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A Series of Small Maneuvers
Oregon Book Awards Readers Choice Award
Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Reading the West Award
For 15-year-old Emma Wilson, everything is changing. Uncomfortable at home and in school, Emma is growing up, and feels isolated from her friends and family. Things go from bad to unfathomably worse when Emma inadvertently causes an accident that kills her increasingly distant father on a spring break canoe trip meant to bring them closer together.
Suddenly, Emma's efforts to reconcile with her father as a parent and a person have to happen without him, and she must confront her guilt and her grief to begin moving forward. With the help of river rats, ranch hands, and her horse, Magic, Emma finds strength in herself as she and her family navigate their reentry into “normal” life.
"Treichel’s realistic and compelling characterization of Emma highlights a maturity into adulthood that offers no easy solutions to the difficulties of grief, but celebrates the best of her family."
-Publisher's Weekly, starred review.
"This story about fathers and daughters and grief takes you on an unexpected trip through a girl's sudden coming-of-age, and the deep canyons of who she might be long after the last page."
-Carrie Mesrobian, Morris Award finalist for Sex & Violence
"With insight, passion and sneaky humor, Treichel probes deeply in life's pool of what's trivial and what's not."
-Robin Cody, author of Ricochet River
"Treichel handles tragedy, love, and human frailty with clear-eyed compassion. He captures the voice of a young girl with absolute authenticity, weaving a tale that is both unique and universal, and reminding us, once again, that the gift of a great writer is the ability to see through the eyes of another."
-Karelia Stetz-Waters, Lambda Award finalist for Forgive Me If I've Told You This Before
Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Reading the West Award
For 15-year-old Emma Wilson, everything is changing. Uncomfortable at home and in school, Emma is growing up, and feels isolated from her friends and family. Things go from bad to unfathomably worse when Emma inadvertently causes an accident that kills her increasingly distant father on a spring break canoe trip meant to bring them closer together.
Suddenly, Emma's efforts to reconcile with her father as a parent and a person have to happen without him, and she must confront her guilt and her grief to begin moving forward. With the help of river rats, ranch hands, and her horse, Magic, Emma finds strength in herself as she and her family navigate their reentry into “normal” life.
"Treichel’s realistic and compelling characterization of Emma highlights a maturity into adulthood that offers no easy solutions to the difficulties of grief, but celebrates the best of her family."
-Publisher's Weekly, starred review.
"This story about fathers and daughters and grief takes you on an unexpected trip through a girl's sudden coming-of-age, and the deep canyons of who she might be long after the last page."
-Carrie Mesrobian, Morris Award finalist for Sex & Violence
"With insight, passion and sneaky humor, Treichel probes deeply in life's pool of what's trivial and what's not."
-Robin Cody, author of Ricochet River
"Treichel handles tragedy, love, and human frailty with clear-eyed compassion. He captures the voice of a young girl with absolute authenticity, weaving a tale that is both unique and universal, and reminding us, once again, that the gift of a great writer is the ability to see through the eyes of another."
-Karelia Stetz-Waters, Lambda Award finalist for Forgive Me If I've Told You This Before
330 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2015
6 people are currently reading
592 people want to read
About the author
Eliot Treichel
3 books42 followersEliot Treichel is the author of the YA novel A Series of Small Maneuvers, which received the Oregon Book Award's Readers' Choice Award and the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Reading the West Award. His story collection, Close Is Fine, received the Wisconsin Library Association Literary Award. His other work has appeared in a variety of publications, including Canoe & Kayak, Narrative, Beloit Fiction Journal, CutBank, and Passages North. He thinks running up hills is fun, sandwiches are better with potato chips, and that no one should go to bed without a cookie. Originally from Wisconsin, he now lives in the PNW.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
October 18, 2015
From the start, this book felt real. Not only were the descriptions of the world clear and beautifully written, but the emotions, thoughts, and actions of the main characters had zero artificiality. Even the best YA can sometimes feel cliché, preachy, and unnatural, as though the experiences of the characters exist only to make grand statements about the nature of life and experience. Treichel dispenses with all of that, leaving behind a story which is heart-breaking and authentic. My biggest complaint is that there isn't a strong resolution to the story. However, I think this is a very purposeful choice, as it reflects the real-life experience of grief. Other than that, I would say the side characters seemed underdeveloped, though that didn't affect my overall enjoyment much. Despite the drama of the events depicted, this is not a particularly exciting or plot-driven book, so it might seem lacking to some readers. I, however, found little to complain about, and this is a book I would highly recommend.
December 20, 2015
This book will make you cry in the most cathartic way.
Treichel captures the experiences of a teenage girl who’s struggling to define herself and her identity. Emma is torn between the girlishness of her friends and the outdoors aesthetic of her dad, a lifelong hiker and kayaker; meanwhile, she’s drawn to her mom’s former hobby of horseback riding, which her dad doesn’t understand but bemusedly allows. Amidst this natural teen turmoil, on a remote camping trip that is something of punishment while also illustrating how much Emma has learned from her dad despite her best efforts, he is killed in a hiking accident.
Emma’s physical and emotional journey hits on the intangible quality of grief, and her struggles to reconcile her conflicted images of and relationship with her father after his passing are heartbreaking. Treichel offers no easy answers, but guides the reader through Emma’s and her family’s struggle to heal while not letting go of the person they love. Having a little experience myself with this type of encompassing grief, Treichel’s fictionalized representation rings true while also providing a spark of hope.
Treichel captures the experiences of a teenage girl who’s struggling to define herself and her identity. Emma is torn between the girlishness of her friends and the outdoors aesthetic of her dad, a lifelong hiker and kayaker; meanwhile, she’s drawn to her mom’s former hobby of horseback riding, which her dad doesn’t understand but bemusedly allows. Amidst this natural teen turmoil, on a remote camping trip that is something of punishment while also illustrating how much Emma has learned from her dad despite her best efforts, he is killed in a hiking accident.
Emma’s physical and emotional journey hits on the intangible quality of grief, and her struggles to reconcile her conflicted images of and relationship with her father after his passing are heartbreaking. Treichel offers no easy answers, but guides the reader through Emma’s and her family’s struggle to heal while not letting go of the person they love. Having a little experience myself with this type of encompassing grief, Treichel’s fictionalized representation rings true while also providing a spark of hope.
January 20, 2016
Eliot Treichel’s A Series of Small Maneuvers is a sharply observed and compassionate study of grief. Fifteen-year-old Emma Mills is on a canoeing trip through the backcountry of New Mexico with her father—a trip she didn’t really want to go on in the first place—when her father is killed in a single-misstep accident. Emma is left alone in the wilderness, and she has to make her own way out—and learn to exist in a world without her father.
Treichel masters scenes of dialogue where the characters artfully avoid talking about the death of Emma’s father, as if not talking about it will make it not real. It’s a very human thing to do. Mother and daughter tiptoe around each other. Emma’s mom shows she cares by insisting Emma eat something in the diner they stop in on the way home, but Emma insists she’s not hungry. What matters always comes through in the end, and the dance around it is honest, compassionate, and beautifully written.
What I love most about this book is Emma’s authentic, vulnerable fifteen-year-old voice. She’s earnest and indifferent. She views herself as unspectacular. Upon her rescue and “reentry”, she has an urge to cut short conversations as she navigates the frontcountry, the world of humans, in the wake of her father’s absence. She tells unexpected lies, surprising both herself and the reader. She’s not an unreliable narrator, though: she tells the reader the honest truth of what she’s feeling, as much as she understands of it.
In a typically teenage way, Emma is often unimpressed—particularly by the details of nature her dad is fascinated with and tries, sometimes too aggressively, to point out to his daughter. She wants to listen to her iPod. Her dad lets her bring it in the van for the ride there, but won’t let her bring it with her once they set off on the river because he wants them to be fully immersed in nature. She’s frustrated by his obsession with the river and the birds and the trees, and his insistence on pushing through the next bend or over the next hill to see what else there is—but after he’s gone, when she’s trying to make her way alone, she knows which details he would have pointed out, and what he would have said.
In A Series of Small Maneuvers, Emma’s reminiscences create an unflinching examination of who her father was. So often we only remember the good memories of a person after they die, or we only want to remember the good. The deceased are too often reduced by those who survive them to only their flattering parts: a hero, gentle, so kind, loving, adventurous. But everyone who’s ever been alive is infinitely more complicated than that. Treichel doesn’t shy away from those complications as he shows Emma’s imaginings of her father. Emma’s father is enthusiastic and goofy. He loves the outdoors. He hates seeing his daughter shave her legs or wear makeup. There are the usual father-daughter tensions over too-short shorts. He is eager to teach, but is quickly frustrated when Emma doesn’t innately understand what he’s trying to teach her. He is aggressive and critical. He pushes her to run rapids with him that she’s not comfortable running. He thinks paying for Emma’s horse-riding—what Emma herself is passionate about, as opposed to what he is passionate about—is too expensive. Emma doesn’t reduce her father to a string of positive adjectives after he dies. Emma’s retroactive telling of her father’s story is a beautiful, honest, and complex portrait of a life.
Something Emma’s horse trainer tells her describes the reality of life in the wake of loss: “‘We’ll get as far as we can get,’ she said, ‘and then we’ll figure it out from there.’”
The book’s title is an elegant metaphor for living with grief: Emma says her dad would turn a big rapid into “something doable, something orderly and reasonable. It was just a series of small maneuvers that would add up to something larger.” Living in the wake of grief is a series of small maneuvers too. Grief is never over; it’s not about getting through it. It’s about moving forward, and the steps can be as small as you need them to be.
Treichel masters scenes of dialogue where the characters artfully avoid talking about the death of Emma’s father, as if not talking about it will make it not real. It’s a very human thing to do. Mother and daughter tiptoe around each other. Emma’s mom shows she cares by insisting Emma eat something in the diner they stop in on the way home, but Emma insists she’s not hungry. What matters always comes through in the end, and the dance around it is honest, compassionate, and beautifully written.
What I love most about this book is Emma’s authentic, vulnerable fifteen-year-old voice. She’s earnest and indifferent. She views herself as unspectacular. Upon her rescue and “reentry”, she has an urge to cut short conversations as she navigates the frontcountry, the world of humans, in the wake of her father’s absence. She tells unexpected lies, surprising both herself and the reader. She’s not an unreliable narrator, though: she tells the reader the honest truth of what she’s feeling, as much as she understands of it.
In a typically teenage way, Emma is often unimpressed—particularly by the details of nature her dad is fascinated with and tries, sometimes too aggressively, to point out to his daughter. She wants to listen to her iPod. Her dad lets her bring it in the van for the ride there, but won’t let her bring it with her once they set off on the river because he wants them to be fully immersed in nature. She’s frustrated by his obsession with the river and the birds and the trees, and his insistence on pushing through the next bend or over the next hill to see what else there is—but after he’s gone, when she’s trying to make her way alone, she knows which details he would have pointed out, and what he would have said.
In A Series of Small Maneuvers, Emma’s reminiscences create an unflinching examination of who her father was. So often we only remember the good memories of a person after they die, or we only want to remember the good. The deceased are too often reduced by those who survive them to only their flattering parts: a hero, gentle, so kind, loving, adventurous. But everyone who’s ever been alive is infinitely more complicated than that. Treichel doesn’t shy away from those complications as he shows Emma’s imaginings of her father. Emma’s father is enthusiastic and goofy. He loves the outdoors. He hates seeing his daughter shave her legs or wear makeup. There are the usual father-daughter tensions over too-short shorts. He is eager to teach, but is quickly frustrated when Emma doesn’t innately understand what he’s trying to teach her. He is aggressive and critical. He pushes her to run rapids with him that she’s not comfortable running. He thinks paying for Emma’s horse-riding—what Emma herself is passionate about, as opposed to what he is passionate about—is too expensive. Emma doesn’t reduce her father to a string of positive adjectives after he dies. Emma’s retroactive telling of her father’s story is a beautiful, honest, and complex portrait of a life.
Something Emma’s horse trainer tells her describes the reality of life in the wake of loss: “‘We’ll get as far as we can get,’ she said, ‘and then we’ll figure it out from there.’”
The book’s title is an elegant metaphor for living with grief: Emma says her dad would turn a big rapid into “something doable, something orderly and reasonable. It was just a series of small maneuvers that would add up to something larger.” Living in the wake of grief is a series of small maneuvers too. Grief is never over; it’s not about getting through it. It’s about moving forward, and the steps can be as small as you need them to be.
January 28, 2019
A Series of Small Maneuvers is a book about a 15-year old girl that goes on a rustic outing with her father. On the journey, her father dies and she is faced with not only dealing with the guilt of his death but also of finding her way back home. Eliot Treichel goes into great detail showing that this father had given his daughter the knowledge needed to survive and his advice lead her to safety. It also describes how she and her mother try to adjust to a life without her father.
I really enjoyed this young adult book because it clearly explained how the father and mother thought and how they tried to share this with their daughters. The lessons her father shared and the specific instructions on how to survive in the wilderness made this book seem even more real. This book touches on life and death and the feeling that go along with both. I would recommend it.
I really enjoyed this young adult book because it clearly explained how the father and mother thought and how they tried to share this with their daughters. The lessons her father shared and the specific instructions on how to survive in the wilderness made this book seem even more real. This book touches on life and death and the feeling that go along with both. I would recommend it.
January 8, 2022
Kind of a harrowing read, as the mom of a 15 year old girl who doesn't get along that great with her dad.
June 4, 2021
I'm a self proclaimed father's daughter and I found A Series of Small Maneuvers as heartbreaking as it was charming.
Emma goes on a father-daughter camping trip leaving her mom and little sister at home. Emma and her dad have a tight bond and shared love of nature and sports. Once they stayed up late to watch the whitewater rafting Olympic games, making paper flags to wave while they chanted "USA! USA!" Her dad would test her on things like how to read a map and how to hold a paddle (hint: it's all in the pinky). Their relationship was one of education on the outdoors and an appetite for adventure.
"He knew that loneliness and fear were going to be part of any real adventure. Loneliness and fear and hunger and uncomfortable sleep and bug bites and butt rash. These were just givens."
As a girl who was raised camping and backpacking, in a lot of ways, this story is a walking nightmare. But the author brings spirit and determination to an otherwise terrible scenario. No matter how prepared you are, like Emma and her dad, the smallest thing can mean life or death. Switching between the present and past, we follow Emma's journey of courage, love and the ultimate forgiveness - the kind you give to yourself.
Emma goes on a father-daughter camping trip leaving her mom and little sister at home. Emma and her dad have a tight bond and shared love of nature and sports. Once they stayed up late to watch the whitewater rafting Olympic games, making paper flags to wave while they chanted "USA! USA!" Her dad would test her on things like how to read a map and how to hold a paddle (hint: it's all in the pinky). Their relationship was one of education on the outdoors and an appetite for adventure.
"He knew that loneliness and fear were going to be part of any real adventure. Loneliness and fear and hunger and uncomfortable sleep and bug bites and butt rash. These were just givens."
As a girl who was raised camping and backpacking, in a lot of ways, this story is a walking nightmare. But the author brings spirit and determination to an otherwise terrible scenario. No matter how prepared you are, like Emma and her dad, the smallest thing can mean life or death. Switching between the present and past, we follow Emma's journey of courage, love and the ultimate forgiveness - the kind you give to yourself.
November 25, 2017
Ever so awesome a male writer comes along who can write insightfully and convincingly from a female's point of view. Eliot Treichel has done a perfect job in telling this compelling story in the voice of a fifteen year old girl, with her normal coming-of-age uncertainties plus an enormous tragedy.
A "series of small maneuvers" pertains to keeping a canoe, kayak, or raft afloat in whitewater rapids. The expression also applies, in this story, to navigating a grief journey following the death of a beloved family member.
Emma Wilson is having trouble in high school, so her outdoors-loving dad takes her on a spring break camping trip in New Mexico, with the object of strengthening their relationship and helping her wade the difficult waters of adolescence. On a grueling hike, they stop for some playfulness. There is an accident, and Emma witnesses her father die during the night. Loneliness never felt so bleak, and help so out of reach. Emma has been taught survival skills but she must put them to the test and save herself. Surviving involves managing the 'small maneuvers' of going through two difficult rapids downstream.
Returning without her dad, home is not the same as she left it. Emma, her sister, and mother begin their grief journey. Having experienced one recently, I connected with so many of the feelings expressed by Emma and her mom. I felt how strongly they miss the dad, Parker Wilson, and how deeply they try to make "sense" of what happened to him. I found much to connect with and beautiful words and thoughts of comfort in this family's story. A nice touch to the story is the comfort Emma finds with her quarter horse, Magic, and how the thought of him helped her navigate her journeys of survival and grief.
The characters are so vividly brought to life. They are real; I felt I knew Emma. Her dad is a loving man with many facets to his temperament. The mother and little sister also come to life; their emotions are seen perfectly through Emma's viewpoint. Even minor characters, such as the sheriff who investigates the accident, are finely tuned and recognizable. Descriptions of place and minor episodes add to the characterizations and plot, and do not drag down the story.
Parker Wilson liked to use the word "river" as a verb. It meant moving through life with grace, strength, and flexibility. How the rivering ends for Parker and his grieving family makes for a beautiful, graceful ending to this wonderful story.
Eliot Treichel definitely deserves the 2017 Oregon Book Award (People's Choice) he was given; I hope the medallion shows up on the cover of future editions.
A "series of small maneuvers" pertains to keeping a canoe, kayak, or raft afloat in whitewater rapids. The expression also applies, in this story, to navigating a grief journey following the death of a beloved family member.
Emma Wilson is having trouble in high school, so her outdoors-loving dad takes her on a spring break camping trip in New Mexico, with the object of strengthening their relationship and helping her wade the difficult waters of adolescence. On a grueling hike, they stop for some playfulness. There is an accident, and Emma witnesses her father die during the night. Loneliness never felt so bleak, and help so out of reach. Emma has been taught survival skills but she must put them to the test and save herself. Surviving involves managing the 'small maneuvers' of going through two difficult rapids downstream.
Returning without her dad, home is not the same as she left it. Emma, her sister, and mother begin their grief journey. Having experienced one recently, I connected with so many of the feelings expressed by Emma and her mom. I felt how strongly they miss the dad, Parker Wilson, and how deeply they try to make "sense" of what happened to him. I found much to connect with and beautiful words and thoughts of comfort in this family's story. A nice touch to the story is the comfort Emma finds with her quarter horse, Magic, and how the thought of him helped her navigate her journeys of survival and grief.
The characters are so vividly brought to life. They are real; I felt I knew Emma. Her dad is a loving man with many facets to his temperament. The mother and little sister also come to life; their emotions are seen perfectly through Emma's viewpoint. Even minor characters, such as the sheriff who investigates the accident, are finely tuned and recognizable. Descriptions of place and minor episodes add to the characterizations and plot, and do not drag down the story.
Parker Wilson liked to use the word "river" as a verb. It meant moving through life with grace, strength, and flexibility. How the rivering ends for Parker and his grieving family makes for a beautiful, graceful ending to this wonderful story.
Eliot Treichel definitely deserves the 2017 Oregon Book Award (People's Choice) he was given; I hope the medallion shows up on the cover of future editions.
January 1, 2016
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
Out on a camping trip, 15 year old Emma inadvertently causes her father’s death. Swapping between the days preceding and then following the accident, this novel depicts how life can change rapidly around death and how one girl survives the rapids to the other side.
This novel doesn’t have an ending. Sure, the novel ends, but you are left not knowing all the answers. But that’s ok! I didn’t mind that I didn’t have all the answers, because it allowed me to really delve into the text, and come to my own conclusions. Enough had been said that I was satisfied.
What was refreshing about this novel was that Emma didn’t need a love interest or a best friend to get out of her trauma. It’s a more relatable picture of grief, and so so realistic. Not everyone has a soul mate waiting to pick them up! Emma has to deal with things by herself, and through that come to realisations about life.
The swapping between the time periods could have been confusing, but Treichel made the time periods so obvious, even a serial chapter heading ignorer like me could manage. It was obvious that she survived anyway, so it’s not like that was a giveaway. The hints at the future from the authorial voice worked for me.
So what about the world-building? Well, I think the camping scenario got plenty of air-time, but the outside world was dim in comparison. Again, that seemed to reflect the way Emma and her dad thought about the world – everything is deeper and more colourful in the bush. The other characters? I would have loved to hear more about Peg, and really very few other characters got a full space of description. They weren’t the point of the novel though, so I wasn’t worried.
The more I think about this novel, the more stars I want to give it. Unfortunately, for me, it’s no longer a reread (a bit outside my age group perhaps?). But I do think it has a lot to offer. 4 very strong stars from me, and a wish I could give it 4.5 stars.
Out on a camping trip, 15 year old Emma inadvertently causes her father’s death. Swapping between the days preceding and then following the accident, this novel depicts how life can change rapidly around death and how one girl survives the rapids to the other side.
This novel doesn’t have an ending. Sure, the novel ends, but you are left not knowing all the answers. But that’s ok! I didn’t mind that I didn’t have all the answers, because it allowed me to really delve into the text, and come to my own conclusions. Enough had been said that I was satisfied.
What was refreshing about this novel was that Emma didn’t need a love interest or a best friend to get out of her trauma. It’s a more relatable picture of grief, and so so realistic. Not everyone has a soul mate waiting to pick them up! Emma has to deal with things by herself, and through that come to realisations about life.
The swapping between the time periods could have been confusing, but Treichel made the time periods so obvious, even a serial chapter heading ignorer like me could manage. It was obvious that she survived anyway, so it’s not like that was a giveaway. The hints at the future from the authorial voice worked for me.
So what about the world-building? Well, I think the camping scenario got plenty of air-time, but the outside world was dim in comparison. Again, that seemed to reflect the way Emma and her dad thought about the world – everything is deeper and more colourful in the bush. The other characters? I would have loved to hear more about Peg, and really very few other characters got a full space of description. They weren’t the point of the novel though, so I wasn’t worried.
The more I think about this novel, the more stars I want to give it. Unfortunately, for me, it’s no longer a reread (a bit outside my age group perhaps?). But I do think it has a lot to offer. 4 very strong stars from me, and a wish I could give it 4.5 stars.
July 26, 2017
I am not a reader of Young Adult books, and I haven’t been since I was a young adult, which was quite a while ago. Young adult fiction was simply not very prevalent when I was an adolescent and teenager, and books that were designated as such were just not very good, so, I ended up consuming a fair share of crap: Sweet Valley High, V.C. Andrew’s books, The Babysitter’s Club, etc. It was rare that a book was insightful or instructive about becoming an adult, and generally, these weren’t really classified as YA books anyway. Books like A Wrinkle in Time, The Mists of Avalon and the required stuff for English class (such as A Separate Peace, To Kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye and Lord of the Flies).
I’m not entirely sure why I decided to read A Series of Small Maneuvers. I think the title might have something to do with it—the alliteration of the words. The cover is enticing too. Or perhaps it is simply that I’ve rejected young adult fiction since I attempted reading past the first Harry Potter book, and my snobbery is not sitting so well with me anymore. It’s silly, but I felt a bizarre sense of guilt that I should be reading something more substantial, that I should be consuming the classics and filling out what I missed as an undergraduate student in college. Like sitting down and eating an entire pint of ice cream, YA fiction had taken on a veneer of being indulgent and unnecessary.
A Series of Small Maneuvers was a perfect reintroduction to what YA books can be, which is, for everyone. There are some very tough, grown up themes going on in its pages—and the portrayal of a heroine grappling with them the best she can reminded me of all the empathy we need at any age, to try to make sense of things that just don’t make sense. I am not sure how Eliot Treichel was able to so perfectly capture the voice of a 15-year-old girl, but even though it’s been some time since I was that age, I do remember it clearly, and he is spot on. I plan on reading Treichel’s Close is Fine next. There is a reason his books are award winners: they are honest, direct and poignant.
I’m not entirely sure why I decided to read A Series of Small Maneuvers. I think the title might have something to do with it—the alliteration of the words. The cover is enticing too. Or perhaps it is simply that I’ve rejected young adult fiction since I attempted reading past the first Harry Potter book, and my snobbery is not sitting so well with me anymore. It’s silly, but I felt a bizarre sense of guilt that I should be reading something more substantial, that I should be consuming the classics and filling out what I missed as an undergraduate student in college. Like sitting down and eating an entire pint of ice cream, YA fiction had taken on a veneer of being indulgent and unnecessary.
A Series of Small Maneuvers was a perfect reintroduction to what YA books can be, which is, for everyone. There are some very tough, grown up themes going on in its pages—and the portrayal of a heroine grappling with them the best she can reminded me of all the empathy we need at any age, to try to make sense of things that just don’t make sense. I am not sure how Eliot Treichel was able to so perfectly capture the voice of a 15-year-old girl, but even though it’s been some time since I was that age, I do remember it clearly, and he is spot on. I plan on reading Treichel’s Close is Fine next. There is a reason his books are award winners: they are honest, direct and poignant.
March 17, 2018
I generally avoid sad stories, as I’ve got enough stuff to depress me without my entertainment being sad. In addition, I often avoid younger characters like Emma in YA books, because I often find their stories less relatable as I’ve gotten older. But A Series of Small Maneuvers is wonderful despite any reservations I had. It is a much-needed YA dealing with grief when the child feels responsible for her parent’s death. As a teenager, my mother got breast cancer and had to go through rigorous chemo and radiation treatments (and she is happily in remission today). But I can relate with Emma’s feelings of helplessness, anger, guilt, and fear as she tries to help her father and then watches him expire. Treichel navigates this tough issue brilliantly, while bringing out the complex family dynamics that make this story so vivid and realistic. Emma is not a perfect heroine and her father is not a perfect victim and that drew me into this story so much more, as it felt very authentic and relatable. I do not regret reading it, even though it made me all misty-eyed and full of sniffles. In fact, I had trouble putting it down. The writing is super powerful, and I felt Emma’s raw pain at her father’s death even though I knew from the book description that her father was going to die.
Also, as a white-water rafting enthusiast, this book’s setting and detail is wonderful. If you love the outdoors and especially, water sports like rafting, kayaking, and canoeing, you will really understand what Emma’s journey is like. I felt like I was there with Emma, and I could visualize the water, her fears and struggles, and the cold spray and the beating sun. Treichel’s writing style is gorgeous and almost feels effortless in the way he draws you in.
This book is well-deserving of the Oregon Book Awards Readers Choice Award, and I highly recommend it to both YA and more adult readers. I especially encourage those who don’t love sad stories like me to give this book a try. Go get a copy, settle down in a comfy chair with a box of tissues, and get ready to contact your parents telling them you love them when you’re done.
Also, as a white-water rafting enthusiast, this book’s setting and detail is wonderful. If you love the outdoors and especially, water sports like rafting, kayaking, and canoeing, you will really understand what Emma’s journey is like. I felt like I was there with Emma, and I could visualize the water, her fears and struggles, and the cold spray and the beating sun. Treichel’s writing style is gorgeous and almost feels effortless in the way he draws you in.
This book is well-deserving of the Oregon Book Awards Readers Choice Award, and I highly recommend it to both YA and more adult readers. I especially encourage those who don’t love sad stories like me to give this book a try. Go get a copy, settle down in a comfy chair with a box of tissues, and get ready to contact your parents telling them you love them when you’re done.
July 22, 2018
A Series of Small Maneuvers was perhaps one of the best young adult books I've ever read—an opinion I likely would not have held when I was a young adult myself, but while reading the book for the first time this week I could easily recognize the talent that author Eliot Treichel has in creating complex, sympathetic characters and a genuine, heartfelt story.
Emma Wilson is a 15-year-old girl who embarks, somewhat reluctantly, on a canoe trip with her father as his way of connecting her back to nature. When her father tragically dies after several days on the trip. Emma has to complete the journey without him—both literally on the river, and figuratively when she faces her grief and trauma hours and days after she returns to her "normal" life. While the story centers around this canoeing trip, Treichel really turns the story into that of teenage grief and balancing the precariousness of life and death from the perspective of a realistic, astute teenage view.
I was blown away by Treichel's ability to tell this story. The subject is extremely heavy, but Treichel was able to create in Emma a character fit for discussing death, grief and survival in a sensitive, understanding way. Emma's thoughts and actions were all genuine, and I never felt like Treichel was forcing morals or lessons on me through some kind of pontificating from any of the characters. I'll admit I was skeptical going in of a man writing a teenage female character, but he did it masterfully. Emma is a memorable character for the way she speaks and thinks in the middle of such a crisis. Parker, Emma's dad, even shines through in the pages he is alive for, when Emma reflects on the past and his role in it. Emma's friends, small appearances though they have, even help build up Emma's personality by proving to be opposite to what Emma is going through. All of these characters and more add up to a wonderful, moving, beautiful book that I will certainly revisit.
Emma Wilson is a 15-year-old girl who embarks, somewhat reluctantly, on a canoe trip with her father as his way of connecting her back to nature. When her father tragically dies after several days on the trip. Emma has to complete the journey without him—both literally on the river, and figuratively when she faces her grief and trauma hours and days after she returns to her "normal" life. While the story centers around this canoeing trip, Treichel really turns the story into that of teenage grief and balancing the precariousness of life and death from the perspective of a realistic, astute teenage view.
I was blown away by Treichel's ability to tell this story. The subject is extremely heavy, but Treichel was able to create in Emma a character fit for discussing death, grief and survival in a sensitive, understanding way. Emma's thoughts and actions were all genuine, and I never felt like Treichel was forcing morals or lessons on me through some kind of pontificating from any of the characters. I'll admit I was skeptical going in of a man writing a teenage female character, but he did it masterfully. Emma is a memorable character for the way she speaks and thinks in the middle of such a crisis. Parker, Emma's dad, even shines through in the pages he is alive for, when Emma reflects on the past and his role in it. Emma's friends, small appearances though they have, even help build up Emma's personality by proving to be opposite to what Emma is going through. All of these characters and more add up to a wonderful, moving, beautiful book that I will certainly revisit.
July 1, 2018
Unlike a lot of reviewers, I find myself more like Emma's dad and more in tune with what he was doing, where he was going. He has very strong views about things like culture and the environment and how much people can get wrapped up in superficial things. Trips to Hawaii with friends who maybe really aren't the right fit, wearing the right clothes and hanging with the right people and doing the many things that can make us lose sight of that which is really important. Especially being yourself. Sometimes he pushed Emma harder than she was ready for. He was a flawed human, as we all are, and there is no attempt to paint over that after the loss. And seeing the mother and her feelings of jealousy - maybe he loved the kids more than he loved her. They are so very human, and so very real.
But throughout, after "the event", you see Emma applying what she learned from her father. Using his strength to find her own. Using the skills she learned to make it out of the wilderness and to understand the world. And learning to be herself in a place and a culture where that may not be allowed if you don't conform to what others view as "normal".
A very beautiful written book. One that uses the metaphor of the river, aspects like never being in the same river twice, to explain that things move on, as should we. And that we can find a quiet strength in working through adversity. And that it is not always easy, but that most of us have the capacity, once we find that inner strength, to grow and transform like the river.
Very soon I will read this again. It's that kind of book.
But throughout, after "the event", you see Emma applying what she learned from her father. Using his strength to find her own. Using the skills she learned to make it out of the wilderness and to understand the world. And learning to be herself in a place and a culture where that may not be allowed if you don't conform to what others view as "normal".
A very beautiful written book. One that uses the metaphor of the river, aspects like never being in the same river twice, to explain that things move on, as should we. And that we can find a quiet strength in working through adversity. And that it is not always easy, but that most of us have the capacity, once we find that inner strength, to grow and transform like the river.
Very soon I will read this again. It's that kind of book.
June 8, 2017
Though A Series of Small Maneuvers has been sitting on my bookshelf since last August, I couldn’t push myself to crack it open until I heard it won the Readers’ Choice Award at the 2017 Oregon Book Awards. I hesitated to pick it up any earlier because all I knew about the book was that the story centers around a river trip and a young girl who witnesses the death of her father—not much for a light read. Future readers, don’t be like me and let this plot point deter you; this book isn’t about wallowing in despair, but rather it is about how grieving someone can be a complex, disconcerting, and, ultimately, beautiful part of the human experience. Eliot Treichel is incredibly skilled at creating nuanced, believable characters. He captured Emma’s perspective very well, and the dialogue flows so naturally that it never caused me to stop and think “would anyone actually say that?”
By far, the outdoors portion of this story is the most compelling aspect of the book for me. The plotting of Emma’s journey back to society was intriguing enough that I was able to carry on my investment in Emma and her experiences long after she left the wilderness and began adjusting back to her everyday life. Ultimately, this book is a great read for outdoors enthusiasts as well as anyone who has struggled with the aftermath of a major life tragedy. Despite Emma’s young age, the complicated subject matter this book deals with makes it appropriate for older readers as well.
By far, the outdoors portion of this story is the most compelling aspect of the book for me. The plotting of Emma’s journey back to society was intriguing enough that I was able to carry on my investment in Emma and her experiences long after she left the wilderness and began adjusting back to her everyday life. Ultimately, this book is a great read for outdoors enthusiasts as well as anyone who has struggled with the aftermath of a major life tragedy. Despite Emma’s young age, the complicated subject matter this book deals with makes it appropriate for older readers as well.
June 12, 2017
It's no wonder that A Series of Small Maneuvers won the Oregon Book Awards' Readers Choice Award. As a compelling, down-to-earth story about coming of age in the shadow of grief, A Series of Small Maneuvers is difficult to put down. It’s been a long time since I devoured a book like this. The opening in particular is more powerful and raw than anything I remember reading recently, YA or otherwise. Knowing from the back cover that Emma's dad will die doesn't make the reveal any less painful.
A Series of Small Maneuvers is especially realistic in a way that is refreshing for the YA genre. There's a fair amount of books about grieving aimed at kids. However, Emma is different because she is arguably the unwitting cause of her father's demise. She has to live with the fact that not only has she lost a parent, but that his death could have potentially been avoided. Treichel doesn't sugarcoat Emma's internalized grief; at the same time, he doesn't sugarcoat the complexity of Emma's dad and how he was estranging himself from his family leading up to his death. Treichel does a great job showing that just because a person has passed doesn't mean they're forgiven of all their flaws.
Overall, this book's tight prose and expertly-handled delicate subject material make A Series of Small Maneuvers a must-read...just keep a box of tissues nearby when you do so. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go give my dad a hug.
A Series of Small Maneuvers is especially realistic in a way that is refreshing for the YA genre. There's a fair amount of books about grieving aimed at kids. However, Emma is different because she is arguably the unwitting cause of her father's demise. She has to live with the fact that not only has she lost a parent, but that his death could have potentially been avoided. Treichel doesn't sugarcoat Emma's internalized grief; at the same time, he doesn't sugarcoat the complexity of Emma's dad and how he was estranging himself from his family leading up to his death. Treichel does a great job showing that just because a person has passed doesn't mean they're forgiven of all their flaws.
Overall, this book's tight prose and expertly-handled delicate subject material make A Series of Small Maneuvers a must-read...just keep a box of tissues nearby when you do so. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go give my dad a hug.
April 8, 2018
A Series of Small Maneuvers by Eliot Treichel is a shockingly poignant and emotional ride. I meant to savor this read slowly, but found myself unable to tear myself away for any real length of time. The vividness of Wilson’s storytelling here is breathtaking, and Emma Wilson’s frank voice serves as a spectacular narrator for readers, guiding them through murky grief. Wilson has done a remarkable job of letting the full story of what happens on their river trip trickle in a little at a time, and I find myself hoping this was in an effort to mimic Emma’s unwillingness to let herself remember her father’s death. If this was an accidental reflection, it’s certainly a happy one that adds incredible depth to the story. Notably, Emma’s grief never seems to come to a crest in this book—there’s no sign of the high peak and tidy resolution I’ve come to expect from most books. Instead, Treichel has chosen to write Emma’s grief and slow return to normalcy with extreme and often painful accuracy. The result is poignantly realistic, and allows this YA book to deftly deal with the topics of family and grief.
June 11, 2018
Warning: This book might rip your heart out.
From the beginning, Emma's story is devastating and entrancing. I don't know how Treichel did it, but he managed to perfectly capture the voice of a teenage girl experiencing profound grief. I have personally never experienced the level of loss and tragedy that Emma goes through, but reading this book made me feel Emma's grief like I was experiencing it first-hand.
Treichel is a master of voice and imagery, and this story is simply captivating. A Series of Small Maneuvers may be officially labelled as YA and features several tropes targeted at that age group, but it's a fantastic read for anyone looking to cope with loss or understand the grieving process.
From the beginning, Emma's story is devastating and entrancing. I don't know how Treichel did it, but he managed to perfectly capture the voice of a teenage girl experiencing profound grief. I have personally never experienced the level of loss and tragedy that Emma goes through, but reading this book made me feel Emma's grief like I was experiencing it first-hand.
Treichel is a master of voice and imagery, and this story is simply captivating. A Series of Small Maneuvers may be officially labelled as YA and features several tropes targeted at that age group, but it's a fantastic read for anyone looking to cope with loss or understand the grieving process.
June 29, 2017
This novel by Eliot Treichel was a stunning, wise, layered story of a young girl coming to terms with her role in the death of her father on a long, dangerous canoe trip. Grief shows up in surprising places, and to amazing effect. The physical, emotional journeys through grief mirror and feed off one another in subtle ways. I can't recommend this book enough.
January 5, 2022
Book Review: Eliot Treichel in his book titled A Series of Small Maneuvers reminds us that we
are human, and life keeps going on even after a death of a family member. Emma finds herself in
a life-or-death situation and is lucky to meet strangers that help her get home safely. The bonding
Emma has with the strangers that help her reminds us to be kind to each other and help people.
Even though I thought Emma handled the death of her father well, I feel she is grieving in her
own way. I would have liked to have seen more of Emma’s internal struggles in A Series of
Small Maneuvers since this story is narrated by her in first person, but this story is still well told.
The last scene where they scatter the ashes was a perfect reminder of the unknown and afterlife.
As a reader, the scene made me wonder about the afterlife and whether the father is at peace. The
scene at the end tied this story together and I believe it showed how the family is taking the loss.
A Series of Small Maneuvers reminds us that life is short and we can lose our loved ones at any
time. The story being told in first person by Emma pulled me into her world and how she is
dealing with the world and events around her. Emma at times is brave but also unsure of herself.
I think young readers will be captivated by Emma and see a small part of themselves in her.
There are times where we rebel and take advantage of our parents and her father’s death shows
young audiences that life is short, and we should sit back and enjoy moments with our loved
ones. Overall, I enjoyed reading Emma’s perspective of the world and what happened to her.
Review Rating: I am giving A Series of Small Maneuvers by Eliot Treichel a four star because I
thought the story was entertaining and meaningful. The reason I am giving this book a four star
is because I thought the grieving process could have been shown more on Emma’s side. As a
reader, I was left wondering how her father’s loss feels like. Does she truly blame herself? She
was there and I feel she would be grieving the most and yet I got the feeling she was taking it the
best. Overall, I enjoyed reading this backlist title with Ooligan and give an honest review of the
material. I thought Emma was more mature than her age (other than the drinking scene) and
would have loved to have seen more of her flaws. I thought she sounded a little more mature
than fifteen. Eliot Treichel does a great job and showing young audiences the meaning of death.
are human, and life keeps going on even after a death of a family member. Emma finds herself in
a life-or-death situation and is lucky to meet strangers that help her get home safely. The bonding
Emma has with the strangers that help her reminds us to be kind to each other and help people.
Even though I thought Emma handled the death of her father well, I feel she is grieving in her
own way. I would have liked to have seen more of Emma’s internal struggles in A Series of
Small Maneuvers since this story is narrated by her in first person, but this story is still well told.
The last scene where they scatter the ashes was a perfect reminder of the unknown and afterlife.
As a reader, the scene made me wonder about the afterlife and whether the father is at peace. The
scene at the end tied this story together and I believe it showed how the family is taking the loss.
A Series of Small Maneuvers reminds us that life is short and we can lose our loved ones at any
time. The story being told in first person by Emma pulled me into her world and how she is
dealing with the world and events around her. Emma at times is brave but also unsure of herself.
I think young readers will be captivated by Emma and see a small part of themselves in her.
There are times where we rebel and take advantage of our parents and her father’s death shows
young audiences that life is short, and we should sit back and enjoy moments with our loved
ones. Overall, I enjoyed reading Emma’s perspective of the world and what happened to her.
Review Rating: I am giving A Series of Small Maneuvers by Eliot Treichel a four star because I
thought the story was entertaining and meaningful. The reason I am giving this book a four star
is because I thought the grieving process could have been shown more on Emma’s side. As a
reader, I was left wondering how her father’s loss feels like. Does she truly blame herself? She
was there and I feel she would be grieving the most and yet I got the feeling she was taking it the
best. Overall, I enjoyed reading this backlist title with Ooligan and give an honest review of the
material. I thought Emma was more mature than her age (other than the drinking scene) and
would have loved to have seen more of her flaws. I thought she sounded a little more mature
than fifteen. Eliot Treichel does a great job and showing young audiences the meaning of death.
May 14, 2019
15-year-old Emma Wilson and her father go out on one of their white water rafting trips over spring break in the southwestern desert. All is as it always is—Emma’s father constantly demanding that Emma somehow be more, be better, when she’s just trying to be okay—until an accident leaves Emma alone in the wilderness, trying to get back to civilisation on her own. Emma’s return journey—both back to civilization and the aftermath of coping with the loss of her father—is utterly stunning and masterfully written by Treichel.
My favorite part of this book was the complicated, uncomfortable relationship Emma has with her father. Parker is full of ideas and philosophies and he is always trying to push Emma out of her comfort zone. At first, I really hated it—he is more interested in pushing his own ideas about the world onto Emma without really seeing what she needs, which is his support. But the point isn’t to like him, I don’t think; instead it really shows how flawed a person can be, and yet also how much you can love them at the same time. That showing love, as well as grief, is not as simple as remembering everything you liked about them. It’s about accepting them, flaws and all, and learning to see their love for you, even when it is shielded by words that seem uncaring or even hurtful.
Throughout the story, Emma is constantly remembering conflicting things her father used to say or do, and the juxtaposition between Emma’s distrust of her father’s life advice and having to use everything he’s ever taught her to survive is complicated and brilliant and so relatable. Who hasn’t been irritated by some well meaning, but superior-sounding adult who tells you “You can do better”? No one wants to be told that, partially because it’s annoying, but also because they’re usually right. Emma doesn’t have some lightbulb moment where she realizes that her father was right about a lot of things, but she gradually begins to see them after her return home, such as when she realizes that her two best friends, Tracy and Heidi, don’t really care about her. But it’s also not as simple as that; she also begins to see where he was wrong sometimes too.
I confess, I don’t know much about canoeing and rapids and all that, but the way this book described the wilderness around Emma makes me want to go spend some time outdoors.
My favorite part of this book was the complicated, uncomfortable relationship Emma has with her father. Parker is full of ideas and philosophies and he is always trying to push Emma out of her comfort zone. At first, I really hated it—he is more interested in pushing his own ideas about the world onto Emma without really seeing what she needs, which is his support. But the point isn’t to like him, I don’t think; instead it really shows how flawed a person can be, and yet also how much you can love them at the same time. That showing love, as well as grief, is not as simple as remembering everything you liked about them. It’s about accepting them, flaws and all, and learning to see their love for you, even when it is shielded by words that seem uncaring or even hurtful.
Throughout the story, Emma is constantly remembering conflicting things her father used to say or do, and the juxtaposition between Emma’s distrust of her father’s life advice and having to use everything he’s ever taught her to survive is complicated and brilliant and so relatable. Who hasn’t been irritated by some well meaning, but superior-sounding adult who tells you “You can do better”? No one wants to be told that, partially because it’s annoying, but also because they’re usually right. Emma doesn’t have some lightbulb moment where she realizes that her father was right about a lot of things, but she gradually begins to see them after her return home, such as when she realizes that her two best friends, Tracy and Heidi, don’t really care about her. But it’s also not as simple as that; she also begins to see where he was wrong sometimes too.
I confess, I don’t know much about canoeing and rapids and all that, but the way this book described the wilderness around Emma makes me want to go spend some time outdoors.
December 8, 2019
This book has everything I look for in a YA coming-of-age story and more, from downright beautiful prose that at points even mimics the flow of water to carefully dealt with themes of familial trauma, loss, the search for personal identity, and the need to persevere even when it feels impossible to do so.
Any reservations I had about a male author writing from the perspective of a teenage girl were gone within the first few chapters. Treichel did a beautiful and convincing job developing Emma into a very realistic teenage girl who must reconcile the guilt associated with her father’s death while also being forced to grow up without him. Perhaps what I liked most was Treichel’s expert handling of the father-daughter relationship and how complex, fraught, and special it was all at once, making it feel both real and truly heartbreaking. Developing a theme like that with accuracy, thoughtfulness, and care is no easy feat, but I found that Treichel did it exceptionally well without feeling cheesy or forced like traumas sometimes can in YA fiction.
I also deeply enjoyed the setting of this book and the incorporation of rafting into the story. It was a beautiful metaphor for the way that grief and loss can feel impossible and sometimes even dangerous to surpass, but that we can always overcome them when we are equipped with the right gear.
Any reservations I had about a male author writing from the perspective of a teenage girl were gone within the first few chapters. Treichel did a beautiful and convincing job developing Emma into a very realistic teenage girl who must reconcile the guilt associated with her father’s death while also being forced to grow up without him. Perhaps what I liked most was Treichel’s expert handling of the father-daughter relationship and how complex, fraught, and special it was all at once, making it feel both real and truly heartbreaking. Developing a theme like that with accuracy, thoughtfulness, and care is no easy feat, but I found that Treichel did it exceptionally well without feeling cheesy or forced like traumas sometimes can in YA fiction.
I also deeply enjoyed the setting of this book and the incorporation of rafting into the story. It was a beautiful metaphor for the way that grief and loss can feel impossible and sometimes even dangerous to surpass, but that we can always overcome them when we are equipped with the right gear.
February 29, 2020
This novel truly was an emotional journey that felt so real and raw while reading. Emma was a character that was so relatable and authentic it is impossible not to feel her pain as she deals with the grief from losing her father. The writing was so well done and pulled me in quickly from the start. Even going into the book, and knowing Emma's father was going to die, it still shocked me when it happened. I was almost in as much denial as Emma was when it was happening. Her emotions became my emotions, although Emma most certainly acted much braver than I would have thought possible. I kept reading to find out how she would grow and move on from this tragic and traumatic event as I couldn't fathom the pain she was feeling at such a young age.
There is so much to learn from this novel from dealing with grief, growing up, and understanding the people and relationships in our daily lives to name a few. This book is one that all young readers should read, but adults as well. Though we see this through the eyes of a fifteen year old girl, there are many lessons that transcend age and gender. Eliot Treichel wrote a wonderful story with so much care and emotion, I couldn't recommend it enough!
There is so much to learn from this novel from dealing with grief, growing up, and understanding the people and relationships in our daily lives to name a few. This book is one that all young readers should read, but adults as well. Though we see this through the eyes of a fifteen year old girl, there are many lessons that transcend age and gender. Eliot Treichel wrote a wonderful story with so much care and emotion, I couldn't recommend it enough!
November 26, 2020
First of all, while the 2015 cover of this book is well done and nicely artsy in a graphic design kind of way, it doesn’t convey the age category well. Most YA books look a lot different from this, and it’s rather a shame the cover isn’t geared for that market. Would this cover really appeal to a teen enough to make him/her pick it up?
If not, what a shame! Teens (and adults too) are missing out. Because inside, the story is a gripping, poignant story of Emma’s loss and self-discovery, and I actually lost sleep worrying about her one night. Maybe that’s why I usually read sci-fi or fantasy, where the profoundness of life (and death) doesn’t smack me so directly; sci-fi/fantasy has a filter to it that gives events a “safe” distance while portraying life and loss. Throughout, Emma grapples with stark fear, fatigue, guilt, grief, family relationships, and of course the river that symbolizes life. Her emotions were portrayed well. Sometimes, however, she felt younger than 15… maybe because she was dealing with grief and loss. I really like that the novel wasn’t written chronologically, but rather skips around in time between current happenings and backflashes of what happened on the river. It made the novel even more compelling to read.
If not, what a shame! Teens (and adults too) are missing out. Because inside, the story is a gripping, poignant story of Emma’s loss and self-discovery, and I actually lost sleep worrying about her one night. Maybe that’s why I usually read sci-fi or fantasy, where the profoundness of life (and death) doesn’t smack me so directly; sci-fi/fantasy has a filter to it that gives events a “safe” distance while portraying life and loss. Throughout, Emma grapples with stark fear, fatigue, guilt, grief, family relationships, and of course the river that symbolizes life. Her emotions were portrayed well. Sometimes, however, she felt younger than 15… maybe because she was dealing with grief and loss. I really like that the novel wasn’t written chronologically, but rather skips around in time between current happenings and backflashes of what happened on the river. It made the novel even more compelling to read.
March 19, 2017
This Oregon Book Award finalist is well worth a read, although it is far from cheery. Emma Wilson is a teenager dragged on a backwoods river trip with her free-spirited father and when tragedy strikes, she finds herself faced with the external challenge of being stranded in the remote wilderness, as well as the internal struggle of coping with grief and loss upon her return home.
From the description, I was expecting a primarily outdoor adventure story; instead, Treichel spends as much if not more time delicately exploring Emma's quieter struggle. Living through guilt and grief among friends and family who are also grieving gives Emma a less obvious character arc, and makes her voice and story unexpectedly reflective. This surprising introversion, along with Treichel's deft weaving of timelines, jumping back and forth between Emma's time in the wilderness and her return home, makes for an engaging read that kept me guessing, rather than the more predictable journey I had anticipated.
From the description, I was expecting a primarily outdoor adventure story; instead, Treichel spends as much if not more time delicately exploring Emma's quieter struggle. Living through guilt and grief among friends and family who are also grieving gives Emma a less obvious character arc, and makes her voice and story unexpectedly reflective. This surprising introversion, along with Treichel's deft weaving of timelines, jumping back and forth between Emma's time in the wilderness and her return home, makes for an engaging read that kept me guessing, rather than the more predictable journey I had anticipated.
December 6, 2019
A teenage girl must navigate the sudden trauma and grief of the loss of her father while also navigating her way to help. Emma’s character is well-written, believable teenage girl with depth and complexity. As she tries to find her way home she must also come to terms with the loss of her father that she believes she caused.
I enjoyed how the author was able to bring in many terms and facts about the wilderness that the average person may not know without overwhelming the reader. Rather than feeling as though the narrator looked down on me for not understanding the jargon, as some books do, the terms were explained in a cohesive way that seamlessly flowed into the story.
The metaphor of the river and Emma’s grief was a beautiful element of the text that I believe many readers will be able to use during their own times of loss. Especially since the audience for this novel is YA and many readers will be experiencing emotions like these for the first time. This book Is the perfect example on teaching on about grief without telling them the “right or wrong” way to feel it.
I enjoyed how the author was able to bring in many terms and facts about the wilderness that the average person may not know without overwhelming the reader. Rather than feeling as though the narrator looked down on me for not understanding the jargon, as some books do, the terms were explained in a cohesive way that seamlessly flowed into the story.
The metaphor of the river and Emma’s grief was a beautiful element of the text that I believe many readers will be able to use during their own times of loss. Especially since the audience for this novel is YA and many readers will be experiencing emotions like these for the first time. This book Is the perfect example on teaching on about grief without telling them the “right or wrong” way to feel it.
November 14, 2018
This book is a touching story of one girl's struggle with teenage-hood after the untimely death of her father on an outdoor canoe trip, leaving her grasping in her grieving mind at the ways the trip could have turned out any other way, while having to realize that life goes on, and she has friends that try to be there for her even if they don't share the same experiences. Treichel's prose is beautifully simple--not plaintive, but rather honest. His main character notices things a teenage girl in real life might notice, and wonder about. The way tidbits of her and her father's relationship are interspersed throughout the book is one of the things that binds the story together, and binds Emma to her father's accident, until the poetic close of the book that takes place as she, her mother and sister scatter her father's ashes in the river he loved so much. It's a simple work with a profoundly relatable story.
March 14, 2021
I really enjoyed this book and its ability to make you feel genuine emotions. Treichel creates a realistic characterization of Emma and draws up authentic relationships around her. There are many moments that feel raw and you can’t help but sympathize with Emma and her family. The rollercoaster of events never leaves you bored, but challenges you to think deeper on themes of guilt, death, family, and friendship.
Treichel beautifully weaves in Emma’s past and present experiences to create a well-rounded story. Although classified as a YA book, some subjects and moments feel a bit heavy. The writing style is very sophisticated and worldly that sometimes you forget you’re reading YA. Despite that, Emma is a genuine character with flaws and the book really highlights that. From survivor’s guilt to growing into adulthood, Emma is relatable in more ways than one.
Treichel beautifully weaves in Emma’s past and present experiences to create a well-rounded story. Although classified as a YA book, some subjects and moments feel a bit heavy. The writing style is very sophisticated and worldly that sometimes you forget you’re reading YA. Despite that, Emma is a genuine character with flaws and the book really highlights that. From survivor’s guilt to growing into adulthood, Emma is relatable in more ways than one.
March 16, 2018
I had heard nothing but good things about this award-winning book, so I decided to give it a try. A Series of Small maneuvers is a wonderful YA story about loss, grief, adventure, and growing up. This book is for young adult readers, but don't be fooled - it is wise beyond its years. The captivating journey of fifteen-year old girl who has lost her father reveals how complex the process of moving on can be, especially when you feel a sense of responsibility. Despite its difficult themes, Eliot Treichel does not always paint a picture of darkness and despair. Instead, his work is speckled with optimism, authenticity, and healing. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys books about the outdoors, wilderness adventures, or anyone who knows how it feels to experience a great loss.
June 6, 2018
The heroine is very relatable and realistic. While she struggles with some pretty big life issues, she’s never annoying or idiotic. Her choices may sometimes seems off, but the author does a good job at making you feel why she would choose that way.
The story almost seems backwards as it starts with a big life or death adventure when 15-year-old Emma is left alone in the wilderness after a tragic accident kills her father. But the story doesn’t end when she gets back to civilization. Because it’s not about her survival, it’s about how people find a new normal after tragedy.
The wilderness adventure serves as a theme for when something really big happens in your life and you have to return to normal afterwards. The grief, and Emma’s world after the death of her father is very relatable for anyone who has ever dealt with such loss. Overall the story moves along well, it’s intriguing and interesting. The book is well written and the subject matter is handled expertly. It’s a sad story, with a message about moving forward after tragedy; something that anyone who has been through will appreciate the reminder they are not alone, and anyone who has not will get a peek into what dealing with grief on such a level is like.
The story almost seems backwards as it starts with a big life or death adventure when 15-year-old Emma is left alone in the wilderness after a tragic accident kills her father. But the story doesn’t end when she gets back to civilization. Because it’s not about her survival, it’s about how people find a new normal after tragedy.
The wilderness adventure serves as a theme for when something really big happens in your life and you have to return to normal afterwards. The grief, and Emma’s world after the death of her father is very relatable for anyone who has ever dealt with such loss. Overall the story moves along well, it’s intriguing and interesting. The book is well written and the subject matter is handled expertly. It’s a sad story, with a message about moving forward after tragedy; something that anyone who has been through will appreciate the reminder they are not alone, and anyone who has not will get a peek into what dealing with grief on such a level is like.
March 12, 2019
I'm not usually a YA reader, but this book drew me in from the start. I enjoyed the emotionally complex characters; Emma, her family, and friends felt very true-to-life and like an accurate representation of the worldview of a teenager, despite the extreme circumstances Emma finds herself in throughout the story. Treichel does a great job conveying realistic and relatable personalities. I did get a little lost in the technical details about canoeing and navigation, and felt that could have been cut down a little while still retaining the metaphor of it all, but in the end it didn't take much away from the overall plot and quality of writing. Would recommend this book to readers of all ages.
March 19, 2018
I don't often stray into YA fiction that isn't fantasy or sci-fi, and when I do, the last thing I usually pick up is a sad book. But this book wasn't just sad--it was full of strength. The main character was relatable, and the tangle of emotions she works through feels very raw and real. Many times when a YA book deals with the death of a parent, the parent becomes retroactively perfect. That doesn't happen in this book--Emma and her father had a complex relationship, and that doesn't disappear just because he is gone. It's what's part of what makes this book so emotional; it deals with grief in a way that anyone can and will recognize.
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