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Tiny Uncertain Miracles
Miracles are notoriously unreliable. But sometimes, just when they're needed, they turn up - although not always in the form that we expect...
'A novel luminous with love and hope that will change the way you see the world.' Kathryn Heyman
Awkward, hapless Marick is still struggling with the loss of his wife, his child and his faith when he is reluctantly thrust into the position of chaplain at a large public hospital. Shortly after arriving, he meets Hugo, a hospital scientist and a man almost as lost as Marick himself, who is working in a forgotten lab, deep in the subterranean realms of the hospital. Hugo is convinced that the bacteria he uses for protein production have - unbelievably - begun to produce gold. Is it alchemy, evolution, a hoax or even ... possibly ... a miracle?
In the meantime, Christmas is approaching, the number of homeless outside the hospital is increasing, the Director of Operational Services is pressing Marick about his weekly KPIs, you can't buy chocolate in the hospital shop anymore, and Marick keeps waking with nightmares at 4 am every night. If ever a miracle was needed, it's now.
A tender, sweet, sad, gritty, slyly funny and unexpectedly uplifting novel about family, friendship, faith, love - and alchemy - Tiny Uncertain Miracles is a hopeful and luminous gift to all readers.
PRAISE FOR TINY UNCERTAIN MIRACLES
'Johnston captures the brutal reality of life with a lyricism and gentleness that will touch many. Readers of Elizabeth Strout, Mitch Albom and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine will find similarities and enjoyment in Tiny Uncertain Miracles.' Books+Publishing
'Johnston articulates the biggest questions and the smallest human moments with rare beauty and precision. A stunning act of imagination and storytelling' – Robert Lukins, Loveland
'Emotionally rich, profoundly absorbing and entrancingly unique, this is a book you won't be able to put down. Johnston's sentences dance, her wit sparkles and her power arises from her authority and audacity. Intellectually rigorous and achingly poignant; Tiny Uncertain Miracles is a virtuoso performance by a writer at the height of her powers. I have not read anything as satisfying and stimulating for a very long time.' Alice Nelson, The Children's House
'Tiny Uncertain Miracles is witty, profound and a joy to read. Johnston posits that believing in something is better than nothing, and that redemption can come from the least likely places. Invisible gods, alchemy, medical science - all have their place but none tops the marvel of people, in their own weird ways and often despite themselves, being pretty bloody marvellous' – Paul Dalgarno, A Country of Eternal Light
'Original, enchanting and ultimately hopeful - Tiny Uncertain Miracles is a dazzling tale that will get under your skin and into your heart, in the best way possible' – Ewa Ramsey, The Morbids
'A novel luminous with love and hope that will change the way you see the world.' Kathryn Heyman
Awkward, hapless Marick is still struggling with the loss of his wife, his child and his faith when he is reluctantly thrust into the position of chaplain at a large public hospital. Shortly after arriving, he meets Hugo, a hospital scientist and a man almost as lost as Marick himself, who is working in a forgotten lab, deep in the subterranean realms of the hospital. Hugo is convinced that the bacteria he uses for protein production have - unbelievably - begun to produce gold. Is it alchemy, evolution, a hoax or even ... possibly ... a miracle?
In the meantime, Christmas is approaching, the number of homeless outside the hospital is increasing, the Director of Operational Services is pressing Marick about his weekly KPIs, you can't buy chocolate in the hospital shop anymore, and Marick keeps waking with nightmares at 4 am every night. If ever a miracle was needed, it's now.
A tender, sweet, sad, gritty, slyly funny and unexpectedly uplifting novel about family, friendship, faith, love - and alchemy - Tiny Uncertain Miracles is a hopeful and luminous gift to all readers.
PRAISE FOR TINY UNCERTAIN MIRACLES
'Johnston captures the brutal reality of life with a lyricism and gentleness that will touch many. Readers of Elizabeth Strout, Mitch Albom and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine will find similarities and enjoyment in Tiny Uncertain Miracles.' Books+Publishing
'Johnston articulates the biggest questions and the smallest human moments with rare beauty and precision. A stunning act of imagination and storytelling' – Robert Lukins, Loveland
'Emotionally rich, profoundly absorbing and entrancingly unique, this is a book you won't be able to put down. Johnston's sentences dance, her wit sparkles and her power arises from her authority and audacity. Intellectually rigorous and achingly poignant; Tiny Uncertain Miracles is a virtuoso performance by a writer at the height of her powers. I have not read anything as satisfying and stimulating for a very long time.' Alice Nelson, The Children's House
'Tiny Uncertain Miracles is witty, profound and a joy to read. Johnston posits that believing in something is better than nothing, and that redemption can come from the least likely places. Invisible gods, alchemy, medical science - all have their place but none tops the marvel of people, in their own weird ways and often despite themselves, being pretty bloody marvellous' – Paul Dalgarno, A Country of Eternal Light
'Original, enchanting and ultimately hopeful - Tiny Uncertain Miracles is a dazzling tale that will get under your skin and into your heart, in the best way possible' – Ewa Ramsey, The Morbids
336 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2022
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478 people want to read
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November 26, 2022
Tiny Uncertain Miracles is a miracle sitting right on the shelf of your local bookshop. It combines faith, science, relationships, loss and meaning in a gleaming package that is never dull. It’s wry, witty, heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful. I was surprised at the impact it had on me, from memories of a place in my past to my own family. It’s simply a novel you must read if you enjoy the beauty of detailed scenes and exquisite rendering of characters.
The main character is Marick, a chaplain who is basically forced from his role in a large church in the city into taking a job at a large (both physically and in terms of bed numbers) city hospital. He’s the only chaplain to cover all faiths due to budget cuts. His role isn’t really defined, but he’s told almost immediately that he must meet his KPIs which seem to be collecting patient stickers as ‘proof’ of his attendance. (Sadly, Marick doesn’t seem to have been taught the rule of stickers – the closer the sticker is to your nose, the more important it is). It’s an odd introduction as Marick is added to the medical emergency team to offer comfort (to who? When?) as well as assisting families and patients in their hour of need. Marick walks the corridors of the hospital and its joins between buildings (think deserted underground tunnels and corridors that are piled with equipment) and discovers Hugo, just at his moment of triumph. In a laundry converted to a lab in a basement, Hugo has some special bacteria (E.coli to be particular). They just happen to be growing gold. A friendship starts between Marick and Hugo and his wife Vivian. In the meantime, Hugo makes friends with Dolly, the matriarch of the volunteer shop (WHICH DOES NOT SELL CHOCOLATE due to regulations, but instead tuna and crackers. If you’ve ever been incredibly hungry in a hospital at 3am, these still do not tempt you. In fact, the paint looks more appetising). He also meets an emergency department physician who keeps appearing in the most unexpected of places, seeking her own solace.
Meanwhile, the city’s humidity builds and rumours of the golden bacteria grow, culminating in a Christmas standoff outside the hospital. Just as everything seems to go wrong for Marick, Hugo and Dolly, there is a glimmer of hope on the other side…
All the characters in Tiny Uncertain Miracles are memorable and finely drawn. Marick’s back story is told gradually and was rather unexpected (just shows that jumping to conclusions is wrong). He’s initially a bit of a lost figure, but grows as he finds his new life, friends and hope. Hugo is a funny one. He’s complex, prone to big emotion and a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to ethics and fidelity (as is Vivian, his wife, but she’s a lot bolder in her jabs). Dolly is just adorable. I’m sure that she secretly runs the hospital the way she wants it and her own Christmas epiphany, although misguided, made a lot of sense from the heart (and the electrolyte disturbances). The hospital is also a character here. A myriad of add ons, basements and secret (or forgotten sections) it has a life of its own beyond the workers. It’s really only Marick and the ED physician who see this (the staff don’t really seem to have the time). If you know or have worked at a certain hospital in the centre of a capital city in the West, you will recognise some similarities. As second generation staff, I certainly did and it brought back a lot of memories. The basement clinics, the library archives and lost offices and rooms. Getting lost. The secret offices and the rooms that look not have been touched since 1969. Opening up a door to a secret courtyard or equipment graveyard. The tunnels (very, very creepy). The basement reminded me of my Grandma as did the Croatian cleaner, Lilyana and some of her history. It was a wild ride and testament of the power of Michelle’s words to bring that building to life.
Overall, Tiny Uncertain Miracles combines faith and science and friendship and love in a way that is alchemy. It’s a wonderful novel full of emotion and beauty.
Thank you to Harper Collins for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
The main character is Marick, a chaplain who is basically forced from his role in a large church in the city into taking a job at a large (both physically and in terms of bed numbers) city hospital. He’s the only chaplain to cover all faiths due to budget cuts. His role isn’t really defined, but he’s told almost immediately that he must meet his KPIs which seem to be collecting patient stickers as ‘proof’ of his attendance. (Sadly, Marick doesn’t seem to have been taught the rule of stickers – the closer the sticker is to your nose, the more important it is). It’s an odd introduction as Marick is added to the medical emergency team to offer comfort (to who? When?) as well as assisting families and patients in their hour of need. Marick walks the corridors of the hospital and its joins between buildings (think deserted underground tunnels and corridors that are piled with equipment) and discovers Hugo, just at his moment of triumph. In a laundry converted to a lab in a basement, Hugo has some special bacteria (E.coli to be particular). They just happen to be growing gold. A friendship starts between Marick and Hugo and his wife Vivian. In the meantime, Hugo makes friends with Dolly, the matriarch of the volunteer shop (WHICH DOES NOT SELL CHOCOLATE due to regulations, but instead tuna and crackers. If you’ve ever been incredibly hungry in a hospital at 3am, these still do not tempt you. In fact, the paint looks more appetising). He also meets an emergency department physician who keeps appearing in the most unexpected of places, seeking her own solace.
Meanwhile, the city’s humidity builds and rumours of the golden bacteria grow, culminating in a Christmas standoff outside the hospital. Just as everything seems to go wrong for Marick, Hugo and Dolly, there is a glimmer of hope on the other side…
All the characters in Tiny Uncertain Miracles are memorable and finely drawn. Marick’s back story is told gradually and was rather unexpected (just shows that jumping to conclusions is wrong). He’s initially a bit of a lost figure, but grows as he finds his new life, friends and hope. Hugo is a funny one. He’s complex, prone to big emotion and a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to ethics and fidelity (as is Vivian, his wife, but she’s a lot bolder in her jabs). Dolly is just adorable. I’m sure that she secretly runs the hospital the way she wants it and her own Christmas epiphany, although misguided, made a lot of sense from the heart (and the electrolyte disturbances). The hospital is also a character here. A myriad of add ons, basements and secret (or forgotten sections) it has a life of its own beyond the workers. It’s really only Marick and the ED physician who see this (the staff don’t really seem to have the time). If you know or have worked at a certain hospital in the centre of a capital city in the West, you will recognise some similarities. As second generation staff, I certainly did and it brought back a lot of memories. The basement clinics, the library archives and lost offices and rooms. Getting lost. The secret offices and the rooms that look not have been touched since 1969. Opening up a door to a secret courtyard or equipment graveyard. The tunnels (very, very creepy). The basement reminded me of my Grandma as did the Croatian cleaner, Lilyana and some of her history. It was a wild ride and testament of the power of Michelle’s words to bring that building to life.
Overall, Tiny Uncertain Miracles combines faith and science and friendship and love in a way that is alchemy. It’s a wonderful novel full of emotion and beauty.
Thank you to Harper Collins for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
October 9, 2022
This is gold, pure gold - a sad but funny story of friendship and love, cleverly written by an author with an unmatched talent for deploying a shimmer of verbs.
December 27, 2022
Have you seen this glittering golden hardcover around? Quirky and poignant, TINY UNCERTAIN MIRACLES has left me with some mixed feelings.
The plot gently builds as character history is revealed and the questioning of faith at the centre of the story develops. Working in hospitals myself, I enjoyed the setting of a maze-like puzzle of corridors and wards that made up the hospital as well as its daily goings on. The scenes of hospital chaplain, Marick attending to patients and family were emotional and heartfelt.
The themes of faith and science throughout the story lead the plot towards some philosophical and historical discussions, but I felt the true strength of this novel was in the moments where characters connected & forged relationships.
Beautifully written, TINY UNCERTAIN MIRACLES is a tender look at heartache, hope and love. This is a thinking novel that will leave you wondering.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
The plot gently builds as character history is revealed and the questioning of faith at the centre of the story develops. Working in hospitals myself, I enjoyed the setting of a maze-like puzzle of corridors and wards that made up the hospital as well as its daily goings on. The scenes of hospital chaplain, Marick attending to patients and family were emotional and heartfelt.
The themes of faith and science throughout the story lead the plot towards some philosophical and historical discussions, but I felt the true strength of this novel was in the moments where characters connected & forged relationships.
Beautifully written, TINY UNCERTAIN MIRACLES is a tender look at heartache, hope and love. This is a thinking novel that will leave you wondering.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
January 12, 2023
What a powerful, profound and poetic novel by Michelle Johnston! I read this over Christmas and loved it from beginning to end. Michelle’s special insight, unique gift of language and artistic writing style really inspired me. Tiny Uncertain Miracles is an apt title and the story is perfectly spun and renders pure gold!
We meet Marick, a man who has known incredible love and loss in his life. Separated from his wife, child and faith. The trials have shaken and shattered him. ‘The months shrank. The days swayed. Marick’s unquiet slumber was his new earth. Everything changed, and nothing did.’
‘When a man comes late to God, looking for answers, pulpits and hymns aren’t always what he requires.’ So true. But how can he overcome the ‘trumpet of doubt’ and recapture strength and bolster his fragile faith?
The novel raises the question: what is a person without hope and what is the cure? Marick finds himself, alone, and on a different track. He is pushed into a position of becoming a chaplain for a local hospital. He doesn’t have much choice for he and the Deacon realise he is not suited to regular church life. The Deacon assures him they are happy to write a reference for the chaplain position which may suit him better. Knowing there is no more bargaining left to keep his current role, he heads off.
Marick is offered the position and accepts. He is a man without a roster and without a guide book into the unknown, meeting many strange, curious and injured bodies and hearts who are also seeking answers. From him. For surely as a Man of God he must know what to do in difficult situations, including how to resurrect and heal the sick? But is he the blind leading the blind? Or deaf to the Master’s voice? Well, maybe but this is where he lives, now on an uncertain and challenging path. Like everyone else around him, he stumbles along, trying to make sense of all that he sees. On many occasions he provides answers that he thinks are what people need to hear. But how close to the truth are his responses? Is it the act of doing that releases the answers? In many ways, our Marick is on a quest and he will run into interference, obstacles and temptations, as all humans do.
Throughout the novel we get the backstory of what led Marick to this point. He has had some huge bumps on the road. But in many ways, even if he does not realise it at first, these things are what make him who he is and his experiences (both good and bad) can be utilised to help other human beings by providing empathy and understanding of their sadness, loss and pain. Especially useful in his chosen profession.
Then he meets Hugo, a scientist who has also lost his way, working in the bowels of the hospital trying to create what seems to be the impossible. Hugo believes the bacteria he uses for protein production have started to produce gold. Is it alchemy, a fraud or truly a miracle? Marick is a solid friend and sticks by him through the chaos and doubters. As he reflects on his allegiance to this ‘wild strange man,’ he realises their friendship stems from a mutual need to be an anchor for each other. ‘Faith as choice. Friendship as precious intention.’
Even with all the despair that surrounds Marick, this novel is about hope. Hope is part of healing. Healing of the body and mind. It fires the will for survival and when that flame burns low or flickers and goes out, the soul is exposed to the darkness of doubt. I loved the exploration of faith in this novel and its’ antithesis. For me, this passage below is the heart of the novel. Marick’s dilemma is also reflected in Hugo’s experiment.
Two sides of a tumbling coin, Marick thought. Faith and doubt. But what else was alchemy if not a similar abstract concept? The making of new things from old? The mutation of bland to glittering? Illness to health, poverty to wealth? The dead inside the living? Transformation. Biological gold.
I must add that Marick’s hearing loss (he wears a hearing aid) is possibly a literary device used by the author to represent or symbolise his spiritual deafness, his inability to hear God in his heart when he wants to. In many ways he is a man without a compass—for a while. But wonders never cease and he finds his own miracle when least expected. And hope is reborn.
I cannot say enough or quote enough passages from this novel to show what a wonder it is. The prose is eloquent with original description and astute phrases that I found inspiring as a poet. Everything is seen through a creative critical eye.
Tiny Uncertain Miracles will make you think, stir your heart, and provide a fresh vision of the world around you. It might even challenge your definition of miracles. Merriam-Webster Dictionary says a miracle is ‘an extraordinary event taken as a sign of the supernatural power of God.’ It also says it is ‘an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment.’ And then the novel whispers: ‘a miracle is a miracle for sure, but then there are things that pretend to be, just to test us.’ Having been on the positive side of divine miracles, I can truly appreciate this statement. Of course, faith and doubt are part of the process, too, and often stirred in the same sacred pot. Some will believe and others will not. Regardless, like the author we all need to seek the ‘beauty and awe in an often brutal-reality.’ And yes much is hidden but it will become visible, if we look deep enough. I celebrate this outstanding novel and give it 5 gold faith-filled Stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to Michelle & publisher 4th Estate (HarperCollinsAU) for a review copy.
We meet Marick, a man who has known incredible love and loss in his life. Separated from his wife, child and faith. The trials have shaken and shattered him. ‘The months shrank. The days swayed. Marick’s unquiet slumber was his new earth. Everything changed, and nothing did.’
‘When a man comes late to God, looking for answers, pulpits and hymns aren’t always what he requires.’ So true. But how can he overcome the ‘trumpet of doubt’ and recapture strength and bolster his fragile faith?
The novel raises the question: what is a person without hope and what is the cure? Marick finds himself, alone, and on a different track. He is pushed into a position of becoming a chaplain for a local hospital. He doesn’t have much choice for he and the Deacon realise he is not suited to regular church life. The Deacon assures him they are happy to write a reference for the chaplain position which may suit him better. Knowing there is no more bargaining left to keep his current role, he heads off.
Marick is offered the position and accepts. He is a man without a roster and without a guide book into the unknown, meeting many strange, curious and injured bodies and hearts who are also seeking answers. From him. For surely as a Man of God he must know what to do in difficult situations, including how to resurrect and heal the sick? But is he the blind leading the blind? Or deaf to the Master’s voice? Well, maybe but this is where he lives, now on an uncertain and challenging path. Like everyone else around him, he stumbles along, trying to make sense of all that he sees. On many occasions he provides answers that he thinks are what people need to hear. But how close to the truth are his responses? Is it the act of doing that releases the answers? In many ways, our Marick is on a quest and he will run into interference, obstacles and temptations, as all humans do.
Throughout the novel we get the backstory of what led Marick to this point. He has had some huge bumps on the road. But in many ways, even if he does not realise it at first, these things are what make him who he is and his experiences (both good and bad) can be utilised to help other human beings by providing empathy and understanding of their sadness, loss and pain. Especially useful in his chosen profession.
Then he meets Hugo, a scientist who has also lost his way, working in the bowels of the hospital trying to create what seems to be the impossible. Hugo believes the bacteria he uses for protein production have started to produce gold. Is it alchemy, a fraud or truly a miracle? Marick is a solid friend and sticks by him through the chaos and doubters. As he reflects on his allegiance to this ‘wild strange man,’ he realises their friendship stems from a mutual need to be an anchor for each other. ‘Faith as choice. Friendship as precious intention.’
Even with all the despair that surrounds Marick, this novel is about hope. Hope is part of healing. Healing of the body and mind. It fires the will for survival and when that flame burns low or flickers and goes out, the soul is exposed to the darkness of doubt. I loved the exploration of faith in this novel and its’ antithesis. For me, this passage below is the heart of the novel. Marick’s dilemma is also reflected in Hugo’s experiment.
Two sides of a tumbling coin, Marick thought. Faith and doubt. But what else was alchemy if not a similar abstract concept? The making of new things from old? The mutation of bland to glittering? Illness to health, poverty to wealth? The dead inside the living? Transformation. Biological gold.
I must add that Marick’s hearing loss (he wears a hearing aid) is possibly a literary device used by the author to represent or symbolise his spiritual deafness, his inability to hear God in his heart when he wants to. In many ways he is a man without a compass—for a while. But wonders never cease and he finds his own miracle when least expected. And hope is reborn.
I cannot say enough or quote enough passages from this novel to show what a wonder it is. The prose is eloquent with original description and astute phrases that I found inspiring as a poet. Everything is seen through a creative critical eye.
Tiny Uncertain Miracles will make you think, stir your heart, and provide a fresh vision of the world around you. It might even challenge your definition of miracles. Merriam-Webster Dictionary says a miracle is ‘an extraordinary event taken as a sign of the supernatural power of God.’ It also says it is ‘an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment.’ And then the novel whispers: ‘a miracle is a miracle for sure, but then there are things that pretend to be, just to test us.’ Having been on the positive side of divine miracles, I can truly appreciate this statement. Of course, faith and doubt are part of the process, too, and often stirred in the same sacred pot. Some will believe and others will not. Regardless, like the author we all need to seek the ‘beauty and awe in an often brutal-reality.’ And yes much is hidden but it will become visible, if we look deep enough. I celebrate this outstanding novel and give it 5 gold faith-filled Stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to Michelle & publisher 4th Estate (HarperCollinsAU) for a review copy.
November 1, 2023
Tiny Uncertain Miracles is an unsettling book, and I nearly gave up on it in the beginning because I couldn't see what the author was getting at. In the event, I put my trust in the respect I have for Michelle Johnston as the writer of Dustfall (2018, see here) and kept going, to be rewarded by ideas to think about and a satisfying and hopeful ending.
Set in a busy Perth hospital, it's the story of Marick, a chaplain who's a bit of a lost soul after tragic events in his personal life. These aren't revealed until later in the novel, and that's indicative of contemporary self-absorption: nobody ever asks him anything about himself even though he is so obviously a lonely man. Living in a dingy flat, he is friendless, and not really fit for the job his religious superiors have pushed him into. (They've offloaded him, really.)
Stumbling around in the labyrinthine innards of the hospital as he tries to reinvent himself in a new, only vaguely defined job, Marick struggles with religious doubt and a lack of training for what is really a counselling role. But without knowing it, he has two strengths: he listens, and he thinks before he speaks; and he has a kind heart. Rushing all over the hospital to tend to patients in extremis and their families, he learns that denominational divisions aren't really relevant when people just need someone to care.
Confronted by parents dealing with the urgent need to make a decision about organ harvesting, Marick's instincts turn out to be just what's needed when the husband asks for help because the wife isn't ready to have the conversation.
Alongside his duties as a chaplain, Marick meets up with Hugo, who is breaking all kinds of ethical rules about the research he's supposed to be doing.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2023/11/01/t...
Set in a busy Perth hospital, it's the story of Marick, a chaplain who's a bit of a lost soul after tragic events in his personal life. These aren't revealed until later in the novel, and that's indicative of contemporary self-absorption: nobody ever asks him anything about himself even though he is so obviously a lonely man. Living in a dingy flat, he is friendless, and not really fit for the job his religious superiors have pushed him into. (They've offloaded him, really.)
Stumbling around in the labyrinthine innards of the hospital as he tries to reinvent himself in a new, only vaguely defined job, Marick struggles with religious doubt and a lack of training for what is really a counselling role. But without knowing it, he has two strengths: he listens, and he thinks before he speaks; and he has a kind heart. Rushing all over the hospital to tend to patients in extremis and their families, he learns that denominational divisions aren't really relevant when people just need someone to care.
Confronted by parents dealing with the urgent need to make a decision about organ harvesting, Marick's instincts turn out to be just what's needed when the husband asks for help because the wife isn't ready to have the conversation.
'How long can they wait?' Marick asked.
'It'll only be days. Too much longer and the rest of the body will start to pack it in. The process itself takes a few days, so it would be better if we could enter into it soon. Maybe you could talk to her. Give her something to hold onto, believe in, even if it isn't God.'
Marick stepped back to the bed and walked around to the other side. What could he give her? He had no desire to hand her aphorisms and churchful platitudes. He understood the cliff face in her sights, her view a plunge into a bleak and bottomless purgatory.
He pulled up a chair, and to the regular exhalations of the machines, offered what he did best.
'Tell me all the things you are worried about.'
She looked into his eyes and began to cry, slowly at first, a quiver. But as she spoke emotion surged and she did not stop, as though this was the one thing nobody has done so far — ask. (p.235)
Alongside his duties as a chaplain, Marick meets up with Hugo, who is breaking all kinds of ethical rules about the research he's supposed to be doing.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2023/11/01/t...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2022
Marick takes a job as a hospital chaplain when his attempt as a priest don’t really go as planned. He is given a shady office in the bowels of a public hospital, next to the office of a banished scientist called Hugo, who uncovered a bacteria that not only could produce protein but produce gold. Such blasphemy! Or is it? Can it be real, can science make miracles? Especially with Christmas approaching, was this the catalyst for Marick to test his faith and to take a chance on the things he had lost forever?
I was perplexed with this book. I could see the work done to push through and text the idea of a miracle within the space of an institution that is bound by clinical governance and scientific application. Highlighting the cleaners in the hospital and those who worked in non-medical roles and the sacrifices they were making in their lives as well as the local homeless persons who lived under the hospital alcoves brought a humanistic tough to these clinical wards and hallways. The fact there was no chocolate or junk food sold in the hospital was a nice touch to promote the ideals of a healthy life and body, while those around didn’t have enough money to make ends meet.
The notion of friendship, and the belief on a bond like friendship and trust was also quite poignant, and a lesson for Marick to undertake. Yet the whole discovery and publicity of the creation of this said gold was confounding. This alchemy was to be “a privilege, shared by the fortunate few, in order to benefit the many”. Why was it so hard to believe that the transformation of simple proteins into gold could occur? Why was it wrong for Marick to believe in something that defies belief, especially when it made him rethink what he had done and believed for so long?
Maybe that was the premise of this story: “ … So she let the magic of the story take root and grow within her. She let the implausible in…”
I was perplexed with this book. I could see the work done to push through and text the idea of a miracle within the space of an institution that is bound by clinical governance and scientific application. Highlighting the cleaners in the hospital and those who worked in non-medical roles and the sacrifices they were making in their lives as well as the local homeless persons who lived under the hospital alcoves brought a humanistic tough to these clinical wards and hallways. The fact there was no chocolate or junk food sold in the hospital was a nice touch to promote the ideals of a healthy life and body, while those around didn’t have enough money to make ends meet.
The notion of friendship, and the belief on a bond like friendship and trust was also quite poignant, and a lesson for Marick to undertake. Yet the whole discovery and publicity of the creation of this said gold was confounding. This alchemy was to be “a privilege, shared by the fortunate few, in order to benefit the many”. Why was it so hard to believe that the transformation of simple proteins into gold could occur? Why was it wrong for Marick to believe in something that defies belief, especially when it made him rethink what he had done and believed for so long?
Maybe that was the premise of this story: “ … So she let the magic of the story take root and grow within her. She let the implausible in…”
October 31, 2022
"People need something to believe in . . . It's a harsh world out there."
This book is steeped in grief, misgivings, brokenness, misery and what ifs, yet ultimately it sparkles with hope, love and friendship.
Set in one of the most tragic of places, a large inner city public hospital, Marick, as the hospital chaplain, sees much of this tragedy up close. Yet it is not just the patients the author focuses on; it is all the heartbreak and grace of the ordinary human condition, shown through characters such as an overworked, mentally and emotionally drained ED doctor, the Croatian cleaning lady, an elderly hospital volunteer, the group of homeless people who have set up camp near the hospital. All these characters are fully formed and beautifully drawn, even if they only appear for a page or two.
The writing is enchanting and will you bring you to tears numerous times. So many nuances of being human are brought to captivating life, from the brutal and cruel to the gentle and caring.
I feel I cannot articulate exactly what makes this book shine, it just does. It is powerful and compelling and beautiful and heart breaking, and I loved every word.
Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins Australia for an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is steeped in grief, misgivings, brokenness, misery and what ifs, yet ultimately it sparkles with hope, love and friendship.
Set in one of the most tragic of places, a large inner city public hospital, Marick, as the hospital chaplain, sees much of this tragedy up close. Yet it is not just the patients the author focuses on; it is all the heartbreak and grace of the ordinary human condition, shown through characters such as an overworked, mentally and emotionally drained ED doctor, the Croatian cleaning lady, an elderly hospital volunteer, the group of homeless people who have set up camp near the hospital. All these characters are fully formed and beautifully drawn, even if they only appear for a page or two.
The writing is enchanting and will you bring you to tears numerous times. So many nuances of being human are brought to captivating life, from the brutal and cruel to the gentle and caring.
I feel I cannot articulate exactly what makes this book shine, it just does. It is powerful and compelling and beautiful and heart breaking, and I loved every word.
Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins Australia for an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 15, 2024
3.5 stars
Thank you to HarperCollins Australia for sending me a copy of this book to review!
Marick is struggling with life without his wife and daughter and the fact that his foray into the priesthood didn’t go quite as planned when he is given the position of chaplain at a large public hospital. Designated an office in the bowels of the hospital labyrinth, he meets Hugo who is working in a forgotten lab and is convinced that the bacteria he uses for protein production has miraculously begun to produce gold. Are they witnessing alchemy or a miracle?
While I can’t with all honesty say I connected with some of the aspects of this story (the religious and some of the science parts), the author is undoubtedly a graceful and sublime writer and it is a pleasure to read such beautiful prose.
The themes of friendship, hospital workers and Marick’s backstory which slowly unfold were far more interesting to me and I felt much more immersed in these parts of the book. At times I wasn’t quite sure where certain aspects of this story were going and although most became clear, I’m still not entirely sure all aspects came together for me.
I would say this sits around a 3.5 - 3.75 rating for me, so am going with ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Thank you to HarperCollins Australia for sending me a copy of this book to review!
Marick is struggling with life without his wife and daughter and the fact that his foray into the priesthood didn’t go quite as planned when he is given the position of chaplain at a large public hospital. Designated an office in the bowels of the hospital labyrinth, he meets Hugo who is working in a forgotten lab and is convinced that the bacteria he uses for protein production has miraculously begun to produce gold. Are they witnessing alchemy or a miracle?
While I can’t with all honesty say I connected with some of the aspects of this story (the religious and some of the science parts), the author is undoubtedly a graceful and sublime writer and it is a pleasure to read such beautiful prose.
The themes of friendship, hospital workers and Marick’s backstory which slowly unfold were far more interesting to me and I felt much more immersed in these parts of the book. At times I wasn’t quite sure where certain aspects of this story were going and although most became clear, I’m still not entirely sure all aspects came together for me.
I would say this sits around a 3.5 - 3.75 rating for me, so am going with ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
December 27, 2024
For full disclosure, this is not a book I would have picked up to read. But, it was part of my Christmas book stash, so today, I picked it up and started reading. And I didn't put it down until 3 hours later when I closed the back cover.
It's a lovely feel-good kind of book. It's about relationships, serendipity, and even for the non--religious people like me, it's about faith and belief - some of it in God, but mostly in yourself and others.
It's a book about kindness, and acceptance, and just simply being there when someone needs you.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, I have a few reading buddies who I think would very much like this book.
It's a lovely feel-good kind of book. It's about relationships, serendipity, and even for the non--religious people like me, it's about faith and belief - some of it in God, but mostly in yourself and others.
It's a book about kindness, and acceptance, and just simply being there when someone needs you.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, I have a few reading buddies who I think would very much like this book.
February 22, 2025
This was a strange book. I'm not sure what I feel as I finish it. It captured me but I'm not sure what I think of the ending.
November 26, 2022
Tiny Uncertain Miracles by Michelle Johnston.
🌼 sweet
🌸 emotional
🌼 hopeful
🌸 unique
🌼 friendship
🌸 love
Thanks @harpercollinsaustralia
🌼 sweet
🌸 emotional
🌼 hopeful
🌸 unique
🌼 friendship
🌸 love
Thanks @harpercollinsaustralia
January 21, 2023
Marrick’s life has gone to hell in a handbasket. Once an accountant for his ex-father in law’s firm he is now divorced and living in a dodgy triplex. He tried to get religion but failed and now with an incomplete theology degree, and unsure about the existence of God, he is employed as the hospital Chaplain at a large sprawling public hospital.
He is looking for meaning, any kind of meaning.
Being a great listener Marrick finds himself surrounded by an intriguing cast of characters all looking for miracles as they navigate the often challenging festive season.
A gritty novel with touches of Christmas Movie vibe.
Michelle Johnston’s career as an emergency physician brings the goods in her descriptions of the life in the city that is a large public hospital.
A great read that has kept me thinking since I finished it. There’s even a cameo by the author which I loved.
He is looking for meaning, any kind of meaning.
Being a great listener Marrick finds himself surrounded by an intriguing cast of characters all looking for miracles as they navigate the often challenging festive season.
A gritty novel with touches of Christmas Movie vibe.
Michelle Johnston’s career as an emergency physician brings the goods in her descriptions of the life in the city that is a large public hospital.
A great read that has kept me thinking since I finished it. There’s even a cameo by the author which I loved.
June 18, 2022
My favourite read of the year so far.
This is a novel that I can only describe as Houellebecqian. Its premise is wrapped in a search for meaning in the modern world. It conjures very current events in the periphery, in this case anti-vaxxers, as a metaphor for larger topics, in this case faith, and includes a protest as well. Its main character is a man of God who has lost his belief, who has suffered tragedy and who is miraculously sought after by a lascivious woman. There is also a dry, witty sense of humour throughout.
Those are where the similarities largely end, as Tiny Uncertain Miracles is not concerned with depraving us. It is a joyful, hopeful book, one of intrigue and loss and science, of mystery and perseverance and religion. The author describes it as a book about 'the tentative friendship of soft men' and I very much agree. This is not a space explored that often, and certainly not without so much confidence and flair.
It made me chuckle at the dialogue and worry for the characters, but most of all it made me think. I highly recommend it come Christmas time.
This is a novel that I can only describe as Houellebecqian. Its premise is wrapped in a search for meaning in the modern world. It conjures very current events in the periphery, in this case anti-vaxxers, as a metaphor for larger topics, in this case faith, and includes a protest as well. Its main character is a man of God who has lost his belief, who has suffered tragedy and who is miraculously sought after by a lascivious woman. There is also a dry, witty sense of humour throughout.
Those are where the similarities largely end, as Tiny Uncertain Miracles is not concerned with depraving us. It is a joyful, hopeful book, one of intrigue and loss and science, of mystery and perseverance and religion. The author describes it as a book about 'the tentative friendship of soft men' and I very much agree. This is not a space explored that often, and certainly not without so much confidence and flair.
It made me chuckle at the dialogue and worry for the characters, but most of all it made me think. I highly recommend it come Christmas time.
January 23, 2023
This was as “uplifting” as the “uplifting” my husband and I used jokingly when we saw the word on the back of dvds. Uplifting I think is code word for a bit dark and depressing. Yes, it got there in the end, but the glimpses of beauty or positivity were only just enough to keep me reading.
I enjoyed the history and the art and the philosophy parts, but didn’t really enjoy it while I was reading. Compelling enough to finish it, but I think the gushing praise about it on the cover that lead me to choose it were a bit misleading. (For me anyway - perhaps I was seeking something a bit lighter for this holiday read). The language and the visual descriptions are really lovely, I did really like the style and the language. Maybe it was just a bit sad for what I was looking for this week. I definitely don’t regret reading it, I was just expecting more joy and light and sparkle from the descriptions I had read, that’s all.
I enjoyed the history and the art and the philosophy parts, but didn’t really enjoy it while I was reading. Compelling enough to finish it, but I think the gushing praise about it on the cover that lead me to choose it were a bit misleading. (For me anyway - perhaps I was seeking something a bit lighter for this holiday read). The language and the visual descriptions are really lovely, I did really like the style and the language. Maybe it was just a bit sad for what I was looking for this week. I definitely don’t regret reading it, I was just expecting more joy and light and sparkle from the descriptions I had read, that’s all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2023
Lonely Marick finds himself a reluctant hospital chaplain, having lost his wife, daughter and faith. He meets scientist Hugo who's discovered cells which make gold. There is a lot going on (maybe a tad too much) but this is really a fascinating book. The second novel by this author who is also an emergency doctor. It is about grief, love, faith, community and kindness.
May 28, 2024
The book has a delicate magic about it credited to the beautiful vocabulary of Michelle Johnston. The storyline was cute and followed small stories about big concepts. The setting of the hospital resonates, particularly the maze like corridors and the coffee shop. Overall it was gentle and whilst it wasn’t a read in one sitting book it was enjoyable.
October 24, 2022
This was a quirky, unique and poignant read, and I genuinely don't know how I feel about it.
Ostensibly it's about a scientist who discovers bacteria that are producing gold - but really it's about Marick, a hospital chaplain who has suffered great personal tragedy and doesn't really believe in God. The bacteria thing is really more of a side note to a beautifully written character study of Marick.
I would put this in the "literary fiction" bucket which not usually my jam. Surprisingly, I found myself engrossed in this one. I raced through it much faster than usual and found myself wanting to pick it back up again and again. I felt for Marick and his misery, I wanted to unfold his story. I also thoroughly enjoyed the not-so-subtly Perth-coded (yet unnamed) location, and enjoyed picturing the story taking place on streets I've walked and driven down.
It's also the story of hospital life, which is somehow the story of *human* life in all its hope and agony. While not a qualified healthcare worker, I spent many years in medical administration in hospitals - indeed my favourite job ever was as a receptionist in the Emergency Department of a busy (but agéd) capital city hospital - and so the hospital setting in which the majority of the story plays out resonated deeply with me.
There is a side character who occasionally pops up who is a female Emergency physician worn to the bone by the things she's seen, and I couldn't help but feel it was in fact the author herself (an ED doctor in real life) inserted into the story, which was quite unique and interesting.
As much as I felt deeply for Marick, at times I also felt frustrated with him and the way he just let things happen to him (Claudia, Vivian). The whole circumstances of the way he lost his daughter just felt a little flimsy to me - I struggle to believe a loving parent could be so abruptly exited from their child's life and that they wouldn't fight a darn sight harder given her health circumstances. It just didn't make sense to me.
I also didn't like the way the two central men were painted in a much more sympathetic light than the women. The men were kind of bumbling hapless innocents. The women were selfish, self-absorbed, manipulative. Even Diane's depression felt painted as somehow selfish, as something that happened *to Marick* rather than to Diane. As if the men were helpless bystanders to women who railroaded through their lives. Didn't sit good with me.
I also just did not understand the thing with Lilyanna at all, maybe I'm just too literal idk, I didn't get it. I honestly didn't get the gold thing at all, which was obviously a central part of the book so maybe I'm just too obtuse to get the whole point of the story. I feel like something has gone over my head.
Thus I'm left with a weird soup of feelings about this book that I can't quite make sense of - quite similar to my feelings after reading All Our Shimmering Skies by Trent Dalton. They both evoke a kind of "hope" that feels essentially nihilistic (a "maybe everything isn't completely hopeless bullshit" kind of hope), and I guess I like my hope a little more joy filled.
Overall I'm giving it a 4 mainly because I haven't been so absorbed by a book in a long time and because the prose is undoubtedly fantastic while also somehow having an ease of reading that draws you forward in a "just one more chapter" kind of way, despite not being particularly plot heavy, which honestly is a pretty impressive feat in my opinion.
Thanks to the publishers for a review copy, opinions entirely my own.
Ostensibly it's about a scientist who discovers bacteria that are producing gold - but really it's about Marick, a hospital chaplain who has suffered great personal tragedy and doesn't really believe in God. The bacteria thing is really more of a side note to a beautifully written character study of Marick.
I would put this in the "literary fiction" bucket which not usually my jam. Surprisingly, I found myself engrossed in this one. I raced through it much faster than usual and found myself wanting to pick it back up again and again. I felt for Marick and his misery, I wanted to unfold his story. I also thoroughly enjoyed the not-so-subtly Perth-coded (yet unnamed) location, and enjoyed picturing the story taking place on streets I've walked and driven down.
It's also the story of hospital life, which is somehow the story of *human* life in all its hope and agony. While not a qualified healthcare worker, I spent many years in medical administration in hospitals - indeed my favourite job ever was as a receptionist in the Emergency Department of a busy (but agéd) capital city hospital - and so the hospital setting in which the majority of the story plays out resonated deeply with me.
There is a side character who occasionally pops up who is a female Emergency physician worn to the bone by the things she's seen, and I couldn't help but feel it was in fact the author herself (an ED doctor in real life) inserted into the story, which was quite unique and interesting.
As much as I felt deeply for Marick, at times I also felt frustrated with him and the way he just let things happen to him (Claudia, Vivian). The whole circumstances of the way he lost his daughter just felt a little flimsy to me - I struggle to believe a loving parent could be so abruptly exited from their child's life and that they wouldn't fight a darn sight harder given her health circumstances. It just didn't make sense to me.
I also didn't like the way the two central men were painted in a much more sympathetic light than the women. The men were kind of bumbling hapless innocents. The women were selfish, self-absorbed, manipulative. Even Diane's depression felt painted as somehow selfish, as something that happened *to Marick* rather than to Diane. As if the men were helpless bystanders to women who railroaded through their lives. Didn't sit good with me.
I also just did not understand the thing with Lilyanna at all, maybe I'm just too literal idk, I didn't get it. I honestly didn't get the gold thing at all, which was obviously a central part of the book so maybe I'm just too obtuse to get the whole point of the story. I feel like something has gone over my head.
Thus I'm left with a weird soup of feelings about this book that I can't quite make sense of - quite similar to my feelings after reading All Our Shimmering Skies by Trent Dalton. They both evoke a kind of "hope" that feels essentially nihilistic (a "maybe everything isn't completely hopeless bullshit" kind of hope), and I guess I like my hope a little more joy filled.
Overall I'm giving it a 4 mainly because I haven't been so absorbed by a book in a long time and because the prose is undoubtedly fantastic while also somehow having an ease of reading that draws you forward in a "just one more chapter" kind of way, despite not being particularly plot heavy, which honestly is a pretty impressive feat in my opinion.
Thanks to the publishers for a review copy, opinions entirely my own.
April 13, 2023
Although at times I questioned why I kept reading this book, I could not put it down. The gentle storytelling and the development of the most wonderful character of Marrik kept me invested in well spent time of reading it.
It is hard to describe it, but I can only recommend you try and also persevere after a slow start as it will be rewarding.
Miracles are notoriously unreliable. But sometimes, just when they're needed, they turn up - although not always in the form that we expect... 'A novel luminous with love and hope that will change the way you see the world.' Kathryn Heyman Awkward, hapless Marick is still struggling with the loss of his wife, his child and his faith when he is reluctantly thrust into the position of chaplain at a large public hospital. Shortly after arriving, he meets Hugo, a hospital scientist and a man almost as lost as Marick himself, who is working in a forgotten lab, deep in the subterranean realms of the hospital. Hugo is convinced that the bacteria he uses for protein production have - unbelievably - begun to produce gold. Is it alchemy, evolution, a hoax or even ... possibly ... a miracle? In the meantime, Christmas is approaching, the number of homeless outside the hospital is increasing, the Director of Operational Services is pressing Marick about his weekly KPIs, you can't buy chocolate in the hospital shop anymore, and Marick keeps waking with nightmares at 4 am every night. If ever a miracle was needed, it's now. A tender, sweet, sad, gritty, slyly funny and unexpectedly uplifting novel about family, friendship, faith, love - and alchemy - Tiny Uncertain Miracles is a hopeful and luminous gift to all readers.
It is hard to describe it, but I can only recommend you try and also persevere after a slow start as it will be rewarding.
Miracles are notoriously unreliable. But sometimes, just when they're needed, they turn up - although not always in the form that we expect... 'A novel luminous with love and hope that will change the way you see the world.' Kathryn Heyman Awkward, hapless Marick is still struggling with the loss of his wife, his child and his faith when he is reluctantly thrust into the position of chaplain at a large public hospital. Shortly after arriving, he meets Hugo, a hospital scientist and a man almost as lost as Marick himself, who is working in a forgotten lab, deep in the subterranean realms of the hospital. Hugo is convinced that the bacteria he uses for protein production have - unbelievably - begun to produce gold. Is it alchemy, evolution, a hoax or even ... possibly ... a miracle? In the meantime, Christmas is approaching, the number of homeless outside the hospital is increasing, the Director of Operational Services is pressing Marick about his weekly KPIs, you can't buy chocolate in the hospital shop anymore, and Marick keeps waking with nightmares at 4 am every night. If ever a miracle was needed, it's now. A tender, sweet, sad, gritty, slyly funny and unexpectedly uplifting novel about family, friendship, faith, love - and alchemy - Tiny Uncertain Miracles is a hopeful and luminous gift to all readers.
November 14, 2022
https://denisenewtonwrites.com/?p=3894
Tiny Uncertain Miracles
Michelle Johnston
The novel is a deeply moving and often funny examination of people in all their messy glory: under pressure, in love, exhausted, hopeful, kind.
Tiny Uncertain Miracles is unlike any novel I have read before. The characters, setting and storyline are unique; but what sets it apart is the glowing, beautiful prose.
The novel is a deeply moving and often funny examination of people in all their messy glory: under pressure, in love, exhausted, hopeful, kind.
Tiny Uncertain Miracles is unlike any novel I have read before. The characters, setting and storyline are unique; but what sets it apart is the glowing, beautiful prose
Tiny Uncertain Miracles
Michelle Johnston
The novel is a deeply moving and often funny examination of people in all their messy glory: under pressure, in love, exhausted, hopeful, kind.
Tiny Uncertain Miracles is unlike any novel I have read before. The characters, setting and storyline are unique; but what sets it apart is the glowing, beautiful prose.
The novel is a deeply moving and often funny examination of people in all their messy glory: under pressure, in love, exhausted, hopeful, kind.
Tiny Uncertain Miracles is unlike any novel I have read before. The characters, setting and storyline are unique; but what sets it apart is the glowing, beautiful prose
October 19, 2023
Marick is a chaplain in a large city hospital. He did not intend to become a chaplain. He is not sure he believes in God. His theological studies sort of happened after his marriage ended, a way of doing something that provided accomodation and occupied his time and thinking. Yet Marick is also kind and thoughtful, ready to listen. He is very good at listening and so his ability to get alongside people introduces us to a variety of characters. There is Hugo the wacky scientist working in the basement of the hospital, Dolly desperate to donate a kidney who runs the shop, the emergency physician worn out from the demands of work, Liliyana the cleaner and various patients.
The story slowly reveals what happened to Marick’s marriage. Marick, as a character, grows in confidence and I found myself warming to him. In a way this book is a testament to the work of hospital chaplains. 3.5 stars.
The story slowly reveals what happened to Marick’s marriage. Marick, as a character, grows in confidence and I found myself warming to him. In a way this book is a testament to the work of hospital chaplains. 3.5 stars.
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July 4, 2023The tragic and tender threads of Tiny Uncertain Miracles live up to its intriguing title. Accidental chaplain Marrick effortlessly slips inside our hearts, taking us on a journey of love and devotion across a landscape of personal tragedy. Marrick’s chronic social awkwardness and ineptitude in a crisis leaves him isolated and lonely. But for the new chaplaincy at the local hospital, he might not have survived. When he channels his own grief into supporting the sick and dying and their families, and befriends Hugo the unlikely alchemist, the unravelling of his life takes a new direction. A beautifully written tale of the twists and turns in life, of sorrow transformed and the human spirit prevailing. A lovely, gentle read.
December 9, 2022
This book encompasses a lot of topics - family, friendship, faith, love, despair - all wrapped up with sensitivity as well as wit. Marick, deaf after missing a childhood vaccination, has turned to the church after his wife divorced him and took their daughter to Spain. The church is not the answer he was hoping for and he applies for the position of chaplain at a large hospital, across from the church. Here he meets Hugo who is working in a forgotten lab deep in the basement layers of the hospital on bacteria for protein production in his own time. The bacteria start producing gold and Hugo seeks affirmation from Marick. Is this a miracle, alchemy, a hoax? Meanwhile Marick is trying to find his role in the confusing corridors of the hospital, talking with patients, families, medicos, nurses and staff at the little shop on the ground floor.The author is an emergency physician and brings authenticity to the description of medical and scientific processes and how people behave in life and death circumstances. This is a novel about the human condition, along the lines of Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge books and Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.
February 20, 2023
This book broke a reading fiction drought.
I was particularly won over by the interactions of the chaplain with those facing dire choices.
As this book is written by an emergency physician the medical scenarios all ring true.
Topics covered include: Post natal depression, organ transplantation/donor, the layout of hospitals, the mysteries of our DNA, crushing grief and the way back, ambition and theology.
The tension building by the various story threads is very well done and it certainly kept me up until the wee small hours.
I was particularly won over by the interactions of the chaplain with those facing dire choices.
As this book is written by an emergency physician the medical scenarios all ring true.
Topics covered include: Post natal depression, organ transplantation/donor, the layout of hospitals, the mysteries of our DNA, crushing grief and the way back, ambition and theology.
The tension building by the various story threads is very well done and it certainly kept me up until the wee small hours.
April 16, 2023
The beautiful white and gold cloth cover is what first attracted me to this book. It’s a story of grief, faith, science and hope. The characters were interesting as their stories were.
I also loved what the author said at the end of her acknowledgments: “And you, dear reader, thank you. For reading not just this book, but all books. Books will save us somehow- books and stories and tales of lives other than our own, for how else can we nurture respect for all lives, if not by hearing about them from the inside?” Michelle Johnston
I also loved what the author said at the end of her acknowledgments: “And you, dear reader, thank you. For reading not just this book, but all books. Books will save us somehow- books and stories and tales of lives other than our own, for how else can we nurture respect for all lives, if not by hearing about them from the inside?” Michelle Johnston
December 15, 2023
Michelle Johnston's book is mature and graceful in its approach to its speculative subject matter - alchemy. There is a confidence in the writing and a respect for the reader who is being asked along on a very unlikely journey. I think Michelle understands people really well and how to write them so they're fully formed and believable. At the same time she manages to generate a kind of dreamlike wonder for the reader that makes this book an enjoyable escape. She works in an Emergency Department so I guess she's seen a lot of life.
May 1, 2023
Two stars for an arresting opening with some excellent writing, but overall there’s just too much human drama for me in this month’s book club choice ‘Tiny Uncertain Miracles.’
Marrick’s unfolding backstory and the increasing challenges of the book’s plot development were akin to watching one of the more colourful versions of the daily news bulletins on television. For this reader, less is more certainly applies.
Marrick’s unfolding backstory and the increasing challenges of the book’s plot development were akin to watching one of the more colourful versions of the daily news bulletins on television. For this reader, less is more certainly applies.
December 10, 2022
This book evokes a lot of different emotions. At times I felt sad, angry, hopeful and others happy. It jumps about a bit as Marick tells his story. I felt quite sorry for him. Initially I thought Hugo and Vivien would be great friends of his. However they both seemed to have other agendas. I LOVED Liliana.
March 11, 2023
i really tried to give this book a chance but it was not good. the writing style was nice but the content of the book felt like it was going in circles. the whole book was being stretched out to be much longer and the end felt too rushed. the cross between religion and science was interesting but again, felt like it was going in circles. gave this book away as soon as i finished it lol
July 27, 2023
I liked this book which I got on the recommendation of Jenny H. I've been umming and ahring over whether or not to recommend it to you. I think it's one of those books you will either like or not like - not much grey area inbetween. You may like it, Jen, you may do Alexandra but I'm less confident you would Sam. I rate it at about 8.5/10.
July 20, 2024
Very real and deeply moving
This is the second of Michelle's books and it's really rich with life, some of the more earthy aspects, it says a lot about the author. She has had rich experience and has a lot to share, with real literary skill. I really enjoyed it, even when the story went to places I did not want it to go. I cannot wait to read her next.
This is the second of Michelle's books and it's really rich with life, some of the more earthy aspects, it says a lot about the author. She has had rich experience and has a lot to share, with real literary skill. I really enjoyed it, even when the story went to places I did not want it to go. I cannot wait to read her next.
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