologue and the epilogue? I JUST LOVE - I DON'T HAVE WORDS.

2.2 Jack with Tommy K. I might love Jack but then I think I like Tommy K more. He's Jack's best friend and he's the best best friend for Jack. He rides all of his jokes, he helps him NO MATTER WHAT and he just plain supports Jack while still being able to call his shit out. He tells it straight to Jack but then he's not that stock awesome funny best friend. He's so much more than that. His own issues? I just wanna hug him. I just wanna hug him for being there for Jack, for joining this whirlwind of a journey, and for letting me know him. Tommy K rocks!

2.3 Jack with Jess. Jess is Jack's ex-girlfriend and Socrates' mother. From Jack's memories and when we get to spend time with Jess, you know that they're for each other. Maybe not for forever and definitely not for raising a child but they had this chemistry where Jess tolerated (and even found it cute) Jack's philosophical and completely nerdy ramblings. You know they're on the precipice of something great - of falling in love - but then Socrates happened. We now got to see how they interacted with so much behind them and possibly nothing in the future for them. They obviously care for each other so much and they get each other but it's just not meant to be.

2.4 Jack with Baba. Oh my, please don't let the tears fall. I just love how much they love each other. I was close with my grandmother and I found my own relationship with my grandma mirrored in Jack's. It's just, let's just not go there.

3. Humor. Oh the humor! I looked like a lunatic laughing all by myself too many times while I read this book. It's short, with only 10 chapters, but it was so full of funny - scratch that - HILARIOUS situations and musings and dialogue. They cuss like normal people do and their digs on each other (Jack, Tommy and Jess) were just gold. I just had so much fun reading this book. The sarcasm, the wittiness, just, GREAT STUFF IN HERE.

4. Philosophy. So I'll confess right off the bat: I LOVE PHILOSOPHY. I love all the talk of if a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound and all the ideologies and paradoxes and EVERYTHING. Especially when I'm drunk. Jack is a philosophy major and philosophical ideas are just part of his daily thinking and speech. I. LOVE. IT. For those iffy on philosophy, I think you will still enjoy this. Emil writes it simply and I'm sure you've encountered almost all those discussed in here. This is the most fun book with philosophy I have ever read and I didn't realize I like reading philosophy. (I love philosophy but reading the text and materials are just not for me. I'd rather discuss.) It's just a testament to Emil's talent that he managed to incorporate so many ideas and thought experiments in this book while still being engaging, funny and fast-paced.

5. Issues. From the blurb, you'll glean on that Jack's kind of suicidal. Then he's got a kid up for adoption at 18 years old. His best friend, Tommy K, also faces his own problems. This book tackles a lot of problems and issues WITHOUT EVER being preachy. Without ever seeming like it's discussing existential issues and all that. The issues are so embedded in the characters and the plot that they are just part of it, without trying to take center stage.

6. Road trip! Oh, have I mentioned that this novel features an amazing road trip? Not yet? Now I am. Seriously, you guys, this road trip trumps all road trips. With police looking for them (THE HECK, Jack babynapped!), it might not be THAT realistic but oh goodness, the adventure this quartet had was crazy, exciting and gut-busting in its hilarity.

7. The writing. Emil Ostrovski's writing was pretty simple but now that I'm writing this review, there's this one scene that I remember, which made me realize how good the writing was. It's a scene where Jack was called to finally meet Jess and Socrates at the hospital. He goes to buy M&Ms and while eating them recalls a memory with Jess. WOW, that? More than awesome. More than amazing. What a great literary style/device. After remembering that, more and more instances of Emil's simple yet engaging prose came to mind. Sigh. That scene before the epilogue? When we get to know why the title of the book is its title? GOOSEBUMPS. Brilliant. Heartbreaking too.

"But -- but in falling, we fly, don't we? We fly vertically. That's the paradox of vertical flight. Falling is the only way we can fly."

Wow, that was a very long review. My point is: this book is great and you should just read it to see for yourself. It will make you laugh, feel, think and all you'll ever want from a book. It's not a romance but it features love, most importantly, love for life. The Paradox of Vertical Flight will take you to a road trip of philosophically epic proportions. I cannot recommend this enough!

[Mariota · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pensaba que este libro iba a ser divertido, superficial, catastrófico.... Y me he encontrado un libro de filosofía juvenil, de aventuras, divertido pero también muy profundo.
Me he quedado con ganas de saber qué pasó después... y eso me llevan los demonios...
El libro trata de Jack, un joven que cumple 18 años y que ese mismo día, le llama su ex-novia para decirle que va a tener un hijo. Va al hospital, nace el niño y ahí empieza la aventura.
Conocemos a Jack, un joven con muchas preguntas en busca de respuesta. Muy unido a su abuela, Bob, que sufre alzheimer. No sabemos mucho de los padres... JEss, su ex novia y madre de su hijo. Lo que pudo ser y no es...
Tommy, su mejor amigo. También un incomprendido de la vida. Los 3 perdidos en el mundo. Los 3 emprenden un viaje junto con Sócrates, el hijo. Un viaje para visitar a la abuela de Jack. En este viaje se plantearan preguntas, discutirán sobre la amistad, sobre los mejores amigos, la vida y el miedo a lo que va a pasar y dónde se quedarán las personas que quieren.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The review is also up on my blog - http://www.happybookloversblog.com

I don't know what I was expecting out of this. I loved the cover when I first saw it and thought, "Yeah, I have to read that!" Guys, this book was seriously awesome. It's hard to earn top marks from me, and this one nearly did it.

On page 2, the author referenced Kafka and "Metamorphosis," so I was already in love and super impressed that that made it into this YA novel. Then, as if it couldn't get more awesome on the scale of pop-culture references, he also managed to include Star Wars, the Wizard of Oz, Medal of Honor, Harry Potter, and old Greek philosophers. And it all made perfect sense. SO COOL.

The pacing was also spot on. The narrator was Jack, who stole his son at the beginning of the novel because he just couldn't bring himself to say goodbye on the spot like that. His narration constantly switched between telling the readers what was actually happening and his thoughts and imaginary conversations he had with his son, Socrates. These conversations were brilliantly hilarious. Jack imagines the baby discussing all sorts of philosophy and existential topics and is surprised that the baby doesn't respond back, so he makes up his responses. It was so witty and quick-paced I forgot it was supposed to be a baby talking, and then Jack would mention it, and it was hilarious again that he was having these imaginary conversations.

It was so impressive the sheer amount of stuff Ostrovski tackled. Between teen pregnancy, adoption, parental ties, and the idea of a ceiling on the Earth and religious/philosophical beliefs, it's a wonder now that I didn't get overwhelmed or bogged down. But the writing was so colloquial and it all flowed together so well, it was easy to breeze through while still questioning life along with Jack.

Definitely worth the read and purchase, especially for something light and summery but still with big-picture questions.

[Quionna]

Sometimes, your professional sweepstaker mother would win a book and then give it to you because it isn't her type of book or she just has a huge TBR. And then you take the book because, well, it's a free book and place it on your shelf, forgetting about it for months.

8 months later, you suddenly fall into a major reading sort of slump. You're tired of dystopian, paranormal and even fantasy, so you take a peak at your contemporary shelf and realize wow... I read all of these already. But then you see this blue spine with yellow lettering and come to the conclusion that this is your last resort.

After reading the novel, an involuntary tear rolled down my cheek because this beautiful piece of work has been on my shelf for 8 months
To be perfectly honest, I really don't want to explain the plot because I think going into it blindly would help the reader fully appreciate the novel (since that's what I did). Lets just say that its about a newly 18 year old named Jack who receives a surprisingly birthday present from a person whom he hasn't spoken to in a long time. That's when all hell breaks loose.

The characters in the story were slightly unstable yet relatable, the plot is epic, and this is probably the most quotable book that I have ever read. Every time Jack said something, I kept thinking to myself "wow that should be put on a t-shirt."

Another great aspect was the amount of pop culture that was brought into the story. I was geeking out at almost every reference. There was practically half a page where Jack was applying Harry Potter into his situation. I also loved the Star Wars, Narnia, and Greek mythology references too. But philosophy played a major role which I really enjoyed. People in the other reviews said it was too much, but I think that is what makes this story amazing. It's smart, honest, and downright hilarious.

There was so much thought put out in this book it's just...I can't explain it. Emil Ostrovski has such a powerful and intriguing mind. I hope he writes more books to see what else he has hidden up in his brain. I just really want more of Ostrovski. Like i need another book right now!!

This definitely earned all the stars and is now rightfully placed on my favorites shelf.

[Leah · Rating 1 out of 5]

review goes live on the blog 9/16.

When I first heard about The Paradox of Vertical Flight I was intrigued: an 18-year old & his 21-year old ex just became parents, the baby is named Socrates, and they take off for Grandma's house. That's certainly unlike anything I had ever read before! I allowed curiosity to get the better of me and was horribly let down.

Jack and Jess were a summer fling. Once her college friends came back into the picture, Jack was cast off to the side and it wasn't until she found out she was pregnant that she got back into contact with him. Now the baby has been born and Jess made the decision to give him up for adoption. Initially Jack was on board. Once he saw his son however, his feelings changed and he jumped out a hospital window with his newborn baby.

Whatever. I can totally get with wacky, slightly unrealistic plots. While Jack's extreme irresponsibility made me cringe (leaving his HOURS-OLD son in a sink while he uses a public restroom, for instance!), what ultimately made me put this book down 45% of the way through was the writing:

"Overthrowing the patriarchy is not incompatible with romanticism, Jack."

This gem is taken from a conversation Jack and Socrates have. Socrates the baby, not the Greek philosopher. Also, Socrates is the one who offered up this statement.

And:

Existential angst about the pointlessness of our mundane existences, case in point, the immutability of school schedules.

These are just a few examples of the overly-pretentious writing. At first I thought it was just how the book was written, but after seeing the author's 'review' on goodreads as well as his blog, I've realized it wasn't the book. I also learned the author is only 22. Hopefully he'll cut the crap soon and simply write. He definitely has potential - this novel could have been so much better! - but for now, I have to walk away.

[Tobbi Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es mas bien un 4.5 pero para mi corazón son 5/5

Quizás no es que las parcas decidan nuestro destino, sino que ven por adelantado la vida que libremente decidiremos vivir

Va muy poco del 2018, pero este libro ya se gano un lugar en mis favoritos del año.

El primer viaje de Socrates nos cuenta la historia de Jack que comienza el día que cumple 18
años. Ese día recibe una llamada de Jess, quien le dice que esta a punto de dar a luz a su hijo. Un hijo que Jack no quería tener. Pero cuando conoce a su bebe y se entera que Jess va dar a su hijo en adopción, su pensamiento cambia y secuestra al bebe, para que pueda conocer a su bisabuela Bob, que vive en la otra punta del país.

Al amar, te abres a la posibilidad de que hagan daño, al dolor y a la pérdida. Quizá mero acto de vivir es un acto de amor...

Y si tuviera que definir el libro en pocas palabras seria un road trip filosofico. Ya por el titulo del libro sabemos que se va hablar mucho de filosofía y si en todo momento tenemos los monólogos internos de nuestro protagonista haciéndose distintas preguntas filosóficas y por si se lo preguntan si hay respuestas en todo momento ya que esta hablando con "alguien mas".

Todo lo que sale de la boca es falso, y todo lo que ves con tus propios ojos es verdadero.

Si bien puede ser una historia muy simple lo que hizo que me llegara a gustar tanto este libro es su protagonista Jack y toda su filosofía, creo que lo mejor del libro son sus charlas con Socrates.
Fueron charlas muy intensas y es imposible que termines este libro sin quedarte pensando en todas estas charlas, preguntas y reflexiones que hace el protagonista.

[Kasey Giard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved so many things about this book it would be hard to narrow it down to just one. The philosophy references and discussions were great. The banter between the characters was incredible. I'm a huge sucker for witty back-and-forth dialogue, and Ostrovski delivers it in scene after scene.

I also loved that this story tells the familiar tale of unexpected pregnancy aftermath from a largely unexplored voice: that of the baby's father. His connection with the baby (whom he names Socrates) and his emotional journey, realizing that it means so much to him to be a father, even for a few stolen hours, was so powerful. His relationships with his best friend and ex-girlfriend felt really genuine, too. And his grandmother! Aw, wow. His relationship with her and the fact that she has dimentia really underscored the sieze-the-day feeling throughout the book.

The reason I started reading this book is because the author's next book AWAY WE GO will come out in a few months, and I was curious to see what his writing was like. After reading the post on his blog about why he wrote THE PARADOX OF VERTICAL FLIGHT and what it means to him, I couldn't help reading it. I was not disappointed, either. I definitely recommend this book to readers who like contemporary fiction with witty dialogue, strong emotional journey, and memorable characters. LOVED IT.

[Aiyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teen angst, deep philosophy, and baby-having... this book isn't exactly light reading! The narrator is struggling with the meaning of life in general and his own life in particular, when his ex-girlfriend turns out to be having his baby. Suddenly, there's a whole new life in the mix, one that sends the narrator off on a series of zany and somewhat unbelievable adventures of fumbling self-discovery.

The humor is sharp, witty, and believably teen. The philosophy is likewise believable and intense. Some details of the plot leave a little to be desired-- you have to take a few leaps of faith to follow the story, and I suspect the author hasn't actually spent much time around newborn babies. All the same, I found the book hard to put down.

In a rare move, I'm going to compare this book to a work in another medium, and say that it reminds me of the film "Little Miss Sunshine." However sketchy some of the details, this book is truly about the experience of being 18 -- there is despair and hope, mistakes and redemption, uncertainty and serendipity, all thrown together to form this crazy thing called life.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to start? First off I would like to say what a sweet story about a father just wanting to say bye to his son he didn't know he actually wanted. He still doesn't want to let him go. He wanted to be able to spend time with him and give him stories even though he wouldn't remember them. He wanted to do right by his son and give him a good life even if he wasn't the one who was able to. This story makes so many good points about the universe and how the world works. I love reading Jack talking to his son about this thoughts about anything the stories he told or just his random thoughts he had on the world. I really connected to Jack because when he starts talking I feel like he knows what I think. It was nice to see teenagers actually using their brains and thinking about the universe and its many mystery. It was enlightening. A very joyful and easy read.

[Osvaldo · Rating 5 out of 5]

De algún modo, volví a terminar el libro en el transporte público jajaja, les explico, éste es uno de esos libros que llevaremos siempre cerca de nuestros corazones, por qué?, a pues es muy simple, primero que nada, sigue la línea de todos los libros de este sello editorial, que es una historia fuerte, no del todo feliz, ni del todo triste, que deja un mensaje.
Sócrates será un elemento importante en nuestra manera de ver el mundo, y Jack (yosik) será un elemento importante para cuestionarlo, sinceramente GENIAL.

AGRADEZCO de todo CORAZÓN a EMIL (el autor) por haberme mandado un ejemplar firmado, CLARO QUE HE DISFRUTADO EL VIAJE, muchísimas gracias.

Esperen la reseña en el BLOG y el canal MUY PRONTO.

[Elita G alejo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gratamente me ha impresionado este libro y agradezco la recomendación de Yi para leerlo. Toca temas profundos y muy poco compartidos como miedos y frustraciones y de una manera tan ligera que ni te das cuenta como te llevaron a esa direccion tus pensamientos. Habla sobre el crecer y más sobre aceptar ese hecho. Me encanto y se me hace muy especial, sobre todo porque será el libro viajero que compartire con mis amigos. Creo que dejara huella en cada uno de nosotros.

[Luis Eduardo Suarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maravilloso libro tocando el tema filosófico con mucho humor, una de las mejores formas de entender las cosas complicadas. Además toca el tema de la paternidad en adolescentes, tópico bastante complejo en ser humano, como la importancia de la vida y la responsabilidad que conlleva una descendencia. Un libro bastante recomendable.

[Sarahdactyl ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

♥ Find my reviews here: Literary Meanderings

- - -

3.5 stars

The Paradox of Vertical Flight is the story of 18-year-old Jack—a suicidal philosophy student—and his journey to find meaning.

It all begins when Jack is about to down a bottle of pills. While contemplating whether to take the entire bottle or just enough to almost kill himself, his phone rings. It's his ex-girlfriend, Jess—she is at the hospital, about to have his son.

Jack, upon going the the hospital and learning Jess plans to give the baby up for adoption, decides he isn't ready to say goodbye. He kidnaps the baby. He gives the baby the name Socrates. He takes the baby on a road trip to meet his sick grandmother. His journey is not just a silly whim, but one of importance to him. He feels he must leave an impact, if even the slightest, on his son's life.

Maybe I'm hoping something magical will happen, and I won't have to say goodbye.

After enlisting his best friend Tommy, and eventually Jess, they embark on the strangest road trip you'll ever encounter.

- - -

Let's get the bad out of the way.

While I found the philosophical elements to this story very beautiful and sometimes witty and laugh-out-loud funny... I also found it to be too much at some points. It was a little over-the-top and slightly pretentious. I found myself wanting to put the book down every chapter or so just to give myself a break from the convoluted musings of Jack. Maybe it's my ignorance on the subject, but this book is targeted toward teens and I doubt many of them are well-educated in philosophy either.

It took me awhile to embrace Jack's character. He just seemed to be doing everything wrong. When we flash back to the time Jess tells him about the pregnancy, he immediately wants her to abort the baby. It was hard not to hate him from that exact moment on. Then the guy is about to off himself with a bottle of pills. Then he kidnaps a baby. I mean, come on guy, you couldn't be more douchetastic if you tried. BUT! Jack does redeem himself. He does become a character you can love. He's peculiar and quirky, but quite endearing. He's witty and intelligent. He's ultimately sensitive and definitely full of humor. Jack is a realistic and multi-dimensional character. He is flawed and he screws up. He knows it. He tries to turn it around. I loved reading from his POV and he's definitely up there with my all-time favorite protagonists.

The humor in this book is a major point for me. Not only is Jack's brain full of humorous thoughts, but the dialogue between he and his travel companions (imaginary ones with Socrates included!) are full of snark and the sort of jokes and humor that really only come with long-time or close friendship. Especially Jack and Tommy—those two had me laughing out loud many a time! ;)

I am a huge fan of books involving road trips. Road-tripping across the country is one of my most coveted dreams. Until I can realize that dream, I spend my time immersed in fictional road trips. This book was definitely a stand-out for me among the rest. To give you a few highlights:

• Being threatened with a shotgun by a crazy old married couple
• Learning what babies eat and dealing with the never-ending string of dirty diapers
• Seeing the world's biggest pebble
• A police chase
• Commandeering a yacht
• Leaving your ex-girlfriend asleep in a room with what could possibly be a bear
• A GPS that narrates in German

Anyway, you get the point. Random. Weird. Totally unforgettable. The people, the places, the conversations—it's all one huge whirlwind of an adventure. This book is definitely a fun, interesting, and very thought-provoking journey.

And dreams always fade as soon as you open your eyes.

Overall, The Paradox of Vertical Flight was a pleasure to read! This author isn't afraid to ask the philosophical questions; Where does the universe end? What significance do we have on this earth? What is the meaning of life? He brings it forth—though slightly to excess—in a way that people who don't generally think about such things will probably begin to. Ostrovski merges seriousness with humor and the result is a story that will give you laugh-lines, exercise your brain, your emotions, and your tear ducts.

Despite the heavy subject matter, this book has a freshness about it. The Paradox of Vertical Flight is definitely a book I would recommend. All in all, a wonderful debut!

- - -

Book source: From the publisher for review
Publisher: Greenwillow/HarperCollins

[Isamlq · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

My saying anything about this feels almost useless because I am not even sure about where to begin or how to. It’s the blurb that got me: suicidal kid, best friend, ex-girl friend and a baby... the makings of a joke? Not quite as it’s surprisingly deep, with the lead asking these questions, considering certain possibilities, and some other impossibilities. Yet, it’s in listening to him ask questions then struggle to lay out the answer for his kid that I was frustrated and fascinated… as I certainly wasn’t like him as a kid. My world at his age was smaller… the next A, the next dead line and avoiding any danger of looking like an idiot in school. His is so much bigger with his infinities, some smaller ones, and others bigger ones.

I was expecting something funny and road trip-light…. and while we do get a lot of that, you’d be surprised at how contemplative the mood got. How he’s always thinking and trying to fit the pieces together for himself and for the kid. All the while, there’s me, my mind about to explode grasping but not really grasping what he was saying. It’s brilliant the things he was putting out there (sometimes brilliantly stupid even) so I enjoyed it particularly as it’s clear he wasn’t the only one that way. He had people like him, see him, and know him… and ‘get’ him despite knowing how convoluted/ confusing one matter related to another matter in his head.

Yet for all his deep thoughts, all those eventually felt somehow inconsequential. As there is a Bigger Question wanting to be asked and answered: as in the so what now? It’s at this point you see Jack’s just like anybody else, coming to terms with the need to let go, grow up, and see that growing up and people going their own way aren’t necessarily a parting of ways, but oddly but holding on too.

But… geez! To get to that point? There were so many other things (seemingly mind blowing but in reality quite inconsequential matters pointed out like how we’re each one part of it all or those matters of choice versus matters beyond one’s control – all big things but immaterial to what Jack’s not dealing with). So things got mind blowing, but at the same time frustrating too because why was he thinking about all these things anyway? It all felt so useless some of these thought (even with them being brilliant in being asked at all.)

As to the people in it, I know loved this story a smidge more because of them. How there’s this authentic connection between him and Tommy, then him and Jess. How both of them saw something in him and he and them, and there’s this banter that’s almost always sarcastic. Sarcasm is the body’s natural self defenses against stupid, right? Well, these two had the remedy for his stupid time and time again, but there wasn’t anything mean to it, just an understanding that since this guy thought differently then he too needed to be told off in a different way. It’s that knowing among them that I loved.

Which leads me to Jess and her fire breathing vagina and how he finally realizes what a jackass he’d been… it’s moments like those when I felt he was getting his head out of his ass and not just thinking of things of no consequence. I mean sure, a lot of the things he thought/said are brilliant (brilliantly stupid or just plain brilliant) but it’s him seeing things for what they are beyond him contemplating these ‘big things’ that I liked the guy more. So throw in details being bridged toward bigger truths with moments of Friendship as well as question of loving and being loved, and this was equal parts fascinating, frustrating, then hilarious.

MUCH THANKS, EDELWEISS!

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Few novels can manage to be both hilarious and philosophical, but The Paradox Of Vertical Flight accomplishes this feat with grace. Ostrovski manages to make readers ponder their existence, while simultaneously making them laugh uncontrollably. This is a soaring debut that I loved and I found myself falling in love with Jack, Socrates and Jess. The Paradox Of Vertical Flight is a strange adventure that will leave an impact on readers, this is a book unlike anything I've ever read before.

Jack is suicidal and the only thing that possibly saves himself from killing himself is the news that his ex-girlfriend, Jess has given birth to a baby boy. Jess hasn't asked Jack what they should do with the baby and she plans on giving up their son for adoption. Jess wants Jack to be able to meet his son once and on an impulse, Jack decides to kidnap their child and take him on a road-trip to meet Jack's grandmother who suffers from Alzheimer's.

The Paradox Of Vertical Flight is told in an interesting way, Jack is recounting the story to his son, Socrates many years later. I have yet to see this technique in a young adult novel and it was an interesting choice that was extremely effective. Throughout this narrative, Jack really shows paternal love and this sort of relationship isn't explored enough in literature. Even though Jack is a teenager, readers will be able to feel that strong connection he has with his son and that he truly loves him. Kidnapping his child may not have been the best choice, but you truly can't hold this against Jack because he does this out of love. Jack truly wants what's best for his son, Socrates and he wants to make one final memory with him before Socrates is adopted.

Ostrovski's strength in Paradox is creating authentic characters who readers will easily empathize with. Often authors truly misconstrue what it means to be a teenager, but the author captures how confusing and convoluted life feels at this age. Jack, Tommy, and Jess have a shared history and it truly shows throughout the course of this novel. Their relationships felt genuine and it was interesting to watch these characters develop so much in such a short span of time. Their short journey changes these characters for better or worse and it's obvious that these friends aren't the same people we met at the start of this novel.

Since Jack is a philosophy student, it's a no-brainer that Jack's passion will seep into this thoughts and the dialogue. He brings up so many intriguing questions about our existence and our purpose in this world that made me stop and think about my life. Even if readers aren't fans of philosophy, Ostrovski keeps it fresh and interesting by putting in the perspective of a teenage boy.

The Paradox Of Vertical Flight is a soaring debut that fans of Winger and It's Kind Of A Funny Story will love. Ostrovski has a gift for story-telling and I truly look forward to reading more novels by this author in the future. Topics like suicide and teenage pregnancy aren't each to tackle, but The Paradox Of Vertical Flight handles these subjects with humor and still manages to treat them with the utmost respect. Readers looking for a meaningful, humorous read should definitely pick up The Paradox Of Vertical Flight.

[Lesley Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten-Second Review: A book full of philosophy, ponderings, originality, and an exciting, hilarious, crazy road trip with a kidnapped baby.

More-Than-Ten-Second Review:

Oh, this book. The Paradox of Vertical Flight is a story told from a father to a son about his crazy first days. It’s a hilarious and crazy story filled to the brim with ponderings, philosophy, and warming to the heart things things. It made me laugh and smile and wonder, and ultimately, The Paradox of Vertical Flight made me feel as if the story it told was real.

Jack, a teenager with a great amount of angst inside him, gets a call on his eighteenth birthday and finds out that his ex-girlfriend Jess has given birth to a baby that he is the father of. Upon Jess’ request, he goes to see the baby before it is adopted and ends up kidnapping the baby, naming it Socrates, and taking him on a road trip in hopes of shaping him, even in just a little way.

Emil Ostrovski wrote this story brilliantly, hitting the nail on the head with everything, especially the characters. Jack’s a character that screws up and makes bad decisions often, but he is also extremely endearing. His love for philosophy, his questioning of the world, his loneliness. I loved him and thoroughly enjoyed seeing his growth throughout the book.

Tommy and Jess, the best friend and ex-girlfriend that somehow got inside the car with Jack, were also written in a realistic, believable way and equally endearing. They both have their own troubles and flaws and good qualities, and the author breathed life into them.

The dynamics between Jack, Tommy, and Jess were spot-on. Their interactions with each other felt completely natural, and were super fun read. Jack and Tommy’s strong friendship is beautifully shown through their conversations, which are just fantastic. Really, their flirtyness with each other and the bond was amazing. Plus, they like Pokemon.

Jess and Jack’s relationship is a bit complicated, what with the baby and how they were slowly drifting apart. Their feelings for each other are obvious but what they are exactly is unclear. Ostrovski portrays this relationship realistically, and takes the effort to explore it.

The philosophy and ponderings: Absolutely wonderful. Jack questions the universe and yearns for answers, even if those questions are impossible to answer. He turns to stories and philosophers for possible answers, but still ponders about the world.

I have to say that all this philosophy and ponderings was a joy to read. The stories, the questioning, the conversations with Socrates, and the want for answers… All of it was very thought-provoking. And it was intriguing to see how they all tied into Jack’s relationships with people and his path in life.

It is a great feat to create a book with a story and characters that feel so real it’s like they are still moving, still going on even when you are finished. Emil Ostrovski was able to do that. He wrote his story in such a vivid way that it’s as if he completely believed in it. He put life into his characters, making them real and living. He wrote the philosophy and ponderings in his story with love.

To put it simply, The Paradox of Vertical Flight feels real and will make you wonder. Go read it. Really. Read it.

[María · Rating 4 out of 5]

No debe daros miedo el hecho de que el nombre de Sócrates aparezca en la portada, ni debe daros miedo que uno de los personajes se llame Sócrates, al leer este libro no nos vamos a introducir de lleno en la historia de la filosofía, aunque también es una manera divertida de conocer cosas de la filosofía que podrían parecernos aburridas, pero que realmente no lo son.

Jack cumple años, y las felicitaciones por Facebook y demás factores influyentes, hacen que piense que tragarse un bote de pastillas sería buena idea, si no fuese porque su ex novia lo llama para decirle que va a dar a luz a su hijo, el hijo al que ha estado intentando ignorar durante los últimos nueve meses. Sin embargo, las intenciones de la joven de dar en adopción a su hijo hace que a Jack se le encienda la bombilla -o se le crucen los cables- y se lleve al niño, antes de darlo en adopción tiene que conocer a alguien especial. Es entonces cuando comienza el primer viaje de Sócrates.

Jack es un estudiante o futuro estudiante de folosofía, eso es lo que no me ha quedado del todo claro, y nos lo hace saber manteniendo unas conversaciones dignas de la Grecia antigua con su hijo, al que le ha puesto por nombre Sócrates. Digamos que estas conversaciones son los dos polos opuestos de la novela, en un momento estás leyendo una reflexión que te hace dar carcajadas de lo absurdo que puede llegar a ser, pero llega el momento en el que una nebulosa se cruza en tu camino y te cambia la forma de ver la vida, entonces dices: "¡pues claro!".

No considero este libro íntegramente de filosofía, de hecho, si no os gusta la filosofía creo que deberíais leerlo, porque cambiará vuestra forma de verla. Sin embargo, si que es un libro bastante divertido acerca de una aventura de tres amigos y un bebé, cruzando los Estados Unidos para conseguir el Vellocino de oro de Jack, que no es otra cosa que conseguir que su hijo conozca a alguien y poder despedirse.

Huir de la policía, robar un barco y conocer a gente de lo más excéntrica hace de esta novela una lectura divertida y humana, con unos personajes tan reales que tu vecino podría ser igual que Tommy, el mejor amigo de Jack y que le acompaña en la aventura.

¿Pensabais que por ser un libro cuyo personaje principal es filósofo iba a dejar atrás cosas como Star Wars, Harry Potter o Pokémon? Para nada, no olvidemos lo que comenté al principio, esto no es un libro de Historia de la Filosofía, sino una novela con un protagonista singular al que le gusta preguntarse de dónde viene todo, cuál es el arjé, qué pasa cuando alguien consigue su popio vellocino de oro, pero, ¿qué pasa cuando Jack consigue el suyo? ¿Qué pasa con Jess y Tommy? ¿Qué pasa con Jack en el futuro inmediato? Son cuestiones que los personajes critican de las películas y/o libros anteriormente mencionados, y que yo, al final del libro, después de haber leído el epílogo, me he preguntado.

Es una historia de lo más original que creo que he podido leer, y por favor, no tengáis miedo de la parte filosófica de este libro, descubriréis lo que el autor hace con ella, y os gustará.

[Joséphine (Word Revel) · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something terrifying yet absolutely comforting about coming across a character that seems to be of equal mind to mine. Or maybe it's the author's thoughts that might as well have been pulled out of my very own mind. Not that I could have written this tale but the voice! That voice was like echoes of my own. Not to say either that I would ever think of kidnapping a baby (even if it were my own) to travel cross-country, so that my grandmother might meet this baby. I think this premise did make for a rather far-fetched plot but in the interest of the book, I decided to stretch my suspension of disbelief a little more than I usually do. In doing so, I think I really came to appreciate what The Paradox of Vertical Flight is about.

The Paradox of Vertical Flight itself is a fairly short book. 256 pages at 1.5 line spacing, so it’s easy to fly through the book. Yet, I’d say to fully appreciate it, it’d be best to sit in a quiet corner with more than a couple of hours to spare when reading it. This way there’s time to let all the words wash over you and the space to let your mind wander. That is because I find that what made this book so great for me is that it made me think about my own life and the things that should matter more and the things that should matter less.

The father of the baby came to name the baby Socrates. It didn’t matter to him if others would accept the name. All that mattered was that he could call him Socrates. If that name choice is any indication, the narrative bordered on the philosophical for a good part of the book. Those who enjoy philosophy will recognize a lot of the theories weaved into the book. Yet it did not become so inaccessible that anyone who has never learned any philosophy will not understand the musings of the main character.

What I liked best about The Paradox of Vertical Flight is that it gives a lot of credit to the reader. It expects an intellectual involvement that exceeds many YA books. Instead of a plain retelling of events, there is also a great focus on the things a teenager thinks about. Sure, boys will be boys and all that but despite all the stupid things teenagers do (like getting his ex-girlfriend pregnant in this case), they do have more mature thoughts than many adults like to believe. I wasn’t surprised then when I found out that the author himself is only in his early twenties. I think that allowed him to encapsulate the thoughts, emotions and actions of this 18-year-old so perfectly.

This review is also available at dudettereads.com.

[Ashley Choo · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I turned the last page, I had a very strange thought, "I kind of want to dissect this author's brain, I think it would be delicious.", and "If could marry a book..."
Both are kind of worrying, but OH MAN, did I love this book. It was crazy, funny, I fell in love with the brilliant characters, (my favourite character was Tommy) and I really, really want to read more about Philosophy and Greek legends and take a spontaneous roadtrip once I get my driver's license.
This was a fantastic book. I had to restrain myself from taking a pen to the pages and caressing the beautiful lines that somehow didn't feel pretentious but instead made a lot of sense? I've never willingly written or underlined anything in a book before, but reading this book felt like the first time I had churros. Each incredibly clever philosophical line of prose hit me like a lightning bolt, it was an almost painful shock of wonder and pleasure and now I'm just dazed and really happy, and sad that it's over.

[Danna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Paradox of Vertical Flight started off strong, but quickly lost steam. I loved the premise: an 18-year-old high school senior becomes a father the same day he is contemplating "almost" killing himself. Instead, he rushes to the hospital where he is overcome by the urge to keep his baby--one he didn't know about a few hours earlier.

Driven by that impulse, Jack escapes the hospital with the baby, and ropes his best friend and ex-girlfriend (the mother) on a wild road trip.

Why I didn't like this book very much: the boys were too amateur. Their constant jokes and antics were juvenile and didn't make me laugh. The story became ever-more implausible as it continued. The ex-girlfriend being the most implausible of all, with seemingly no attachment to the child she just birthed.

A short, light read, but I wouldn't recommend it.

[Memphis · Rating 4 out of 5]

una historia que merece ser leída con varios toques filosóficos que he entendido mejor que en todas las clases de filosofía que he dado. Y aunque el final no me terminó de convencer el resto de la historia sin duda han estado a la altura.

Reseña completa: http://un-gran-mundo-imperfecto.blogs...

[Ruben (BooksVlogs) Arauz · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤ Sin duda alguna éste será uno de mis libros favoritos del año, porqué encontré un valor sentimental en el, algo más allá de lo que podemos expresar con palabras, una filosofía de la vida relativamente cautivadora, aprendí filosofía de una manera increíble <3 . La calificación no se debe a que es mejor libro del o mi favorito, sin embargo un libro que te enseña es un libro que no olvidas. <3

[BridgetT · Rating 5 out of 5]

A three-day-old baby and his eighteen year old father debating unanswerable questions, and the meaning of life, the universe, and everything.
What a wonderful listening experience! (MacLeod Andrews narrator)
Heartwarming.
Light.
Funny. (I smiled and laughed out loud through the whole book ... my cheeks hurt.)
Philosophical.
Just an amazing book. Well done Emil!

[Drew Tuá · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was fun, I didn't get that well the philosophical parts, since I've never teached philosophy, but it's still cool.
I couldn't help but imagine Tommy as Dylan O'Brien's character on Teen Wolf hahaha