lorathelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of those books that read quickly, but sticks with you. I keep thinking about it and can't get it out of my head. It was so quiet and thoughtful, simple. Really a great read.
bestofjess's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked this book, after a while it really picked up but then it just ended. The end felt rushed. The end was intense, but then that was it. I may come back and change my rating but for now 3 is where it is staying.
kathleenreads4898's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely not what I expected, still pretty good though!
leabaker's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this book at our local public library for a quick read. During the first 2 to 3 chapters I was somewhat disappointed, it was kind of slow paced in the beginning. However, after those first few chapters and once I adjusted to the writing style it became difficult to put down! There were parts of the story that were hard for me to read, only because I could relate on some level since I grew up with a mom that had undiagnosed mental problems. The isolation it causes is definitely something that I related to. The last 60-90 pages are so intense, it's hard to predict the outcome. I must add, the climax of the story was something I really wasn't entirety expecting but I was enthralled no less. Overall, I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars. The reason I didn't give that last star was mainly because I didn't really like the writing style. Other than that, it was a great book that I would suggest to others.
jbojkov's review against another edition
4.0
This was another of those "girl in a tough family situation" books. I gave it to my daughter to read first because she really likes the "sad girl books" and she thought it was pretty good. Now in this situation the girl, Lacey, does not have problems herself, but her mother has some pretty severe mental issues and so by association, Lacey has problems. The book starts out hopeful, but quickly things take a turn for the worse and pushes Lacey to the limits of her 13-year-old coping abilities. The tension in this book is palpable and keeps the reader turning pages. It's also a good choice for reluctant readers coming in at under 200 pages.
suey's review against another edition
4.0
Oh my, that was pretty intense stuff! But so sad and quite depressing. It's very hard to read about a girl dealing, all by herself, with her mom's massive depression and craziness.
taliac36's review against another edition
4.0
wow! this book is creepy!
so this is the second book I read from Carol Lynch Williams and well let me say that I couldn't quite grasp what was happening when in this book because it kept going to flashbacks that I couldn't quite differentiate them that easily with the present. Aside from that, I really like this book because it made me feel Lacy's emotions along with her since it's a really sad life story and let me just say that she really is brave for taking care for her mental ill mother! Great quick read!
so this is the second book I read from Carol Lynch Williams and well let me say that I couldn't quite grasp what was happening when in this book because it kept going to flashbacks that I couldn't quite differentiate them that easily with the present. Aside from that, I really like this book because it made me feel Lacy's emotions along with her since it's a really sad life story and let me just say that she really is brave for taking care for her mental ill mother! Great quick read!
stollhofen's review against another edition
3.0
I was excited to read Miles From Ordinary because it was so short and had such a frighteningly beautiful cover. If I had read the back, however, I would've seen that this is technically a middle-grade novel. Oh well!
I absolutely loved how climactic each chapter was. By the end it was pretty redundant and I knew something tragic would happen, but the predictability didn't take away from the overall gloom-and-doom of previous chapters. Most authors would lose suspense by including flashbacks but Carol Lynch Williams seamlessly incorporated them into dialogue and internal monologues. By adding typical "horror-film" elements like never-opened rooms, blood, dead animals, etc. the novel easily became one of the scariest I've read in quite a while.
Mental illness is an incredibly scary thing for a 13-year-old to witness and live with, a concept Williams excellently portrayed through Lacey. While I didn't really connect to her as a character I appreciated how her own mentality was degraded and shaped by her mother's constant paranoia. Few YA novels show how mental illness can negatively impact a family's mental and social health as well as Miles From Ordinary did. I loved how the the typical "ghost" horror element was also a metaphor for haunting memories and an unwillingness to forgive and forget the past.
I was really disappointed with the ending of the novel. I found it really cheesy and predictable compared to the previous elements. I would've liked a few more chapters to wrap up the day and give a sense of closure for Lacey's character. I also think Williams should have considered writing the novel with the final chapters being the prologue, playing the day in reverse, or perhaps a reflection of how Lacey's life turned out in the next few years and how she struggled to put herself back together.
I absolutely loved how climactic each chapter was. By the end it was pretty redundant and I knew something tragic would happen, but the predictability didn't take away from the overall gloom-and-doom of previous chapters. Most authors would lose suspense by including flashbacks but Carol Lynch Williams seamlessly incorporated them into dialogue and internal monologues. By adding typical "horror-film" elements like never-opened rooms, blood, dead animals, etc. the novel easily became one of the scariest I've read in quite a while.
Mental illness is an incredibly scary thing for a 13-year-old to witness and live with, a concept Williams excellently portrayed through Lacey. While I didn't really connect to her as a character I appreciated how her own mentality was degraded and shaped by her mother's constant paranoia. Few YA novels show how mental illness can negatively impact a family's mental and social health as well as Miles From Ordinary did. I loved how the the typical "ghost" horror element was also a metaphor for haunting memories and an unwillingness to forgive and forget the past.
I was really disappointed with the ending of the novel. I found it really cheesy and predictable compared to the previous elements. I would've liked a few more chapters to wrap up the day and give a sense of closure for Lacey's character. I also think Williams should have considered writing the novel with the final chapters being the prologue, playing the day in reverse, or perhaps a reflection of how Lacey's life turned out in the next few years and how she struggled to put herself back together.
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent story and true 14-year-old voice. CLW nails young teens so well. This one's about Lacey's mentally ill mother and her coming to terms with learning to live her life for herself.
Full review here: http://stackedbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/miles-from-ordinary-by-carol-lynch.html
Full review here: http://stackedbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/miles-from-ordinary-by-carol-lynch.html
iamnotamerryman's review against another edition
3.0
A bit uneven, but I liked it. Starts off slow but ends with a bang.