So Far Away

Also, the author Hm. Also, the author has a problem with telling rather than showing, which I find irksome and exhausting. I've written pages of notes for as far as I made it into the book before I abandoned it. Perhaps I'll add a few more points from them later. Listened to fifty percent before setting aside. Was bothered by the bullying. Felt no connection to the characters. Best to part ways with this one as I was dreading listening to it. Ehhh, this one just didn't do it for me. I had a difficult time getting over many of my pet peeves such as the recurrence of a word throughout a sentence or paragraph, poorly-formed sentence structure that made me halt and re-listen to figure out what was really being said, and character cluelessness.

These things often get in the way of my ability to enjoy a story and this time was no exception. I found Kathleen to be a loathsome character, though I'm not sure that was the intent. I was shocked Ehhh, this one just didn't do it for me. I was shocked over and over again at how self-involved she was but how busybody-ish she seemed to be. So controlling yet so unaware of what was really happening in her environment.

I felt jaw-clenchy every time her character started speaking. I was particularly bothered by her lack of awareness. She would mention her dog, Lucy, and how Lucy was normally one way but was acting another way. After a few chapters of these notifications, the reader knows the dog is ill and needs to go to the vet.

How come Kathleen takes so long to figure that out? If she's so into her dog, as she says, she probably should have noticed her dog's ailment much sooner. I also didn't like how Kathleen had to be so involved in everyone's lives but never to their benefit; it was like she was always trying to redeem herself, to prove that she could make everything right for everyone else without ever knowing what was wrong. I couldn't stand her.

I didn't like Bridget, either, though she was more believable; I've known plenty of girls like her However, it was nice to see Bridget at least grew up eventually and took responsibility for her youthful actions, realizing that she'd been a nasty little creature once upon a time. Natalie was the only character for whom I had any sympathy. While she didn't really feel like a year-old, I could still understand why she did what she did, why she felt what she felt, and why she was the way she was. She wasn't a strong character, by any means.

There are a lot of gaps for the reader to fill in and maybe I used that to Natalie's advantage; maybe that's why I could have sympathy for her, I gave her attributes that weren't really there because I could. Here's the part that really bothered me, though: I know bullying is a hot topic both in the media and in real life right now.

I'm torn on the issue, probably because I've been both the bully and the bullied. I felt my personal issue with bullying was showcased in this very story - why aren't kids able to cope with the teasing and malice that leads up to full-on bullying? Where are their tools? How come no one has shown them how to battle bullying, especially cyber-bullying? Where are the parents and teachers and concerned citizens? And just what is bullying, anyway?

So Far Away

I didn't feel text messages claiming to know the truth about Natalie's mom should qualify as bullying. I think there's a line between teasing, malicious or otherwise, and full-on bullying. I thought Natalie was definitely being picked-on at the beginning but it seemed the type of girlish nastiness that could have easily been squelched, the type of crap we all have to endure at some point in school and then again in real life, over and over.

It shouldn't have escalated to bullying but it did. Once it was recognized, no one did anything to stop it except for our good friend and heroine, the archivist Kathleen. And she's pretty much inept so it did no good. Is this how it really works? It starts with petty little jabs, nasty comments, rude behavior and then escalates into hate speech and death threats because no one knows what to do to make it stop?

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I was left thinking that if this story is supposed to highlight the evils of bullying, it's doing a poor job. If it's supposed to be showing the importance of belonging, it's still doing a poor job. I was left unimpressed. Jun 17, Drew Hamilton rated it it was ok Shelves: The premise set forth on the cover led me to believe that this was a book about exploring the life of woman from before our narrators' time.

This was pretty much misleading. The whole novel played out like a "ripped from the headlines" made-for-TV Lifetime movie. Natalie - She is the only character in the book worth rooting for. Her struggle against the cyber-bullying felt real and was heartbreaking. Natalie, like some many other kids of the posts era, has access to all ki The premise set forth on the cover led me to believe that this was a book about exploring the life of woman from before our narrators' time.

Natalie, like some many other kids of the posts era, has access to all kinds of communication but no real friends. Through her cell phone and the internet she is harassed and tormented by former friends, putting a strain on her already challenging life. Kathleen - She is, by far, the most annoying character that I have encountered in a long time.

She is so hung up on making Natalie a surrogate for the daughter that ran away that she pays little attention to the health of her aging dog. Kathleen drones on and on about "girls in danger" and her runaway daughter so often that there is almost no character development for her; she is a static mother hen with little depth. Bridget - She is this kind of secondary narrator contained within a notebook found in Natalie's attic.

Bridget is supposed to be the bridge that links Kathleen and Natalie together through a mutual bond of suffering, but she feels overwrought and too much like a whole other story forced into the main cyber-bullying narrative. The plot doesn't take any surprising turns, nor does it really resolve fully. The non-ending is not really that much of a problem for me as I like snap-shot style narratives rather than stories whose characters have no future outside of the book.

There are, however, many dangling plot points left hanging in the wind and unresolved to any degree. The use of Bridget's notebook felt almost unnecessary in that the story contained within it added no real value to the primary plot; the notebook was merely a way to force Natalie and Kathleen into crossing paths for the sake of the narrative. If the whole story had been focused more on what Natalie gets from Bridget's notebook with Kathleen as a side story, the whole narrative could have been significantly better, but with Kathleen in possession of the notebook for nearly the entire novel, Natalie gains no real insight or comfort in the struggles shared by her and Bridget.

As bad as I hate to classify it as such, this book really is "chick-lit," and would perhaps find the emotional responses that it needs from it's readers of that genre. When I first started reading this book I thought that though it was well written that nothing very much was happening, but this is one of those books that slowly but surely draws you in and keeps you there. The characters were wonderful, they became the people who live down the street from you, they were so very human in their failing, their problems and their lives.

They tackle real crises, the same ones we all have to face every day, the challenges we try so hard to overcome and it was these c When I first started reading this book I thought that though it was well written that nothing very much was happening, but this is one of those books that slowly but surely draws you in and keeps you there. They tackle real crises, the same ones we all have to face every day, the challenges we try so hard to overcome and it was these characters that make this book so special.

A young girl being cyber bullied by her ex best friend, a young gay man waiting to adopt a child and an archivist whose own daughter ran away when she was seventeen and has not been heard of again. These people find answers from friendship and caring and from a journal found of a young woman's troubles in the 's. A quiet novel but for me a brilliant one.

Oct 14, Abby rated it it was ok. I was not impressed with this novel.

I found it interesting enough to keep reading, but I can't say much more for it than that. The main character a something woman is unlikable and difficult to relate to, and the other major character a teenage girl , while being more sympathetic, is not much more engaging. The story-within-the-story is difficult to believe, and the connections the author tries to draw between the characters are unlikely at best and downright implausible at worst. Perhaps I was not impressed with this novel. Perhaps the most irritating element of this novel was the fact that the main character is an archivist, which had me excited I'm an archivist, too before I started reading; as I read, I realized that this was only done in order to facilitate other plot elements, and it comes across as a poorly implemented plot development tool.

Finally, the author's geographical name dropping about Boston and its surrounds was pretentious and distracting. Ultimately, I recommend skipping it. Aug 02, Susan O'brien rated it liked it. So I really wanted to like this book based on the description. And most of the book, it was good. Well written, plot seemed promising, empathy for the characters. But somehow the tempo of the book threw me. Maybe there was too much going on? Too many competing story lines, too many foundering characters, so much pain. But I will say this I stayed up past my bed time to finish it last night.

So there is something about this story that you want to see to the end. For me, I needed to make sure So I really wanted to like this book based on the description. For me, I needed to make sure that Natalie, the year-old who is being cyberbullied, was OK. I make no secret of my affinity for books about libraries and librarians. If I see that it's about a librarian, I will add a book to my to-read list, except maybe the romance novels, and, should I spot one of those at Goodwill, I would probably by it, later forcing my friends to listen to a dramatic reading, because that's just the kind of person I am.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I requested this because of the word 'archivist' in the description, because I think otherwise I w Originally posted here. Anyway, I'm pretty sure I requested this because of the word 'archivist' in the description, because I think otherwise I would have let this pass me by. I'm glad I didn't. The archives scenes were a very small part of the novel, but they were right at the front, so Moore got me nice and hooked. Natalie enters the archives and asks for help with a project for school.

She wants to research her family's genealogy. Kathleen gives a little spiel about how hard that can be, and I immediately recommended the book to my mom, because she has been crazy obsessed with doing genealogy for the past couple years. The book doesn't necessarily focus on that, but it's sort of the frame story. More specifically, So Far Away is about the diary that Natalie found, and is going to use to figure out who her family really is.

The diary was written by an ancestor during the s. While I have a huge love of history, and am very interested in that time period, I was really bored by the diary. The rest of the book, while somewhat slow moving, maintained my interest, but I really just did not have any stake in the fate of the bridget named Bridget. In addition to comments on genealogical and archival work, the other thing I loved was the parts about bullying. Natalie is being bullied by her former best friend, who has found a new, more popular, meaner best friend.

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• Oprah Winfrey ( Liebe, Kraft und Leidenschaft ) -German Edition-.

The story puts forward the idea that modern bullying is a whole different thing than it used to be. I thought this was timely and well done. The one thing I definitely did not approve of was Lucy, Kathleen's dog. Don't get me wrong; I loved the god. However, Lucy was pretty much Kathleen's only family since Kathleen's daughter ran away years before. Yet, I am supposed to believe that Kathleen would not notice that her dog was getting perpetually sicker throughout the novel.

I just don't buy it. She would have had Lucy to the vet on the second or third day of her not eating. If the dog is basically your replacement child, you're going to be worried, even in the midst of your research and concerns about Natalie. So Far Away is a touching story about two troubled souls forming an unlikely bond, and trying to learn how to face the future. The pace is slow and contemplative, and I recommend to those who like a thought-provoking read.

View all 10 comments. May 19, Kelly Hager rated it really liked it. So Far Away is the story of three women well, technically, two women and a teenage girl. Kathleen works at the Archives and is missing her only child, Susannah, who ran away years ago. Natalie is dealing with cyberbullying victim, not perpetrator and is looking into her ancestry. The third, Bridget, was a servant in the s. Natalie finds her journal and brings it to Kathleen. I wanted to read this book because now anything that contains a journal will So Far Away is the story of three women well, technically, two women and a teenage girl.

I wanted to read this book because now anything that contains a journal will always make me think of Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. That is a double-edged sword because it will make me want to read the book and it will ensure that I will be disappointed. Still, although this book is not Revolution, it is still incredibly interesting. I loved Natalie and also liked Kathleen instantly. Generally if there are multiple points of view, I tend to prefer one immediately, even though I usually grow to like the other one, too.

In this case, I loved Natalie and Kathleen immediately. The diary entries by Bridget are also incredibly interesting. While yes, cyberbullying is a new phenomenon, we all struggle with where to fit in and peer pressure and similar concerns. It doesn't matter what "class" you are or when you're living, the problems your grandparents, parents and siblings had are likely the same problems you have and probably the same problems your kids will have. That's depressing but it's also kind of comforting because you'll get past it just as they did and just as your kids will.

1. Schriften Schriftentwickler Schriftumgebung (German Edition).
2. The Perfect Partner.
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4. Dead Living.
5. So Far Away (Martin Garrix and David Guetta song) - Wikipedia.

This was such a fun book even though the review took a bit of a serious turn and I think it'd be a great book club book. There are a lot of possible discussions.

Martin Garrix & David Guetta - So Far Away (Lyrics / Lyric Video) feat. Jamie Scott & Romy Dya

May 09, Alyse rated it it was amazing. I enjoyed so many aspects of this book. The length was perfect - long enough for character development, but not so long that I got bored. The characters themselves were diverse and the situations realistic: I thought the resolutions and outcomes were realistic and nothing was over-done or corny.

In fact, another reason I enjoyed this read and think it will be on my mind for a while - the sign of a great book!! Sure, there is an epilogue where a little bit more clarity and information was given, but several points were not resolved and were left fairly open to the readers to consider for themselves.

While I received a pre-print copy and several typo's were to be expected, I thought the author's writing style was believable, flowing, cohesive and just the right tempo for my taste. I like my books to move quickly, but I want realistic details so that I can actually visualize places and enough character development so that they become real people in my head. This book delivered all of those things. I enjoyed this book so much, I am going to purchase more from this author.

Apr 02, Sapphire rated it really liked it Shelves: I picked this book hastily from my local library's "staff picks" section, and am rather glad I did. The story drew me in instantly and I finished the book in a day. There were times where the characters were rather annoying and parts where I just wanted to slap Kathleen across the face for being so There were other times when the relationship between Natalie and Kathleen seemed rather creepy, but others where it made perfect sense that Kathleen cared I picked this book hastily from my local library's "staff picks" section, and am rather glad I did.

There were other times when the relationship between Natalie and Kathleen seemed rather creepy, but others where it made perfect sense that Kathleen cared for this young girl who desperately needed help in the same way Kathleen did- someone to be there for them. I was expecting more of a historical fiction story because of Bridgette's diary and was disappointed that it played a relatively small roll in the story's plot.

However, as soon as I let go of that expectation I found it easier to get pulled in to the "current" events of the book. My heart broke for Natalie as her former best friend tortured her, her family life dissolved around her, and her cries for help went unanswered. Kathleen's loneliness was palpable- as I was sitting next to my SO reading last night, I began to feel her misery. Meg Mitchell Moore did a wonderful job shedding light on the very real risks of cyber-bullying and lack of parental involvement in their children's web lives as well as the risks and dangers of alienation and depression.

Apr 25, Kristin Kritters Ramblings rated it really liked it Shelves: An interesting and new way to approach cyber bullying. The hot topic was a part of this novel, but not the sole center, which I appreciated. Natalie - a high school freshmen and Kathleen - a career woman who has lost both a daughter and a husband are an unlikely pair, but their relationship in this book was perfectly scripted. Without any chapters, this book was interesting as it switched focus between the characters with strategic spacing.

Because the book switched between characters, the reader An interesting and new way to approach cyber bullying. Because the book switched between characters, the reader was able to get to know each character on their own turf, which made me fall in love with them in their own space. I loved that Kathleen was given the opportunity to help raise another teenager, it was so fitting that she have a second chance. At the same moment, I loved how Natalie was given another maternal figure to lean on until her mother was able to pull it together and re-enter her child's life.

This book showed me once again that it definitely takes a village to raise a child - sometimes parents are inadequate or just not the answer to the problem that a child has, they may just need someone outside of the family to lean on through a difficult time. A great book that both showed the destruction of family, but the reconstruction of a different kind of family. Jun 01, Angela Holtz rated it it was amazing. She weaves tales that put you on the emotional roller coaster with her vivid characters. There are lots of people in this story, but only two main characters whose perspectives we get.

As the synopsis states, Nat is a very sad character, getting bullied not just cyber while her parents are going through a divorce. Kathleen has been a widower for many years. Her young adult daughter has been missing for a few years, since she ran away. Kathleen is a very sad character as well. She really wants to help Natalie; to have a second chance to do the right thing.

The cyber aspect makes bullying so much worse than when we were kids. I could have screamed when her mother found out about it and her solution? Taking Nat's phone and computer away. Way to punish the victim, MOM! How does this resolve itself? You'll have to read. I will say I think Meg does a great job keeping her stories realistic. Jun 20, Sharon rated it it was amazing. I think I loved this book more. Something about her books resonates with me. This is not a happy book but it is a hopeful book. It is the story of a friendship between widowed Kathleen and cyber-bullied 13 year old Natalie.

Natalie finds a diary in the basement of her family home of an Irish immigrant. The bullying storyline was so disturbing and made me grateful my daughters were in school before the age of texting and You Tube. I felt for Kathleen going through the motions of living after her daughter runs away. While Bridget's storyline was predictable, I found it riveting nonetheless.

This book showed that small acts of kindness can make such a difference in the world. My favorite quote of the book was describing Kathleen's friendship with her co-worker, Neil: Moore for putting the sadness in my own life into words so beautifully. Jun 23, Siobhan Fallon rated it it was amazing.

Meg Mitchell Moore's Far From Home has three main characters, a lonely older woman working in a library archive, a teenager who goes to the archive with hopes of figuring out her family tree, and the narrator of a journal that the teenager finds in her basement. Moore weaves together three seemingly disparate stories: Jan 17, Stephanie rated it really liked it. I really enjoyed this book.

I was intrigued by the main character of Kathleen, an older lady with no family, an interesting career at the Massachusetts Archives, and struggling to accept that her teenaged daughter ran away. I empathized with the secondary character of Natalie, a different teenaged girl who is the victim of increasingly escalating cyberbullying.

I admire that Kathleen interjected herself into Natalie's life and made her actions count. I aspire to make such a difference. This bo I really enjoyed this book. Johnny Christ also wore a guitar strap with the word "foREVer" written on it. This is the band's first number-one single. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This article needs additional citations for verification.

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