Book Review: The Miles Between by Mary Pearson

The Miles Between is a dream-like story about a girl who dreams of having one fair day.  When she and three of her school friends embark on an unlikely road trip in search of this day, they learn a lot about themselves, each other, and what is fair.

Things I Liked:
This book was very thoughtful and full of interesting ideas.  I liked the quirky and unique characters, and Destiny's mysterious family life.  During the road trip, the interactions of the characters were interesting and I loved all the funny things that happened.  It was a good story that doesn't jump around too much and doesn't try too hard, but flows along peacefully.  I also enjoyed how even small passages or phrases have several meanings.  Some favorite quotes:

"I wonder about the structure of Hedgebrook, and the structure we have all built into our lives, some of our own making, some thrust on us - girders, timbers, nails, wire - sometimes desperate pieces of string that hold us up but at the same time keep us from being anything other than what we have always been." p158

"Chance. It weaves through our lives like a golden thread, sometimes knotting, tangling, and breaking along the way. Loose threads are left hanging, but the in and out, the back and forth continues, the weaving goes on. It doesn't stop, even if that is exactly what you want it to do." p229

"Today defies explanation, but for me, life has never been explainable. It's been a lopsided, illogical, messy affair, where answers are in short supply, but maybe that's the way it is for everyone. Sometimes the fairness is all bunched up in one place, and all the injustice is bunched up in another, and sometimes it is all bunched up in the most improbable ways, but whatever you get, wherever you are, there are still the moments that pin you to this world when you'd rather float away. Small, in-between moments, where there is magic and purpose and design and they are so perfectly beautiful they ache." p251-252

Things I Didn't Like:
There wasn't much I didn't like.  The twist at the end was almost a bit expected for me.  Not as surprising as I think it might have been.

Read-alikes:
A bit like Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer
Reminded me some of If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Also a little like An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
(well, maybe one)
mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

Do you ever read something and think it's fabulous and then a few months later you've forgotten all about it?

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