The Age of Miracles in Read by Theme

Oct 21, 2014 Carly Svamvour rated it really liked it

We read this one for the high park library book discussion group this month.

I found the characters' personal accounts to be just so much soap opera. THe sci fi aspect of it intrigued me, however.

I'd like to see this author continue the story as a sequel. Bring it home. Why? Because there's gotta be some kinda solution - can't just end it all right there. ...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Kat rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: udate, apocalypse, ya

3.5 stars

If you've ever had to get up in the middle of the night to catch a flight, you'll know how disorientating it is to have to get up at 3am - you tell yourself that you need to go to bed at 8pm the night before, but the sun is still up and you can't sleep, so you stay up until 10, or 11, and then hate yourself for it when the alarm finally goes off.

In The Age of Miracles however this becomes the reality of life, with the rotation of the earth slowing, nights and days become longer and lo 3.5 stars

If you've ever had to get up in the middle of the night to catch a flight, you'll know how disorientating it is to have to get up at 3am - you tell yourself that you need to go to bed at 8pm the night before, but the sun is still up and you can't sleep, so you stay up until 10, or 11, and then hate yourself for it when the alarm finally goes off.

In The Age of Miracles however this becomes the reality of life, with the rotation of the earth slowing, nights and days become longer and longer and everyone has to adapt to a new way of living.

As an almost obsessive apocalyptic fan, I had high hopes for The Age of Miracles, but the books is very different than I thought it would be. More of a coming-of-age story than a tale of the apocalypse, it's told through the eyes of 11 year old Julia who is also struggling friendships, boys and her parents relationship which seems to be falling apart.

Particularly interesting for me though was the theory of 'clock time' that the government institutes, and causes a direct clash between those that live by the clock, and those that live 'traditionally' - sleeping when it's dark, awake when it's light. As the days and nights become longer, the lives of the two groups become more and more distanced from each other.

I did have a few issues with the writing itself - it's very lyrical and full of quotable lines, but that doesn't ring completely true for a story with such a young protagonist, and nor did it satisfy my world-building cravings - I wanted more of what was happening in the wider world and the global effects of the change.

I think if it had been written from a different perspective, I would have enjoyed this one a lot more, but the audiobook version was particularly engaging - I'm not sure how it would translate in written form, but I fear it would be far too slow moving for me.

If you like coming-of-age stories with a unique scenario I think this could be the book for you. But if you're looking for a fast-paced post-apocalyptic romp it may be a little disappointing.

Read more of my reviews at The Aussie Zombie ...more

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Sep 05, 2015 Athena Macmillan rated it really liked it

This one is a slow burn, but I think that made me appreciate it all the more. There isn't some big disaster, zombies or disease outbreak, but rather a sense of foreboding that grows as the world in this book slowly changes.

The science is sketchy as best, but that isn't why you read this book. You read it for the characters who are real with real problems. You read it to see how life goes on in the face of adversity and you read it for the lyrical writing:

"The Ferris wheel stood only partially er ...more

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