Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Saturday, May 7, 2016

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

How I Heard About It:  This title has been on my "TBR" list for quite some time.  During my last visit to the local library to look for audio books, I saw the title and decided it was time to read this story.  I'm not sure if it is classified as adult and/or young adult, but after reading it, I would say it could fit into either category.  

What It Is About:  Julia awakes one morning and notices that something has changed.  In the days that follow, she and her family, along with the residents of their California town, realize the Earth has begun to rotate at a slower rate.  The days become longer and this change has effects on everything.  Some of the townspeople stay on "clock" time and some people want to adjust their lives according to when the sun is out and when it is not.  Julia's family try to make the best of this "odd" and "difficult" situation, but find that it isn't easy.  Julia loses some of her life-long friends.  Her parents have difficulties in their marriage.  Julia also discovers a first love at a young age.  They all try to continue life and adjust to a new beginning, but some of these changes are quite major and life threatening.  

What I Thought Of It:  To be honest, I wasn't sure how I would like the story when I first started to listen to it, but about half-way through the first CD, I found myself really drawn into the story.  The concept of our days becoming longer and the effect that had on so many elements of life was fascinating.  I enjoyed the science focus of the story and the personal stories that were told about the characters dealing with this change.  It sure gave me a lot to think about.  The writing was beautiful and the narrator did an outstanding job.  

Who Should Read It:  As I mentioned above, I'm not sure if this novel would be categorized young-adult or adult.  I really couldn't find an age guide for this novel.  In my opinion, I think both adult readers and high school readers would gain a lot from the story.  It is a character-driven novel, but also has quite a bit of information about science, the Earth, and the world that relies on the "regular" rotation.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  4 STARS out of 5 Stars


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