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danireys's review against another edition
4.0
Read as a NetGalley ARC. This book was a roller coaster to me. Parts of this book, including a sad ending, I absolutely loved and others parts were a lot more meh. I think midway through the plot drags on a bit but overall it was a great read. It's a heart wrenching tale of family friends and love. It would make a great book club read as people discus deeper meanings such as "curing people"-- and the guilt we have over losing family members to suicide.
celjla212's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 STARS
From the moment a plane crashes at an air show and 13 year old Ava saves her best friend from death, her life is changed. She doesn't even understand the "powers" she has, but others seems to think they do--and that it is Ava's responsibility to heal the world. Nevermind the fact that each time she heals, her own health deteriorates. It's up to her father, Macon, stepmom Carmen, and best friend Wash to try to help her cope and to keep her safe from a world that would take everything from her, no matter what the cost.
Unfortunately, all the adults in both Ava's and Wash's lives make some terrible decisions. Both kids are mature beyond their years because of tragedies they have had to endure, but it's sad when 13 year olds seems to know how to take better care of themselves than their guardians do. As soon as the world realizes what Ava did, they are in her face asking her to heal them and their loved ones. Even Ava's own stepmother inevitably asks Ava for something. Macon, who is not only Ava's dad but the town's sheriff, does a bad job at keeping his daughter away from those who want to test and exploit her. Every person in this novel is more than a little bit lost, and every person seems to be looking out for themselves first.
This made me very angry for Ava, from the beginning. It's very unclear to me why Macon did not take the offensive and tell the world that his daughter was slowly dying each time she performed her "miracles." Would the people have cared? It's hard to say, but it would have shown that Macon took a hard stance on protecting his child, which is sometimes questionable when you consider his actions.
In spite of all these frustrations, I got this book finished very quickly. The relationship between Ava and Wash was very special, and it's obvious from the beginning that they need each other. Since both kids have one parent dead and one that's on a weird path, they are the only constants in each others' lives. Every moment the kids spend together is extremely touching and your heart just aches for them because you have this feeling that not everything will turn out the way it should.
By the end, events were moving very quickly and chaotically, and still not everyone had found their head. I won't spoil it here, but the end is very emotional and moving. I don't think it will make everyone happy, it may leave them angry (as it did for me), and still others may find it a bit ambiguous. But that goes along with the theme of the entire book and Ava's mysterious abilities. After all, this is a story about a child, which can be forgotten as you read along. At its' heart, this novel brings up numerous questions to which there are no right answers.
From the moment a plane crashes at an air show and 13 year old Ava saves her best friend from death, her life is changed. She doesn't even understand the "powers" she has, but others seems to think they do--and that it is Ava's responsibility to heal the world. Nevermind the fact that each time she heals, her own health deteriorates. It's up to her father, Macon, stepmom Carmen, and best friend Wash to try to help her cope and to keep her safe from a world that would take everything from her, no matter what the cost.
Unfortunately, all the adults in both Ava's and Wash's lives make some terrible decisions. Both kids are mature beyond their years because of tragedies they have had to endure, but it's sad when 13 year olds seems to know how to take better care of themselves than their guardians do. As soon as the world realizes what Ava did, they are in her face asking her to heal them and their loved ones. Even Ava's own stepmother inevitably asks Ava for something. Macon, who is not only Ava's dad but the town's sheriff, does a bad job at keeping his daughter away from those who want to test and exploit her. Every person in this novel is more than a little bit lost, and every person seems to be looking out for themselves first.
This made me very angry for Ava, from the beginning. It's very unclear to me why Macon did not take the offensive and tell the world that his daughter was slowly dying each time she performed her "miracles." Would the people have cared? It's hard to say, but it would have shown that Macon took a hard stance on protecting his child, which is sometimes questionable when you consider his actions.
In spite of all these frustrations, I got this book finished very quickly. The relationship between Ava and Wash was very special, and it's obvious from the beginning that they need each other. Since both kids have one parent dead and one that's on a weird path, they are the only constants in each others' lives. Every moment the kids spend together is extremely touching and your heart just aches for them because you have this feeling that not everything will turn out the way it should.
By the end, events were moving very quickly and chaotically, and still not everyone had found their head. I won't spoil it here, but the end is very emotional and moving. I don't think it will make everyone happy, it may leave them angry (as it did for me), and still others may find it a bit ambiguous. But that goes along with the theme of the entire book and Ava's mysterious abilities. After all, this is a story about a child, which can be forgotten as you read along. At its' heart, this novel brings up numerous questions to which there are no right answers.
cymshady's review against another edition
4.0
Book 18/100 for the 2023 Goodreads Challenge.
If I could sum up this book in one word, it would be tragic. From start to finish, my heart broke for the children and adults depicted in this novel. How does one reconcile the fact that they are able to perform literal miracles with the fact that it will lead to their physical destruction? Would you kill yourself in order to save the ones you love? Can children choose to consent to harming themselves in order to save others? Do children fully understand the implications of their actions? How young is too young to be in love with another person? How does one come to terms, mentally, that their child has this ability?
The greed of the church, the fright of the small-town community members, and the naivety of the children were all masterfully written. This book was stunning and heartbreaking. 4.5 rounded down.
If I could sum up this book in one word, it would be tragic. From start to finish, my heart broke for the children and adults depicted in this novel. How does one reconcile the fact that they are able to perform literal miracles with the fact that it will lead to their physical destruction? Would you kill yourself in order to save the ones you love? Can children choose to consent to harming themselves in order to save others? Do children fully understand the implications of their actions? How young is too young to be in love with another person? How does one come to terms, mentally, that their child has this ability?
The greed of the church, the fright of the small-town community members, and the naivety of the children were all masterfully written. This book was stunning and heartbreaking. 4.5 rounded down.
hswhite's review against another edition
3.0
A bit meandering and long winded. The book could have benefitted from cutting 50 pages at least. It’s a heartfelt story, but the myriad plot lines seemed cobbled together, and major turning points sometimes felt like they’d been borrowed from cliche movie plots. More than once, the characters even say something like “I saw this in a movie” or “it felt like a movie.”
literarylover37's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book. I enjoyed Mott's first book, The Returned, and I didn't mind the ambiguity of that book's main plot line or it's ending. The same was true for this book. What drove me bonkers though, and what I've yet to see another reviewer note, is the problem that began right from chapter one of The Wonder of All Things. After an accident with an airplane at a festival, 13 year old Ava and her friend Wash, are trapped under the rubble from the silo they were standing under. Ava is in an air pocket while Wash is impaled by one of the support beams. Ava's father, the small town's sheriff, is there speaking to her through the hole in the rubble. He cannot fit to get to her but he can see what is happening with her and Wash. Ava removes Wash from the beam and then heals him by putting her hands over the wound.
The rest of the premise from the book is that the whole world now knows that Ava has the power to heal people and all of the consequences that come from that. My problem is HOW DID ANYONE ELSE KNOW??? I even went back and re-read this section, thinking maybe the hole was big enough for the crowd to see what had happened, maybe someone made a video, something. But no, the only one who saw was her father; he was the only one who knew what had happened. We are not explicitly told that he was the one who told everyone but WHY WOULD HE??? The little blip in the story threw the rest of the plot off for me and it never really recovered.
I'm surprised that of all the people who read this book before it was published, no one had an issue with the area that I did. I think I'll probably read Mr. Mott's next book but I wish there had more time spent on this one.
The rest of the premise from the book is that the whole world now knows that Ava has the power to heal people and all of the consequences that come from that. My problem is HOW DID ANYONE ELSE KNOW??? I even went back and re-read this section, thinking maybe the hole was big enough for the crowd to see what had happened, maybe someone made a video, something. But no, the only one who saw was her father; he was the only one who knew what had happened. We are not explicitly told that he was the one who told everyone but WHY WOULD HE??? The little blip in the story threw the rest of the plot off for me and it never really recovered.
I'm surprised that of all the people who read this book before it was published, no one had an issue with the area that I did. I think I'll probably read Mr. Mott's next book but I wish there had more time spent on this one.
melg14's review against another edition
2.0
Okay so it's more 2.5 stars.
So I won this book from Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
First off I want to say how beautiful the cover is! I was stunned when I opened the package. I freaking love it.
Okay now to the writing.
The beginning was a really good start, but after was super boring and misleading.
From the synopsis you would think that the story is all about Ava, like following her and the situation, well that isn't the case. We mostly get into depth with the other characters and their lives and barely hers! Her and her powers are mentioned and how it has affected everyone else, but we only get a glimpse how it has affected her before switching off again. I really couldn't care less about what was going on with everyone else.
If Jason Mott wants to make his book go into depth with all his characters and be the omniscient narrator that he is portraying then he needs to change or add to the synopsis. Or add more of Ava in the beginning.
The characters and their relationships with each other seemed to be trying too hard. I just didn't get a good feel, especially when I was told about how they felt or spoke, it was annoying like I was being told I was incompetent to understand and needed the explanation (this I learned in my writing fiction class). I could not find myself liking any of them, especially Ava, which is sad because we're suppose to like her.
The flashbacks were very distracting, because of their placement. I think it would have been best if they were put in the beginning than the end of the chapter. They seemed to come out of nowhere with no significance at the end, but if they were placed at the beginning then they would introduce some topics spoken in the chapter.
However, after page 130 something or other I began to skim because I just couldn't anymore, especially with school and work and because it was boring and frustrating me to death. But what I read while skipping pages had me liking the book. I saw the improvement: The tension, emotion, situations, struggle, etc. it showed rawness and the good and bad of people- their selfishness and loyalty, everything. It started to feel real and capturing my attention.
The ending was the most beautiful, I think. It was bittersweet. And it is the only time I approved of a flashback being at the end.
With much improvement I think this would be a very good book.
So I won this book from Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
First off I want to say how beautiful the cover is! I was stunned when I opened the package. I freaking love it.
Okay now to the writing.
The beginning was a really good start, but after was super boring and misleading.
From the synopsis you would think that the story is all about Ava, like following her and the situation, well that isn't the case. We mostly get into depth with the other characters and their lives and barely hers! Her and her powers are mentioned and how it has affected everyone else, but we only get a glimpse how it has affected her before switching off again. I really couldn't care less about what was going on with everyone else.
If Jason Mott wants to make his book go into depth with all his characters and be the omniscient narrator that he is portraying then he needs to change or add to the synopsis. Or add more of Ava in the beginning.
The characters and their relationships with each other seemed to be trying too hard. I just didn't get a good feel, especially when I was told about how they felt or spoke, it was annoying like I was being told I was incompetent to understand and needed the explanation (this I learned in my writing fiction class). I could not find myself liking any of them, especially Ava, which is sad because we're suppose to like her.
The flashbacks were very distracting, because of their placement. I think it would have been best if they were put in the beginning than the end of the chapter. They seemed to come out of nowhere with no significance at the end, but if they were placed at the beginning then they would introduce some topics spoken in the chapter.
However, after page 130 something or other I began to skim because I just couldn't anymore, especially with school and work and because it was boring and frustrating me to death. But what I read while skipping pages had me liking the book. I saw the improvement: The tension, emotion, situations, struggle, etc. it showed rawness and the good and bad of people- their selfishness and loyalty, everything. It started to feel real and capturing my attention.
The ending was the most beautiful, I think. It was bittersweet. And it is the only time I approved of a flashback being at the end.
With much improvement I think this would be a very good book.
readingnightandday's review against another edition
2.0
This was one of the most boring audio books I have listened to. The most boring is Dracula which I am still struggling with but will finish someday. I finished it because I hoped it would get better . It didn't.
kdurham2's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting book set in a small town that gets overthrown by a new story that will take the town by surprise and affect everyone. During a very fun day in Stone Temple, NC, an air show is taking place with the comeback kid doing stunts in his airplane when his engine shuts down and he crashes, in the wake of his crash - Ava heals her best friend Wash and basically saves his life. From there the whole town wants Ava to heal their family members or themselves, but when Ava heals people, she takes on their pain and is recovering less and less with each healing.
Yes this book had a little magic to it, but it was enough to enjoy, but not too much that I didn't like it. I liked that yes Ava healed Wash and a few others in the book, but the story was more than her healing it was more about relationships and especially parent child relationships. I loved reading the ups and downs of parent child relationships and I am not sure I read a ton of books that deal with small children and their parents and I enjoyed this one.
I would definitely recommend this book and even more so if you are hesitant to read books with magical realism.
Yes this book had a little magic to it, but it was enough to enjoy, but not too much that I didn't like it. I liked that yes Ava healed Wash and a few others in the book, but the story was more than her healing it was more about relationships and especially parent child relationships. I loved reading the ups and downs of parent child relationships and I am not sure I read a ton of books that deal with small children and their parents and I enjoyed this one.
I would definitely recommend this book and even more so if you are hesitant to read books with magical realism.
imworthyandenough's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Such an interesting beautiful book!
Will become part of my very small & rare keeper pile!
Will become part of my very small & rare keeper pile!