Far from You

by Lisa Schroeder

Book Overview

Lost and alone...down the rabbit hole.Years have passed since Alice lost her mother to cancer, but time hasn't quite healed the wound. Alice copes the best she can by writing her music, losing herself in her love for her boyfriend, and distancing herself from her father and his new wife.But when a deadly snowstorm traps Alice with her stepmother and newborn half sister, she'll face issues she's been avoiding for too long. As Alice looks to the heavens...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416975063
• ISBN13: 9781416975069
• Release Date: December 2008
• Publisher: Simon Pulse
• Length: 355 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.1" x 7.1"
• Age Range: 14 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

Excellent Read!

I absolutely LOVED this book! I couldn't put it down. I read it all in one sitting. I love the way the author wrote and then the story itself is beyond words. I would recommend that Everyone read this at least once.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Alice's mother died of cancer years ago. Everyone else has moved on. Her father has remarried and is expecting a new baby, but Alice continues to mourn, finding solace in songwriting, attending services, and performing at her mother's old church with best friend/musical soul mate, Claire. And with spending time with her boyfriend, Blaze. Nothing can shake Alice from her grief - from the birth of a baby sister, Ivy; to the progression of her relationship with Blaze; to her ups and downs with Claire. It is only when she, Victoria, and Ivy are caught on the road during a freak snow storm that Alice begins to regain her balance and consider the possibility that her mother is closer than she ever imagined. Author Lisa Schroeder's decision to tell this story entirely in verse is deceptively simple, but the effectiveness of this type of narration quickly becomes clear - cutting through the excess of more straightforward prose to the raw center of Alice's emotional turmoil. Despite the story being told from a single character's perspective, Ms. Schroeder still manages to drop subtle hints (i.e., her father's pained silence, Blaze's easy interaction with the stepmother his girlfriend has written off, their efforts to remind Alice that they're a family) that let readers know Alice's perspective might be somewhat biased. It's rare to find a book that moves me to tears, but FAR FROM YOU touched my heart, making it an emotional journey worth taking. Reviewed by: Cat

Uplifting and beautiful

For years, Alice hasn't been fully living. Ever since she lost her mother to cancer, she has immersed herself in her morose music, has been preoccupied with her boyfriend, and refuses to connect with her stepmother, Victoria. But this becomes harder for her to do when Victoria has a baby, Ivy, and Alice is left with overwhelming feelings of resentment and sorrow. When Victoria, Alice, and newborn Ivy and trapped in a deadly snowstorm and their situation goes from bad to deadly, Alice will discover new perspective and find that maybe her mother really isn't as far from her as she thought. Far From You is a beautifully written and artfully arranged novel made up of free-verse poems that range from humorous to heartrending to contemplative. The plot moves quickly, and the poems are oftentimes quite short, but the beautiful thing about Far From You is that although it is not very long, it is brimming with emotion. Alice's journey to reconciliation with her mother's death and the fact that her father has found a way to move on is beautiful and touching, and the circumstances surrounding that journey are suspenseful. Lisa Schroeder has created a lyrical and uplifting tale of understanding, love and family.

Enchanting Review: Far From You

FAR FROM YOU LISA SCHROEDER Contemporary YA Simon Pulse Rating: 4.5 Enchantments Alice's life is a mess, even years after the death of her beloved mother due to cancer. She is continually searching for a way to be close to her mom, her angel, because she can't deal with her father's remarriage. All Alice has left is her best friend Claire, her boyfriend Blaze, her faith, and her music. She seems to be just an afterthought to everyone else. Thanksgiving break comes, and Alice is forced to spend that time with her stepmom's family. She can't even count on Claire anymore since they had a fight, her father is as distant as ever, and miles separate her from Blaze. Alice is as sullen as ever. But when she, her stepmother, and her newborn baby sister are trapped in a ferocious snowstorm, Alice has to confront all her pent up anger and frustration. It's a fight for life and for love that will change Alice's world forever. FAR FROM YOU is a beautiful story, written in verse, about love and loss. Through each poem and song, it is easy to understand Alice and feel her pain. Readers will be able to relate to Alice's feeling of invisibility within her own family, and Schroeder creates this sympathy by writing in a style that evokes so much emotion. Each poem goes deep into Alice's heart, and I really enjoyed reading from her perspective, especially her songs. There is not much drama or action in this book despite the life threatening storm; instead, FAR FROM YOU focuses on emotion and relationships, especially with family. FAR FROM YOU is a very fast read, disappointingly so, but it is one that will give readers a sense of hope and belief in the power of love. Lisa Schroeder has written one other novel in verse, I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME. She is a member of Author2Author, an online writers' blog, and can also be visited online at her website:[...] Rachael Stein Enchanting Reviews January 2009

Perfection

LOVED this book. Lisa Schroeder is definitely one of my favorite authors. Not only is she extremely nice, she is also a fantastic writer. And she writes verse novels like none I've read before. I never thought I'd be a huge fan of books written in that style, but I have proved myself wrong twice now. I'm a huge fan of both I Heart You, You Haunt Me and Far From You. Both books are unique, eloquent, flowing, and emotional. I think I might have liked Far From You even more than Lisa's first book because it was longer, more developed, and it dealed with a broader range of issues, from divorce to survival. I also liked that while the book had some aspects of faith and Christianity in it, it wasn't preachy, or forceful. It was just a part of who the characters were. It added a nice angle to the story. The other thing that I liked about this book was how complete it was. It probably has half as many words as a prose novel of its same size does and it gets the story across just as clearly if not more so. The thing about verse novels is that they are better with emotion and details and feelings. You get to know the characters better and you feel more of a connection to the plot and what's going on in every aspect of the story. And that's the thing that I loved the most. The connection I felt with the book, the characters, and the author. I wish I could get that close to every book I read but sadly, that only happens with a select handful; Far From You included. Far From You by Lisa Schroeder comes out in 2 days, on December 23rd and I highly recommend that you pick up a copy. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. :)

A Suspenseful Surprise

Lyrical prose written in verse, FAR FROM YOU is a great follow up to Schroeder's debut novel in verse, I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME. FAR FROM YOU is a memorable story about Alice, a teen still troubled by the death of her mother several years prior. No one seems to understand why Alice isn't ready to deal with her new step-mother and the excitement of a baby sister on the way--especially her clueless and distracted father. Alice's music and her boyfriend, Blaze, are the only things she has going for her, so when she and her best friend have a huge fight and stop playing music together and then her family drags her away from Blaze for a Christmas road-trip, things look bleak--but they're about to get even bleaker. The pages of this book seem to turn themselves as the tale unfolds, moving forward faster and faster through the phenomenal second half. The story is mesmerizing with the constantly heightened tension, bringing a strong climax that will keep the main character squirming and readers transfixed. The gorgeous language strikes a chord that resonates long after the tale is done. This review is cross-posted at YA Books Central dot com