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Love is a Miracle
Megan, 17, ist ein Wunder. Sie ist Miracle Megan, die einzige Überlebende eines Flugzeugabsturzes. Die Erleichterung ihrer Eltern ist grenzenlos. Wieder zu Hause, wird ihr ein großer Empfang bereitet, sie wird von allen Seiten mit Aufmerksamkeiten überhäuft und mit Samthandschuhen angefasst, schließlich ist sie ja ein Wunder. Doch Megan selbst fühlt sich überhaupt nicht als Wunder, schlimmer noch: Sie empfindet gar nichts, fühlt sich einfach nur leer. Mehr und mehr entfremdet sie sich von ihrer Umwelt. Einzig Joe, für den sie schon lange schwärmt, scheint sie zu verstehen.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2012
34 people are currently reading
2737 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Scott
139 books3,450 followersHey there, I'm Elizabeth. I write young adult novels. I live just outside Washington DC with my husband and dog, and am unable to pass a bookstore without stopping and going inside.
All right, and I can't leave without buying at least one book.
Usually two. (Or more!)
My website and blog are at elizabethwrites.com, and I'm also on twitter, tumblr, and facebook
All right, and I can't leave without buying at least one book.
Usually two. (Or more!)
My website and blog are at elizabethwrites.com, and I'm also on twitter, tumblr, and facebook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
August 9, 2012
I think I like Elizabeth’s Scott writing more with each of her books. When I started out, I felt like I was missing something. I enjoyed the first book I read (Love You, Hate You, Miss You), but I didn’t quite understand the reverence with which Scott’s name was met in parts of my circle of reader-friends.
Since then I’ve read most of her books, recently finishing Miracle, and I need to say: I get it now.
I’ve previously commented on the brevity of Scott’s novels and the sparseness of her writing, but I’m going to reiterate my appreciation of it now. Perhaps because I read Miracle on the heels of another contemporary YA that dealt with complex issues, the sharpness seemed even more apparent when compared with the latter’s florid, dramatic prose. Tellingly, Miracle was the novel I felt more skilfully handled its subject matter, and the novel that I ultimately found the most moving. Scott’s ability to exercise to restraint in her writing seems to have the effect of distilling her stories into the most potent, concentrated form. In 224 pages, she packs a powerful punch to the emotions.
In my opinion Scott has always written authentic teenage voices, and in Miracle she retains this accessible tone even in light of her main character’s extraordinary circumstances. Megan is the eponymous “miracle”, the sole survivor of a plane crash who walks away from the wreckage with only superficial physical injuries. It’s a premise with the odds stacked against it, requiring considerable reader buy-in, yet this doesn’t result in alienating readers from Megan. Rather, Scott anchors Megan’s story in familiar things – family, friends, school, community – creating a relatable frame of reference through which to explore Megan’s PTSD.
While Megan emerges from the tragedy physically unscathed, the mental and emotional trauma she sustains and the repercussions thereof are the focus of the novel. Scott’s treatment of the subject of PTSD is unflinchingly frank, and you can read more about why that is here. Scott lays bare the realities of Megan’s situation, handling with particular honesty the way it impacts the people around her, and the confusion, frustration and isolation it results in. Of note here is the choice Scott has made in the way Megan’s PTSD manifests – in withdrawal and detachment – meaning that Megan’s actions are not always necessarily sympathetic. Throughout the novel, Scott doesn’t shield the reader from Megan’s difficult thought patterns, her anger or disconnection. And I applaud Scott’s decision, for challenging ideas about PTSD and for the integrity of her portrayal. I think this goes a long way to promoting understanding of an anxiety disorder that does not necessarily present in a uniform manner. Sufferers of PTSD may have vastly different experiences, and Scott draws attention to this fact through Megan’s story.
Miracle has a cast of strong, well developed secondary characters that add dimension to the plot, and to Megan herself. By contrasting diverse characters with a “small-town mentality” (whether that’s perception or reality), Scott prompts discussion around judgement and acceptance. This is most notable in Margaret and Joe, and how their experiences with prejudice, marginalisation and grief assist Megan in confronting her own issues, and reconnecting with her world.
(On a related note, can I just state for the record that I think Scott is a master of chemistry? She can get me genuinely invested in character relationships without a single stomach pterodactyl in sight.)
Given the topic, Miracle is not exactly a book with universal appeal, although I’d argue that there are nuances to the story that would have widespread resonance. However, for anyone interested in a powerful and honest depiction of PTSD and the problematic nature of labelling (both negatively and positively), I would recommend this compelling, candid novel.
* * * * *
This book punched me right in the FEELS. Review to come..
July 21, 2012
I'm afraid that I'm not the right reviewer for this book. Or actually the right reader either. But I'm going try to do my best guys.
Megan is the miracle. The one who lived. The anomaly. The result of something that happens once in a lifetime. She is the sole survivor of a plane crash. But as much as Megan keeps hearing she is a "miracle" all she wants is for people to stop praising her as a hero for being alive. Megan isn't happy or ecstatic that she is alive. She is mostly empty actually. Especially since she can't remember what happened. She just knows she is afraid of trees now and keeps envisioning fire. One of the weirdest things is that one person doesn't seem to just want to talk to her about the crash, Joe. The guy next door who has his own tragic story people can’t seem to look past either.
I'd have to say that this book is well-written, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't hard to read it at first. I believe it's because I couldn't like Megan because people are not their best after a horrific event. I'm usually invested in the main character rather quickly and since I didn't know Megan before the crash it was difficult for me to rally some compassion for her. But Scott handles Megan's story with a deft hand. She seems to know what buttons to push, which is all of them. I could feel Megan's emptiness and the vague feeling that she should do something about this hollowness she has. She drops soccer, her grades plummet, she loses her friends but she can't seem to find the energy to care. As the reader you know she is experiencing trauma, but she doesn't exactly know that since she can't remember the crash.
I think the family dynamic was done superbly. It's kind of awful and I know that makes it sound like it wasn't good, but it's the truth of the situation. Megan's parents love and care about her but don’t know how to handle her. It’s truly heartbreaking seeing them try so hard but failing miserably. Despite the description of the story Joe is not a big part of the story. He does help to give some normalcy to the story. For a person like me, who is too normal for her own good, I needed that.
So the verdict is that I thought the story was done well, especially dealing with a subject like trauma. It never felt melodramatic, and things didn't seem added for dramatic flair. And though I didn't always feel a great amount of sympathy for Megan I knew I had to see what happened to the girl everybody called a miracle.
Megan is the miracle. The one who lived. The anomaly. The result of something that happens once in a lifetime. She is the sole survivor of a plane crash. But as much as Megan keeps hearing she is a "miracle" all she wants is for people to stop praising her as a hero for being alive. Megan isn't happy or ecstatic that she is alive. She is mostly empty actually. Especially since she can't remember what happened. She just knows she is afraid of trees now and keeps envisioning fire. One of the weirdest things is that one person doesn't seem to just want to talk to her about the crash, Joe. The guy next door who has his own tragic story people can’t seem to look past either.
I'd have to say that this book is well-written, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't hard to read it at first. I believe it's because I couldn't like Megan because people are not their best after a horrific event. I'm usually invested in the main character rather quickly and since I didn't know Megan before the crash it was difficult for me to rally some compassion for her. But Scott handles Megan's story with a deft hand. She seems to know what buttons to push, which is all of them. I could feel Megan's emptiness and the vague feeling that she should do something about this hollowness she has. She drops soccer, her grades plummet, she loses her friends but she can't seem to find the energy to care. As the reader you know she is experiencing trauma, but she doesn't exactly know that since she can't remember the crash.
I think the family dynamic was done superbly. It's kind of awful and I know that makes it sound like it wasn't good, but it's the truth of the situation. Megan's parents love and care about her but don’t know how to handle her. It’s truly heartbreaking seeing them try so hard but failing miserably. Despite the description of the story Joe is not a big part of the story. He does help to give some normalcy to the story. For a person like me, who is too normal for her own good, I needed that.
So the verdict is that I thought the story was done well, especially dealing with a subject like trauma. It never felt melodramatic, and things didn't seem added for dramatic flair. And though I didn't always feel a great amount of sympathy for Megan I knew I had to see what happened to the girl everybody called a miracle.
July 27, 2016
By my accounts, this is the fourth book I read by Elizabeth Scott, and it’s hard not to notice the patterns. They all have a good story, interesting characters with the ability to grab the reader with their struggles and victories, but that’s as far as it goes. Even though there’s a suggestion that her stories are going to make a reader feel, they don’t captivate me. I always end up finishing one of her novels with the feeling that it’s lacking.
About the story, it was well thought out, and that’s what initially led me to pick up the book. The premise of a girl who is the lone survivor of a plane crash is pretty interesting, and leads to the question at hand: After surviving the impossible, how do you survive the possible? Megan is an incomprehensible character. I myself couldn’t understand her at times. But what’s shocking is that it’s clear Megan’s suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and all the people around her, parents, doctors, teachers, friends, are clueless! I mean, a girl survives a plane crash and she’s supposed to move on like nothing happened? Do people really think that you can come out of something like this completely unscathed? And don’t even get me started on the parents… how can they go on like everything’s fine when Megan’s leaving all these signs that she’s anything like a miracle?
And then there’s Joe, an enigmatic boy dealing with his own ghosts of the past and present. I liked Joe and Megan’s first contact, but to be honest he became somewhat uninteresting. It’s not that I don’t feel sympathetic for what they have been through. I think it had more to do with how the story is written. It didn’t make me feel anything for either of them.
Good idea for a story, I just wished the idea had turned into the actual story.
About the story, it was well thought out, and that’s what initially led me to pick up the book. The premise of a girl who is the lone survivor of a plane crash is pretty interesting, and leads to the question at hand: After surviving the impossible, how do you survive the possible? Megan is an incomprehensible character. I myself couldn’t understand her at times. But what’s shocking is that it’s clear Megan’s suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and all the people around her, parents, doctors, teachers, friends, are clueless! I mean, a girl survives a plane crash and she’s supposed to move on like nothing happened? Do people really think that you can come out of something like this completely unscathed? And don’t even get me started on the parents… how can they go on like everything’s fine when Megan’s leaving all these signs that she’s anything like a miracle?
And then there’s Joe, an enigmatic boy dealing with his own ghosts of the past and present. I liked Joe and Megan’s first contact, but to be honest he became somewhat uninteresting. It’s not that I don’t feel sympathetic for what they have been through. I think it had more to do with how the story is written. It didn’t make me feel anything for either of them.
Good idea for a story, I just wished the idea had turned into the actual story.
February 23, 2020
Actual rating: 3.5/5
“I want to care, but I don’t.
I look at you and all I feel is tired.”
This is the quote that made me order and read this book. As soon as I read the last page I got the exact same feelings when I finished It Ends with Us. It was mixed feelings of how I hate and love the novel at the same time. It's very hard to explain, for example, at some point at the end I really cried because it was very sad to follow Megan's story and reading her thoughts about what she went through, I was really touched and that made me appreciate the novel.
I really felt some personal and vulnerable aspects in the novel and boy I was shocked when I read the author's note at the end!
However, would I recommend this novel to anyone? probably not. Whenever I read young adult lit. I'm always annoyed by the immaturity of the characters especially when I read the conversations (like the very stupid and short answers the protagonists say sometimes), however, I still like to read young adult lit. every now and then because they can still handle very serious topics in a nice way.
“I want to care, but I don’t.
I look at you and all I feel is tired.”
This is the quote that made me order and read this book. As soon as I read the last page I got the exact same feelings when I finished It Ends with Us. It was mixed feelings of how I hate and love the novel at the same time. It's very hard to explain, for example, at some point at the end I really cried because it was very sad to follow Megan's story and reading her thoughts about what she went through, I was really touched and that made me appreciate the novel.
I really felt some personal and vulnerable aspects in the novel and boy I was shocked when I read the author's note at the end!
However, would I recommend this novel to anyone? probably not. Whenever I read young adult lit. I'm always annoyed by the immaturity of the characters especially when I read the conversations (like the very stupid and short answers the protagonists say sometimes), however, I still like to read young adult lit. every now and then because they can still handle very serious topics in a nice way.
June 23, 2012
***Originally posted to: Bookish Book Blog |YA and Adult Book Reviews, Author Interviews, Guest Posts, Giveaways and news! ^___^
If you had a chance to read Elizabeth Scott's previous book, Living Dead Girl, you're well aware of just what this author is capable of. Raw, painfully vivid emotions. Powerful, haunting images. Heart-wrenching tragedies. Overwhelming intensity. And a stunning, but also very disturbing look into the darkest corners of the human heart and mind. All that served in a form of a small, 200-pages long book. A book that will devastate you! While Miracle is not as disquieting and depressing as Living Dead Girl, it definitely packs a strong punch for fans of dark, heartbreakingly honest, sweepingly poignant books.
Megan wakes up in a hospital bed. She has no recollection of what happened to her, all she knows is that she's in pain and her parents are acting very weird. Her mom keeps on calling her a miracle, and acting like all of a sudden her daughter became someone else entirely, someone who needs to be watched over and protected at all times. When she learns that she was in a plane crash, at first she can't believe it. She doesn't remember a thing. Was she really on a plane? What happened? So many questions and no answers. When she learns that she was the only one who survived the crash, she knows she should be happy to be alive. Instead, all she feels is numbness. She doesn't think she's a miracle. She doesn't even feel like she's alive. Is she alive? Or is her body lying somewhere in the woods, slowly rotting away? And then the flashes from the crash start bombarding her brain, paralyzing her body and mind even further. Everyone is treating her like she's the thinnest, most fragile piece of glass that could shutter to pieces any moment. And Megan? Megan just doesn't feel anything. She's withdrawn, disconnected from reality, and, having brushed so close against death, she no longer cares whether she'll live or die...
What can I say? I was absolutely and utterly blown away by this book. It's probably one of the most disturbing, depressing and strikingly real books I've ever read. Infused with so many emotions, blood-chilling, heavy and thick, it's a book that crawls under your skin and pulls you deep under to a place that is as far away from happy as it gets. Elizabeth Scott's writing is raw, authentic, and all-too convincing. With her simple yet totally consuming prose, she weaves a tale of tragedy and hope, giving up on yourself and re-kindling your will to live. A tale so terrifyingly plausible, it makes you feel all sticky and dirty. Scott does a fantastic job portraying the dramatic shift in the dynamics of the family, and how the near-death experience profoundly affected their relationship.
What I like the most about this story, though, is the fact that the author does not victimize Megan, making her come across as the poor little thing that nearly lost her life and should now be approached with special care. Megan is not even a particularly likeable protagonist. She might have been before the crash, but at the time we meet her she's morphing into someone quite off-putting, someone who is so traumatized and broken up inside, that she does not inspire sympathy, not immediately at least. It takes a certain amount of time to even begin to understand what this girl is going through. She's in a very difficult place and it affects our perception of her immensely. She's lost, she struggles with finding herself, keeping her sanity. She's emotionless, cold, and empty inside. An empty shell of a human being, and not a miracle, not by any means. Elizabeth Scott performed a graphic and shocking vivisection of a human soul wrecked by a horrible tragedy.
Everything about this book is absolutely outstanding. The carefully executed plot line, the flashes of memories scattered throughout the story, Megan's inner monologues, the tension and the drama - all these things make Miracle an exceptionally great book, and one that will stay with you for a very long time. I can't recommend it enough!
If you had a chance to read Elizabeth Scott's previous book, Living Dead Girl, you're well aware of just what this author is capable of. Raw, painfully vivid emotions. Powerful, haunting images. Heart-wrenching tragedies. Overwhelming intensity. And a stunning, but also very disturbing look into the darkest corners of the human heart and mind. All that served in a form of a small, 200-pages long book. A book that will devastate you! While Miracle is not as disquieting and depressing as Living Dead Girl, it definitely packs a strong punch for fans of dark, heartbreakingly honest, sweepingly poignant books.
Megan wakes up in a hospital bed. She has no recollection of what happened to her, all she knows is that she's in pain and her parents are acting very weird. Her mom keeps on calling her a miracle, and acting like all of a sudden her daughter became someone else entirely, someone who needs to be watched over and protected at all times. When she learns that she was in a plane crash, at first she can't believe it. She doesn't remember a thing. Was she really on a plane? What happened? So many questions and no answers. When she learns that she was the only one who survived the crash, she knows she should be happy to be alive. Instead, all she feels is numbness. She doesn't think she's a miracle. She doesn't even feel like she's alive. Is she alive? Or is her body lying somewhere in the woods, slowly rotting away? And then the flashes from the crash start bombarding her brain, paralyzing her body and mind even further. Everyone is treating her like she's the thinnest, most fragile piece of glass that could shutter to pieces any moment. And Megan? Megan just doesn't feel anything. She's withdrawn, disconnected from reality, and, having brushed so close against death, she no longer cares whether she'll live or die...
What can I say? I was absolutely and utterly blown away by this book. It's probably one of the most disturbing, depressing and strikingly real books I've ever read. Infused with so many emotions, blood-chilling, heavy and thick, it's a book that crawls under your skin and pulls you deep under to a place that is as far away from happy as it gets. Elizabeth Scott's writing is raw, authentic, and all-too convincing. With her simple yet totally consuming prose, she weaves a tale of tragedy and hope, giving up on yourself and re-kindling your will to live. A tale so terrifyingly plausible, it makes you feel all sticky and dirty. Scott does a fantastic job portraying the dramatic shift in the dynamics of the family, and how the near-death experience profoundly affected their relationship.
What I like the most about this story, though, is the fact that the author does not victimize Megan, making her come across as the poor little thing that nearly lost her life and should now be approached with special care. Megan is not even a particularly likeable protagonist. She might have been before the crash, but at the time we meet her she's morphing into someone quite off-putting, someone who is so traumatized and broken up inside, that she does not inspire sympathy, not immediately at least. It takes a certain amount of time to even begin to understand what this girl is going through. She's in a very difficult place and it affects our perception of her immensely. She's lost, she struggles with finding herself, keeping her sanity. She's emotionless, cold, and empty inside. An empty shell of a human being, and not a miracle, not by any means. Elizabeth Scott performed a graphic and shocking vivisection of a human soul wrecked by a horrible tragedy.
Everything about this book is absolutely outstanding. The carefully executed plot line, the flashes of memories scattered throughout the story, Megan's inner monologues, the tension and the drama - all these things make Miracle an exceptionally great book, and one that will stay with you for a very long time. I can't recommend it enough!
July 31, 2012
Este libro me gustó mucho. Y por eso me voy a extender algo jajajaja, creo que este libro no va a gustarle a todo mundo, porque más que una novela de romance, es una novela sobre la vida, sobre esas cosas difíciles que son inevitables y que no son agradables pero que se tienen que superar, por ello creo que llegara a aquellas personas que en alguna medida entiendan a los personajes y puedan sintonizar con ellos.
Megan es una chica que vivió algo horrible en lo que vio cosas más horribles, y sobrevivió, sobrevivió en un accidente aéreo donde nadie más sobrevive.
Y eso le pone una etiqueta: "El Milagro"
Cosa que a ella no le gusta, y conforme lees la entiendes, sientes lo que siente y te preguntas, yo estaría así si me pasara lo mismo?
Es una respuesta difícil de responder, porque no podemos saberlo, pero tal vez mientras lees piensas que no, o tal vez la entiendes y crees que si.
Pero es cierto que nadie reacciona igual ante un mismo suceso.
Yo no sé si reaccionaría como Megan ante lo que vivió, creo que igual imposible porque ya tengo otra edad y he vivido otras cosas, pero de todos modos no quiero descubrirlo.
Pero la historia te hace reflexionar, y eso es algo que me encanta en los libros, porque más allá de disfrutar de una buena lectura, reflexionas sobre cosas reales y terminas enriquecida en alguna medida por eso.
Y luego tenemos a Joe, que vivió algo completamente diferente, pero sigue llevando eso consigo, y es que como él mismo dijo, hay cosas que vivimos que no se pueden dejar atrás, se tiene que aprender a vivir con ellas, porque no hay otra forma, no se olvidan y no desaparecen, pasan a formar parte de lo que eres y aprendes a vivir con eso aunque no es fácil o te quedas sumido en una depresión, en un sin sentido de la vida o con trastorno por estrés postraumático.
Y tal vez porque comprendo esto por experiencias propias, porque sé lo que es cargar con algo que no se puede borrar, que no se puede olvidar, que no va a desaparecer, es que libros como estos me llegan al corazón, y fue eso lo que me hizo identificarme con los personajes de este libro, entenderlos, sufrir con ellos y tener esperanza con ellos, porque siempre hay un mañana aun cuando sientas que no hay esperanza.
Y el saber que no importa qué, el ser humano es capaz de seguir adelante, de sobreponerse a cualquier cosa aunque eso siempre forme parte de él, es la cosa más esperanzadora y maravillosa de la vida.
Y es algo que disfruto leyendo. Que disfruto recordando.
Y es por eso que esta autora me gusta tanto, porque sea cual sea la temática de sus libros, siempre traen ese mensaje de superación y reflexión y personajes con los que te identificas, porque tal vez no hayas pasado por lo mismo, pero aun así, hay cosas que has sentido y que entiendes y te sientes reflejada.
Joe y Megan no viven un tórrido romance, no, ellos se van conociendo, comparten esas experiencias duras, y se va forjando algo especial entre ellos, algo verdadero y probablemente duradero, y al final lo que hay entre ellos es algo tierno, algo hermoso.
SPOILER:
Y si, no puedo negar que me habría gustado un beso al final, pero la unión emocional entre ellos es más significativa que un simple beso.
Megan es una chica que vivió algo horrible en lo que vio cosas más horribles, y sobrevivió, sobrevivió en un accidente aéreo donde nadie más sobrevive.
Y eso le pone una etiqueta: "El Milagro"
Cosa que a ella no le gusta, y conforme lees la entiendes, sientes lo que siente y te preguntas, yo estaría así si me pasara lo mismo?
Es una respuesta difícil de responder, porque no podemos saberlo, pero tal vez mientras lees piensas que no, o tal vez la entiendes y crees que si.
Pero es cierto que nadie reacciona igual ante un mismo suceso.
Yo no sé si reaccionaría como Megan ante lo que vivió, creo que igual imposible porque ya tengo otra edad y he vivido otras cosas, pero de todos modos no quiero descubrirlo.
Pero la historia te hace reflexionar, y eso es algo que me encanta en los libros, porque más allá de disfrutar de una buena lectura, reflexionas sobre cosas reales y terminas enriquecida en alguna medida por eso.
Y luego tenemos a Joe, que vivió algo completamente diferente, pero sigue llevando eso consigo, y es que como él mismo dijo, hay cosas que vivimos que no se pueden dejar atrás, se tiene que aprender a vivir con ellas, porque no hay otra forma, no se olvidan y no desaparecen, pasan a formar parte de lo que eres y aprendes a vivir con eso aunque no es fácil o te quedas sumido en una depresión, en un sin sentido de la vida o con trastorno por estrés postraumático.
Y tal vez porque comprendo esto por experiencias propias, porque sé lo que es cargar con algo que no se puede borrar, que no se puede olvidar, que no va a desaparecer, es que libros como estos me llegan al corazón, y fue eso lo que me hizo identificarme con los personajes de este libro, entenderlos, sufrir con ellos y tener esperanza con ellos, porque siempre hay un mañana aun cuando sientas que no hay esperanza.
Y el saber que no importa qué, el ser humano es capaz de seguir adelante, de sobreponerse a cualquier cosa aunque eso siempre forme parte de él, es la cosa más esperanzadora y maravillosa de la vida.
Y es algo que disfruto leyendo. Que disfruto recordando.
Y es por eso que esta autora me gusta tanto, porque sea cual sea la temática de sus libros, siempre traen ese mensaje de superación y reflexión y personajes con los que te identificas, porque tal vez no hayas pasado por lo mismo, pero aun así, hay cosas que has sentido y que entiendes y te sientes reflejada.
Joe y Megan no viven un tórrido romance, no, ellos se van conociendo, comparten esas experiencias duras, y se va forjando algo especial entre ellos, algo verdadero y probablemente duradero, y al final lo que hay entre ellos es algo tierno, algo hermoso.
SPOILER:
Y si, no puedo negar que me habría gustado un beso al final, pero la unión emocional entre ellos es más significativa que un simple beso.
April 16, 2012
My Thoughts: Geez, Geez, Geez. I hope some of you enjoy this book more than I did. I miss the old Scott. The contemporary novels that used to make me squee. I was sooo excited to get my hands on the new Elizabeth Scott, but I felt like this book had the same feel as As I Wake which was the book I liked the least of Scott's.
We are introduced to Megan who has survived a plane crash. She is the only one who walked away with a few bruises and scratches. Nothing too horrible. We get to experience the next few months with Megan unfolding what she went through, her memories slowing coming back about the crash, and the way she distanced herself from everyone and everything she loved.
There is also a boy in this story. His name is Joe and he is Megan's next door neighbor. He's a sweet boy. I really liked him but I never really felt Megan connect on a deeper level with him. Yes, he was a bit swoony but nothing like Scott's other past male characters. Joe has his own tortured past so he knows what Megan is going through, to an extent.
Megan starts to lose everything she once held dear due to her pulling away from everything. Everyone thinks she is a miracle while she doesn't even know what made her so special or why she walked away when everyone else died.
I did like seeing Megan interact with her family. However, her mom and dad seemed pretty dense, and I wish they had acted up and tried to help more.
Honestly, Miracle was just an okay read for me. I did finish it and it had its moments but like I said above, I miss the older Scott books. I want her to go down that road again and write another contemporary that I fall in love with.
Miracle was an interesting look at surviving a plane crash and what it can do to you physically and mentally but I just didn't relate to this story or to Megan. I never really felt myself like her very much. I didn't like watching her throw everything away, I didn't like watching her sink fast. The thing I liked the most was Joe. Oh sweet Joe.
Overall: Liked it, it was okay, but didn't really do it for me. Gosh, I hope that next Scott book I read I fall madly in love over and have some fangirl squee moments.
Miracle is more like a 3.5 cupcake book for me. I hope you like it more than I did.
Cover: Like it, its a bit dark but it fits.
What I'd Give It: 3/5 Cupcakes
_______
Taken From Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
We are introduced to Megan who has survived a plane crash. She is the only one who walked away with a few bruises and scratches. Nothing too horrible. We get to experience the next few months with Megan unfolding what she went through, her memories slowing coming back about the crash, and the way she distanced herself from everyone and everything she loved.
There is also a boy in this story. His name is Joe and he is Megan's next door neighbor. He's a sweet boy. I really liked him but I never really felt Megan connect on a deeper level with him. Yes, he was a bit swoony but nothing like Scott's other past male characters. Joe has his own tortured past so he knows what Megan is going through, to an extent.
Megan starts to lose everything she once held dear due to her pulling away from everything. Everyone thinks she is a miracle while she doesn't even know what made her so special or why she walked away when everyone else died.
I did like seeing Megan interact with her family. However, her mom and dad seemed pretty dense, and I wish they had acted up and tried to help more.
Honestly, Miracle was just an okay read for me. I did finish it and it had its moments but like I said above, I miss the older Scott books. I want her to go down that road again and write another contemporary that I fall in love with.
Miracle was an interesting look at surviving a plane crash and what it can do to you physically and mentally but I just didn't relate to this story or to Megan. I never really felt myself like her very much. I didn't like watching her throw everything away, I didn't like watching her sink fast. The thing I liked the most was Joe. Oh sweet Joe.
Overall: Liked it, it was okay, but didn't really do it for me. Gosh, I hope that next Scott book I read I fall madly in love over and have some fangirl squee moments.
Miracle is more like a 3.5 cupcake book for me. I hope you like it more than I did.
Cover: Like it, its a bit dark but it fits.
What I'd Give It: 3/5 Cupcakes
_______
Taken From Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
July 19, 2012
Oh. Wow. This was an excellent novel focused on PTSD. I don't know how relatable a lot of folks will find this book but it really got me. Meggie, the main character, is incredibly brave in the end. I'm bummed this little book hasn't gotten more love.
Update 6/19/2012 - All right, I did a more extensive, word vomit review of this one on the blog. I hadn't planned on reviewing it, but it had to be reviewed.
Update 6/19/2012 - All right, I did a more extensive, word vomit review of this one on the blog. I hadn't planned on reviewing it, but it had to be reviewed.
October 5, 2012
I do believe this is where Ms. Scott's books and I part ways. I didn't care much for her last book, As I Wake, and this is more of the same type read. Tough to slog through because very little is actually explained, character with whom you can't feel any connection or empathy and repetitious. This, to me personally, does not make for a good read.
Can I enjoy a novel in which the protagonist isn't a positive character, someone to admire or understand? Yes, I have done so and those can be the most interesting reads.
However, what I cannot abide and so am finished here, are protagonists who cause their own drama because they won't simply have a single conversation and even hint to anyone what is going on with them. It feels false and I feel manipulated.
The entirety of this story is because Megan refuses to say she doesn't remember what happened. And everyone asks so it isn't that she can't bring it up. She simply won't and when sitting in front of a therapist who, I don't know, just might be trying to help her, she just stares at her.
There is some message about how her parents need her to be a miracle because she is the product of an unplanned pregnancy that resulted in her mother being cut off from her family. Really? I might be able to buy this if her family, or even just her mother, is descrbed as being ultra-religious, but I didn't get that from the story. Going to church does not make one ultra-religious, nor does believing in the possibility of miracles. I thought this was poorly done.
And Megan simply throws her life down the toilet with a shrug, and we are supposed to believe her parents, who are concerned and loving people with a good, stable marriage, don't notice or don't try to help her. I simply can't suspend my disbelief to get past that.
Megan's own thoughts are contrary to her own thoughts.
p 74: " . . . awake and waiting for another day I didn't want."
p 79: : . . . afraid that if I took another step I'd die or vanish . . ."
So, which is it? She either doesn't want to live or she's scared of dying? Which? And having survived a plane crash, her whining about how she must keep on living was disgusting. Yeah, I get it, maybe she has PTSD and needs help, but she refuses to ask for it, or accept it when it is offered so tough for me to feel for her. And her whole "woe is me, I must live" attitude just got on my very last nerve.
Another thing, one hundred twelve pounds on a five foot four and a half inch frame isn't fat. Her description of developing a jiggly layer of fat just reinforces every negative body image out there that anything over skeletal bones is disgusting to look at. This infuriates me.
Plus her I-care-about-nothing attitude makes her suddenly attractive to the most beautiful boy in town. Not buying that, particuarly when their interactions are mostly negative and yet, he still keeps coming back. For gosh sakes, why? Oh, I get it, she is the only one who sees past his utter gorgeousity into his whatever, yeah, I get it. Not buying it, but I get it.
And precisely why should this girl be rewarded for her nasty behavior to everyone who cares for her? Is this the message we need to take away? Yes, turn your back on your friends, abuse your little brother, both mentally and physically, ignore your parents concern, blow off your classes, disappoint pretty much everyone you come into contact with, and your reward is hooking the most sought after boy in town. Wow. And not a good wow, either.
The ending is happy little rainbow sparkles. Yuck.
Can I enjoy a novel in which the protagonist isn't a positive character, someone to admire or understand? Yes, I have done so and those can be the most interesting reads.
However, what I cannot abide and so am finished here, are protagonists who cause their own drama because they won't simply have a single conversation and even hint to anyone what is going on with them. It feels false and I feel manipulated.
The entirety of this story is because Megan refuses to say she doesn't remember what happened. And everyone asks so it isn't that she can't bring it up. She simply won't and when sitting in front of a therapist who, I don't know, just might be trying to help her, she just stares at her.
There is some message about how her parents need her to be a miracle because she is the product of an unplanned pregnancy that resulted in her mother being cut off from her family. Really? I might be able to buy this if her family, or even just her mother, is descrbed as being ultra-religious, but I didn't get that from the story. Going to church does not make one ultra-religious, nor does believing in the possibility of miracles. I thought this was poorly done.
And Megan simply throws her life down the toilet with a shrug, and we are supposed to believe her parents, who are concerned and loving people with a good, stable marriage, don't notice or don't try to help her. I simply can't suspend my disbelief to get past that.
Megan's own thoughts are contrary to her own thoughts.
p 74: " . . . awake and waiting for another day I didn't want."
p 79: : . . . afraid that if I took another step I'd die or vanish . . ."
So, which is it? She either doesn't want to live or she's scared of dying? Which? And having survived a plane crash, her whining about how she must keep on living was disgusting. Yeah, I get it, maybe she has PTSD and needs help, but she refuses to ask for it, or accept it when it is offered so tough for me to feel for her. And her whole "woe is me, I must live" attitude just got on my very last nerve.
Another thing, one hundred twelve pounds on a five foot four and a half inch frame isn't fat. Her description of developing a jiggly layer of fat just reinforces every negative body image out there that anything over skeletal bones is disgusting to look at. This infuriates me.
Plus her I-care-about-nothing attitude makes her suddenly attractive to the most beautiful boy in town. Not buying that, particuarly when their interactions are mostly negative and yet, he still keeps coming back. For gosh sakes, why? Oh, I get it, she is the only one who sees past his utter gorgeousity into his whatever, yeah, I get it. Not buying it, but I get it.
And precisely why should this girl be rewarded for her nasty behavior to everyone who cares for her? Is this the message we need to take away? Yes, turn your back on your friends, abuse your little brother, both mentally and physically, ignore your parents concern, blow off your classes, disappoint pretty much everyone you come into contact with, and your reward is hooking the most sought after boy in town. Wow. And not a good wow, either.
The ending is happy little rainbow sparkles. Yuck.
March 3, 2012
So I just went back and checked and it seems like I always feel the same way about Elizabeth Scott. I want her books to move and and make me feel. The topics sure suggest that they will. But they never do and I think it's mostly to due to how the characters are written. I never really care about them or feel sympathetic for them.
I wanted to feel bad for Megan and feel sorry for her. After all she witnessed at the plane crash, I wanted to like her and be hopeful for her. But I really didn't care about her. I get that she didn't feel anything but I don't think she needed to come off as so cold...she could have felt nothing and still been a sympathetic character.
And there are some other smaller details that I would have liked to have known. Was her brother diagnosed with a disease or was he just a sick kid with bad luck at always getting hurt? Just why did the plane crash? And I thought it was kinda weird that she was on such a small plane coming back from soccer camp. It would have made more sense if she was on a commercial airliner (her parents didn't seem to have enough money for plane that only held 5 or 6 people) or a small plane with other soccer players.
So yeah, it wasn't a bad story by any means, it just didn't get me to feel anything.
I wanted to feel bad for Megan and feel sorry for her. After all she witnessed at the plane crash, I wanted to like her and be hopeful for her. But I really didn't care about her. I get that she didn't feel anything but I don't think she needed to come off as so cold...she could have felt nothing and still been a sympathetic character.
And there are some other smaller details that I would have liked to have known. Was her brother diagnosed with a disease or was he just a sick kid with bad luck at always getting hurt? Just why did the plane crash? And I thought it was kinda weird that she was on such a small plane coming back from soccer camp. It would have made more sense if she was on a commercial airliner (her parents didn't seem to have enough money for plane that only held 5 or 6 people) or a small plane with other soccer players.
So yeah, it wasn't a bad story by any means, it just didn't get me to feel anything.
February 7, 2013
Initial reaction: Elizabeth Scott's "Miracle" certainly had an interesting premise, about a young woman who is the only person to survive a plane crash and suffers from PTSD in the aftermath of events. Megan isn't the most endearing character to watch go through the motions, but her voice is authentic and I did see why she acted in some of the ways she did in terms of lashing out. I did like her eventual coming to terms, though I kind of wished the cast were a little more developed than they were. I think the sparse dialogue worked for the narrative, but I was also craving a little more character vetting, because some of the characters - like Joe - were cool, and Megan's friends could've used a bit more closure than they did.
Full review:
"Miracle" is one of those books. And by "those books" I mean that this is a tough read in more ways than one. "Living Dead Girl" had a strong impact on me, so it was no surprise that I would pick this up given the premise. The protagonist, a young woman named Megan (or Meggie, as she's affectionately called) is the only person to survive a plane crash. When she's found by the side of the road, she's taken to the hospital and later learns she has no memory of the events. Not to mention she suffers rather notably from PTSD, but no one around her seems to notice. If anything, her parents, her teachers, doctors, the vast majority of the people around her consider her a "miracle" and make no uncertain terms about referring to her as such. Yet Megan suffers from the guilt of being alive and feels more at a loss than anything else.
This could easily go either way with its respective audience. The sparse writing style that was present in "Living Dead Girl" is here again, but I don't know if it hit me quite as strongly, despite the interesting subject matter. I followed Megan well enough in her experiences, but there are times when she can be extremely unlikable. She's emotionally numb, so she moves through her experiences at first with a listless eye. She can be quite cruel in spurts, such as the way she treats her brother, who suffers from neglect at the hands of her parents who pour their attention to Megan (and you can't help but feel sorry for him because he lashes out in his own way too). Megan's parents are so painstakingly oblivious it made me want to throw the book at them (if I could manage to do so). Yet I think for the thematic this book was going for, it actually kept my attention throughout, and the narrative feels honest. It was a fairly quick read, and as far as a moment of coming to terms is concerned, Megan makes her way there steadily. She's helped along in the process by Joe, the boy her affections turn toward, and an elderly woman who lost her partner, who went through similar experiences sometime before, among others who want to see her come out of it. Ultimately, Megan has to step up to the plate to make her life begin again.
I thought that the narrative flowed quite well and it was easy to follow. I also thought that the steady buildup to the moments where Megan remembered the crash were sound. I kind of wish there was a little more character intimacy with the story, however. I understood some of the relationships and reactions (particularly from Megan and her immediate family, and even the friends though they took more of a distant tone), but somehow it left me wanting more. Ultimately I did think the ending had a nice tie off and conclusion, though. It rounded out events and while it doesn't necessarily tie off every relationship resolution established, it provides enough to satiate for its particular aims. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it, but I liked what it had to offer. Certainly I will check more into Scott's future works, because she's proven she can write on multiple tough subjects with brief, yet resonant focus.
Overall score: 3.5/5
Full review:
"Miracle" is one of those books. And by "those books" I mean that this is a tough read in more ways than one. "Living Dead Girl" had a strong impact on me, so it was no surprise that I would pick this up given the premise. The protagonist, a young woman named Megan (or Meggie, as she's affectionately called) is the only person to survive a plane crash. When she's found by the side of the road, she's taken to the hospital and later learns she has no memory of the events. Not to mention she suffers rather notably from PTSD, but no one around her seems to notice. If anything, her parents, her teachers, doctors, the vast majority of the people around her consider her a "miracle" and make no uncertain terms about referring to her as such. Yet Megan suffers from the guilt of being alive and feels more at a loss than anything else.
This could easily go either way with its respective audience. The sparse writing style that was present in "Living Dead Girl" is here again, but I don't know if it hit me quite as strongly, despite the interesting subject matter. I followed Megan well enough in her experiences, but there are times when she can be extremely unlikable. She's emotionally numb, so she moves through her experiences at first with a listless eye. She can be quite cruel in spurts, such as the way she treats her brother, who suffers from neglect at the hands of her parents who pour their attention to Megan (and you can't help but feel sorry for him because he lashes out in his own way too). Megan's parents are so painstakingly oblivious it made me want to throw the book at them (if I could manage to do so). Yet I think for the thematic this book was going for, it actually kept my attention throughout, and the narrative feels honest. It was a fairly quick read, and as far as a moment of coming to terms is concerned, Megan makes her way there steadily. She's helped along in the process by Joe, the boy her affections turn toward, and an elderly woman who lost her partner, who went through similar experiences sometime before, among others who want to see her come out of it. Ultimately, Megan has to step up to the plate to make her life begin again.
I thought that the narrative flowed quite well and it was easy to follow. I also thought that the steady buildup to the moments where Megan remembered the crash were sound. I kind of wish there was a little more character intimacy with the story, however. I understood some of the relationships and reactions (particularly from Megan and her immediate family, and even the friends though they took more of a distant tone), but somehow it left me wanting more. Ultimately I did think the ending had a nice tie off and conclusion, though. It rounded out events and while it doesn't necessarily tie off every relationship resolution established, it provides enough to satiate for its particular aims. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it, but I liked what it had to offer. Certainly I will check more into Scott's future works, because she's proven she can write on multiple tough subjects with brief, yet resonant focus.
Overall score: 3.5/5
January 25, 2015
Quiet, unassuming and utterly compelling. This novel was, in parts, relentlessness and terrifying. Yet Scott balances it beautifully with hope and the tiniest spark of life just in all the right places.
I love how Scott writes the bare bones. These succinct, achey sentences. Not quite telling the full story and yet creating a perfect whole, somehow. This style, written sparingly, brings so much depth.
The thing is: I read it whole one quiet afternoon. Found it utterly compelling and heartbreaking and a touch surreal.
And now, weeks later, I am still thinking about it.
I am not ashamed to say I cried in this book. Not just for Megan, but maybe in part for myself. Even though I have no cause to suffer from PTSD, I think all of us can relate to those feelings in some way.
This book felt like the real deal. Not another YA book with a gimmicky catchy hook. Not trying to please a crowd. But as if it was written from somewhere deep inside the character's soul. I don't know how Elizabeth Scott does it. But I hope she never stops.
I wasn't intending to review this due to time. But I just wanted to say something because this book has said something to me. I loved it. I recommend it.
I love how Scott writes the bare bones. These succinct, achey sentences. Not quite telling the full story and yet creating a perfect whole, somehow. This style, written sparingly, brings so much depth.
The thing is: I read it whole one quiet afternoon. Found it utterly compelling and heartbreaking and a touch surreal.
And now, weeks later, I am still thinking about it.
I am not ashamed to say I cried in this book. Not just for Megan, but maybe in part for myself. Even though I have no cause to suffer from PTSD, I think all of us can relate to those feelings in some way.
This book felt like the real deal. Not another YA book with a gimmicky catchy hook. Not trying to please a crowd. But as if it was written from somewhere deep inside the character's soul. I don't know how Elizabeth Scott does it. But I hope she never stops.
I wasn't intending to review this due to time. But I just wanted to say something because this book has said something to me. I loved it. I recommend it.
June 27, 2012
I've read most of Elizabeth Scott's books, starting with Living Dead Girl. She never fails to pull me into the story and at times, shock me.
This is the story of Megan, who is the sole survivor of a plane crash. She can't remember anything that happened, but after being in the hospital and seeing how happy her parents are to see her--she tells the doctors she's fine and she remembers what happens.
It's clear to the reader, however, that something is seriously wrong. Megan has no desire to do anything from her life before the accident--that includes soccer. She drops all of her friends and starts skipping class. The strangest things affect her, the organ at church, people wanting to know what happened, even the trees and sky.
I found the story completely believable. The author admitted in a blog that she suffered much the same way Megan did. Now, knowing more about post-tramatic stress disorder, it's easy as a reader to stand on the outside of a situation and see what's going on. Megan's situation is utterly heartbreaking.
This is the story of Megan, who is the sole survivor of a plane crash. She can't remember anything that happened, but after being in the hospital and seeing how happy her parents are to see her--she tells the doctors she's fine and she remembers what happens.
It's clear to the reader, however, that something is seriously wrong. Megan has no desire to do anything from her life before the accident--that includes soccer. She drops all of her friends and starts skipping class. The strangest things affect her, the organ at church, people wanting to know what happened, even the trees and sky.
I found the story completely believable. The author admitted in a blog that she suffered much the same way Megan did. Now, knowing more about post-tramatic stress disorder, it's easy as a reader to stand on the outside of a situation and see what's going on. Megan's situation is utterly heartbreaking.
August 14, 2012
Miracle is a novel about a teen who survives a horrific plane crash and then must struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The problem is that her parents, friends, and teachers do not realize or refuse to see that she is suffering with this disorder. She is able to connect with an older woman who served in Vietnam and understands what she is going through. She also feels a kinship with a next door neighbor who lost his younger sister to a severe asthma attack and is still processing his own grief and anger.
This book was well done and does highlight PTSD and how often it can be overlooked. Still, in this day and age, one wonders why all the adults around her are so oblivious. Her parents are obviously in denial, but what about her teachers? Surely they would have some idea that she is sending up quite a few red flags.
This book was well done and does highlight PTSD and how often it can be overlooked. Still, in this day and age, one wonders why all the adults around her are so oblivious. Her parents are obviously in denial, but what about her teachers? Surely they would have some idea that she is sending up quite a few red flags.
June 29, 2017
This was a good book to end with in my journey to read all of Scott's YA books - it had everything she's best at.
June 9, 2012
As seen on Ed and Em's Reviews!
Elizabeth Scott is one of my favorite authors. I've read every book that she's written because I've found that no matter what genre she writes, I can always be entertained by her prose and characters.
I was super excited to read Miracle because it is a contemporary young adult novel and I personally believe that Elizabeth's writing is best shown in her contemporary novels. To me, it was proven as I read this story.
"When I woke up the sky was burning."
And so begins the story of Megan Hathaway, the sole survivor of a plane crash. I have never been in such a traumatic state as she, but I found myself believing in Megan's feelings, reactions and actions as the novel progressed. My heart went out to her.
I'm a big romance buff. Huge, huge romance buff. Most of the time, I get bored with stories that don't have a large portion of the story about romance. This book had romance, but it didn't play a major role in the story and until the end, it was more about companionship. So while I don't often read books that don't focus on romance, in Miracle's case, I wouldn't have changed a thing. If Ms. Scott had pushed the relationship further, it would've ruined the book. With the state-of-mind that Megan is in, she couldn't have handled it. The relationship would've seemed false and unrealistic.
This book is rough on the heart. I teared up quite a few times. The writing style is what really does you in. The emotion seeps off the page. I quite literally could feel every emotion that Megan did. That's what I love about Ms. Scott's writing - she puts all her effort into the book and carries through a constant prose. I could read her stories all day every day, if she could produce new ones for me all the time!
Megan's mom, dad and brother don't really help her get through the trauma. They are used to a specific way of living. The crash changes that, and not for the better. It's easy to see that they all are struggling with Megan's change in personality, the changes in their lives and skeletons reappearing from the closet. Since we don't see what Megan's relationship with her parents and brother was like before the accident, we can only believe it has changed by Megan and her brothers' responses. Megan is uncomfortable with all the attention and begins to feel more like an idea than a person. Her parents and fellow citizens of Reardon call her a miracle. And so she feels more like Megan The Miracle than Megan Hathaway, teenage girl. I felt awful for Megan, for receiving all the unwanted attention, and for her brother, David, for losing the attention that he's had all his life.
The other minor characters really help the development of the story. Each one plays a role in Megan's life. Most of them are coddling Megan to the point where she can't stand to be around them, some are pushing her to her limit and others are trying help her find herself and regain her memories. I will be honest when I say that I hated some of the minor characters. Her friends are awful. I can understand being frustrated with Megan, but to dimiss her because she isn't responding to you. I wanted to shake them and scream, "CAN'T YOU SEE THAT SHE'S BROKEN INSIDE? SHE NEEDS YOUR HELP. YOU NEED TO STOP PRETENDING THAT EVERYTHING IS THE SAME AS IT WAS." Maybe that's just teenagers, but I know if Megan had been my friend, I wouldn't have let her push me away.
This story is about overcoming grief, loss and trauma. Miracle is about a girl, who is trying to find herself in the wreckage of her life. The novel is written with compassion, and captives the audience from the very first line. It's definitely recommended to everyone!
Elizabeth Scott is one of my favorite authors. I've read every book that she's written because I've found that no matter what genre she writes, I can always be entertained by her prose and characters.
I was super excited to read Miracle because it is a contemporary young adult novel and I personally believe that Elizabeth's writing is best shown in her contemporary novels. To me, it was proven as I read this story.
"When I woke up the sky was burning."
And so begins the story of Megan Hathaway, the sole survivor of a plane crash. I have never been in such a traumatic state as she, but I found myself believing in Megan's feelings, reactions and actions as the novel progressed. My heart went out to her.
I'm a big romance buff. Huge, huge romance buff. Most of the time, I get bored with stories that don't have a large portion of the story about romance. This book had romance, but it didn't play a major role in the story and until the end, it was more about companionship. So while I don't often read books that don't focus on romance, in Miracle's case, I wouldn't have changed a thing. If Ms. Scott had pushed the relationship further, it would've ruined the book. With the state-of-mind that Megan is in, she couldn't have handled it. The relationship would've seemed false and unrealistic.
This book is rough on the heart. I teared up quite a few times. The writing style is what really does you in. The emotion seeps off the page. I quite literally could feel every emotion that Megan did. That's what I love about Ms. Scott's writing - she puts all her effort into the book and carries through a constant prose. I could read her stories all day every day, if she could produce new ones for me all the time!
Megan's mom, dad and brother don't really help her get through the trauma. They are used to a specific way of living. The crash changes that, and not for the better. It's easy to see that they all are struggling with Megan's change in personality, the changes in their lives and skeletons reappearing from the closet. Since we don't see what Megan's relationship with her parents and brother was like before the accident, we can only believe it has changed by Megan and her brothers' responses. Megan is uncomfortable with all the attention and begins to feel more like an idea than a person. Her parents and fellow citizens of Reardon call her a miracle. And so she feels more like Megan The Miracle than Megan Hathaway, teenage girl. I felt awful for Megan, for receiving all the unwanted attention, and for her brother, David, for losing the attention that he's had all his life.
The other minor characters really help the development of the story. Each one plays a role in Megan's life. Most of them are coddling Megan to the point where she can't stand to be around them, some are pushing her to her limit and others are trying help her find herself and regain her memories. I will be honest when I say that I hated some of the minor characters. Her friends are awful. I can understand being frustrated with Megan, but to dimiss her because she isn't responding to you. I wanted to shake them and scream, "CAN'T YOU SEE THAT SHE'S BROKEN INSIDE? SHE NEEDS YOUR HELP. YOU NEED TO STOP PRETENDING THAT EVERYTHING IS THE SAME AS IT WAS." Maybe that's just teenagers, but I know if Megan had been my friend, I wouldn't have let her push me away.
This story is about overcoming grief, loss and trauma. Miracle is about a girl, who is trying to find herself in the wreckage of her life. The novel is written with compassion, and captives the audience from the very first line. It's definitely recommended to everyone!
January 23, 2013
Miracle Book review
This book is a very good book and I recommend it for anybody. This book has a lot of messages, and it teaches the reader a lot of important lessons. This book is about a girl who survived a plane crash and she was the only one who did not die. Even though she is thankful for her live, she is still confused about why she is the only one who survived this crash. This book teaches the readers about being strong in a very hard time, to help one another, and to support your family members.
This paragraph is going explain how this book teaches the reader about being strong in a very hard time. In this book the main character Megan was very scared and confused, but she got through it by being strong. She did not become depressed or change her life to make it easier for her. She tried to handle all of her problems by herself by telling her parents” I am fine and all better” (Scott 10) when she clearly wasn’t even close to fine. This shows that how strong she is about her crash. Overall, this book teaches the reader to be strong when something is hard.
This paragraph is going explain how this book teaches the reader about helping one another. Helping in general is a very generous thing to do and this book is one of the books that tells the reader to be helpful to people even if you don’t know them. This book shows how the media and other people who she didn’t even know supported her through her hardest time. In this book we see that people who she didn’t know were coming to her house and saying ” I am very glad that you are ok and if there is anything that I can do for you just name it” (Scott 15). This means that even though she was try to figure why she survived, there were a lot of people who want to help her pass this confusion. Overall, this book teaches the reader to support one another.
This paragraph is going explain how this book teaches the reader about being there for your family. In this book it shows that family is everything. Also, it shows that family is needed for bad and good times. In the book Megan said that “Even though my parents pay attention more to me than my brother, I know that they still love him too” (Scott 20). This means that her parents are there to help her every step of the way. Overall, this book teaches the reader to be there for your family.
In conclusion, this book can teach us a lot of things and out of these lessons three of them are being strong in a very hard time, to help one another, and to support your family members. Even though the crash changed her life, she still has one thing left that did not change her family and people who supported her, so this teaches us that if things are different there is still things or people who support us throughout the change.
This book is a very good book and I recommend it for anybody. This book has a lot of messages, and it teaches the reader a lot of important lessons. This book is about a girl who survived a plane crash and she was the only one who did not die. Even though she is thankful for her live, she is still confused about why she is the only one who survived this crash. This book teaches the readers about being strong in a very hard time, to help one another, and to support your family members.
This paragraph is going explain how this book teaches the reader about being strong in a very hard time. In this book the main character Megan was very scared and confused, but she got through it by being strong. She did not become depressed or change her life to make it easier for her. She tried to handle all of her problems by herself by telling her parents” I am fine and all better” (Scott 10) when she clearly wasn’t even close to fine. This shows that how strong she is about her crash. Overall, this book teaches the reader to be strong when something is hard.
This paragraph is going explain how this book teaches the reader about helping one another. Helping in general is a very generous thing to do and this book is one of the books that tells the reader to be helpful to people even if you don’t know them. This book shows how the media and other people who she didn’t even know supported her through her hardest time. In this book we see that people who she didn’t know were coming to her house and saying ” I am very glad that you are ok and if there is anything that I can do for you just name it” (Scott 15). This means that even though she was try to figure why she survived, there were a lot of people who want to help her pass this confusion. Overall, this book teaches the reader to support one another.
This paragraph is going explain how this book teaches the reader about being there for your family. In this book it shows that family is everything. Also, it shows that family is needed for bad and good times. In the book Megan said that “Even though my parents pay attention more to me than my brother, I know that they still love him too” (Scott 20). This means that her parents are there to help her every step of the way. Overall, this book teaches the reader to be there for your family.
In conclusion, this book can teach us a lot of things and out of these lessons three of them are being strong in a very hard time, to help one another, and to support your family members. Even though the crash changed her life, she still has one thing left that did not change her family and people who supported her, so this teaches us that if things are different there is still things or people who support us throughout the change.
January 28, 2013
Megan is a miracle. She is the sole survivor of a plane crash. When her parents traveled to the town of the crash, they thought they were going to collect their daughter’s body. Instead, they found out that their daughter was alive.
But Megan doesn’t feel like she’s alive. She feels like she’s died and is the only one who knows it. She doesn’t understand why she survived when everyone else on the plane didn’t.
Memories of the crash and the way everyone is treating her change Megan. She doesn’t feel like a miracle when she forgets where she is as she is taken back to the burning sky. She stops playing soccer. She stops talking to her two best friends, Lissa and Jess. She stops doing homework and then stops going to school. Her parents refuse to acknowledge that anything is wrong with her. I really liked the way Megan reacted to her survival. It was extremely realistic.
The relationship between Megan and Joe was one of the things that made this book so different. Joe is the boy next door, but he is not the boy next door that Megan’s parents want her to spend time with. Joe’s family is in pieces. His younger sister died, his mother left, and his dad is an alcoholic. Megan’s small town has never had good things to say about Joe and his family. Yet since Megan never talked to Joe before the crash, he is the person she needs to talk to after the crash.
For the most part, Megan and Joe talk at night. Neither one of them sleeps at night; Megan runs, and Joe drives. Considering what else Megan is doing, it makes sense that she would sneak around with Joe and that they would use each other to make their pain go away. But that doesn’t happen. I expected their relationship to go in that direction, but it didn’t. Scott did an excellent job of steering clear of the predictable when it came to including a guy in Megan’s life.
One of the my favorite parts of this book was the way it dealt with death. No matter how people die, everyone always says that it was an instant death and no pain was felt. In truth, this is rarely the case. Megan’s memories of how the other people on the plane died and Joe’s understanding of his sister’s death proved this. Our society is always afraid to look at death as what it is: death. We want so badly to believe that there is no pain in death and that those who have died are not really gone. Unfortunately, this is not true. It is a hard lesson to learn, but it is one that needs to be learned. “Miracle” helps us learn it.
I honestly have nothing bad to say about this book. It took me on an intensely emotional ride, something that I wasn’t expecting when I first started to read the book. The old test stands true: If you read a book in one sitting, it’s a good book. I read “Miracle” by Elizabeth Scott in one sitting.
But Megan doesn’t feel like she’s alive. She feels like she’s died and is the only one who knows it. She doesn’t understand why she survived when everyone else on the plane didn’t.
Memories of the crash and the way everyone is treating her change Megan. She doesn’t feel like a miracle when she forgets where she is as she is taken back to the burning sky. She stops playing soccer. She stops talking to her two best friends, Lissa and Jess. She stops doing homework and then stops going to school. Her parents refuse to acknowledge that anything is wrong with her. I really liked the way Megan reacted to her survival. It was extremely realistic.
The relationship between Megan and Joe was one of the things that made this book so different. Joe is the boy next door, but he is not the boy next door that Megan’s parents want her to spend time with. Joe’s family is in pieces. His younger sister died, his mother left, and his dad is an alcoholic. Megan’s small town has never had good things to say about Joe and his family. Yet since Megan never talked to Joe before the crash, he is the person she needs to talk to after the crash.
For the most part, Megan and Joe talk at night. Neither one of them sleeps at night; Megan runs, and Joe drives. Considering what else Megan is doing, it makes sense that she would sneak around with Joe and that they would use each other to make their pain go away. But that doesn’t happen. I expected their relationship to go in that direction, but it didn’t. Scott did an excellent job of steering clear of the predictable when it came to including a guy in Megan’s life.
One of the my favorite parts of this book was the way it dealt with death. No matter how people die, everyone always says that it was an instant death and no pain was felt. In truth, this is rarely the case. Megan’s memories of how the other people on the plane died and Joe’s understanding of his sister’s death proved this. Our society is always afraid to look at death as what it is: death. We want so badly to believe that there is no pain in death and that those who have died are not really gone. Unfortunately, this is not true. It is a hard lesson to learn, but it is one that needs to be learned. “Miracle” helps us learn it.
I honestly have nothing bad to say about this book. It took me on an intensely emotional ride, something that I wasn’t expecting when I first started to read the book. The old test stands true: If you read a book in one sitting, it’s a good book. I read “Miracle” by Elizabeth Scott in one sitting.
July 17, 2012
You can read more of my reviews at Forever 17 Books!
3.5 stars!
When I first came across the synopsis for Miracle a few months ago, I was immediately intrigued, craving to know more about this emotional and intense read! Upon reading, I was definitely hit with this powerful story but it also surprised me in many ways.
Waking up in the hospital, Megan doesn't remember the details of the plane crash that landed her there. In a rush to go home, she tells her doctors and family that she remembers everything and they are quick to believe her, hung up on the astonishment that she survived. I admit, I honestly expected that this story would include a lot of grief and loss but Megan was on the plane with only a few other passengers and no one she was close to. I liked that this novel took this direction. I thought it was something different where the attention would solely be on her and I was interested to see how it would play out. So what we get instead is this lost and broken girl who almost appears emotionless at times. The more her family and friends, well hell the whole town really, ignore what is really going on with her, the farther she retreats into herself. I mean, all these eyes are on her as the Miracle but no one was paying attention to what was Megan's reality. Her family frustrated me to no end about this. How could they continually ignore all the signs that she needed help? They just kept on smiling and pretending she walked on water. I was actually surprised at how long it took them to wake up and BE parents, which is basically the whole novel.
Luckily, someone did notice though. Well, two people actually. The one who helped her the most was a woman from her church, Margaret. I thought she was a great addition, adding some comedic relief at times. She also found a friend in her neighbor Joe who happened to be dealing with his own issues. I wish there would have been more of him. I was expecting Joe to be a lot more prevalent in the storyline and perhaps some romance brewing but sadly it just wasn't there enough for me. I can't help it, I am a sucker for a bit of romance peppered into the plot. There was a definite spark between them but there didn't seem to be room for more than that in this novel.
Overall, I think the flow worked well, and this truly is a story about growth and surviving an emotional ordeal. As a fast read it all comes together well, but I can't deny I wasn't a tad disappointed, wanting more from it in some areas. I recommend Miracle for anyone who loves to read about overcoming tragedy and realistic contemporary fiction.
3.5 stars!
When I first came across the synopsis for Miracle a few months ago, I was immediately intrigued, craving to know more about this emotional and intense read! Upon reading, I was definitely hit with this powerful story but it also surprised me in many ways.
Waking up in the hospital, Megan doesn't remember the details of the plane crash that landed her there. In a rush to go home, she tells her doctors and family that she remembers everything and they are quick to believe her, hung up on the astonishment that she survived. I admit, I honestly expected that this story would include a lot of grief and loss but Megan was on the plane with only a few other passengers and no one she was close to. I liked that this novel took this direction. I thought it was something different where the attention would solely be on her and I was interested to see how it would play out. So what we get instead is this lost and broken girl who almost appears emotionless at times. The more her family and friends, well hell the whole town really, ignore what is really going on with her, the farther she retreats into herself. I mean, all these eyes are on her as the Miracle but no one was paying attention to what was Megan's reality. Her family frustrated me to no end about this. How could they continually ignore all the signs that she needed help? They just kept on smiling and pretending she walked on water. I was actually surprised at how long it took them to wake up and BE parents, which is basically the whole novel.
Luckily, someone did notice though. Well, two people actually. The one who helped her the most was a woman from her church, Margaret. I thought she was a great addition, adding some comedic relief at times. She also found a friend in her neighbor Joe who happened to be dealing with his own issues. I wish there would have been more of him. I was expecting Joe to be a lot more prevalent in the storyline and perhaps some romance brewing but sadly it just wasn't there enough for me. I can't help it, I am a sucker for a bit of romance peppered into the plot. There was a definite spark between them but there didn't seem to be room for more than that in this novel.
Overall, I think the flow worked well, and this truly is a story about growth and surviving an emotional ordeal. As a fast read it all comes together well, but I can't deny I wasn't a tad disappointed, wanting more from it in some areas. I recommend Miracle for anyone who loves to read about overcoming tragedy and realistic contemporary fiction.
May 2, 2012
Megan is the only survivor in a small plane crash, and now seen as a miracle in her parent’s eyes. Megan is shell-shocked from the experience, but continues to go through the motions as if everything is fine. Megan withdraws from soccer, her friends, and her classes, retreating because of the ghosts that haunt her. She finds comfort from some unlikely sources, including Joe the troubled boy next door, and Margaret, a war veteran church acquaintance, who can see through her miracle façade.
Miracle is Elizabeth Scott’s 11th book (I’ve read 4 of them so far) and is as intense and personal as I’ve come to expect. Miracle has a raw honesty as it delivers an authentic look at PTSD. I felt all the emptiness and isolation in Megan as she worked through the aftermath of the plane disaster. The book also takes a look at the individuals closest to Megan, who just don’t get what she’s going through, mainly because she won’t let them in.
The story is told through Megan’s POV and takes place right after the plane crash. She doesn’t remember the crash, but fakes that she does just so she can get out of the hospital already. Bits and pieces begin coming to her and make it impossible for her to resume her normal activities. All of the symptoms of PTSD were there, and it was interesting that those closest to Megan refused to see her obvious need for help. Where previously Megan’s sickly little brother was the focus of attention, the plane crash created a shift in the family dynamic, as the parents became all about Megan.
Two people recognize that not all is right in Megan’s head and become a support system in her healing journey. Joe, her gorgeous next-door neighbor, is one who is no stranger to survivor’s guilt. And though the book is not all about the romance, the two bond over their experiences. Margaret is another character who stood out for me, and her experience as a Vietnam vet makes her uniquely suited to recognize some of what Megan is going through. Both characters are societal outcasts in their own way and I really enjoyed getting to know them. Margaret especially stole the book, and I loved all the details about her character, such as her pushing milk on Megan, the homemade bears that littered her home, and her matter of fact personality.
Scott’s stripped-down prose is well suited to the story and subject matter and makes it an intense quick read. Megan’s experience is one that many who have experienced a loss may relate to. The journey is not easy and the characters don’t always behave the way you want them to. This portrait of a PTSD survivor is a gratifying reading experience.
Miracle is Elizabeth Scott’s 11th book (I’ve read 4 of them so far) and is as intense and personal as I’ve come to expect. Miracle has a raw honesty as it delivers an authentic look at PTSD. I felt all the emptiness and isolation in Megan as she worked through the aftermath of the plane disaster. The book also takes a look at the individuals closest to Megan, who just don’t get what she’s going through, mainly because she won’t let them in.
The story is told through Megan’s POV and takes place right after the plane crash. She doesn’t remember the crash, but fakes that she does just so she can get out of the hospital already. Bits and pieces begin coming to her and make it impossible for her to resume her normal activities. All of the symptoms of PTSD were there, and it was interesting that those closest to Megan refused to see her obvious need for help. Where previously Megan’s sickly little brother was the focus of attention, the plane crash created a shift in the family dynamic, as the parents became all about Megan.
Two people recognize that not all is right in Megan’s head and become a support system in her healing journey. Joe, her gorgeous next-door neighbor, is one who is no stranger to survivor’s guilt. And though the book is not all about the romance, the two bond over their experiences. Margaret is another character who stood out for me, and her experience as a Vietnam vet makes her uniquely suited to recognize some of what Megan is going through. Both characters are societal outcasts in their own way and I really enjoyed getting to know them. Margaret especially stole the book, and I loved all the details about her character, such as her pushing milk on Megan, the homemade bears that littered her home, and her matter of fact personality.
Scott’s stripped-down prose is well suited to the story and subject matter and makes it an intense quick read. Megan’s experience is one that many who have experienced a loss may relate to. The journey is not easy and the characters don’t always behave the way you want them to. This portrait of a PTSD survivor is a gratifying reading experience.
September 21, 2012
Elizabeth Scott is one of my absolute favorite authors. She's also one of the few who I have had personal contact with. So when she announced the release of miracle, I preordered it. But I just now was able to sit down and read it...
I knew going in, this book was going to be a lot heavier than my preferred choices. And while it was beautifully written as I always expect of Scott, it was a very hard book for me.
Now Elizabeth is no stranger to writing triggering pieces. A simple google search can enlighten you to the whole drama involving a certain feminist magazine and her Living Dead Girl, which in full disclosure I haven't read along with a few of her other "darker" books. Most of her recent stuff is pretty heavy actually and not my cup of tea.
I keep hoping she'll go back to the style of her early pieces. Where her books filled that void while waiting for the next Sarah Dessen to come out. No such luck yet.
And I totally understand her current point of view. She has been going through some pretty scary personal health issues for a few years now. And in fact it wasn't till working on Miracle that she realized she suffered from PTSD. So this book is very close to her heart.
For me though, it was hard to get through :-\ I feel like part of it is because the whole book is about the emotional spiral instead of the help. If I didn't understand what emotional illness felt like nor suffered from anxiety, maybe it would feel cool to get sucked into the head of someone with PTSD; to be able to truly empathize with them. But that's not something I enjoy or need because living with anxiety is to close to reality for me. I read to help me escape my overactive brain and anxiety.... I don't need my books amplifying those feelings.
Another deterrent was the mother in this book. Basically every time she entered the storyline, I cringed. She was no help to her daughter emotionally and her basket case views toward God and miracles drove me up a wall. It was really irritating to read any scene she was involved in.
So while Miracle is an amazingly written book, it wasn't a favorite for me :-/
I knew going in, this book was going to be a lot heavier than my preferred choices. And while it was beautifully written as I always expect of Scott, it was a very hard book for me.
Now Elizabeth is no stranger to writing triggering pieces. A simple google search can enlighten you to the whole drama involving a certain feminist magazine and her Living Dead Girl, which in full disclosure I haven't read along with a few of her other "darker" books. Most of her recent stuff is pretty heavy actually and not my cup of tea.
I keep hoping she'll go back to the style of her early pieces. Where her books filled that void while waiting for the next Sarah Dessen to come out. No such luck yet.
And I totally understand her current point of view. She has been going through some pretty scary personal health issues for a few years now. And in fact it wasn't till working on Miracle that she realized she suffered from PTSD. So this book is very close to her heart.
For me though, it was hard to get through :-\ I feel like part of it is because the whole book is about the emotional spiral instead of the help. If I didn't understand what emotional illness felt like nor suffered from anxiety, maybe it would feel cool to get sucked into the head of someone with PTSD; to be able to truly empathize with them. But that's not something I enjoy or need because living with anxiety is to close to reality for me. I read to help me escape my overactive brain and anxiety.... I don't need my books amplifying those feelings.
Another deterrent was the mother in this book. Basically every time she entered the storyline, I cringed. She was no help to her daughter emotionally and her basket case views toward God and miracles drove me up a wall. It was really irritating to read any scene she was involved in.
So while Miracle is an amazingly written book, it wasn't a favorite for me :-/
August 6, 2015
Honestly, this one was a stressful read! I thought I wouldn't be able to finish it. I'm almost on the verge of giving up but I had a hopeful feeling that somehow it will get better as I go on. YOu know, some stories might have a bad start but it gets better as you go further. Right? That's why I hold on to it till the very end. But it wasn't worth it. I totally don't get the point of the story. It's about a girl who survived a plane crash alone. Now everyone thinks of her as a miracle but she doesn't like it. She's stressed by how people treat her now like she's a very special and important person. Though, I would probably feel that way too if the people around me starts to behave very strangely. But the problem lies in how she reacts to the stress she's going through. She just walks out of it. And the way she behave towards the people who loves her is sooo stressful! I just want to punch her in the face! Okay, probably not the best solution for what she's going through.
My issues about the book doesn't solely rely on Megan. I also found it hard to connect the other characters' story to the real message of the book. Beth's and Rose's death? It's just I don't know. For me, it just shows that there are people out there who are going through rough times also, that we are not alone in this world, that shitty things happen in life but we can get through it by talking out of it instead of running away. Is this the message of the story? Or is it about death? I really don't know.
The end part is not very pleasing too. I mean, it's not a bad ending but it's also not good. It's just one of those books that leaves you thinking of what's happening now, that's it? What will happen to her now? But, actually you don't really care that much so you say, 'Forget it, doesn't matter anymore. I'm just glad I'm done with it. NOw let's go fishing again in the sea of books!'
My issues about the book doesn't solely rely on Megan. I also found it hard to connect the other characters' story to the real message of the book. Beth's and Rose's death? It's just I don't know. For me, it just shows that there are people out there who are going through rough times also, that we are not alone in this world, that shitty things happen in life but we can get through it by talking out of it instead of running away. Is this the message of the story? Or is it about death? I really don't know.
The end part is not very pleasing too. I mean, it's not a bad ending but it's also not good. It's just one of those books that leaves you thinking of what's happening now, that's it? What will happen to her now? But, actually you don't really care that much so you say, 'Forget it, doesn't matter anymore. I'm just glad I'm done with it. NOw let's go fishing again in the sea of books!'
May 7, 2012
Thank you to Around The World ARC Tours for allowing me to be a part of Miracle's tour. First I want to say that I LOVE Elizabeth Scott's writing. She has this way of telling a story that captures you right from the beginning. Miracle is no different from her other stories.
Miracle starts off with Megan waking up in the hospital to find out she was in a plane crash and she is the soul survivor. Her parents are by her bedside and all they keep saying is how she is a miracle and that it is a miracle she survived. Megan is still not sure what happened but she does know she wants her parents to stop hovering over her and calling her a miracle. She is not sure that is what she is so she rather just go home and live her life normal again.
There's just one thing that Megan would like more than anything and that is for her life to go back to being normal. She wants everyone to stop asking her about the accident and she wants people to stop asking her how she feels. She really just wants her parents to stop calling her a miracle because she does not feel like one.
What is a girl to do when she needs answers herself? What is Megan to say to her parents to make them realize something is wrong with her? How can a person survive a traumatic experience and be expected to start school right away and pick up where she left off? What will Megan do when she finds herself trusting someone she never thought she could trust? Can Megan truly open up her heart enough to let that certain someone in?
This story was so gripping at times I cried and I laughed. Elizabeth draws you in and leaves you asking the same question that Megan had and that is what is a Miracle? This is a summer MUST READ and it comes out June 05, 2012.
Miracle starts off with Megan waking up in the hospital to find out she was in a plane crash and she is the soul survivor. Her parents are by her bedside and all they keep saying is how she is a miracle and that it is a miracle she survived. Megan is still not sure what happened but she does know she wants her parents to stop hovering over her and calling her a miracle. She is not sure that is what she is so she rather just go home and live her life normal again.
There's just one thing that Megan would like more than anything and that is for her life to go back to being normal. She wants everyone to stop asking her about the accident and she wants people to stop asking her how she feels. She really just wants her parents to stop calling her a miracle because she does not feel like one.
What is a girl to do when she needs answers herself? What is Megan to say to her parents to make them realize something is wrong with her? How can a person survive a traumatic experience and be expected to start school right away and pick up where she left off? What will Megan do when she finds herself trusting someone she never thought she could trust? Can Megan truly open up her heart enough to let that certain someone in?
This story was so gripping at times I cried and I laughed. Elizabeth draws you in and leaves you asking the same question that Megan had and that is what is a Miracle? This is a summer MUST READ and it comes out June 05, 2012.
April 29, 2012
Oh gosh! Where to start on this one... *sigh* I loved the premise of this book, and was really interested in reading it. The story progressed slowly, and I kept sticking with it, hoping it would grow on me. Halfway through it became apparent that this just wasn't for me, but I wanted to stick with it until the end. Hoping that along the way something phenominal would happen and I'd grow to really love it! Sadly, that didn't happen for me.
The main character Megan was okay. I didn't like her or dislike her. I did however, feel really sorry for her. She went through a terrible accident, and was the only survivor. Naturally, she's really confused and extremely shaken up.
Then came in Joe. *sigh* I really liked Joe! These two character's really bonded and understood each other in a way that no other two people could. There was no insta-love or warm my insides love between them. I think I would've liked a little more in the romance department between these two. Just a little bit of the warm fuzzies would've been nice! I'm a girl, what can I say! haha
I think what really bothered me throughout this entire book, is how obvious it is that Megan is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Yet no one, not her family, her friends, her teachers, her therapist, or even her guidance counselor at school, tells her this. Seriously guys??? Ugh! I really wanted to desperately write myself into the story, and say "Hey! Megan, you have PTSD! THAT is what is wrong with you!"
Overall the story was okay. I didn't hate, but I didn't love it either. It was just so-so for me. I've heard this author's other work is really great, and I will definitely check out her other future endeavors!
The main character Megan was okay. I didn't like her or dislike her. I did however, feel really sorry for her. She went through a terrible accident, and was the only survivor. Naturally, she's really confused and extremely shaken up.
Then came in Joe. *sigh* I really liked Joe! These two character's really bonded and understood each other in a way that no other two people could. There was no insta-love or warm my insides love between them. I think I would've liked a little more in the romance department between these two. Just a little bit of the warm fuzzies would've been nice! I'm a girl, what can I say! haha
I think what really bothered me throughout this entire book, is how obvious it is that Megan is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Yet no one, not her family, her friends, her teachers, her therapist, or even her guidance counselor at school, tells her this. Seriously guys??? Ugh! I really wanted to desperately write myself into the story, and say "Hey! Megan, you have PTSD! THAT is what is wrong with you!"
Overall the story was okay. I didn't hate, but I didn't love it either. It was just so-so for me. I've heard this author's other work is really great, and I will definitely check out her other future endeavors!
June 13, 2012
I have heard nothing but good things about Elizabeth Scott. Every time one of her books comes out, it seems like every blogger has nothing but good things to say about it. I always make a note to pick up one of her books, yet I never had. MIRACLE may be Scott's eleventh novel, but it's my first time reading one of her books. And I feel guiltier than ever for putting it off so long.
MIRACLE is what people call Megan. Megan walked away from a plane crash that left everybody else aboard dead. They'd already told her parents she was dead by the time she emerged. No one can do anything but stare at her and wonder, and talk about what a miracle it was she survived. No one notices that Megan feels like the exact opposite of a miracle. Except for Margaret, an old church lady, David, her brother, and Joe, the boy next door.
The characterization in MIRACLE is amazing. You can't hate anyone for not noticing Megan's trauma. Her parents are blinded by their relief and joy. And while it's tough to see Megan act numb or hateful or haunted, her point of view remains absorbing throughout the story. I rooted for her to survive and get the help she needed. Fortunately, Margaret and Joe do see her before she really hits the downward slope. David, meanwhile, sees her but reacts in the manner of a younger brother who can't understand why his parents are acting so differently.
MIRACLE is emotionally draining. I cried, just a little, a couple of times while reading. But in the end it's a cathartic experience. I'm not the biggest fan of sad books, but MIRACLE is lovely. It's a story of trauma, guilt, shame, and healing, beautifully told. Count me among Scott's many fans. (And I promise to read her other books. Eventually.)
MIRACLE is what people call Megan. Megan walked away from a plane crash that left everybody else aboard dead. They'd already told her parents she was dead by the time she emerged. No one can do anything but stare at her and wonder, and talk about what a miracle it was she survived. No one notices that Megan feels like the exact opposite of a miracle. Except for Margaret, an old church lady, David, her brother, and Joe, the boy next door.
The characterization in MIRACLE is amazing. You can't hate anyone for not noticing Megan's trauma. Her parents are blinded by their relief and joy. And while it's tough to see Megan act numb or hateful or haunted, her point of view remains absorbing throughout the story. I rooted for her to survive and get the help she needed. Fortunately, Margaret and Joe do see her before she really hits the downward slope. David, meanwhile, sees her but reacts in the manner of a younger brother who can't understand why his parents are acting so differently.
MIRACLE is emotionally draining. I cried, just a little, a couple of times while reading. But in the end it's a cathartic experience. I'm not the biggest fan of sad books, but MIRACLE is lovely. It's a story of trauma, guilt, shame, and healing, beautifully told. Count me among Scott's many fans. (And I promise to read her other books. Eventually.)
March 13, 2013
I really did not enjoy this book at all. I kept reading hoping it would get better but it didn't. I understand that she may be the only person who has survived a plane crash and she is going through a lot, but come on. I was getting mad at her parents because they kept looking at her like she was a miracle. They kept saying how much of a miracle she was. They even ignored phone calls from her school when she was getting bad grades. When a child is getting bad grades at school, that's when parents need to reevaluate what is really going on.
Her teachers were also driving me nuts. Giving her 100% on her tests when she left every single question blank? Even if you are some sort of miracle, teachers still want you to try and will work with you if you are going through loss.
With the main character in general, instead of saying that she wants to be left alone or that she wants someone to talk to, she constantly pushed her family and friends away. If you want something to happen, speak up and don't complain about it.
I honestly just had the hardest time getting through this book because of how unrealistic it sounded to me. I was so bored too. I love this author but some of her books have not impressed me at all.
Her teachers were also driving me nuts. Giving her 100% on her tests when she left every single question blank? Even if you are some sort of miracle, teachers still want you to try and will work with you if you are going through loss.
With the main character in general, instead of saying that she wants to be left alone or that she wants someone to talk to, she constantly pushed her family and friends away. If you want something to happen, speak up and don't complain about it.
I honestly just had the hardest time getting through this book because of how unrealistic it sounded to me. I was so bored too. I love this author but some of her books have not impressed me at all.
June 27, 2012
the thing i seriously think i liked most about this book was that it was real it wasnt some made up bullshit..after the accident the girl was messed up which is how it always is after something tramatic happens and people tip toe around you and always coddeling you and youre just like OMG LEAVE ME HE HELL ALONE and i think Scott protrayed that fabulously.
megan got in a plane crash and was the only survivor and had to learn to deal with that...and Joe had to deal with a seriously broken family because of his sisters death that hes taking to heart as his own fault and they start talking and liking each other but there was no fake in this they didnt jump in bed and be like omg im soooo in love with you this was all a slow progression and the realness of it is what i love most about it..
my favorite line was when Joe said : "Maybe people like us couldn't get better, that maybe we have to learn to live what we'd seen. What we knew."
that line is nothing but truth..nothing of trama ever leaves you..you learn to adapt to accept and eventually you live again...
megan got in a plane crash and was the only survivor and had to learn to deal with that...and Joe had to deal with a seriously broken family because of his sisters death that hes taking to heart as his own fault and they start talking and liking each other but there was no fake in this they didnt jump in bed and be like omg im soooo in love with you this was all a slow progression and the realness of it is what i love most about it..
my favorite line was when Joe said : "Maybe people like us couldn't get better, that maybe we have to learn to live what we'd seen. What we knew."
that line is nothing but truth..nothing of trama ever leaves you..you learn to adapt to accept and eventually you live again...
March 16, 2012
I found myself quite frustrated with Megan throughout most of the book. Although, as she started to figure out how she felt and what she needed, I found I understood her better. As such, I loved the last quarter (or so) of the book. Suddenly, once I understood her better, I could tolerate her more. I could even have some empathy (or maybe sympathy, as I have never been the sole survivor of any type of tragedy, thank God) for her. Her connections with Margaret and Joe were really neat to watch unfolding, and I thought how cool it was to use those to help dispel some misconceptions. Both were, to some extent and in their own way, town outcasts. Megan felt she had more in common with them than the rest of the town once she was labeled a miracle. She defied the small-town gossip and actually really got to know two people who were very much worth knowing. Loved that. And, yes, she finally starts the healing process. Watching that begin was pretty cool.
June 25, 2012
Ugh, this is one of the worst books I have ever read! I kept thinking that it would get better, but it really truly SUCKED! I hated it. In my opinion, this book is about a girl (her name is Megan) who survives a plane crash and everybody thinks that she's so special, but all she wants to do is die. Because it's in her point of view, almost 99% of this book is her complaining about how sucky her life is! Then she starts to give up everything and has to repeat her senior year of high school because she just stopped caring! Another thing is, you can tell that she's OBVIOUSLY depressed, but she never comes out to admit it. Here's a piece of advice, Megan, next time you're so miserable, admitting you have a problem is the first step to a recovery.
Anyways, if you still want to read this book after reading this review, I suggest you go to the doctor and get your head checked. Just kidding. Actually, you can read it just to see how awful it is if you want.
Anyways, if you still want to read this book after reading this review, I suggest you go to the doctor and get your head checked. Just kidding. Actually, you can read it just to see how awful it is if you want.
December 10, 2016
After surviving a plane crash that killed everyone but her, Megan has become Miracle Megan. But Megan doesn't feel like a miracle. In fact, she doesn't feel anything. The crash has left her with nothing. She doesn't care anymore about anything. Megan's life is changing and it may not be for the better.
I really liked this book. It kept me interested and I didn't want to put it down. It left me wanting more. I wanted to know what happened to Megan and whether she found what she was looking for. I wanted to see what happened to the ones who cared for her and how she responded to them. I wanted to know how she dealt with everything even though things had changed.
I would recommend this book to those who like seeing the after affects of a tragedy and sometimes even a miracle.
I really liked this book. It kept me interested and I didn't want to put it down. It left me wanting more. I wanted to know what happened to Megan and whether she found what she was looking for. I wanted to see what happened to the ones who cared for her and how she responded to them. I wanted to know how she dealt with everything even though things had changed.
I would recommend this book to those who like seeing the after affects of a tragedy and sometimes even a miracle.
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