Abby and Riya have been best friends since kindergarten. They are inseparable. Until as they approach their junior year of high school, Riya's parents decide to move to Berlin for a year, leaving Abby in their small Northern California town, for the first time, without her best friend. Soon after that, Abby's mother announces that she's leaving her father. Abby is forced to cope with the stress of a divorce without her one and only true friend. They call less and less as they drift apart.
But as this book opens, Riya's wealthy grandmother offers a two week tour of Europe to Abby and Riya (with Riya's intellectual 19 year old cousin, Neel, along as a chaperone). The Wonder of Us follows the trio across Europe as the two girls try to find the friendship they feel is almost lost. Along the way are a few boy crushes, and a bit of news from Riya that may jeopardize their friendship permanently.
Although the girls are 17... a bit older than most coming of age stories, this is definitely a coming of age tale. Both girls learn a lot about each other, themselves, life, and what it is like to get older and grow up. This is the strength of the book.
The biggest weakness: the chapters alternate between Abby and Riya telling the story. But the author writes both girls tales in the same exact voice. There were many times I got a little mixed up simply because I forgot which girl was telling the story in this chapter.
Though this may be more of a personal criticism... I found Abby far more likable than Riya. Probably because Abby, like myself, is an introvert, and appreciates nature, history, and a good story. Riya, quite unlike myself, is an extrovert, expects everything to be "fun," and loves shopping and partying. Although both girls were partially at fault for the rift in their friendship, and both are sometimes unfair to the other during the course of the European journey... Riya is the far more self centered and spoiled of the two. Sometimes I found it difficult to believe they ever would have been friends in the first place. ( )

The plot of the book immediately drew me in, and this felt like a real story.

I loved the travel part of the book, and really felt like I was (and want to be) on that trip with the two girls. Loved that it was told from both Riya and Abby (main characters)'s point of views and not just one point of view for the entire trip.

Although I don't enjoy seeing/reading about friends fighting, it made the book feel more real. An enjoyable book altogether.