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A review by dandelionsteph
The Legend of Sam Miracle by N.D. Wilson
4.0
It was confusing at points, as to be expected from a book that involves time travel. Gloria (Glory) wasn't nearly as cool as I thought she would be. Sam gets rattlesnakes grafted onto his arms, but what does Glory get? This hourglass that apparently dissolves walls into dust, which she only uses once in the whole book.
I like how the protagonist, Sam Miracle, had some "flaws". At times, he is whiny, selfish, and cowardly. He doesn't adjust well to the initial shock of the inciting incident (to use the plot term).
In the beginning he's in a bad situation, which has been done before. (Think of Harry Potter in the cupboard underneath the stairs) He's a foster kid at a home for "destitute" (presumably meaning highly misbehaved) youth in the desert. In the beginning, he can't do much because of his non-bending arms. He can't brush his hair or button his shirt, and requires an extra-long fork to feed himself. He also is prone to his mind wandering in highly detailed dreams, which causes him to wander off into the desert sometimes, as well as causing extra visits from therapists.
Now, it's common for protagonists in fantasy books to have something unusual about them, such as Harry Potter's lightning bolt-shaped scar, Erec Rex's dragon eye or Leven Thumps' white streak, but here, the thing that makes him unusual is a physical disability.
His non-bendy arms get their "bendiness" back through some time travel, but then they get shattered again, necessitating rattlesnakes being grafted onto his arms to give him the necessary mobility to fight the villain of the book. In a way, the rattlesnakes are like prostheses to restore function. (though they do have minds of their own, as well as the convenient ability to see things through body heat)
I like how the protagonist, Sam Miracle, had some "flaws". At times, he is whiny, selfish, and cowardly. He doesn't adjust well to the initial shock of the inciting incident (to use the plot term).
In the beginning he's in a bad situation, which has been done before. (Think of Harry Potter in the cupboard underneath the stairs) He's a foster kid at a home for "destitute" (presumably meaning highly misbehaved) youth in the desert. In the beginning, he can't do much because of his non-bending arms. He can't brush his hair or button his shirt, and requires an extra-long fork to feed himself. He also is prone to his mind wandering in highly detailed dreams, which causes him to wander off into the desert sometimes, as well as causing extra visits from therapists.
Now, it's common for protagonists in fantasy books to have something unusual about them, such as Harry Potter's lightning bolt-shaped scar, Erec Rex's dragon eye or Leven Thumps' white streak, but here, the thing that makes him unusual is a physical disability.
His non-bendy arms get their "bendiness" back through some time travel, but then they get shattered again, necessitating rattlesnakes being grafted onto his arms to give him the necessary mobility to fight the villain of the book. In a way, the rattlesnakes are like prostheses to restore function. (though they do have minds of their own, as well as the convenient ability to see things through body heat)