Before And After III: Miracle by Elizabeth Scott

I had so much fun doing my Love and Loss reviews back in May that I've decided to do a new June theme: Before and After. This series will look at three books that focus on a character whose life irrevocably changes after an accident.

The two books I reviewed so far this week were:

If you missed my review of One Moment, click here to read it.

If you want to read my thoughts on My Life in Black and White, click here.



Today's Feature:

Miracle
by Elizabeth Scott

Published by Simon Pulse
on June 5, 2012

Source: borrowed from the library

My summary: Megan is on a small plane headed home from soccer camp. The next thing she knows, she's lying in the hospital with no memory of what happened. Her parents fill her in: they were told that everyone on board died when Megan's plane went down. The fact that she came walking out of the woods from the crash site, seemingly unharmed, means that she's a miracle. But Megan doesn't feel like a miracle. She's numb, jumpy, and distracted. No one seems to understand. Can she come to terms with what happened to her?

My take: I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Scott. She's written in every YA genre, from gritty contemporary (Living Dead Girl) to lighter contemporary (Something, Maybe) to issue books (Between Here and Forever) to paranormal (As I Wake). I'll read whatever she writes.

As Miracle opens, Megan doesn't remember much about the accident. All she knows is that she used to be a fearless soccer star, and now everyone treats her like she's made of glass.

Megan seems to be suffering from a combination of survivor's guilt and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). She's jumpy, sleepless, hallucinating, unable to concentrate. She wanders off the soccer field. Her grades hit rock bottom. 

I was perplexed that so much of the plot centers around the fact that Megan doesn't get any kind of counseling or treatment for her trauma. I can sort of understand that Megan's parents might not realize that she needs help. After all, they're in shock too, after believing their daughter was dead. But I found it surprising that no one else featured in the book -- not Megan's teachers, her family doctor, her soccer coach, her school counselor, her friends  -- urges her to seek help after what she went through. Finally, a member of Megan's parents' church intervenes. The scenes in which Megan finally remembers the horrific events of the accident are deeply moving and beautifully written. 

Miracle had some intriguing elements outside the PSTD plot. Megan's younger brother is repeatedly described as "accident prone," making me wonder if there was some kind of story behind that. Megan's mother hasn't spoken to her own parents in years, but we never really understand why. Megan gets to know the attractive boy next door, who had a younger sister who died tragically. But for me, these elements weren't integrated enough into the main storyline.

If you're not familiar with Elizabeth Scott's work, you should definitely try one of her books. She's a fantastically talented and versatile author. 

I hope you've enjoyed my Before and After series. Of all these books, I think My Life in Black in White was my favorite. But you may disagree. If you love books that explore life after tragedy, definitely check these three out. Here are some other suggestions. Click on the covers to get to Goodreads.