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Ten Miles Past Normal Frances O'Roark Dowell Books

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Ten Miles Past Normal Frances O'Roark Dowell Books

I saw this novel was a new release and was drawn in by the book description. Just like the main character, Janie, I grew up on a farm. Like her, I wished I lived in town, hated the bus ride to school, and wanted to be less of a "farm girl" and more normal. Also, I was looking forward to reading about how Janie ends up playing bass guitar and where it would lead her.

When I began thinking about this review, my first thought was to rave about Janie. She's a smart, perceptive girl in her freshman year of high school who longs to have a circle of friends just as she did in middle school. Feeling like an outcast, she wants to be normal and to be liked. As the reader gets to know her, we see that she's actually extraordinary and a little offbeat in ways she doesn't give herself credit for. She designs her own clothes, she has musical talent, and, most importantly, she has an appreciation for people who are unique in their own ways.

She's also incredibly witty.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized most of the characters in this book were a pleasure to get to know. There is Janie's mom, a farm wife mommy blogger, Monster, the extremely tall musician who lives in an old Motel 6, Emma, the "wild child" and sister of Janie's best friend--they all surround Janie and show by example how not fitting in has its advantages.

There is also a subplot including three characters who truly lived fearlessly by creating a Freedom School during the Civil Rights Movement. The author skillfully brings Janie into their world to learn more, and be moved by, their courage to go against the norm.

Even minor characters, such as a fellow art class student and a girl Janie befriends in the library, have a certain something they openly embrace that makes them sparkle.

What bothered me the most about this book was that no real action took place until the second half of the story.

For the first half, the reader is given scene upon scene showing us:
-Janie's mom drives her nuts
-Janie wants to make new friends and it's just not happening
-Janie isn't crazy about living on a farm

While it's important to give the reader enough information so they understand the main character's dilemmas, I think, in this novel, the repetition got old really fast.

Finally, Janie starts making progress. Progress is very quickly followed by resolution and then, just as quickly, all storylines are wrapped up and the book concludes. Overall, the pacing of the story wasn't great.

The other odd thing was the romance subplot that seemed to be slowly building toward a happy ending, but, instead, was anticlimactic. Would the "girl gets the guy" be a cliché and predictable? Probably. Truth be told, I liked Janie a lot and would have liked to have seen her come away from this story with more than just awareness.
Awareness Isn't Such a Bad Thing Though...

For such a character-driven book, I suppose it makes sense that the most important thing is that the main character has evolved by the end. In this novel, Janie does gain an appreciation for being different and embraces it rather than avoiding it.

I respect the author for weaving such an important lesson within a story full of colorful characters who were "living large".


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Ten Miles Past Normal Frances O'Roark Dowell Books Reviews

I liked the book, but it was really slow and hind of boring. I liked the ending though. I would recommend this book.
Beautiful story about a teen girl trying to find her way. Frances O'Roark Dowell uses moments of hilarity and horror to illustrate how to navigate your way to truly being comfortable in your own skin.
This is a great book that is very well written. I only have a couple problems with it. 1. Who names a kid monster?? No kidding this persons name is monster. And how the author describes him he seems a little monsterish. So it makes sense in a way but still. And 2. The ending. I got this on my kindle and the ending seemed to be cut short I guess. Maybe it downloaded funny and I missed the last 2 or 3 pages. I don't know. Other than those 2 things this is a pretty good book.
great
This was just an ok coming of age book. There was no real plot and what little story there was, was predictable. The characters, though likeable, were cliché.
My 6th grade daughter used this book for a book report. Part of the assignment was to come up with an original rating scale. Her conclusion "On a scale from goat poop to lavender, this book was a daisy. It wasn't a stinker, but it wasn't inspiring, either." The book explores the tween themes of wanting to fit in but be true to oneself, the changing nature of friendships as long time friends take different paths. There are a number of subplots that all fit in too neatly and unrealistically. The book is a quick, unchallenging read. And entirely forgettable.
Ten Miles Past Normal is one of the best coming-of-age novels I have read in a long, long time. The characters are quirky, adorable, and entertaining (even the adults). The struggles of freshman Janie to find friends, and a place, in her high school will ring true for all girls trying to navigate adolescence. Janie went from the "cool girl who lives on a farm" in middle school to the "Ick, she lives on a farm" girl in high school. I loved that as Janie and her only two friends try to find their place in high school, they refuse to hide their true selves or compromise themselves just to fit in with a group or win favor with the boys. Janie knows she is a great person and is confident there are people in her high school who will know it, too, if she can just figure out who they are and a way to get to know them. Ten Miles Past Normal should be required reading for every girl before heading off to high school.
I saw this novel was a new release and was drawn in by the book description. Just like the main character, Janie, I grew up on a farm. Like her, I wished I lived in town, hated the bus ride to school, and wanted to be less of a "farm girl" and more normal. Also, I was looking forward to reading about how Janie ends up playing bass guitar and where it would lead her.

When I began thinking about this review, my first thought was to rave about Janie. She's a smart, perceptive girl in her freshman year of high school who longs to have a circle of friends just as she did in middle school. Feeling like an outcast, she wants to be normal and to be liked. As the reader gets to know her, we see that she's actually extraordinary and a little offbeat in ways she doesn't give herself credit for. She designs her own clothes, she has musical talent, and, most importantly, she has an appreciation for people who are unique in their own ways.

She's also incredibly witty.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized most of the characters in this book were a pleasure to get to know. There is Janie's mom, a farm wife mommy blogger, Monster, the extremely tall musician who lives in an old Motel 6, Emma, the "wild child" and sister of Janie's best friend--they all surround Janie and show by example how not fitting in has its advantages.

There is also a subplot including three characters who truly lived fearlessly by creating a Freedom School during the Civil Rights Movement. The author skillfully brings Janie into their world to learn more, and be moved by, their courage to go against the norm.

Even minor characters, such as a fellow art class student and a girl Janie befriends in the library, have a certain something they openly embrace that makes them sparkle.

What bothered me the most about this book was that no real action took place until the second half of the story.

For the first half, the reader is given scene upon scene showing us
-Janie's mom drives her nuts
-Janie wants to make new friends and it's just not happening
-Janie isn't crazy about living on a farm

While it's important to give the reader enough information so they understand the main character's dilemmas, I think, in this novel, the repetition got old really fast.

Finally, Janie starts making progress. Progress is very quickly followed by resolution and then, just as quickly, all storylines are wrapped up and the book concludes. Overall, the pacing of the story wasn't great.

The other odd thing was the romance subplot that seemed to be slowly building toward a happy ending, but, instead, was anticlimactic. Would the "girl gets the guy" be a cliché and predictable? Probably. Truth be told, I liked Janie a lot and would have liked to have seen her come away from this story with more than just awareness.
Awareness Isn't Such a Bad Thing Though...

For such a character-driven book, I suppose it makes sense that the most important thing is that the main character has evolved by the end. In this novel, Janie does gain an appreciation for being different and embraces it rather than avoiding it.

I respect the author for weaving such an important lesson within a story full of colorful characters who were "living large".