This is the second book I have read by Carol Lynch Williams, and it really felt like they had the kind of same themes. The other book was Waiting. In both books, someone dies and the mother is left distraught. In this one, the mother struggles with her demons, leaving her daughter to be the stronger person for both of them. And it's hard to be fourteen and have to know what to do when struggling to find the extent of her mother's mental illness.. When you don't know what her next move is going to be..when she keeps hurting herself because "Your granddaddy told me to." That's frightening for a young girl to deal with. This book left me quite terrified for a few hours. But overall, it was a great story that got into a girl's mind and shows all her emotions, anxiety, and conflicted feelings. Miles from Ordinary was a quick one-sitting read for me. The story is fast-paced and has a huge sense of urgency. Williams never seems to shy away from difficult topics and Miles from Ordinary is no different. It really takes place over one day in Lacey's life - the day that her and her mother start new jobs. However, throughout the book, Lacey's problem-filled life is explained through many flashbacks. You know early on that there is something wrong with Lacey's mom and each chapter peels back layers until you see how severe her issues truly are. This is a book that will have you rushing through so that you can find out the outcome - you will start to feel much of the panic that Lacey does. I will definitely select this as a staff pick. While the content wasn't too mature, I think that it is better suited for older YA readers or mature middle schoolers.
What do You think about Miles From Ordinary (2011)?
There was no point to this book... And the ending was stupid.... Grr.
—jayda
A disturbing look at mental illness and it's effects on a young girl.
—vidhya
