blakehalsey's review against another edition
Beautiful story about grief and moving on. I love that there wasn't an easily solution here--no fix for grief and the loss. It simply was, in all its pain and heartache. A gorgeous story that I think will mean a lot to a lot of readers.
gabs_myfullbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
Read more of my reviews at My Full Bookshelf
Wow. This may have been one of the best middle grade books I have read in the past couple of months. So many MG books tend to get 'watered down', but this one didn't, while still being something that kids could like...and teens...and adults.
I've not come across a heroine like Iris in quite a long time. She is young, a bit naive, but she's also very wise. Her grief for her friend Sarah, who she basically saw die, doesn't feel like a cheap ploy for tears...it feels realistic and raw.
I think that is what I loved about this book; despite being undeniably sad and raw, The Question of Miracles never felt overly angsty. So many books these days paint grief as being angry and lost and confused and generally pissed off at anyone and everyone--and it can be, but this isn't how it is for everyone. This book didn't take that route, and I applaud the author for doing that.
Still, you just can't help but get a lump in your throat as Iris tries to communicate with her friend Sarah. She's convinced herself that Sarah is a ghost; that she didn't really die. She tries a myriad of ways to contact her friend, but nothing works. It's heartbreaking.
Boris...oh Boris. What a loveable little dork that kid was. He's kind, a bit funny (though it isn't always intentional) and he's a total geek when it comes to Magic. I loved him.
Boris' backstory is really interesting, and it brings up the question; do miracles exist? Why do only some people get miracles? This book asks some really philosophical questions, and it does it in a tasteful way.
The writing in this book was so perfect. So often, middle grade books seem overly simplistic in their tone and its one of my pet peeves. You can make writing in kid's book easy to understand without it being babyish; this book is a prime example of that. It does it so well, and I'm really impressed.
Another little personal perk for me...Iris is a cat person, and her cat's a lil cutie. (I love cats. Dogs too, but cats don't get as much positive representation, so I'm always happy when kitties are mentioned in books. Don't judge me.)
If you like middle grade books that aren't afraid to get deep and are incredibly well written, (and who wouldn't want that?) this is a book worth reading. I am getting teary eyed just writing this review, it was that good. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself.
Read more of my reviews at My Full Bookshelf
Wow. This may have been one of the best middle grade books I have read in the past couple of months. So many MG books tend to get 'watered down', but this one didn't, while still being something that kids could like...and teens...and adults.
I've not come across a heroine like Iris in quite a long time. She is young, a bit naive, but she's also very wise. Her grief for her friend Sarah, who she basically saw die, doesn't feel like a cheap ploy for tears...it feels realistic and raw.
I think that is what I loved about this book; despite being undeniably sad and raw, The Question of Miracles never felt overly angsty. So many books these days paint grief as being angry and lost and confused and generally pissed off at anyone and everyone--and it can be, but this isn't how it is for everyone. This book didn't take that route, and I applaud the author for doing that.
Still, you just can't help but get a lump in your throat as Iris tries to communicate with her friend Sarah. She's convinced herself that Sarah is a ghost; that she didn't really die. She tries a myriad of ways to contact her friend, but nothing works. It's heartbreaking.
Boris...oh Boris. What a loveable little dork that kid was. He's kind, a bit funny (though it isn't always intentional) and he's a total geek when it comes to Magic. I loved him.
Boris' backstory is really interesting, and it brings up the question; do miracles exist? Why do only some people get miracles? This book asks some really philosophical questions, and it does it in a tasteful way.
The writing in this book was so perfect. So often, middle grade books seem overly simplistic in their tone and its one of my pet peeves. You can make writing in kid's book easy to understand without it being babyish; this book is a prime example of that. It does it so well, and I'm really impressed.
Another little personal perk for me...Iris is a cat person, and her cat's a lil cutie. (I love cats. Dogs too, but cats don't get as much positive representation, so I'm always happy when kitties are mentioned in books. Don't judge me.)
If you like middle grade books that aren't afraid to get deep and are incredibly well written, (and who wouldn't want that?) this is a book worth reading. I am getting teary eyed just writing this review, it was that good. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself.
jbojkov's review against another edition
5.0
I've discovered that I really like the quiet kind of story about children overcoming challenges. This is a book like Counting by Sevens, The Fourteenth Goldfish, Wonder, etc. It has depth, complex ideas presented in a way that o think kids will understand, and most importantly episodes of humor. I recommend it!
herlifewithbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I like a good "6th grade book." This one was fine - a fish out of water, new kid in school story with a tragic back story - but that's about all I remember.
yapha's review against another edition
4.0
Three months after her best friend dies, Iris's mom gets a new job and the whole family moves to Corvallis, Oregon. Instead of being the oldest grade in her Seal Beach, California elementary school, Iris is now the youngest in her Corvallis middle school. Plus, it is constantly raining. As Iris slowly and unwilling settles into her new life routine, several questions plague her. Is there a such thing as a miracle? If so, why do some people get miracles and others don't? Most importantly, why Sarah and why not her? As she searches for answers, Iris begins to put a new life together in Oregon. This emotionally moving book asks the questions that many of us struggle with. Although there are no easy answers, children will be glad to see they are not alone in their question of the world around them. Recommended for grades 4 & up.
nathanielml's review against another edition
5.0
It was awesome. Not exactly what you expect to happen at the end.
ltmurr's review against another edition
5.0
I picked up this book from a list of "books to read in Oregon while you're in Oregon" and didn't know what to expect. It's a kids book, but it deals with loss, grief, change, and relationships so well. I'm impressed.
jillcd's review against another edition
2.0
I just could not get into this book! I kept turning the page waiting for something to happen. While I appreciated the character friendship between Iris and Boris, it got weird. Not sure who I would recommend it to.
samantha_randolph's review against another edition
4.0
Short and Sweet:
Though the story felt really slow, the writing was beautiful, and I loved the characters.
To Elaborate...
I've been really into middle grade stories lately, so I had to pick this one up. I'm really fond of stories that tackle tough issues, and this one is no exception. Iris, a young girl in middle school, recently lost her best friend. This novel explores Iris's grief as her family moves to Oregon, and she struggles to make a new friend when she is still buried in sadness. As the title suggests, the central questions in this novel revolve around what miracles are, where they come from, why some people get them over others, etc. It's definitely not a light read, but it's a very important one. The writing and characterization are just beautiful. Iris's character is so deep, and her growth is gorgeous. I even like Boris, a boy who really wants to be her friend.
The family dynamic in this story is also excellent. Iris's mom and dad don't always understand her, but there is so much love in their family. In one part (this isn't a spoiler), her dad takes her and Boris out for a surprise skip-school day, and it's perfect. It shows just how much her parents care about her and want to make good memories with her.
While I love a lot about this book, it felt like it dragged for most of the story. Most of the plot revolves around the internal growth of Iris (which is wonderful), but it went by so slowly. The book itself is actually on the shorter side, but it took me a while to read this because I wasn't hooked. I kind of got bored with it in parts, and I would have to go do something else and then come back and read more.
Overall, I still recommend this one. The heart of the story is breathtaking and meaningful. Even though it felt like it took me a long time to get through this, I still enjoyed reading it, and I think a lot of people will really like it.
3.5 Hearts! Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/12/review-question-of-miracles-by-elana-k.html
Though the story felt really slow, the writing was beautiful, and I loved the characters.
To Elaborate...
I've been really into middle grade stories lately, so I had to pick this one up. I'm really fond of stories that tackle tough issues, and this one is no exception. Iris, a young girl in middle school, recently lost her best friend. This novel explores Iris's grief as her family moves to Oregon, and she struggles to make a new friend when she is still buried in sadness. As the title suggests, the central questions in this novel revolve around what miracles are, where they come from, why some people get them over others, etc. It's definitely not a light read, but it's a very important one. The writing and characterization are just beautiful. Iris's character is so deep, and her growth is gorgeous. I even like Boris, a boy who really wants to be her friend.
The family dynamic in this story is also excellent. Iris's mom and dad don't always understand her, but there is so much love in their family. In one part (this isn't a spoiler), her dad takes her and Boris out for a surprise skip-school day, and it's perfect. It shows just how much her parents care about her and want to make good memories with her.
While I love a lot about this book, it felt like it dragged for most of the story. Most of the plot revolves around the internal growth of Iris (which is wonderful), but it went by so slowly. The book itself is actually on the shorter side, but it took me a while to read this because I wasn't hooked. I kind of got bored with it in parts, and I would have to go do something else and then come back and read more.
Overall, I still recommend this one. The heart of the story is breathtaking and meaningful. Even though it felt like it took me a long time to get through this, I still enjoyed reading it, and I think a lot of people will really like it.
3.5 Hearts! Originally posted at I Heart YA Fiction: http://iheartyafiction.blogspot.com/2014/12/review-question-of-miracles-by-elana-k.html