Thursday, June 26, 2014

Review: The Probability of Miracles

Anyone else fall into a bit of a book hangover after TFiOS? Want something similar that isn't just rereading the novel for the eleven millionth time?

Well HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU!

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder is what you're looking for.


Cam, much like Hazel Grace, is a disenchanted teenage cancer patient, but from Orlando, not Indianapolis. Her neuroblastoma has started to spread, and she knows she hasn't got much time left. She'd just kind of like to be left alone.

Her mom's got other plans.

Alicia is a firm believer in taking whatever options present themselves, and a friend of hers told her about Promise, Maine, a town where miracles happen. A miracle is what it would take to heal Cam at this point, so Alicia packs them (and her other daughter, Cam's half-sister Perry) into Cam's VW Bug and they hit the road, trading in their Disney magic lifestyle for the real deal.

Alicia and Perry are delighted by all the sights they see both on the way to Maine and once they're actually in town. Promise is full of unexpected things - a flock of flamingos, purple dandelions, and even a house for them to stay in, free of charge, thanks to a well-timed visit to the lobster pound and a boy named Asher.

Asher is no Gus Waters. He can't take Cam to Amsterdam, or make pretentious metaphors. He can, however, help Cam with whatever crazy schemes she comes up with in the hopes of delighting her family. And Cam's got the traveling covered after her best friend uses Cam's Make-A-Wish to send her and her new Maine-ite friends back to Disney World.

Things begin to look hopeless when Asher falls back into old habits and Cam's cancer - which has lain dormant ever since she got to Promise - comes roaring back just as the biggest storm of the season rolls in. What will happen? That's not for me to say.

I really, really love this novel. Even though I paralleled to to TFiOS in my summary, it's not the exact same format; it's firmly its own story. The biggest similarity they share is also the most important one, thankfully - neither of these novels is a Sappy Cancer Love Story, though cancer is always present.

TPoM is also a fun read, with colorful (sometimes literally) characters. Perry's obsession with unicorns is adorable, Cam is cynical but never cold, and Nana is someone I'll always need in my life. Sure, they all have their flaws, but a lot of their issues stem from the desire to help a loved one in whatever way they think best. 

The weaving together of Disney magic, Polynesian culture, and magical realism makes for a truly unique read, too. Alicia and Cam both work at EPCOT, and Cam's Polynesian heritage - particularly her ability to hula dance and juggle fire knives - comes up throughout the novel as she learns to use it in different ways. Promise is a counterbalance to the "fake" magic of Disney, yet it never feels cartoonish or too silly. A lot of the story focuses on accepting Promise for what it is, which becomes important for Cam later on.

I honestly cannot recommend this book enough. It feels both fantastic and fantastically real, and you might cry at the ending. The Probability of Miracles should be the next blockbuster YA film, in my opinion. Five stars.

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