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A review by erica_o
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
5.0
My brain buzzed for days after reading this book. For me, it was nostalgic; I grew up during that same time period. There were no cell phones or gaming consoles. There was no internet. We relied on TV shows, books and our friends, family and selves for entertainment. I enjoyed being reminded of what that had been like.
What really struck me about this book, though, was its simplicity and its depth. Stead refers to A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle often, as it is main-character-Miranda's favorite book. While that's a wonderful book, well-loved by many, it's complex and sometimes hard to navigate. When You Reach Me employs the same sense of wonder and adventure but on a more believable and perhaps real level - Meg's story was special and probably wouldn't happen to just anyone (we don't all grow up in a scientific household allowing us amazing scientific insight), but Miranda's story seems like it could really happen to any kid. Thus, the story is more simple but its simplicity allows for further depth of characterization and for believably experiencing a short period in Miranda's life.
The relationships between Miranda and all her acquaintances feel real. Miranda is a middle-of-the-road twelve-year-old. There's nothing incredibly special about her so it's easy to identify with her and impose aspects of your own personality upon her. Plus, she's quick and funny, which makes her lovable. For the most part, the adults in her life are nurturing, supportive and insightful or are, at least, normal people - a nice change of pace from the dysfunctional adults often featured in teen fiction. Her friendships are geniune and reflect her understanding of her environment rather than the possible truths of her various relationships. That small detail makes her misunderstandings and reconciliations feel right, not contrived.
Readers of mystery and science fiction will soon figure out the plot, but Stead doesn't try to shroud the circumstances; everything is laid out to see as long as you're willing to believe in the possiblity of time travel. It's wonderful to watch Miranda unravel the mystery and change her own way of thinking about what's possible.
What really struck me about this book, though, was its simplicity and its depth. Stead refers to A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle often, as it is main-character-Miranda's favorite book. While that's a wonderful book, well-loved by many, it's complex and sometimes hard to navigate. When You Reach Me employs the same sense of wonder and adventure but on a more believable and perhaps real level - Meg's story was special and probably wouldn't happen to just anyone (we don't all grow up in a scientific household allowing us amazing scientific insight), but Miranda's story seems like it could really happen to any kid. Thus, the story is more simple but its simplicity allows for further depth of characterization and for believably experiencing a short period in Miranda's life.
The relationships between Miranda and all her acquaintances feel real. Miranda is a middle-of-the-road twelve-year-old. There's nothing incredibly special about her so it's easy to identify with her and impose aspects of your own personality upon her. Plus, she's quick and funny, which makes her lovable. For the most part, the adults in her life are nurturing, supportive and insightful or are, at least, normal people - a nice change of pace from the dysfunctional adults often featured in teen fiction. Her friendships are geniune and reflect her understanding of her environment rather than the possible truths of her various relationships. That small detail makes her misunderstandings and reconciliations feel right, not contrived.
Readers of mystery and science fiction will soon figure out the plot, but Stead doesn't try to shroud the circumstances; everything is laid out to see as long as you're willing to believe in the possiblity of time travel. It's wonderful to watch Miranda unravel the mystery and change her own way of thinking about what's possible.