The Miracle Stealer
Gr 7 Up–When Andi Grant's brother, Daniel, was three, he survived being buried for three days after falling down an old well. The residents of Paradise, PA, have prayed together for his life, rejoiced and praised God when he was recovered alive, and the townspeople slowly begin to believe that he could perform miracles. Andi, a teen who has always had solid faith, sees it begin to crumble as the pressures grow for Daniel to intercede with God. She is happy to see the mania stop after Daniel's prayers are unable to save a dying woman, but three years later, he “assists” in the birth of a baby, and it starts again. This story is complicated, but Connelly paces it well. However, the novel might have a problematic religious stance for some readers. A few elements seem to suggest that Andi was punished by God as she and her boyfriend were considering having sex for the first time when Daniel fell down the well. An avid runner, she loses her leg during an attempt to stage an accident to debunk her brother. The main characters lack believability. Daniel's mother has no problem with her three-year-old son being pressured into interceding for an entire town. Andi has little internal dialogue as she wrestles with her beliefs. Nor does she attempt to talk with anyone about the possibility of miracles. Daniel, as both a three- and a six-year-old, seems to be unfazed by the scads of believers who flock to him seeking help. If readers are not bothered by the lackluster attention paid to the deep questions raised and focus solely on the action, they could be satisfied.–Emily Chornomaz, West Orange Public Library, NJ. (c) Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.