4 out of 4 stars
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Miracle girls by M.B Caschetta, is a story of Cee-Cee, a ten year old girl from Mohawk Valley, USA; a place that is rife with stories of children disappearing left, right and centre. Only, Cee-Cee is no ordinary girl. She nearly gets kidnapped herself, but is saved in the nick of time by her brothers. After this incident however, she is ‘gifted’ with divine visions showing her the lost or missing girls in the area. The nuns from the local church, her grandma and most of the other residents come to believe Cee-Cee to be a messenger from Jesus and that she is a Miracle Girl.
The summary of the book lead me to believe this might be some sort of mystery novel. Not the case here. The book dwelled more of the psych of the residents of the town rather than the investigating the mysterious disappearances. Every household in this sleepy little village is complicated. Every character in this book, from Cee-Cee’s own family, the nuns, Cee-Cee’s friends, have more layers to their personality than what meets the eye. Somehow, she is embroiled within the affairs of most of the residents of the town and they start to believe she was sent by Jesus himself to save them.
The book starts off at a snail’s pace and the beginning chapters make no sense, but if you hold on a bit longer, all the little bits start to stitch together seamlessly. As more and more of the back story of each character is revealed, more and more of the mystery surrounding the girls clear up.
The author shows us a mirage of the real world within the pages of this book. It is a world where your own family can betray you, but it is also one where a new family can be found in the company of strangers. I can guarantee this book shall stay with you long after you've finished the book.
The writing and the language of the book is not exactly simple, yet complimentary to this plotline. Except for a few head scratching metaphors, the book is flawless with regards to grammar.
Although the book is set in the seventies, its story is still relatable with today's world as it deals with rape, rape culture, homosexuality, etc. Religious connotations are heavy in the novel, but nowhere does the writing turn preachy or forced. It is written as an integral part of the story of Cee-Cee, and her love for the Catholic Church is just a proud proclamation of her belief in faith surviving in a world which turns more and more grim and diabolical with each passing day.
Even if one isn’t religious, I’d like to think this book can still be enjoyable as religion in the book is about accepting people as they are, flaws and all; and showing us that god loves everyone equally no matter our gender, sexuality or background.
I’ve been thinking of who was the best character is in this book, but I am struggling to find one as every character has their own set of shortcomings, no matter how virtuous they are.
All said and done, I'd give this novel a 4 out of 4 stars and recommend it to anyone looking for a challenging read.
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