From Aspen Matis, author of the acclaimed true story Girl in the Woods, comes a bold and atmospheric memoir of a woman who—in searching for her vanished husband—discovers deeper purpose.
Aspen’s and Justin’s paths serendipitously aligned on the Pacific Crest Trail when both were walking from Mexico to Canada, separately and alone—both using thru-hiking in hopes of escaping their pasts. Both … escaping their pasts. Both sought to redefine themselves beneath the stars. By the time they made it to the snowy Cascade Range of British Columbia—the trail’s end—Aspen and Justin were in love.
Embarking on a new pilgrimage the next summer, they returned to those same mossy mountains where they’d met, and they married. They built a world together, three years of a happy marriage. Until a cold November morning, when, after kissing Aspen goodbye, Justin left to attend the funeral of a close friend.
He never came back. As days became weeks, her husband’s inexplicable absence left Aspen unmoored. Shock, grief, fear, and anger battled for control—but nothing prepared her for the disarming truth. A revelation that would lead Aspen to reassess not only her own life but that of the disappeared as well.
The result is a brave and inspiring memoir of secrets kept and unearthed, of a vanishing that became a gift: a woman’s empowering reclamation of unmitigated purpose in the surreal wake of mystifying loss.
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Your Blue is not my Blue allured me because of its name, which seems symbolic. Its exquisite style of writing won my heart and I have read it slowly, savoring the poetic descriptions of nature that merge into the plot effortlessly. A fairy tale romance, a quick marriage, so many hours together in the wilderness yet oblivious of each other’s real self! Sadly that is the truth of today’s couples.
Aspen was too young to understand relationships but Justin is outrageously irresponsible and self-centered. He treats his wife like a child, calls her “an investment,” directs her according to his wishes and alienates her further from her parents. And then he just disappears without a word! I kept coming back to the book blurb to reassure myself that this is a memoir – a true story, as it seems so unbelievable! I am relieved that Aspen chooses to grow up and learn from her experiences. It is heartening to note that she perceives a mother’s love, which is always unconditional – it doesn’t need any validation.
Though this book drags at places but it has beautiful messages to convey. Each stumbling block that Aspen wallows over before she jumps it, each person she meets and each accomplishment she makes defines life – “there is no immersive bliss.” I agree!
12/18/21 – An interesting novel detailing how her husband, whom she married at a young age after a short courting, suddenly disappears. The story details the personal struggles she goes through while trying to write her first novel amidst the disappearance. Written in partly stream of consciousness, part journal, part memoir it was interesting but didn’t blow me away.
It sparked some soul-searching
A LOT of descriptive adjectives makes you feel the moment.
I’ve finished this book now, and I really enjoyed it. I really like Matis’ writing! This book begins with a young teenage girl hiking the trails between Mexico and Canada, as she walks the trails she finds she’s walking them parallel with a guy named Dash- that’s his trail name. Finally, they intersect, get to know each other, and later they marry. His real name is Justin Matis. He is a great and supportive husband, who loves Aspen deeply and encourages her in her writing first in writing an article, and after that in writing her book. Aspen describes her love for Justin as, “My love for him is the color of remembered vacations: rosebud pink and silver, inexplicable in their wonder and their glory.” But then a tragedy happens to one of their trail friends, and Justin goes to the funeral without her, and Aspen does not hear from him again for over 40 days! I had to keep reminding myself that this is a memoir,for it reads like fiction with all of the strange adventures she has been through. I will read more of her. I highly recommend this book; I’d describe it as a coming of age book and a book that describes Aspen’s growth as a person and a woman. Check it out for a great read!
This fascinating memoir was filled with beautifully-descriptive depictions of the physical setting, especially during the backpacking scenes. However, the flowery language seemed overdone in spots when the author was describing more emotional events in her life. Still, an interesting and memorable story of a central part of her life — well worth reading.