I find that I get recommended many adult fiction books by people I know, even though I have a particular love for YA (young adult) fiction. I believe some people think I just haven’t found the right type of adult book to sink my teeth into and others think that I haven’t ever read a fiction book, and therefore need to be directed to the “proper” readings for a young lady my age.
Recently my sister told me that she thought I would enjoy a book called The Age of Miracles. At first I wanted to dismiss the recommendation because it was another fiction book that she thought I should read, but might not actually be the style of book I like. However, I decided to give it a try and was thrown, not because I fell in love with the book, but because it reminded me so much of another YA book I had read. I decided to share my findings on two very good and interesting tales on how the world might end….or just change.
Since I started this tale off with The Age of Miracles, it’ll be the first book I discuss. The story is written from the point of view of a 12 year old girl, which to some people might make it seem like a YA novel by definition. However, the writing and voice of the book make it seem written not by a 12 year old but by someone older. It tells the story of the earth slowing down, the days becoming much longer than the 24 hours that we are used to. It is a very interesting perspective and idea for a book, and seems almost realistic in the possibility. It is an enjoyable book to read because it provides a different perspective from many other books, and it still contains the details of the characters’ everyday lives, which makes it more believable and relatable.
While reading The Age of Miracles I began to remember a book I had read while I was in graduate school (only a year ago, so it’s still fresh in my mind). The book was Life As We Knew It. The only real relation that Life As We Knew It has to The Age of Miracles is that they are both written in the point of view of a young female character and they are both about the world changing in drastic ways.
Life As We Knew It is written in a diary format and written from the point of view of a young girl. She begins writing in her diary before a major event changes how everyone on Earth lives but only for a day or two. Then a meteor strikes the moon, and everything becomes worse and creates major challenges for her and her family. The book is defined as a YA book, but I would definitely recommend it to any reader. It is well written and is capable of drawing the reader into the world that is being altered and lived in by the characters. In fact, while I was reading the book, I felt compelled to start stocking up on water and other essentials. The tale truly makes the reader feel like it is happening now, not in some safe storybook.
If you decide to pick up either of these books, be prepared to feel as though the world you once lived in has changed forever.
— Abbey
Eleventh Stack 