The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker was my book club’s September pick. I read it on my Kindle Fire within the last week or so. I’ve found I can read on my cell or tablet while nursing &/or holding a sleeping baby much easier than I can read a ‘real’ book these days. Sadly, I was the only book clubber to have finished The Age of Miracles. We all were having busy weeks, so we decided to cancel last night’s discussion though I gathered that the others were all unimpressed with the book.
I’m still working through my thoughts on The Age of Miracles. It was definitely pretty crazy & somewhat intense. I liked that it was told from the point of view of a middle school aged girl. I think the young adult point of view helped tone down the intensity, making the story more readable.
The premise of The Age of Miracles is that the Earth begins to slow down its rotation or as its called in the book ‘the slowing’. The main character, Julia, takes us through what happens to her, her family, friends, school, community & really the US as a whole because of the slowing. And none of it is good. It’s very much an almost post apocalyptic situation.
I’d never thought of the Earth’s rotation. Never pondered what would happen if it suddenly or slowly changed. I’m so used to 24 hour days. And knowing we can count on days being light & nights dark that it was wild reading about life any other way.
I don’t know enough about science to have been fact checking my way through The Age of Miracles. And honestly I just was thinking my lucky stars to have had the free moments to read. So I don’t know if all the wild events would or could occur. I just suspended my disbelief & read. And when The Age of Miracles ended, I was okay. I was glad I’d read it. But I’m not sure I’m jumping up & town ready to encourage you to go read it. But if you like science fiction, end of the world maybe novels, then this one might be for you.