Mosquitoland

David Arnold’s Mosquitoland follows fourteen-year-old Sara Smiley on a cross-country bus journey from Tennessee to Montana, driven by the desire to reconnect with her estranged mother and meet a half-sister she has never known. Narrated in Sara’s candid, wry voice, the novel explores adolescence through the lens of bipolar disorder, a diagnosis she received two years prior. Rather than treating mental illness as a singular obstacle, Arnold weaves it into the broader tapestry of teenage life, examining how grief, family separation, and shifting friendships intersect with emotional regulation. The story unfolds through a series of bus rides, late-night conversations, and unexpected detours, grounding its emotional weight in authentic character interactions. Arnold’s own experience raising a child with bipolar disorder informs the novel’s unflinching yet compassionate portrayal of medication, therapy, and the daily negotiations required to navigate a world that often misunderstands neurodivergence. By centering Sara’s resilience and her steadfast bond with her best friend, the book offers a nuanced meditation on self-acceptance, the complexity of maternal relationships, and the quiet courage it takes to keep moving forward.