Summary
It’s just another Saturday in a California suburb for eleven-year-old Julia when she learns that the Earth’s rotation has slowed. But not by much, only 56 minutes. Scientists call it “slowing.” As the rotation continues to slow, the days and night grow longer. Many try to adapt, but some consider the “slowing” a government hoax or God’s wrath toward humankind.
After a few weeks, the American government announces the implementation of “clock time” where citizens follow the clock, despite the amount of light outside. But some reject this idea, calling themselves “real timers.” They live by the idea that they should follow the Earth’s new cycle. Others, including Julia’s mother suffer from a side effect of the “slowing” called “the syndrome.” Its effects vary from person to person.
Throughout the chaos that spirals out of control, Julie continues to experience middle school as normally as possible. She continues to work on school, maintain her friendships, and even starts a relationship with her crush, Seth.
Review
If you’re looking for a quick recommendation, yes, I would definitely recommend this book!
I think the following quote sums up this book nicely: “This was middle school, the age of miracles, the time when kids shot up three inches over the summer, when breasts bloomed from nothing, when voices dipped and dove. Our first flaws were emerging, but they were being corrected. Blurry vision could be fixed invisibly with the magic of contact lenses. Crooked teeth were pulled straight with braces. Spotty skin could be chemically cleared. Some girls were turning beautiful. A few boys were growing tall. I knew I still looked like a child.” It explains the title when the story seems like anything but an “age of miracles.”
When I finished this book, I had a book hangover. You know, when you can’t start another book until you’ve fully digested the previous one. It happens rarely to me, but this was one of them. I couldn’t help but experience despair and hope at the same time while reading this book. And that stuck with me. I couldn’t stop thinking about how it was possible to create a story where the ending left me feeling so much discouragement, but hopeful at the same time.
Humans are on the verge of extinction by the end of the story, and yet, I felt a glimmer of promise for the future. When I put this book down, I couldn’t help but think about the repercussions of slowing down the Earth’s rotation. At the beginning I thought it couldn’t be that bad, but it was. And so much worse. Overall, I would recommend this to a busy mom. But I would caution that it isn’t exactly an uplifting story. But if you’re looking for something different, something that’ll keep you thinking even after the book is closed, then I would definitely recommend this one.
Rating
Five out of five stars
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If you enjoyed my review of The Age of Miracles by Karen Walker Thompson, you might also like The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. Check out my review!
If you’re interested in purchasing The Age of Miracles, here are some quick links to buy the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And, if you’re interested to see what others think, here’s the link to the book on Goodreads.