Title: The Age of Miracles
Author: Karen Thompson Walker
Publication Details: June 26th 2012 by Random House (first published June 21st 2012)
Genre: Young adult, science fiction
On a seemingly ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, 11-year-old Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth has suddenly begun to slow. The days and nights grow longer and longer, gravity is affected, the environment is thrown into disarray. Yet as she struggles to navigate an ever-shifting landscape, Julia is also coping with the normal disasters of everyday life--the fissures in her parents’ marriage, the loss of old friends, the hopeful anguish of first love, the bizarre behavior of her grandfather who, convinced of a government conspiracy, spends his days obsessively cataloging his possessions. As Julia adjusts to the new normal, the slowing inexorably continues.
I finished The Age of Miracles last night. It was beautifully written and I liked it. I can't say it was a light read though, because the "slowing" was scary. =/
The way the story was narrated made it easy to understand not only the concepts but also the feelings of Julia (the main character). I can't imagine being her, with all what's happening to earth, and the drama of her everyday life.
The way the story was narrated made it easy to understand not only the concepts but also the feelings of Julia (the main character). I can't imagine being her, with all what's happening to earth, and the drama of her everyday life.
It's the first pre-dystopian/ pre-apocalyptic novel I read, so it was refreshing to have an idea of the events that lead to the destruction of earth. And unlike what I imagined, it happened gradually.
Also, it's very predictable how people would react to this kind of situation, always on defense. It was sad knowing that no one can really do anything about it. *sigh* At some point, people will just have to accept and wait.
Oh! And let's hope the slowing will not happen. Please, no.
I suggest you read it too! Good book, I promise.
