Dancing on the Edge

Reading the back cover that says this is a story about a girl whose father "melts" according to her grandmother, a psychic, I read it assuming/hoping that it was a fantasy, where people really do melt and disappear, only to reappear in some alternate reality. Alas, the book is realistic fiction. And interesting as such, but I was a bit disappointed. Admittedly it deals with dysfunctional families and resulting mental illness and has important messages to share. But no one actually melted.

At one point, Miracle's grandmother talks about book knowledge: "Reading all the time locks up your brain so you're always thinking one way, and that way is never your own way. You understand me, sugar? It keeps you from perceiving and intuiting things. show more If you want to know something, you don't go look it up in a book. You put your question out there, out into the universe, and then you wait, and sure enough the information comes to you." [p. 43] I disagree. show less

Grades 9 and up-- Miracle (so called because her birth involved her being pulled from the body of her dead mother) is surrounded by some of the most dysfunctional family members to have ever graced a YA novel. It's no great surprise that over time, she teeters closer and closer to the brink of insanity. The inability of her family members to recognize her decline is heartbreaking. The first two-thirds of the book drag (perhaps purposely, to reflect the lethargic emptiness of Miracle's life); it's not until Part II, in which Miracle is hospitalized after setting herself on fire, that the story really comes alive and the reader gets why this was a novel worthy of the National Book Award 15 years ago.

Dancing on the Edge is the story of a dysfunctional family that deals in half truths and suppressing their emotions. Miracle McCloy struggles to deal in the real world having been raised by her grandmother who is a self proclaimed "mystic" and a prodigy father who is emotionally absent. After a tragedy leaves Miracle traumatized she begins to meet with a child psychologist who helps her find her way and face the truth. I enjoyed this story it was quirky but realistic in that many families prefer to cover up the facts or avoid dealing with uncomfortable situations. I thought the book was well written but would have liked more of the back story of her parents.

Miracle McCloy (so named because her mother died before Miracle was actually born) is raised by her father, Dane, and her grandmother, Gigi. Dane is a brilliant novelist and Gigi is a psychic. When Dane disappears, Gigi insists that he has "melted" and Miracle becomes obsessed with finding him.

Miracle finally goes too far and attempts to melt herself. She is seriously injured and ends up in a hospital where she learns the truths that have been hidden from her. It's difficult not to cheer for Miracle as she comes to grips with a reality she has known, deep down, her whole life.

This is one of Nolan's finest novels.

Miracle has her name for a reason, she was born from the body of a dead woman. Her mom was run over by an ambulance when she was 8 months pregnant, the ambulance kept her stable enough so they could pick up the victims they were racing to in the first place, but she was dead before they made it to the hospital. She grew up with her grandmother and her father. Her father was a child prodigy, he published his first book at 13. Her grandmother Gigi is a psychic, she can speak to the dead and read auras. One night when Gigi, Miracle and her aunt and uncle try to contact her mom through a ouija board it says her father is gone. They go down to his room and find his clothes in a pile. Gigi said he melted and Miracle believes her. Ever since show more then Miracle's life has been crazier than she ever could have imagined.

I liked this book. It was very interesting. The plot had so many twists and turns i could write a ten page summary without even giving any spoilers out. But it all seemed to flow very nicely and made the story very interesting. This book goes from when Miracle is 11 to when she is fourteen and it shows how she grows throughout that time. And although that is a long amount of time the book is only 244 pages and is a very fast read show less