Publisher: Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
Release date: May 26, 2015
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 1471115488
Pages: 336
Goodreads || Book Depository
When he’s sent to Latham House, a boarding school for sick teens, Lane thinks his life may as well be over.
But when he meets Sadie and her friends – a group of eccentric troublemakers – he realises that maybe getting sick is just the beginning. That illness doesn’t have to define you, and that falling in love is its own cure.
Extraordinary Means is a darkly funny story about true friendships, ill-fated love and the rare miracle of second chances.
my thoughts
Wow. I absolutely loved this book. I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. It definitely took me by surprise.
A lot of people have compared this novel to The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and I do think that fans of TFIOS would love this… but I probably liked this book more than I liked TFIOS. Extraordinary Means the the type of YA contemporary that I enjoy reading the most, which is why I prefer it over TFIOS. This book is more of a slow contemporary read, without too much action, that gives you all the feels.
I thought the story was so heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I was really drawn into the story and I could not put it down. I enjoyed the writing style and the fact that it was written from dual perspectives. I typically prefer to have just one narrator but I thought the dual perspectives was done very successfully and very well in this novel. The story flowed very well from chapter to chapter, which made it a very smooth and well-paced read. I did think that the end felt a little bit rushed but overall I’m satisfied with how it unfolded. The ending was neither predictable nor surprising. I thought it had a really great balance.
I really loved Lane and Sadie as the main characters. I fell in love with Lane almost right from the beginning and I very quickly grew to love Sadie too. They were both very genuine and likeable characters, who didn’t frustrate me very much. I could see bits of myself in both of their characters. I also really loved some of the minor characters and I felt very connected to them and to their stories.
This book is definitely one of the best 2015 YA contemporary releases I’ve read so far. I’m looking forward to reading more from Robyn Schneider because I really loved The Beginning of Everything (Severed Heads, Broken Hearts) too.
Reading with Jenna || book blog 