Maybe a Miracle: A Novel
3 journalers for this copy...
"In this disarming debut, Brian Strause has written a vastly entertaining novel about an American family transfixed by a series of mysterious events. From a comfortable suburb of Columbus, Ohio, emerges a story of rebellion, faith and hope, bridging the cultural gap between those who believe in miracles and those who wish they could.
Monroe Anderson–as quiet on the outside as he is sardonic and alive on the inside–has spent most of his eighteen years trying to fly beneath the radar. If he can remain invisible, he believes, his sadistic older brother, a rising golf star, might not torment him, his workaholic father, a renowned litigator, might not notice him long enough to be disappointed, and his mother might not have to struggle so hard to find a hopeful word. The only people who glimpse the real Monroe are his girlfriend, Emily, and his eleven-year-old sister, Annika.
On the night of his senior prom, Monroe finds Annika floating facedown in the family pool. He dives in and rescues her, but not quickly enough to prevent her from slipping into a coma. As the family copes with this crisis, Monroe’s mother turns to religion, his father turns to liquor, and Monroe himself must decide what’s worth believing in, what’s worth fighting for, and, finally, who he wants to be.
By turns humorous and heartbreaking, personal and sweeping, familiar and extraordinary, Brian Strause’s mesmerizing novel takes readers on an unforgettable emotional journey into America’s heartland."
Acquired through PaperBackSwap.com (Abridged on 5 CD's; read by Michael Louis Wells)
Monroe Anderson–as quiet on the outside as he is sardonic and alive on the inside–has spent most of his eighteen years trying to fly beneath the radar. If he can remain invisible, he believes, his sadistic older brother, a rising golf star, might not torment him, his workaholic father, a renowned litigator, might not notice him long enough to be disappointed, and his mother might not have to struggle so hard to find a hopeful word. The only people who glimpse the real Monroe are his girlfriend, Emily, and his eleven-year-old sister, Annika.
On the night of his senior prom, Monroe finds Annika floating facedown in the family pool. He dives in and rescues her, but not quickly enough to prevent her from slipping into a coma. As the family copes with this crisis, Monroe’s mother turns to religion, his father turns to liquor, and Monroe himself must decide what’s worth believing in, what’s worth fighting for, and, finally, who he wants to be.
By turns humorous and heartbreaking, personal and sweeping, familiar and extraordinary, Brian Strause’s mesmerizing novel takes readers on an unforgettable emotional journey into America’s heartland."
Acquired through PaperBackSwap.com (Abridged on 5 CD's; read by Michael Louis Wells)
Monroe, shortly before graduating from high school and on the evening of his senior prom, finds his younger sister floating facedown in the family's pool. He dives in and saves her, but she remains in a coma indefinitely. The story continues on from there, primarily exploring how each family member comes to terms with this.
The plot of this story had similarities to a novel I read a couple years ago (Rebecca Johnson's And Sometimes Why), but I felt this one was better executed and overall I enjoyed this one more. With a nice blend of humor but also with an underlying serious tone, Monroe's feelings and personality shone through in the author's writing style. As a baseball fan, I also enjoyed the many references to the Cincinnati Reds throughout the book.
This novel would've rated even higher with me, but at about the 2/3 mark, it started to get a little bit too "out there". The underlying message of faith, whether that be in a religious sense or otherwise, was nice, but at a point the plot started to become a little too over-the-top and my enjoyment level dropped a couple notches. Still though, a mostly well-written novel with some great quotes and one-liners.
The plot of this story had similarities to a novel I read a couple years ago (Rebecca Johnson's And Sometimes Why), but I felt this one was better executed and overall I enjoyed this one more. With a nice blend of humor but also with an underlying serious tone, Monroe's feelings and personality shone through in the author's writing style. As a baseball fan, I also enjoyed the many references to the Cincinnati Reds throughout the book.
This novel would've rated even higher with me, but at about the 2/3 mark, it started to get a little bit too "out there". The underlying message of faith, whether that be in a religious sense or otherwise, was nice, but at a point the plot started to become a little too over-the-top and my enjoyment level dropped a couple notches. Still though, a mostly well-written novel with some great quotes and one-liners.
Reserved for booklady331's audio VBB.
Wrapped up & ready to go to tostle, who chose this one from the audio VBB.
Thank you for sharing this book!
Amazing story...is it true?
I am not exactly sure how to feel about this book. It was interesting and parts were faster than others. I found the ending incredibly far-fetched...and that contributed to my overall feeling of huh?
Others may like the book. I did listen to it eagerly. I felt sad about the family disintegration over Annika's accident and I appreciated the family getting it together. While I love happily ever after endings...with that said, the drama in the beginning of the book did not bode well for the ending.
Others may like the book. I did listen to it eagerly. I felt sad about the family disintegration over Annika's accident and I appreciated the family getting it together. While I love happily ever after endings...with that said, the drama in the beginning of the book did not bode well for the ending.
