Review: The Miles Between

The Miles Between by Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt
Pub. Date: September 1st, 2009
Pages: 288
Age Level: 14+

Synopsis from GoodReads
Destiny Faraday makes a point of keeping her distance from her classmates at Hedgebrook Academy. Her number-one rule: Don’t get attached. But one day, unexpectedly finding a car at their disposal, Destiny and three of her classmates embark on an unauthorized road trip.

They’re searching for one fair day—a day where the good guy wins and everything adds up to something just and right. Their destination: Langdon, a town that Destiny’s unsuspecting companions hope will hold simply a day of fun. But, as Destiny says, “Things are not always what they seem.” Only she knows that Langdon holds far more than that—a deep secret she has never shared with anyone.

The Miles Between explores the wonder and magic of a very real world where chance, mystery, and secrets abound.

Review
Is our life ruled and controlled by a fate already determined or, with a little extra effort, can we take can control of our own destiny? What determines why some people seem to always have it good and others the total opposite? A novel filled with coincidences, chance, and a desire to have just one day where all is fair, The Miles Between is a book that both touched my heart and captivated my mind.

Destiny is a profound observer of what she believes to be the pattern to coincidence. After being moved around from school to school, she is afraid to let anyone get too close; so instead, she watches. This all changes though when a twist of fate cuts her some slack on the one day she believes is doomed to end in disaster. Destiny was a very complex and believable character. I could tell that she was aching inside and I found myself yearning to know and understand her. I felt she developed beautifully throughout the book and I couldn't help wanting things to work out for her in the end. The other characters, though not quite as dynamic or developed, were likable. Mira was the quirky, fun girl who also acted as a bit of a mediator amongst the group; Seth was the cute, compassionate romantic interest trying to reach out to Destiny; Aiden was the slightly dorky one. Then there was Lucky, the lamb, who was indeed very lucky. After finding him standing in the middle of the road, the four teens take in the little fella and I've got to say, he really added to the story. Lucky was actually probably my second favorite character, after Destiny.

Needless to say, The Miles Between was not the light, typical roadtrip read that I was expecting it to be. As a matter of fact, it was anything but light and typical; instead it carried some much deeper undertones and was actually very unique as well as entertaining and fast-paced. Not to mention the fact that it actually evoked enough emotion in me to cause me to cry. Sure, there have been a nice number of books that have made tears come to my eyes but very few have actually made them fall.

The writing was so descriptive and beautifully done, even lyrical at times. Pearson's use of metaphors and similies really added something extra special and I was absolutely in love with her writing stlye from the beginning.

As for the ending, well I don't really want to say much about the ending because I feel to truly appreciate the ending, you need to know as little as possible about it. I'll just say that there were some twists I didn't see coming until I was already on the heel of them. It was an ending I can definitely admire and love.

The Miles Between is moving, engaging, and utterly memorable in it's originality. Mary E. Pearson did a truly remarkable job in writing this book and I can't wait to read more of her work. If you haven't read this book yet then I highly suggest that you do. I know I'll definitely be reading it again in the future.

Grade:
Characters: B-
Writing: A+
Plot: A-
Ending: A
Enjoyment/Likability: A-
Recommendable: A

Overall: A-

Cover: C