Scan barcode
jillybean77's review against another edition
5.0
It’s October 19th, and teenager Destiny Faraday is beginning what appears to be just another normal day at one of the many boarding schools she’s attended since her parents decided they didn’t want her around when she was a young girl. However, that soon changes when Destiny meets a substitute calculus teacher after breakfast who asks her what she wishes. She says she would just like one fair day and almost immediately happens upon a car with the engine running. Just knowing that she is meant to take the car, she is soon on the road trip of her life with three classmates. Along the way, coincidence, magic, or maybe just pure fate turn it into a truly fair day for all four of the teens, and Destiny is finally able to begin healing from her parent’s abandonment.
First, I want to say how thankful I am for young adult authors like Mary E. Pearson. For the past few months I've been lamenting the poor quality and silliness of nearly every new young adult book I've read this year. Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls and now Pearson's The Miles Between have restored my hope that there are still high-quality, well-developed books being written for teens. It seems though that you have to read a lot of not-so-good stuff before you find the good ones.
Destiny Faraday is a character that I immediately liked from the very beginning of the book. It's apparent that she's been deeply hurt because she tries very hard not to let herself or other people get close to her. But she puts on a front and acts like everything's fine. Her inner dialog is funny and snarky and touching all at the same time. Destiny's classmates are also likable and quirky in their own ways. Even the annoying Mira won me over midway through the book. The road trip is filled with adventure and funny coincidences that I think many teens will enjoy. But along with the funny moments are bittersweet moments and heartbreaking moments.
While I was on the journey with Destiny and her friends, I smiled, I laughed, I snorted, I cried, and was not sad at all that I had missed a couple hours of sleep to take part in the journey. Mary E. Pearson is a true asset to the world of young adult literature, and her beautiful, powerful, and well-thought-0ut writing has made me a true fan.
First, I want to say how thankful I am for young adult authors like Mary E. Pearson. For the past few months I've been lamenting the poor quality and silliness of nearly every new young adult book I've read this year. Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls and now Pearson's The Miles Between have restored my hope that there are still high-quality, well-developed books being written for teens. It seems though that you have to read a lot of not-so-good stuff before you find the good ones.
Destiny Faraday is a character that I immediately liked from the very beginning of the book. It's apparent that she's been deeply hurt because she tries very hard not to let herself or other people get close to her. But she puts on a front and acts like everything's fine. Her inner dialog is funny and snarky and touching all at the same time. Destiny's classmates are also likable and quirky in their own ways. Even the annoying Mira won me over midway through the book. The road trip is filled with adventure and funny coincidences that I think many teens will enjoy. But along with the funny moments are bittersweet moments and heartbreaking moments.
While I was on the journey with Destiny and her friends, I smiled, I laughed, I snorted, I cried, and was not sad at all that I had missed a couple hours of sleep to take part in the journey. Mary E. Pearson is a true asset to the world of young adult literature, and her beautiful, powerful, and well-thought-0ut writing has made me a true fan.
alliehwilliams's review against another edition
5.0
I love this book so much. It's sweet and special and shows the versatility of this author. I love every one of Mary Pearson's books even though they are vastly different from book to book. Is there anything she can't do?
kraley's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this better than the Adoration of Jenna Fox. This author is in favor of plot twists which is nice. The book was fairly predictable, however. I didn't like that some of her foil characters were obviously there only to ask the main character questions. It was clumsy. But, I would like one fair day too and reading this made you consider what that day would look like.
janina_reads's review against another edition
3.0
I really didn’t expect The Miles Between to be the sad and strange (strange in a good way) story it turned out to be. I mean, apart from the ‘deep secret’ mentioned in the summary, it sounds more like a fluffy and fun little road trip starring a main character who usually keeps her distance but discovers that friends do make life worth living – no matter what your history is. In fact, the last part turned out to be true, but Destiny’s secret was much more heartbreaking than I had expected it to be.
And I loved the story line revolving around that secret – it is one of those where the narrator keeps parts hidden until the end but you can always guess that there is more to the issue, that something is not quite right, and that in the end, you will probably be surprised nevertheless.
But unfortunately, the whole concept of ‘one fair day’ and the coincidences leading up to it were at times too coincidental for my taste. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the trivia about coincidence and numbers Destiny knew everything about and the weird things that happened constantly added a special flavour to the story, but sometimes it was just too much. When I read contemporary fiction, I want it to be realistic at its core – and some of the things that happened were not realistic at all. They seemed too far fetched, and it was almost like a fantastical element was added to the story – people vanishing, cars appearing, … A few scenes left out and it would still have had this a little weird, I-can’t-believe-it-but-it-could-be-true atmosphere to it, but it wouldn’t have felt so totally impossible.
Still, hadn’t it been for some characters’ lack of depth, I would probably have rated this book four stars. I really liked Destiny – I loved to see her abandon old routines and I was so sad for her when her secret was revealed – but the three friends accompanying her on the trip didn’t feel special to me at all. I will have forgotten their names in a few days. They felt like filler people, people that were only there to help Destiny come out of her shell and accept her past. Of course they had their own issues and little quirks, but they just weren’t developed enough. Maybe the reason for that was that the book was so short and covered only one day in their lives after all, but nevertheless … The time spent in the car talking or shopping was almost a little boring because I didn’t really feel attached to them and their conversations were sometimes only mildly interesting to me.
Bonus points for Lucky the lamb, though – even if his name is unimaginative. I love me some cute and extravagant pets!
All in all, a story I enjoyed reading, but unfortunately, the secondary characters weren’t fleshed out enough to make it stand out.
And I loved the story line revolving around that secret – it is one of those where the narrator keeps parts hidden until the end but you can always guess that there is more to the issue, that something is not quite right, and that in the end, you will probably be surprised nevertheless.
But unfortunately, the whole concept of ‘one fair day’ and the coincidences leading up to it were at times too coincidental for my taste. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the trivia about coincidence and numbers Destiny knew everything about and the weird things that happened constantly added a special flavour to the story, but sometimes it was just too much. When I read contemporary fiction, I want it to be realistic at its core – and some of the things that happened were not realistic at all. They seemed too far fetched, and it was almost like a fantastical element was added to the story – people vanishing, cars appearing,
Spoiler
meteors falling from the skySpoiler
- like the president announcing mandatory vacation only hours after having talked to Aidan about it, people who help the friends appearing out of nowhere and disappearing right afterwards -Still, hadn’t it been for some characters’ lack of depth, I would probably have rated this book four stars. I really liked Destiny – I loved to see her abandon old routines and I was so sad for her when her secret was revealed – but the three friends accompanying her on the trip didn’t feel special to me at all. I will have forgotten their names in a few days. They felt like filler people, people that were only there to help Destiny come out of her shell and accept her past. Of course they had their own issues and little quirks, but they just weren’t developed enough. Maybe the reason for that was that the book was so short and covered only one day in their lives after all, but nevertheless … The time spent in the car talking or shopping was almost a little boring because I didn’t really feel attached to them and their conversations were sometimes only mildly interesting to me.
Bonus points for Lucky the lamb, though – even if his name is unimaginative. I love me some cute and extravagant pets!
All in all, a story I enjoyed reading, but unfortunately, the secondary characters weren’t fleshed out enough to make it stand out.
kaitrosereads's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! I don't know what to say about The Miles Between. I am speechless. I feel like whatever I say won't adequately praise this book. I started it and I couldn't put it down until I was finished with it. There was no dragging me away from this one. =]
The Miles Between is the story of four very different teenagers thrown together by a road trip. Well at least that's what the synopsis says. What the synopsis doesn't say is that it is so much more than that. It's a story of numbers, coincidences, friendships, romances, and secrets. Secrets that are shared between new friends and secrets that will shock you. I wasn't expecting anything about this book.
Destiny, Mira, Seth, and Aidan aren't your typical main characters. They start out as little more than strangers and end up as a lot more than friends. And they were all so unique. I don't feel like I can truly describe Destiny without giving away parts of the book so if you want to know more about her, you will just have to read it. The others are a little bit easier to describe. Mira is very loud and outspoken but she has hidden depths. Seth isn't the typical boarding school boy and he has definitely noticed that Destiny isn't the typical boarding school girl. Aidan is a stickler for rules until suddenly, with one road trip, he decides to break them all. And with some very comical results.
Overall, The Miles Between is one to be added to everyone's to-read list. It was such an amazing story full of funny coincidences that I think everyone will enjoy! =]
The Miles Between is the story of four very different teenagers thrown together by a road trip. Well at least that's what the synopsis says. What the synopsis doesn't say is that it is so much more than that. It's a story of numbers, coincidences, friendships, romances, and secrets. Secrets that are shared between new friends and secrets that will shock you. I wasn't expecting anything about this book.
Destiny, Mira, Seth, and Aidan aren't your typical main characters. They start out as little more than strangers and end up as a lot more than friends. And they were all so unique. I don't feel like I can truly describe Destiny without giving away parts of the book so if you want to know more about her, you will just have to read it. The others are a little bit easier to describe. Mira is very loud and outspoken but she has hidden depths. Seth isn't the typical boarding school boy and he has definitely noticed that Destiny isn't the typical boarding school girl. Aidan is a stickler for rules until suddenly, with one road trip, he decides to break them all. And with some very comical results.
Overall, The Miles Between is one to be added to everyone's to-read list. It was such an amazing story full of funny coincidences that I think everyone will enjoy! =]
missprint_'s review against another edition
5.0
October 19 is not going to be a good day.
For some people this would be an educated guess. For Destiny Faraday it is a bleak statement of fact. It is also part of why she tries so hard to never get attached. To anything or anyone.
October 19 has never been a good day for Des, which is why she crumples the day's calendar page before the day has even started.
What was supposed to be a throw away day suddenly turns into something else. Thanks to an encounter with an odd stranger and the sudden appearance of a car, Destiny and three of her classmates start a road trip searching for one fair day--a day where the good guy wins and everything adds up to something just right. Which might be what will change everything in The Miles Between (2009) by Mary E. Pearson.
Destiny is a broken, lonely character at the start of The Miles Between. Part road trip, part coming of age, this is the story of Des' one fair day but also her own, literal and figurative, journey to healing. Pearson maintains a sense of wonder throughout this story to temper Destiny's harsh reality and elevates what could have been a merely maudlin story to a charming, magically complex one filled with surprises where everything really does add up.
Destiny and her wacky classmates (Destiny does not waste time making friends) are lovable and utterly tangible as characters.
Possible Pairings: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson, The View From Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg, Stealing Henry by Carolyn MacCullough, Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli, Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee
For some people this would be an educated guess. For Destiny Faraday it is a bleak statement of fact. It is also part of why she tries so hard to never get attached. To anything or anyone.
October 19 has never been a good day for Des, which is why she crumples the day's calendar page before the day has even started.
What was supposed to be a throw away day suddenly turns into something else. Thanks to an encounter with an odd stranger and the sudden appearance of a car, Destiny and three of her classmates start a road trip searching for one fair day--a day where the good guy wins and everything adds up to something just right. Which might be what will change everything in The Miles Between (2009) by Mary E. Pearson.
Destiny is a broken, lonely character at the start of The Miles Between. Part road trip, part coming of age, this is the story of Des' one fair day but also her own, literal and figurative, journey to healing. Pearson maintains a sense of wonder throughout this story to temper Destiny's harsh reality and elevates what could have been a merely maudlin story to a charming, magically complex one filled with surprises where everything really does add up.
Destiny and her wacky classmates (Destiny does not waste time making friends) are lovable and utterly tangible as characters.
Possible Pairings: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson, The View From Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg, Stealing Henry by Carolyn MacCullough, Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli, Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee
lazygal's review against another edition
3.0
Another weepy! I really liked The Adoration of Jenna Fox, so I was looking forward to this book by Pearson. Destiny, while living in the realistic fiction present, has as many problems with identity as Jenna. Her main quirk is that she's great at noticing, and examining, things and finding linkage where others might find mere coincidence (for example, she trots out the old Lincoln/Kenney list).
On this, her "one fair day" she and four of her breakfast mates go AWOL from their boarding school. Seemingly coincidentally, a car, running, with cash in the glove compartment, is there, ready for taking. And take they do - off on a day of improbable adventure (finding Lucky, boating, eating and shopping) and friendship. By the end, you learn that her being sent off to boarding school at age seven and her life since are more about her than her parents, and she's come to realize that not everyone will go away or abandon her.
(Free ARC received from publisher)
On this, her "one fair day" she and four of her breakfast mates go AWOL from their boarding school. Seemingly coincidentally, a car, running, with cash in the glove compartment, is there, ready for taking. And take they do - off on a day of improbable adventure (finding Lucky, boating, eating and shopping) and friendship. By the end, you learn that her being sent off to boarding school at age seven and her life since are more about her than her parents, and she's come to realize that not everyone will go away or abandon her.
(Free ARC received from publisher)
librariann's review against another edition
5.0
Ages 12+ (not really any content, but sophisticated)
From the opening pages, you can tell that sixteen year old Destiny is different, a bit out of touch with reality. Abandoned by her parents at the age of seven, shuffled from boarding school to boarding school, she wishes for one fair day, where the world makes sense, where it all adds up to as it should be...and coincidence conspires to make it happen. Embarking on a spontaneous road trip with three fellow students, Destiny begins to let her carefully maintained walls crumble. What she and her fellow travelers discover on their journey could even be called miracles. To tell the ending would be to spoil the ride.
A fantasy grounded in reality, it is by turns elegant and touching, whimsical and fabulous. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane for teens.
From the opening pages, you can tell that sixteen year old Destiny is different, a bit out of touch with reality. Abandoned by her parents at the age of seven, shuffled from boarding school to boarding school, she wishes for one fair day, where the world makes sense, where it all adds up to as it should be...and coincidence conspires to make it happen. Embarking on a spontaneous road trip with three fellow students, Destiny begins to let her carefully maintained walls crumble. What she and her fellow travelers discover on their journey could even be called miracles. To tell the ending would be to spoil the ride.
A fantasy grounded in reality, it is by turns elegant and touching, whimsical and fabulous. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane for teens.
beecheralyson's review against another edition
5.0
I am not sure that I can write a review for a Mary E. Pearson book without becoming a squeeing fangirl. THE MILES BETWEEN is a story of hope, redemption, fate, friendship, and grace. Peason tells the story of one teen's journey towards healing with warmth, humor, and incredible skill. The entire book takes place in one day. The pacing of the story is just right - never dragging and never going too quickly.
Destiny Faraday is a student who lives at a private boarding school. After meeting a stranger, Destiny sets out on a roadtrip with three of her classmates searching for "one fair day - day where the good guy wins and everything adds up to something just and right". However, on the trip Destiny learns more about friendship, and confronting your past than she has from years of therapy.
I can't say enough good things about this book. If you haven't read a book by Mary E. Pearson then this is a great one to start with. If you are a fan of her other books then you will love this one as well. Just go read it.
Destiny Faraday is a student who lives at a private boarding school. After meeting a stranger, Destiny sets out on a roadtrip with three of her classmates searching for "one fair day - day where the good guy wins and everything adds up to something just and right". However, on the trip Destiny learns more about friendship, and confronting your past than she has from years of therapy.
I can't say enough good things about this book. If you haven't read a book by Mary E. Pearson then this is a great one to start with. If you are a fan of her other books then you will love this one as well. Just go read it.