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A World Away
A summer of firsts
Sixteen-year-old Eliza Miller has never made a phone call, never tried on a pair of jeans, never sat in a darkened theater waiting for a movie to start. She’s never even talked to someone her age who isn’t Amish, like her.
A summer of good-byes
When she leaves her close-knit family to spend the summer as a nanny in suburban Chicago, a part of her can’t wait to leave behind everything she knows. She can’t imagine the secrets she will uncover, the friends she will make, the surprises and temptations of a way of life so different from her own.
A summer of impossible choice
Every minute Eliza spends with her new friend Josh feels as good as listening to music for the first time, and she wonders whether there might be a place for her in his world. But as summer wanes, she misses the people she has left behind, and the plain life she once took for granted. Eliza will have to decide for herself where she belongs. Whichever choice she makes, she knows she will lose someone she loves.
Sixteen-year-old Eliza Miller has never made a phone call, never tried on a pair of jeans, never sat in a darkened theater waiting for a movie to start. She’s never even talked to someone her age who isn’t Amish, like her.
A summer of good-byes
When she leaves her close-knit family to spend the summer as a nanny in suburban Chicago, a part of her can’t wait to leave behind everything she knows. She can’t imagine the secrets she will uncover, the friends she will make, the surprises and temptations of a way of life so different from her own.
A summer of impossible choice
Every minute Eliza spends with her new friend Josh feels as good as listening to music for the first time, and she wonders whether there might be a place for her in his world. But as summer wanes, she misses the people she has left behind, and the plain life she once took for granted. Eliza will have to decide for herself where she belongs. Whichever choice she makes, she knows she will lose someone she loves.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published July 17, 2012
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2122 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 347 reviews
June 25, 2012
3.5 stars Fascinating topic, but one that could have been explored with much more depth and emotion. Eliza Miller has been content with her life in an Amish community for as long as she can remember. Now that she's just turned sixteen, however, she's considering taking her opportunity to experience her rumspringa, a period of Amish adolescence during which some teenagers choose to leave the community for a time to experience the "English" world.
A premise like this is full of possibilities, not the least of which is the opportunity for us to learn about the Amish culture. The story has barely begun, however, when a stranger comes to her family's dinner table and presents the possibility of a summer spent in Chicago; before we've even learned about Eliza's way of life, we're already expected to identify with and accept her longing for change. While we do get glimpses here and there of some Amish traditions and values (I was especially interested in the custom of planting celery to signify an upcoming nuptial, and the fact that in Eliza's community, "bundling," or fully clothed, full-body contact make-out sessions on a girl's bed is allowed), I'm not sure that we get enough of a feel for either the rhythm and history of that way of life, nor how constrictive that life might begin to feel. I can certainly imagine those things...but I shouldn't have to when I'm reading a book like this.
The first half of the book is pretty straightforward, and for my own taste, it's also a bit uninspired as both a drama and a romance. All the usual things you'd expect for a YA novel are here, including Eliza's first forays into wearing traditional "Yankee" clothes with buttons, wearing makeup, shopping, dating, drinking (even prom, heaven help us), etc. I kept waiting to experience this new life with her with some keen sense of discovery, with wonder at experiencing freedom and creature comforts for the first time, or even some giddy excitement. But the scenarios aren't presented with a great deal of originality or empathy, and coupled with a fairly prosaic writing style, I found my attention occasionally wandering throughout the first 200 pages or so of the story.
Once a mysterious woman named Beth enters the picture, however, and Eliza's mother comes to visit her in Chicago, things suddenly do become a lot more interesting. These are the only two characters that had any sort of dimension to me or whose stories felt real and urgent, and I found their individual stories to be fascinating and even moving to some degree. I wish that Eliza herself were a more dynamic protagonist, however, and that I cared a little more deeply about this life-changing decision she faces: will she choose to stay with her newfound modern way of life, or will she go back to the community in which she grew up? We do get more of a glimpse of Eliza's Amish upbringing later in the book, and the decision she makes is one I'm fairly satisfied with. I just wish that the many complicated issues, histories, and emotions were tackled with a bit more context and a lot more feeling.
Still, this is an interesting book with a topic that's little-explored in fiction, so I'd recommend it as a library read if you're interested. I do wish the acknowledgments at the end of the novel provided some insight into why the author chose to write about this subject, too. I'm curious to know whether she has any ties to the community, or whether this was simply a subject she found intriguing.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review.
A premise like this is full of possibilities, not the least of which is the opportunity for us to learn about the Amish culture. The story has barely begun, however, when a stranger comes to her family's dinner table and presents the possibility of a summer spent in Chicago; before we've even learned about Eliza's way of life, we're already expected to identify with and accept her longing for change. While we do get glimpses here and there of some Amish traditions and values (I was especially interested in the custom of planting celery to signify an upcoming nuptial, and the fact that in Eliza's community, "bundling," or fully clothed, full-body contact make-out sessions on a girl's bed is allowed), I'm not sure that we get enough of a feel for either the rhythm and history of that way of life, nor how constrictive that life might begin to feel. I can certainly imagine those things...but I shouldn't have to when I'm reading a book like this.
The first half of the book is pretty straightforward, and for my own taste, it's also a bit uninspired as both a drama and a romance. All the usual things you'd expect for a YA novel are here, including Eliza's first forays into wearing traditional "Yankee" clothes with buttons, wearing makeup, shopping, dating, drinking (even prom, heaven help us), etc. I kept waiting to experience this new life with her with some keen sense of discovery, with wonder at experiencing freedom and creature comforts for the first time, or even some giddy excitement. But the scenarios aren't presented with a great deal of originality or empathy, and coupled with a fairly prosaic writing style, I found my attention occasionally wandering throughout the first 200 pages or so of the story.
Once a mysterious woman named Beth enters the picture, however, and Eliza's mother comes to visit her in Chicago, things suddenly do become a lot more interesting. These are the only two characters that had any sort of dimension to me or whose stories felt real and urgent, and I found their individual stories to be fascinating and even moving to some degree. I wish that Eliza herself were a more dynamic protagonist, however, and that I cared a little more deeply about this life-changing decision she faces: will she choose to stay with her newfound modern way of life, or will she go back to the community in which she grew up? We do get more of a glimpse of Eliza's Amish upbringing later in the book, and the decision she makes is one I'm fairly satisfied with. I just wish that the many complicated issues, histories, and emotions were tackled with a bit more context and a lot more feeling.
Still, this is an interesting book with a topic that's little-explored in fiction, so I'd recommend it as a library read if you're interested. I do wish the acknowledgments at the end of the novel provided some insight into why the author chose to write about this subject, too. I'm curious to know whether she has any ties to the community, or whether this was simply a subject she found intriguing.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review.
May 3, 2013
Surprisingly compelling story of an Amish girl's Rumspringa - that's a story that has been told a thousand times, but never with characters to whom I felt so connected. It had a somewhat slow start, but once she left home I realized that I was savoring every page. I loved her nannying job and often felt like I was discovering the "English" world along with her. Both her employers and her new love interest were very sweet, as were the things we gradually learned about her family. It might have actually ended up perfect if not for the inevitable Drunk Teenager scene, which is always sure to kill the momentum of a story, regardless of the possible reasons you think you might need that scene (true, it might be realistic for someone so sheltered to be heedless with the advice to "try everything once" - but I can still rage like nobody's business at all the OTHER teenagers for participating).
Still, I like that she took her mother's advice and ultimately made her decision about where to go or stay in the end for herself, not for a boy, and that it felt organic and natural. Which is really great, because right up until the end I still couldn't decide which world I thought she would choose - obviously I can't imagine why a person would voluntarily give up electricity and recorded music, but speaking as a homebody, this book made me realize that I would probably never want to leave the comforting familiarity of the world in which I was raised. Both options were presented as equally valid and appealing, so I'm glad the book did such a thorough job of choosing her path.
Still, I like that she took her mother's advice and ultimately made her decision about where to go or stay in the end for herself, not for a boy, and that it felt organic and natural. Which is really great, because right up until the end I still couldn't decide which world I thought she would choose - obviously I can't imagine why a person would voluntarily give up electricity and recorded music, but speaking as a homebody, this book made me realize that I would probably never want to leave the comforting familiarity of the world in which I was raised. Both options were presented as equally valid and appealing, so I'm glad the book did such a thorough job of choosing her path.
November 20, 2014
Unique... Captivating... Engaging...
Now that I was beginning to understand how to create the magic of this place, I wondered if I’d ever be able to get along without it.
Eliza Miller lives a completely different lifestyle than the normal sixteen year olds of today. In her world, there are no phones, computers, electronics of any sort, washing machines or modern day transportation. The people in her community come from what they refer to as the “Plain World” where their Amish beliefs mold the way they live and think. When Eliza decides to leave her family for her rumspringa, which is a time when Amish teenagers experience the “Fancy Word” for a period of time, Eliza can’t pack her new clothes fast enough.
Taking on a position as a nanny of two small children, Eliza begins to experience the excitement and wonders of this foreign world. She attends movies, concerts and even has the opportunity to date a “Yankee” who takes her to a homecoming and shares his love of music with her. In this new world, she also meets Beth, an aunt she never knew she had because she was shunned for choosing the modern world. During this time of discovery, Eliza not only falls in love with so many aspects of this new life, but also misses the close-knit community she left behind.
There wasn’t a trace of the girl who, only a week ago, had never gone out of the house without a bonnet, who had never stepped into a pair of trousers, who had never fastened an article of clothing with a button. The girl who stared back at me from the mirror was anything but plain.
As she struggles to decide whether to stay or head back home, she know the possibility of either life has its benefits and downfalls.
Overall, I loved the narrative of this story. Eliza’s journey and experiences were not only captivating, but exciting as I got to see through a fresh set of eye the wonders that we take for granted every day. I enjoyed how Eliza appreciated the comforts and luxuries of our modern society, but I also marveled at the type of community the Amish have built for themselves.
A World Away was unique, extremely well written and engaging as it offered me an opportunity to read about the Amish, which was a first for me. Truly an enjoyable experience!
Now that I was beginning to understand how to create the magic of this place, I wondered if I’d ever be able to get along without it.
Eliza Miller lives a completely different lifestyle than the normal sixteen year olds of today. In her world, there are no phones, computers, electronics of any sort, washing machines or modern day transportation. The people in her community come from what they refer to as the “Plain World” where their Amish beliefs mold the way they live and think. When Eliza decides to leave her family for her rumspringa, which is a time when Amish teenagers experience the “Fancy Word” for a period of time, Eliza can’t pack her new clothes fast enough.
Taking on a position as a nanny of two small children, Eliza begins to experience the excitement and wonders of this foreign world. She attends movies, concerts and even has the opportunity to date a “Yankee” who takes her to a homecoming and shares his love of music with her. In this new world, she also meets Beth, an aunt she never knew she had because she was shunned for choosing the modern world. During this time of discovery, Eliza not only falls in love with so many aspects of this new life, but also misses the close-knit community she left behind.
There wasn’t a trace of the girl who, only a week ago, had never gone out of the house without a bonnet, who had never stepped into a pair of trousers, who had never fastened an article of clothing with a button. The girl who stared back at me from the mirror was anything but plain.
As she struggles to decide whether to stay or head back home, she know the possibility of either life has its benefits and downfalls.
Overall, I loved the narrative of this story. Eliza’s journey and experiences were not only captivating, but exciting as I got to see through a fresh set of eye the wonders that we take for granted every day. I enjoyed how Eliza appreciated the comforts and luxuries of our modern society, but I also marveled at the type of community the Amish have built for themselves.
A World Away was unique, extremely well written and engaging as it offered me an opportunity to read about the Amish, which was a first for me. Truly an enjoyable experience!
September 24, 2022
Schwierig für mich zu bewerten. Vielleicht hätte es mir vor 10 Jahren besser gefallen. Es ließ sich super schnell lesen, war aber alles in allem einfach sehr nichtssagend und ich weiß, dass ich das Buch in ein paar Monaten vergessen haben werde. Die Charaktere sind alle super eindimensional und ohne Tiefe, die Story vorhersehbar. Und alles läuft immer so unfassbar glatt! Probleme lösen sich wie durch Zauberhand in Luft auf, alles bleibt ohne wirkliche Konsequenzen. Wenigstens habe ich ein bisschen über die Amisch lernen können.
August 10, 2012
This was an enjoyable book, but nothing earth-shattering. I found it in the teen section, but it is definitely on the lower end of the YA reading level spectrum, and I found the writing to be juvenile at times. Recommended for middle-schoolers. I very much enjoyed watching Eliza experience and learn about a new culture while on her rumspringa (Eliza is Amish and spends one summer nannying for an "English," or non-Amish, family). It was a little tedious that every chapter ended with a moral or profound realization on Eliza's part; I think changing the structure a bit would improve the reading experience.
My favorite part of the novel by far was Nancy Grossman's description of Eliza learning about music, and my favorite passage is from when she and Josh are sharing earbuds and she listens to a iPod for the first time:
"His nearness was awkward and exciting and just a little bit indecent. But I didn't have too long to think about it because suddenly music was pouring directly into my ear. Words flowed through, sweet and smooth, about a blackbird with broken wings learning how to fly. It was poetry and music together. It made me think of Daniel's gift, an of my dreams to feel free in another place. I listened to the music and the words and I felt the farness of home and the nearness of Josh. I couldn't move because then the music would stop. And I couldn't stay because I was too close to this boy who I didn't really know. But then I realized that I wanted to know him, so I chose to stay."
While that passage makes the novel sound like a YA romance, it is much more about Eliza's coming-of-age, and I would say that Grossman does a good job creating a moving coming-of-age story that many young adults could relate to.
My favorite part of the novel by far was Nancy Grossman's description of Eliza learning about music, and my favorite passage is from when she and Josh are sharing earbuds and she listens to a iPod for the first time:
"His nearness was awkward and exciting and just a little bit indecent. But I didn't have too long to think about it because suddenly music was pouring directly into my ear. Words flowed through, sweet and smooth, about a blackbird with broken wings learning how to fly. It was poetry and music together. It made me think of Daniel's gift, an of my dreams to feel free in another place. I listened to the music and the words and I felt the farness of home and the nearness of Josh. I couldn't move because then the music would stop. And I couldn't stay because I was too close to this boy who I didn't really know. But then I realized that I wanted to know him, so I chose to stay."
While that passage makes the novel sound like a YA romance, it is much more about Eliza's coming-of-age, and I would say that Grossman does a good job creating a moving coming-of-age story that many young adults could relate to.
December 30, 2012
Loved it!! A favorite. Rumspringa? Yes, this is a typically the time some 16-year old Amish individuals separate themselves from their community and live with the English and try out the things they have never experienced before. Electricity, cars, washing machines, alcohol, sex and even drugs are used by some of these Amish individuals but for Eliza she has always had the dream of just getting away to see what the other world was all about. When her dream finally comes true, the reality of being a nanny to a couple of young children and wearing street clothes are just the beginning of being English. The opportunity of staying up late and reading under a light bulb and listening to music while cleaning the house seems like winning the lottery to this sixteen-year old girl and perhaps the excitement and the newness of the world opening up to her made this book so exciting. It was like she was being reborn every day. When a young boy arrives into her life, dating without the restrictions of the Amish community seems exciting yet also scary for Eliza and I felt a bit protective of her as the relationship with Josh continued. Living within the Amish community, life was simple and her friendship were tight but living with her new family, building friendship with people her own age becomes complicated as we all know how teenagers can be. Who can you trust? Is Eliza an object to show around because of where she came from or can she fit in? What about the strange address her mother sent her? What secrets do they hold?
What a wonderful story about trying to break out of your box. Eliza wanted to break out of the Amish community because she felt trapped and felt the grass was greener on the other side. She dreamed of living with the English (being among American people) and living with the modern conveniences and options that we have. She finally got her wish and she got her freedom. She also got to make some of her own choices and she dealt with her own consequences. I loved the drama of the story and the way the author made Eliza push herself. Eliza had doubt but she also knew this was her chance. I could not put this book down and found myself crying at times and later laughing at the way, Eliza was describing her new world. The way the author described the new world as Eliza discovered things for the first time was so exciting and made me realize how much we take for granted – a car handle, the radio, the baseball stadium, the mall, drinking alcohol, etc. The character faced many challenges, not all easy but she needed to do them to really understand and learn. Eliza does experience drinking and some intimate relationships (not sex) but as I have said before this is a great book that handles these situations maturely. Excellent book!!
“And maybe you can show me the fruit stand where Josh works.” There was a second of silence, just enough time to make me feel uneasy. “Josh doesn’t work at a fruit stand, “she said. I could feel Josh and Greg exchanging glances. I cleared my throat, knowing that I was about to make things worse. “I thought he worked at an apple store.” Valerie erupted into snorty laughter. Heat spread across my cheeks. Josh’s voice was gentle. “I work at a computer store,” he explained. “The name of the company is Apple.”
What a wonderful story about trying to break out of your box. Eliza wanted to break out of the Amish community because she felt trapped and felt the grass was greener on the other side. She dreamed of living with the English (being among American people) and living with the modern conveniences and options that we have. She finally got her wish and she got her freedom. She also got to make some of her own choices and she dealt with her own consequences. I loved the drama of the story and the way the author made Eliza push herself. Eliza had doubt but she also knew this was her chance. I could not put this book down and found myself crying at times and later laughing at the way, Eliza was describing her new world. The way the author described the new world as Eliza discovered things for the first time was so exciting and made me realize how much we take for granted – a car handle, the radio, the baseball stadium, the mall, drinking alcohol, etc. The character faced many challenges, not all easy but she needed to do them to really understand and learn. Eliza does experience drinking and some intimate relationships (not sex) but as I have said before this is a great book that handles these situations maturely. Excellent book!!
“And maybe you can show me the fruit stand where Josh works.” There was a second of silence, just enough time to make me feel uneasy. “Josh doesn’t work at a fruit stand, “she said. I could feel Josh and Greg exchanging glances. I cleared my throat, knowing that I was about to make things worse. “I thought he worked at an apple store.” Valerie erupted into snorty laughter. Heat spread across my cheeks. Josh’s voice was gentle. “I work at a computer store,” he explained. “The name of the company is Apple.”
April 6, 2015
I've never read a book about the Amish lifestyle before or really anything related to the Amish so this was such an interesting book for me. It does a great job of contrasting the two lifestyles and how each shape us as a person. So I really enjoyed that part of this book.
The blurb also really does this book justice in previewing all the choices that have to be made and what the book is all about. Eliza doesn't know much about the modern world except the limited knowledge she gained from the parties the Amish teenagers throw. It was fascinating seeing how little she actually knew about the world and watching her find out for herself. It also brought to light how different the cultures are. Like how everyone is so honest and welcoming in the Amish but not so much in the modern world. Eliza also mentioned how the time management is so different. When she was with her Amish family, no time was ever wasted and she was always doing something but in the modern world, she has more time than she knows what to do with. I don't think I ever really realized how much time we do have but refuse to acknowledge.
As for the plot, I couldn't put this book down and even though some of Eliza's actions made me facepalm, they're actually true because she doesn't know how the modern world works and her ignorance played a large part of the plot.
As for the choice at the end, I was totally satisfied and it wasn't the obvious choice either. Well, at least not in the way you're expecting.
The Final Verdict:
Such a great book about a regular Amish teenager finding her way through the modern world. I really enjoyed reading from Eliza's perspective and it felt very authentic (coming from a person who knows nothing about the Amish).
5 stars
Quotes:
“When we choose to be different, we have to expect a little attention.”
“We can do without things easier than we can do without people.”
The blurb also really does this book justice in previewing all the choices that have to be made and what the book is all about. Eliza doesn't know much about the modern world except the limited knowledge she gained from the parties the Amish teenagers throw. It was fascinating seeing how little she actually knew about the world and watching her find out for herself. It also brought to light how different the cultures are. Like how everyone is so honest and welcoming in the Amish but not so much in the modern world. Eliza also mentioned how the time management is so different. When she was with her Amish family, no time was ever wasted and she was always doing something but in the modern world, she has more time than she knows what to do with. I don't think I ever really realized how much time we do have but refuse to acknowledge.
As for the plot, I couldn't put this book down and even though some of Eliza's actions made me facepalm, they're actually true because she doesn't know how the modern world works and her ignorance played a large part of the plot.
As for the choice at the end, I was totally satisfied and it wasn't the obvious choice either. Well, at least not in the way you're expecting.
The Final Verdict:
Such a great book about a regular Amish teenager finding her way through the modern world. I really enjoyed reading from Eliza's perspective and it felt very authentic (coming from a person who knows nothing about the Amish).
5 stars
Quotes:
“When we choose to be different, we have to expect a little attention.”
“We can do without things easier than we can do without people.”
October 26, 2017
I liked the subject matter but not the story.
When I picked up A World Away I was so excited by the story of a young Amish girl (teen) spending time in our world (the Fancy world). I was sadly disappointed to read a very regular teen romance of a pretty plain girl who happens to be Amish.
I really wanted to read more about Eliza in Amish Country with her family, see more of her relationship with Daniel, and have the story take us back home to Plain Amish life after having seen the Modern world.
I shouldn't be upset about the story that wasn't and instead focus on the story that A World Away is, but it's hard to see past the totally annoying teen romance from chapters 14-44.
I can tell Nacy Grossman really did her Amish research & I loved learning more about their community than I ever had.
3 star overall.
When I picked up A World Away I was so excited by the story of a young Amish girl (teen) spending time in our world (the Fancy world). I was sadly disappointed to read a very regular teen romance of a pretty plain girl who happens to be Amish.
I really wanted to read more about Eliza in Amish Country with her family, see more of her relationship with Daniel, and have the story take us back home to Plain Amish life after having seen the Modern world.
I shouldn't be upset about the story that wasn't and instead focus on the story that A World Away is, but it's hard to see past the totally annoying teen romance from chapters 14-44.
I can tell Nacy Grossman really did her Amish research & I loved learning more about their community than I ever had.
3 star overall.
November 29, 2025
Saw it coming the whole time.
July 6, 2018
A World Away
Nancy Grossman
Could you imagine living in a world with no internet, cell phones, television or even the simplest electric or kitchen devices? Could you imagine this? This is a live some of us have chosen. They life in a small community most of the time on their own. They dismiss our way of living and they decided to live in a simple way with only the things which are really necessary. Their biggest community is located mainly in Iowa and Philadelphia.
The book “A world away” written by Nancy Grossman, with 400 Pages, was published at the 17. July.2012 by the publishing company Disney-Hyperion. It is dedicated to the Genre Fiction and Romance.
The book is about a young Amish girl called Elisa Miller. She had left her family for the summer to make her big wish came true. She is spending time in Chicago to work as a babysitter in her Rumspringa year. She is making a lot of new experiences in the “new world” also in meeting special people, which will make her decision even harder to leave or to stay at the end.
The story is taking place in Iowa and Chicago. Elisa is living in a small city in Iowa with her Amish family in the community. But until her Rumspringa she is allowed to live in Chicago by her host family. Elisha is an open minded, happy, cheerful but also a dutiful, efficient person. She left Primary school a few years ago and is working in a small pension nearby her home.
She always wanted to know more about the culture and real life of common “English” people. And this is what a Rumspringa normally means for teenagers from the Amish. They can leave the Amish community for a while to learn more about other cultures. After that year they need to make their decisions to join or leave the Amish community. Elisa and her friends were always talking and laughing about the life of the English. But nobody - exept Elisa - really wanted to try their live.
Her best friend Kate just had bad experiences with the Rumspringa. Therefore, she ignores Elisa at the beginning while she presented her the idea to leave the Amish for a while and to life with the “English”.
Her Brother left the Amish after his baptism for a normal life. This is a clear rule of the Amish, so he got shunned. She was not able to stay in contact with her brother any more.
She was afraid not only loosing her brother, she was afraid to lose her best friend too. Another important person in Elisa`s life is Daniel. He is a good friend of her and asked his girlfriend after her rumspinga. Elisa really likes him but after she got the permission of leave the Amish for the summer, she just wanted to try out the other life without any promisses while her time apart. So she asked him to stay and wait till she returns.
Her brother Jemes and her father made it possible for her to leave. Her brother already spend a year abroad to finish his vocational training. Both helped to convince Elisa`s mother to do her “Rumspringa”. Elisa knows that her mother had also spend a time abroad to earn money for her family. But she did not understood why Elisa wanted to go either.
Sometimes the Miller family arranged a dinner with non-Amish people, to present their way of living and convince “English” people that this is the right way. This is where Elisa med Rachel, her later employer. She asked Elisa, by meeting her in the pension where Elisa used to work, to come with her through the summer to watch after the kids. She is a mother of two little children and is looking for a babysitter. A few days later and after a lot of discussions with her mother, brother and father she got the permission to go and work for Rachels family.
In Rachels home she med the two little kids. A boy called Ben the girl named Janie and also her husband Sam. At the beginning the kids have been very sad because former nanny “Missy” left. They do not like Elisa at first. But most important Elisa gets to know all the devices like the refrigerator, a cell phone, the computer, a hairdryer from which she had heard before. She was absolutely fascinated. Live was so easy and not very much work to do, big supermarkets instead of hard work on the field. It was great.
While she get used to all this devices and possibilities of the city she got even more afraid not to be able to live without them anymore. She also met Joey a good-looking boy from the neighborhood and a friend of Rachels family. He had the same age and taught her everything about music. They started spending time together and he dated her. Elisa also met his friends Jimmy, Elly and Veron. They spend time together in clubs, restaurants, cinemas and shopping centers.
On one day Elisa got a letter from her mom. She did not even ask how Elisa's life was in her temporary family. Her mother just wanted her to search for a woman called Beth Winters near to Elisa’s home. After Elisa told Joey about the strange letter, he drove her to the address . A woman opened the door and started crying after she looked at Elisa and heard her name. She told Elisa that she is the sister of her mother and her aunt. It was a shock for her, because she never heard anything about an aunt and that just had to mean one thing. She was kicked out of the Amish because she chose this world. During the evening of their visit Beth told Elisa the whole story. Her aunt always was the craziest and funniest person in her family. Their parents were worried to find a man for her, because she did not behave like a good Amish. Elisa`s mother and her had a very close relationship. During the Rumspringa of Elisa’s mother the relationship was not that strong anymore.
After Elisa’s mother came back for her year abroad she was changed, like another person. Beth told Elisa, her mother married her father immediately after she came back. She was not that funny and full of joy like before. The relationship between those two sisters was getting worse. The important part of the story why Elisa’s aunt is living here an Elisa had never heard of her was because of a boy. She met him in the library. Both were falling in love with each other. Right after Beth told her family that she is having a boyfriend they started to ignore her and kicked her out of their Amish community. She was moving to Chicago with her boyfriend and got married to him a view years later. She had never heard anything about her family from now on. In the beginning she was writing some letters to them but nobody answered. It was the biggest wish of Elisa`s aunt to met someone of her family. And now they found each other.
Elisa spend a lot of time with her new aunt and told her how her family is doing. She also wrote a letter back to her mother that she found her lost aunt. But also, the summer was getting over and the date of return was getting closer and closer. Rachel was asking Elisa to stay until October because she didn’t finish her work and she needed help with the kids. Elisa was fine with that and asked her parents. The response was a visit of her mother. She allowed Elisa to stay longer and wanted to met Joshua and her lost sister. She was very kind to Joshua and had no doubt about him, she was fine with him. The meeting with her sister was very special. In their first meeting after 30 years they were happy, confused and angry and at the end of the day sad about the decision they made in the past.
Her mother told both that she is living in a lie. After her return of the Rumspringa she was pregnant with Margret, the older sister of Elisa. She married Elisa’s father as fast as possible, that nobody will notice her pregnancy. Her husband knows the whole story and was fine with that. From now on she wanted to live as a good Amish and never do those mistakes again. She was angry about herself that she let her little sister leave. It was one of her biggest mistakes she ever made. She wanted to stay in contact with her sister from now on. Even if that would mean, when somebody finds out, she will be kicked out by the Amish. She never wanted to do this mistake again.
After she left Elisa started a relationship with Joshua. Both were very happy to show that they stay in love. After the summer Joshua had to go to High School. Elisa was working the whole day. It was not easy to met each other.
In September they were going to the Homecoming of Joshua at his school. Rachel was taking the first photo of Elisa and Joshua together. It was a big thing for Elisa, because it was not allowed to photograph an Amish person. But she was fascinated by freezing the time.
At this party she tried alcohol for the first time. It was to much for her and she had a hangover the next day. She was asking Joshua to drive her home because she did not feel very well. Right in front of Rachels house she was opening the door while driving cause she needed to throw up. Joshua was so shocked that he drove through the garage door of Rachel. After that situation both of them were angry about each other and started to argue. They did not talk to each other for a long time but this showed Elisa that she really was in love with this guy. She missed him and surprised him with a concert card. Right after they get along and started to have a great time again. The last view weeks and days of Elisa’s return were close. They started to think about the future. What is she going to do with Josh or her family? Is she ready to go back, or will she leave her old life and take part in a life with Joshua?
Elisa talked with her aunt and thought about her old life. It was simple, but it had everything she need. There is not much trouble and it is clear for her what to do for the rest of her life.
She was thinking about her actual this life which was so new and fascinating at the beginning.
The things which have been new and fascinating at the beginning used to be quite normal after a certain time also. After all these considerations she decided to go back to her family. Joshua first was not fine with that but understands that he can’t take Elisa away from her family which she loved. He was not okay with it but wanted to support Elisa. They made an agreement to visit each other in the past and always stay in contact. On the day she left she was happy to get this opportunity to meet so many new people and go back to her life with a good feeling. The book ended with her in the train riding home.
The book was a very exciting story with a lot of changes. You could really feel Elisa’s emotions, heard braking experiences and decisions she had to make. It was a kind of cute how she was learning things about our life. It was also very interesting how a Amish person was thinking about our way of living. We didn’t recognize the simplest things in our life like driving a car, making food in the microwave and shopping in the “Apple” shop (not a greengrocer`s shop, this is what Elisa thought before). At the end of the book it really takes very long for Elisa to make her decision to go home.
I definitely recommend this book to other people, because it is a good written romance and fiction book. You can really feel with the main characters and understand them. It is a great book to read for teenagers or adults. And most important you can learn things about the culture and a life of the Amish which is also interesting.
From Anna-Joy
Nancy Grossman
Could you imagine living in a world with no internet, cell phones, television or even the simplest electric or kitchen devices? Could you imagine this? This is a live some of us have chosen. They life in a small community most of the time on their own. They dismiss our way of living and they decided to live in a simple way with only the things which are really necessary. Their biggest community is located mainly in Iowa and Philadelphia.
The book “A world away” written by Nancy Grossman, with 400 Pages, was published at the 17. July.2012 by the publishing company Disney-Hyperion. It is dedicated to the Genre Fiction and Romance.
The book is about a young Amish girl called Elisa Miller. She had left her family for the summer to make her big wish came true. She is spending time in Chicago to work as a babysitter in her Rumspringa year. She is making a lot of new experiences in the “new world” also in meeting special people, which will make her decision even harder to leave or to stay at the end.
The story is taking place in Iowa and Chicago. Elisa is living in a small city in Iowa with her Amish family in the community. But until her Rumspringa she is allowed to live in Chicago by her host family. Elisha is an open minded, happy, cheerful but also a dutiful, efficient person. She left Primary school a few years ago and is working in a small pension nearby her home.
She always wanted to know more about the culture and real life of common “English” people. And this is what a Rumspringa normally means for teenagers from the Amish. They can leave the Amish community for a while to learn more about other cultures. After that year they need to make their decisions to join or leave the Amish community. Elisa and her friends were always talking and laughing about the life of the English. But nobody - exept Elisa - really wanted to try their live.
Her best friend Kate just had bad experiences with the Rumspringa. Therefore, she ignores Elisa at the beginning while she presented her the idea to leave the Amish for a while and to life with the “English”.
Her Brother left the Amish after his baptism for a normal life. This is a clear rule of the Amish, so he got shunned. She was not able to stay in contact with her brother any more.
She was afraid not only loosing her brother, she was afraid to lose her best friend too. Another important person in Elisa`s life is Daniel. He is a good friend of her and asked his girlfriend after her rumspinga. Elisa really likes him but after she got the permission of leave the Amish for the summer, she just wanted to try out the other life without any promisses while her time apart. So she asked him to stay and wait till she returns.
Her brother Jemes and her father made it possible for her to leave. Her brother already spend a year abroad to finish his vocational training. Both helped to convince Elisa`s mother to do her “Rumspringa”. Elisa knows that her mother had also spend a time abroad to earn money for her family. But she did not understood why Elisa wanted to go either.
Sometimes the Miller family arranged a dinner with non-Amish people, to present their way of living and convince “English” people that this is the right way. This is where Elisa med Rachel, her later employer. She asked Elisa, by meeting her in the pension where Elisa used to work, to come with her through the summer to watch after the kids. She is a mother of two little children and is looking for a babysitter. A few days later and after a lot of discussions with her mother, brother and father she got the permission to go and work for Rachels family.
In Rachels home she med the two little kids. A boy called Ben the girl named Janie and also her husband Sam. At the beginning the kids have been very sad because former nanny “Missy” left. They do not like Elisa at first. But most important Elisa gets to know all the devices like the refrigerator, a cell phone, the computer, a hairdryer from which she had heard before. She was absolutely fascinated. Live was so easy and not very much work to do, big supermarkets instead of hard work on the field. It was great.
While she get used to all this devices and possibilities of the city she got even more afraid not to be able to live without them anymore. She also met Joey a good-looking boy from the neighborhood and a friend of Rachels family. He had the same age and taught her everything about music. They started spending time together and he dated her. Elisa also met his friends Jimmy, Elly and Veron. They spend time together in clubs, restaurants, cinemas and shopping centers.
On one day Elisa got a letter from her mom. She did not even ask how Elisa's life was in her temporary family. Her mother just wanted her to search for a woman called Beth Winters near to Elisa’s home. After Elisa told Joey about the strange letter, he drove her to the address . A woman opened the door and started crying after she looked at Elisa and heard her name. She told Elisa that she is the sister of her mother and her aunt. It was a shock for her, because she never heard anything about an aunt and that just had to mean one thing. She was kicked out of the Amish because she chose this world. During the evening of their visit Beth told Elisa the whole story. Her aunt always was the craziest and funniest person in her family. Their parents were worried to find a man for her, because she did not behave like a good Amish. Elisa`s mother and her had a very close relationship. During the Rumspringa of Elisa’s mother the relationship was not that strong anymore.
After Elisa’s mother came back for her year abroad she was changed, like another person. Beth told Elisa, her mother married her father immediately after she came back. She was not that funny and full of joy like before. The relationship between those two sisters was getting worse. The important part of the story why Elisa’s aunt is living here an Elisa had never heard of her was because of a boy. She met him in the library. Both were falling in love with each other. Right after Beth told her family that she is having a boyfriend they started to ignore her and kicked her out of their Amish community. She was moving to Chicago with her boyfriend and got married to him a view years later. She had never heard anything about her family from now on. In the beginning she was writing some letters to them but nobody answered. It was the biggest wish of Elisa`s aunt to met someone of her family. And now they found each other.
Elisa spend a lot of time with her new aunt and told her how her family is doing. She also wrote a letter back to her mother that she found her lost aunt. But also, the summer was getting over and the date of return was getting closer and closer. Rachel was asking Elisa to stay until October because she didn’t finish her work and she needed help with the kids. Elisa was fine with that and asked her parents. The response was a visit of her mother. She allowed Elisa to stay longer and wanted to met Joshua and her lost sister. She was very kind to Joshua and had no doubt about him, she was fine with him. The meeting with her sister was very special. In their first meeting after 30 years they were happy, confused and angry and at the end of the day sad about the decision they made in the past.
Her mother told both that she is living in a lie. After her return of the Rumspringa she was pregnant with Margret, the older sister of Elisa. She married Elisa’s father as fast as possible, that nobody will notice her pregnancy. Her husband knows the whole story and was fine with that. From now on she wanted to live as a good Amish and never do those mistakes again. She was angry about herself that she let her little sister leave. It was one of her biggest mistakes she ever made. She wanted to stay in contact with her sister from now on. Even if that would mean, when somebody finds out, she will be kicked out by the Amish. She never wanted to do this mistake again.
After she left Elisa started a relationship with Joshua. Both were very happy to show that they stay in love. After the summer Joshua had to go to High School. Elisa was working the whole day. It was not easy to met each other.
In September they were going to the Homecoming of Joshua at his school. Rachel was taking the first photo of Elisa and Joshua together. It was a big thing for Elisa, because it was not allowed to photograph an Amish person. But she was fascinated by freezing the time.
At this party she tried alcohol for the first time. It was to much for her and she had a hangover the next day. She was asking Joshua to drive her home because she did not feel very well. Right in front of Rachels house she was opening the door while driving cause she needed to throw up. Joshua was so shocked that he drove through the garage door of Rachel. After that situation both of them were angry about each other and started to argue. They did not talk to each other for a long time but this showed Elisa that she really was in love with this guy. She missed him and surprised him with a concert card. Right after they get along and started to have a great time again. The last view weeks and days of Elisa’s return were close. They started to think about the future. What is she going to do with Josh or her family? Is she ready to go back, or will she leave her old life and take part in a life with Joshua?
Elisa talked with her aunt and thought about her old life. It was simple, but it had everything she need. There is not much trouble and it is clear for her what to do for the rest of her life.
She was thinking about her actual this life which was so new and fascinating at the beginning.
The things which have been new and fascinating at the beginning used to be quite normal after a certain time also. After all these considerations she decided to go back to her family. Joshua first was not fine with that but understands that he can’t take Elisa away from her family which she loved. He was not okay with it but wanted to support Elisa. They made an agreement to visit each other in the past and always stay in contact. On the day she left she was happy to get this opportunity to meet so many new people and go back to her life with a good feeling. The book ended with her in the train riding home.
The book was a very exciting story with a lot of changes. You could really feel Elisa’s emotions, heard braking experiences and decisions she had to make. It was a kind of cute how she was learning things about our life. It was also very interesting how a Amish person was thinking about our way of living. We didn’t recognize the simplest things in our life like driving a car, making food in the microwave and shopping in the “Apple” shop (not a greengrocer`s shop, this is what Elisa thought before). At the end of the book it really takes very long for Elisa to make her decision to go home.
I definitely recommend this book to other people, because it is a good written romance and fiction book. You can really feel with the main characters and understand them. It is a great book to read for teenagers or adults. And most important you can learn things about the culture and a life of the Amish which is also interesting.
From Anna-Joy
October 25, 2012
You’ll see the world through fresh eyes in this delicately written coming of age novel about an Amish girl who leaves home for the first time…
I’ve been reading a lot of action-driven novels lately, so it was a nice change to get stuck into something more subtly crafted. And the unique perspective of Eliza, the central character of A World Away, made it an utterly absorbing read.
The book opens with Eliza and her mother preparing for a dinner in their Amish home in Ohio. Dressed in simple linen dresses and white bonnets, they serve a rustic home-cooked meal of roast chicken and apple pie with hand-pumped water, in their dining room lit by oil lanterns – all in keeping with the traditional Amish ‘plain’ way of living that rejects modern technology. The dinner guests are all ‘English’ (the Amish term for non-Amish people) who are curious to learn about their hosts’ way of life. But it’s not only the guests who are curious: Eliza is just as intrigued by them and their ‘fancy’ ways, particularly the two teenaged girls who wear bright colours on their eyes and spend the evening tapping on their phones.
It’s an important time in Eliza’s life – aged sixteen she has reached the time for her rumspringa, when Amish teenagers are allowed a summer of ‘running wild’ and to sample the many forbidden treats of the outside world before making a decision whether to be baptised and to take the vow to renounce that world forever. Eliza is eager to get away, but first she has to persuade her conservative parents.
At the start of the book the writing itself seems ‘plain’, but as the story takes shape many layers are added, like the complementary and contrasting colours of a traditional Amish quilt slowly being stitched together. Having convinced her parents to allow her to spend the summer working as a nanny in the home of Mrs Aster, a guest who attends one of her mother’s weekly dinners, Eliza sets off into the ‘real’ world. From that moment every page is filled with the thrill of new experiences as Eliza rides in a car, listens to music, watches a movie and does for the very first time many things most of us take for granted. I loved the way it gives you a fresh look at the world, and the author has a knack for pinpointing mundane events that become extraordinary seen through Eliza’s unworldly eyes. I particularly liked the moment when Eliza stands beneath overhead tracks as a train rumbles past: ‘This extraordinary event that took away sound and breath and light – this incredible shaking moment happens every five minutes. It didn’t seem possible.’
Predictably, once let loose in the real world with its relaxed social rules Eliza meets a boy, named Josh. They hang out, he introduces her to music, and in a touching and quite innocent way something more soon begins to blossom. Nagging at the back of Eliza’s mind is the fact that at the end of the summer she will have to decide whether to return home, or leave her family forever to live in the real world. Her relationship with Josh, of course, figures heavily in her final decision, but she isn’t completely swept off course by romance – she’s very much aware of making a choice that’s right for her. And I won’t spoil any surprises, but there are a few other factors she encounters in the ‘English’ world that give her even more reason to want to stay. By the end of the book, through making her own mistakes Eliza has realised that things aren’t as black and white as they may first seem, and has developed into someone who is capable of making the life-changing decision she first set out to address.
There is so much to discover in this book. I was first drawn to it because of the Amish theme – I knew next to nothing about this group of people, and Nancy Grossman, who lives in Chicago and has had dinner with an Amish family herself, gives a real insight into their way of life. But the book also explores universal themes that anyone Eliza’s age will be familiar with – figuring out who you are and where you fit into the world, feeling like the odd one out amongst your peers, outward appearances and how they reflect or hide your personality, the value of true friendship, and that tricky business of readjusting your relationship with your mother as you become an adult. It’s a thought-provoking read with a heart-warming message at its centre – that you can manage without material things, but not without the people you love.
I’ve been reading a lot of action-driven novels lately, so it was a nice change to get stuck into something more subtly crafted. And the unique perspective of Eliza, the central character of A World Away, made it an utterly absorbing read.
The book opens with Eliza and her mother preparing for a dinner in their Amish home in Ohio. Dressed in simple linen dresses and white bonnets, they serve a rustic home-cooked meal of roast chicken and apple pie with hand-pumped water, in their dining room lit by oil lanterns – all in keeping with the traditional Amish ‘plain’ way of living that rejects modern technology. The dinner guests are all ‘English’ (the Amish term for non-Amish people) who are curious to learn about their hosts’ way of life. But it’s not only the guests who are curious: Eliza is just as intrigued by them and their ‘fancy’ ways, particularly the two teenaged girls who wear bright colours on their eyes and spend the evening tapping on their phones.
It’s an important time in Eliza’s life – aged sixteen she has reached the time for her rumspringa, when Amish teenagers are allowed a summer of ‘running wild’ and to sample the many forbidden treats of the outside world before making a decision whether to be baptised and to take the vow to renounce that world forever. Eliza is eager to get away, but first she has to persuade her conservative parents.
At the start of the book the writing itself seems ‘plain’, but as the story takes shape many layers are added, like the complementary and contrasting colours of a traditional Amish quilt slowly being stitched together. Having convinced her parents to allow her to spend the summer working as a nanny in the home of Mrs Aster, a guest who attends one of her mother’s weekly dinners, Eliza sets off into the ‘real’ world. From that moment every page is filled with the thrill of new experiences as Eliza rides in a car, listens to music, watches a movie and does for the very first time many things most of us take for granted. I loved the way it gives you a fresh look at the world, and the author has a knack for pinpointing mundane events that become extraordinary seen through Eliza’s unworldly eyes. I particularly liked the moment when Eliza stands beneath overhead tracks as a train rumbles past: ‘This extraordinary event that took away sound and breath and light – this incredible shaking moment happens every five minutes. It didn’t seem possible.’
Predictably, once let loose in the real world with its relaxed social rules Eliza meets a boy, named Josh. They hang out, he introduces her to music, and in a touching and quite innocent way something more soon begins to blossom. Nagging at the back of Eliza’s mind is the fact that at the end of the summer she will have to decide whether to return home, or leave her family forever to live in the real world. Her relationship with Josh, of course, figures heavily in her final decision, but she isn’t completely swept off course by romance – she’s very much aware of making a choice that’s right for her. And I won’t spoil any surprises, but there are a few other factors she encounters in the ‘English’ world that give her even more reason to want to stay. By the end of the book, through making her own mistakes Eliza has realised that things aren’t as black and white as they may first seem, and has developed into someone who is capable of making the life-changing decision she first set out to address.
There is so much to discover in this book. I was first drawn to it because of the Amish theme – I knew next to nothing about this group of people, and Nancy Grossman, who lives in Chicago and has had dinner with an Amish family herself, gives a real insight into their way of life. But the book also explores universal themes that anyone Eliza’s age will be familiar with – figuring out who you are and where you fit into the world, feeling like the odd one out amongst your peers, outward appearances and how they reflect or hide your personality, the value of true friendship, and that tricky business of readjusting your relationship with your mother as you become an adult. It’s a thought-provoking read with a heart-warming message at its centre – that you can manage without material things, but not without the people you love.
March 17, 2017
I really liked this book. Sweet, lovely, there were a few places that got a bit edgy, but just stayed on the side of being a clean novel. Probably recommend for older teens.
June 29, 2017
Böyle sizi yormayacak okurken huzur bulacağınız teknolojinin hiç olmadığı bir yerden teknolojinin göbeğine düşüp iki yeri kıyaslayarak geleceği ile ilgili bir karar vermesi gereken ve bu kararı da bireylere göre değilde kendi istediği için veren bir kızla ilgili sıcacık güzel ve samimi bir kitaptı.
June 3, 2015
A World Away is a fictional novel written by Nancy Grossman, one that tells the touching story of a teenage girl looking to find herself. As an Amish girl, Eliza Miller has lived all sixteen years of her life apart from modern Americans having never ventured outside of the Amish community. The community rarely associated themselves with non-Amish people, whom they refer to as “The English”. Eliza became fascinated by the outside world when she was just a little girl and has been longing to leave the community since then. Luckily for her, her rumspringa would begin soon and she would finally have her freedom. Rumspringa is an Amish tradition when teenagers are allowed to run wild and do whatever they want. After arguing and crying, Eliza finally persuaded her strict Amish mother to allow her to go live with the English as a babysitter for an English woman. Finally free, Eliza experienced many new things and met many new people. She felt as if she had found herself in that strange new world and was completely at home. However, it was not long before she began to wish for both worlds.
Eliza’s tale moved readers as she struggled to find herself. Readers followed along as she lived the life of an English girl in happiness, despaired over the her mother’s secret, and attempted to determine where she belonged. In her journey to find herself, Eliza stayed away from everything she had known for months, persevering through tough times and creating new friends along the way. Grossman reminds readers not to take the simplest things for granted. Even with all the new and exciting technology offered in the English world, Eliza found herself longing for her old life yet unwilling to give up her new one at the same time. As a girl living in the “English world”, I wonder if I could be as brave as Eliza and do what she did. As an Amish girl, she felt foreign in a world with advanced technology, a world where simple things could be taken for granted. I have always lived a life surrounded by technology, so I’m not sure if I could leave it all behind. I used to take the simple things in life for granted. Grossman helped me realize the beauty of the simple things in life. Although the book was very slow, A World Away tells the heartfelt story of an Amish girl living in two worlds. Using Eliza, Grossman pointed out the beauty in life and how far one will go to find where they belong.
Eliza’s tale moved readers as she struggled to find herself. Readers followed along as she lived the life of an English girl in happiness, despaired over the her mother’s secret, and attempted to determine where she belonged. In her journey to find herself, Eliza stayed away from everything she had known for months, persevering through tough times and creating new friends along the way. Grossman reminds readers not to take the simplest things for granted. Even with all the new and exciting technology offered in the English world, Eliza found herself longing for her old life yet unwilling to give up her new one at the same time. As a girl living in the “English world”, I wonder if I could be as brave as Eliza and do what she did. As an Amish girl, she felt foreign in a world with advanced technology, a world where simple things could be taken for granted. I have always lived a life surrounded by technology, so I’m not sure if I could leave it all behind. I used to take the simple things in life for granted. Grossman helped me realize the beauty of the simple things in life. Although the book was very slow, A World Away tells the heartfelt story of an Amish girl living in two worlds. Using Eliza, Grossman pointed out the beauty in life and how far one will go to find where they belong.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2016
Amish. Are you an Amish? By any chance, if you are one, then are you enjoying each moment of your rumspringa? I bet you will.
First and foremost, this is my first time hearing a race (I guess) named Amish. I have asked my bro about Amish and he knew it. So I came into a conclusion I'm the stupid one here. It's a great story anyway! A story about Amish girl who is eager to undergo her Rumspringa.
Rumspringa is when one sixteen-year-old Amish got to 'run wild' and has their freedom. Amish is known as race who strictly refused to use technology such as car, phone, computer, you named it. They don't use electricity so.... in other word, they almost lived like in the olden days. Search it on google for more information about Amish.
To begin with, Eliza is so eager to know English lifestyle. Yes, they refer English as non-Amish person. To her surprise, her parents allowed her to live in English's house as nanny. But she has to leave her Plain life in order to do so.
First week of new life, she learned so many things about technology mostly. How to send an e-mail, how to turn on television, and more. She found herself happier and.. well.. more free time to spend! Back in her Plain life, she has to do chores without the help of technology. So it takes time contrarary to the life she has now.
She met Josh, made new friends, went to cinema, wear an outfit of English. But one day, she has to decide to stay on this life or back to Plain life.
I love the story and I know many things from this book. About Amish, whom I don't even know its existence before. Quote from this book
"We all makes mistakes. But it's what you do after the mistake that shows the kind of person you are".
First and foremost, this is my first time hearing a race (I guess) named Amish. I have asked my bro about Amish and he knew it. So I came into a conclusion I'm the stupid one here. It's a great story anyway! A story about Amish girl who is eager to undergo her Rumspringa.
Rumspringa is when one sixteen-year-old Amish got to 'run wild' and has their freedom. Amish is known as race who strictly refused to use technology such as car, phone, computer, you named it. They don't use electricity so.... in other word, they almost lived like in the olden days. Search it on google for more information about Amish.
To begin with, Eliza is so eager to know English lifestyle. Yes, they refer English as non-Amish person. To her surprise, her parents allowed her to live in English's house as nanny. But she has to leave her Plain life in order to do so.
First week of new life, she learned so many things about technology mostly. How to send an e-mail, how to turn on television, and more. She found herself happier and.. well.. more free time to spend! Back in her Plain life, she has to do chores without the help of technology. So it takes time contrarary to the life she has now.
She met Josh, made new friends, went to cinema, wear an outfit of English. But one day, she has to decide to stay on this life or back to Plain life.
I love the story and I know many things from this book. About Amish, whom I don't even know its existence before. Quote from this book
"We all makes mistakes. But it's what you do after the mistake that shows the kind of person you are".
July 23, 2013
*3.5 stars*
Eliza is Amish, and 16 - the age at which young Amish adults experience rumspringa, when they can 'try out' the outside world to see if they want to stay Amish or not. Eliza is curious, and wants her wild time - to see what the outside world is like, what she's missing - and what she finds may not be what she expected.
I found this glimpse into the very different world of the Amish fascinating, and I thought it was respectfully done, and also balanced - showing the pros and cons of both lifestyles. I was sort of blah on the love triangle . Overall, a wonderful coming of age story about self - and other-discovery, and the different worlds that can exist side by side.
Eliza is Amish, and 16 - the age at which young Amish adults experience rumspringa, when they can 'try out' the outside world to see if they want to stay Amish or not. Eliza is curious, and wants her wild time - to see what the outside world is like, what she's missing - and what she finds may not be what she expected.
I found this glimpse into the very different world of the Amish fascinating, and I thought it was respectfully done, and also balanced - showing the pros and cons of both lifestyles. I was sort of blah on the love triangle . Overall, a wonderful coming of age story about self - and other-discovery, and the different worlds that can exist side by side.
September 21, 2014
Ich fand es unheimlich interessant und faszinierend unsere Welt mit Eliza's Augen zu entdecken. Dinge, die für uns völlig alltäglich sind, erlebt Eliza zum ersten Mal: Fernsehen, die Bedienung von elektronischen Geräten m Allgemeinen, einkaufen im Supermarkt, die erste shopping-tour...
Die Autorin hat es geschafft, die Faszination und das Unwissen von Eliza überzeugend rüberzubringen. Positiv fand ich ebenfalls, dass die positiven und negativen Dinge der Welt in beiden Kulturen ihren Platz gefunden haben: die Oberflächlichkeit und Verschwendung in unserer Gesellschaft, aber auch die Vereinfachung der Kommunikation im Gegensatz dazu die Bedeutung der Gemeinschaft und Hilfsbereitschaft bei den Amischen. Dann aber wieder die völlige Ausgrenzung, wenn jemand sich dem Leben nicht anpasst.
Was mich etwas gewundert hat war die einfache Kommunikation zwischen den Amischen und "Englischen", denn meines Wissens sprechen die Amischen Pennsylvania-Deutsch. Im Buch wurden aber keine Probleme bei der Verständigung genannt.
Insgesamt war das Buch eine berührende und gefühlvolle Geschichte über Familie, Freundschaft und die Liebe.
Die Autorin hat es geschafft, die Faszination und das Unwissen von Eliza überzeugend rüberzubringen. Positiv fand ich ebenfalls, dass die positiven und negativen Dinge der Welt in beiden Kulturen ihren Platz gefunden haben: die Oberflächlichkeit und Verschwendung in unserer Gesellschaft, aber auch die Vereinfachung der Kommunikation im Gegensatz dazu die Bedeutung der Gemeinschaft und Hilfsbereitschaft bei den Amischen. Dann aber wieder die völlige Ausgrenzung, wenn jemand sich dem Leben nicht anpasst.
Was mich etwas gewundert hat war die einfache Kommunikation zwischen den Amischen und "Englischen", denn meines Wissens sprechen die Amischen Pennsylvania-Deutsch. Im Buch wurden aber keine Probleme bei der Verständigung genannt.
Insgesamt war das Buch eine berührende und gefühlvolle Geschichte über Familie, Freundschaft und die Liebe.
August 5, 2016
This book got my hackles up immediately, but for personal reasons. Anything that I perceive as a society that represses women for religious reasons will get me going, and this had some familiar signals.
I pressed on and was pleasantly surprised. The main character, Eliza, leaves her Amish life to experience life with the "English" for a summer. This tradition is offered to Amish youth to ensure that they accept their faith with no regrets when it is time to be baptised.
I felt her experiences to be for the most part true to life. She was a thoughtful character, who was open to new experiences, but still making conscious choices.
At first I was feeling that it seemed a bit Harlequin, but Eliza was really using this experience to make some tough decisions. I ended up respecting her and her choices. I do wish she had used her time to explore more life expanding options than having a boyfriend (school, career), but she is only 16 and it seems like she will use her influence to make the lives of all those around her better.
Some of the plot twists were melodramatic and the book had a slow start. I'm not sure middle school students would push through- probably not boys.
I pressed on and was pleasantly surprised. The main character, Eliza, leaves her Amish life to experience life with the "English" for a summer. This tradition is offered to Amish youth to ensure that they accept their faith with no regrets when it is time to be baptised.
I felt her experiences to be for the most part true to life. She was a thoughtful character, who was open to new experiences, but still making conscious choices.
At first I was feeling that it seemed a bit Harlequin, but Eliza was really using this experience to make some tough decisions. I ended up respecting her and her choices. I do wish she had used her time to explore more life expanding options than having a boyfriend (school, career), but she is only 16 and it seems like she will use her influence to make the lives of all those around her better.
Some of the plot twists were melodramatic and the book had a slow start. I'm not sure middle school students would push through- probably not boys.
October 6, 2012
Amish teen Eliza isn't sure she wants to embrace her lifestyle any longer. Given the opportunity to visit the "regular" world and be a nanny to two children for the summer, she finds the idea appealing and is thrilled when her parents finally consent. Her impressions of the big world are tediously described and the book could have used a better editing job (it is way too long, at almost 400 pages); there is little descriptive writing and the author never transports us. Characters are stereotyped and boring and the relationship that Eliza forms with the children she is caring for is hardly believable given the lack of storyline to support it. These things said, the basis for the story is interesting (the idea of all young Amish people having a rumspringa, or chance to see how the other half lives for a few months, as well as a look at modern day Amish, are two refreshing and little-addressed topics) and teens should find Eliza and her conflicts appealing...if they pick this tome up, in the first place,and manage to get through it. Junior high, high school.
June 13, 2013
This young adult novel is the coming-of-age story of a young Amish girl, Eliza, who discovers the outside world during her Rumspringa, and has to make some weighty decisions at a young age. Stay in the "fancy" world, or return to her plain one? Leave her family and be shunned, or leave the conveniences, joys and friendships of life outside the Amish community forever? Pursue an education or be satisfied with her 8th grade training?
I can't even pretend to understand the concept of shunning. I find it completely foreign, and frankly infuriating. I realize it's their choice to follow the rules, but they don't seem to be given much of an alternative; if you disobey the rules, you lose your family. It's heartbreaking.
This book is written in a very open-minded, non-judgmental way. There is no fault found with either choice, no apparent agenda. It's my own mental block that's the problem here. I disliked the ending partly because it was left unresolved, and partly because I felt like Eliza was in a no-win situation.
I can't even pretend to understand the concept of shunning. I find it completely foreign, and frankly infuriating. I realize it's their choice to follow the rules, but they don't seem to be given much of an alternative; if you disobey the rules, you lose your family. It's heartbreaking.
This book is written in a very open-minded, non-judgmental way. There is no fault found with either choice, no apparent agenda. It's my own mental block that's the problem here. I disliked the ending partly because it was left unresolved, and partly because I felt like Eliza was in a no-win situation.
August 11, 2012
3.5 Stars
Pleasantly Surprising
This was an interesting story and not at all what I was expecting. I liked having the insiders look into the Amish life and seeing the modern world through Eliza's eyes was entertaining, engaging and heartbreaking. The depth of this book is what surprised me most and I wasn't expecting to feel the range of emotions that I did.
While I enjoyed this, the story was slow moving at first and honestly, the ending frustrated me. I wanted to know what happened next?! An Epilogue showing a few months or years into the future would've been nice.
POTENTIAL SPOILERS:
You can't give me a guy like Daniel and NOT tell me what happens to him?! *cries* Also, I wanted Josh to fight harder. Say those words. Be different than Matthew. If there'd been an Epilogue, Eliza would've either chosen Daniel or Josh would've kept in touch and shown up for her after college, etc. Also, what did Eliza decide to do?
Pleasantly Surprising
This was an interesting story and not at all what I was expecting. I liked having the insiders look into the Amish life and seeing the modern world through Eliza's eyes was entertaining, engaging and heartbreaking. The depth of this book is what surprised me most and I wasn't expecting to feel the range of emotions that I did.
While I enjoyed this, the story was slow moving at first and honestly, the ending frustrated me. I wanted to know what happened next?! An Epilogue showing a few months or years into the future would've been nice.
POTENTIAL SPOILERS:
You can't give me a guy like Daniel and NOT tell me what happens to him?! *cries* Also, I wanted Josh to fight harder. Say those words. Be different than Matthew. If there'd been an Epilogue, Eliza would've either chosen Daniel or Josh would've kept in touch and shown up for her after college, etc. Also, what did Eliza decide to do?
March 3, 2016
At the age of 16, Eliza Miller has known only what her small community has taught her. As an Amish teenager, she sees the outside world through the eyes of the visitors that her mother brings to the dinner table. When the opportunity to be a nanny for the summer in Chicago is presented to her, Eliza will stop at nothing for the chance to experience it all. She soon realizes, however, that being English is not as easy as she thought.
Well narrated, the story of Eliza comes to life during this audiobook. Eliza and Josh act like typical teenagers, which was not believable during some parts of the book. With only limited access to the world of movies, television, and music, Eliza seemed too worldly. She seemed very insightful in some instances, but completely naïve in others. Parts of the story were very uplifting, though, and the author did a good job of showcasing all of the positive aspects of being Amish.
Well narrated, the story of Eliza comes to life during this audiobook. Eliza and Josh act like typical teenagers, which was not believable during some parts of the book. With only limited access to the world of movies, television, and music, Eliza seemed too worldly. She seemed very insightful in some instances, but completely naïve in others. Parts of the story were very uplifting, though, and the author did a good job of showcasing all of the positive aspects of being Amish.
June 8, 2012
While the story was enjoyable it was good but not great.
Interesting idea to place
Interesting idea to place
July 9, 2012
A World Away was an enjoyable and interesting read. I loved how it was about something that you don't see much in YA literature. The story of Eliza, an amish girl who leaves to experience "english" life, just wasn't one I had thought of before and so it was interesting to read about. Still, I found Eliza a little bit "high maintenance" once she was living away from the Amish, and even a bit whiny. But don't let that keep you from read A World Away. It was a nice read.
One more note: I can understand how the book could be completely eye-opening for someone who had never really heard about the Amish lifestyle. So I think this book is an important one to have out there since it can introduce readers to a different culture. Plus, it's a good read for all different types of readers.
One more note: I can understand how the book could be completely eye-opening for someone who had never really heard about the Amish lifestyle. So I think this book is an important one to have out there since it can introduce readers to a different culture. Plus, it's a good read for all different types of readers.
September 6, 2015
Ich hab zuvor noch nie was über die Amisch gelesen und ich fands ziemlich interessant einen kleinen Einblick in ihre Welt zu bekommen.
Es hatte auch etwas Schönes die Welt und ihre kleinen Dinge -die wir so gut wie gar nicht mehr wahrnehmen- durch "unwissende" und neugierige Augen zu sehen.
Die Hauptfigur Eliza lebt in diesen Sommer das Leben eines normalen englischen Teenagers mit all den Partys, Gefühlen und all dem Ärger.
Und am Ende muss Eliza ihre ganz eigene erwachsene Entscheidung treffen.
Ich persönlich finde, die Autorin hätte noch ein wenig mehr auf das Thema eingehen können.
Aber allem in allem kann ichs empfehlen!:)
Es hatte auch etwas Schönes die Welt und ihre kleinen Dinge -die wir so gut wie gar nicht mehr wahrnehmen- durch "unwissende" und neugierige Augen zu sehen.
Die Hauptfigur Eliza lebt in diesen Sommer das Leben eines normalen englischen Teenagers mit all den Partys, Gefühlen und all dem Ärger.
Und am Ende muss Eliza ihre ganz eigene erwachsene Entscheidung treffen.
Ich persönlich finde, die Autorin hätte noch ein wenig mehr auf das Thema eingehen können.
Aber allem in allem kann ichs empfehlen!:)
March 17, 2014
I enjoyed this book and I found it very interesting to read about the Amish way of life - I didn't like the cover though as it looks as if the girl might have makeup on with her Amish clothing and that would never happen!! Eliza, the main character, leaves the Amish way of life to try life in the outside world. She's never had a cell phone, a computer, a tv etc. Lots of changes for her, and lots of decisions to make. I think this would appeal more to girls than boys.
November 20, 2011
Grossman's fascinating debut, about an Amish teen on her Rumspring, is realistic and relatable, without being sensationalistic. I was instantly transported to Eliza Miller's world and, different as it was, I could relate to her experiences. I would recommend this to teens and adults both - very enjoyable!
--Review by Lauren
--Review by Lauren
December 15, 2015
This book was okay. I felt like the writer was just making up random drama that wasn't realistic at all. The characters were unlikeable and didn't feel real or genuine. I didn't like Eliza or Josh and I felt myself not WANTING to read because of how much UNNESSACASRY drama there was. The ending wasn't satisfying, but frankly, I didn't really care.
February 14, 2012
An intriguing glimpse into the world of an Amish teenager who spends her rumspringa working as a nanny in a Chicago suburb. Grossman never resorts to stereotypes and her characters feel incredibly real. Eliza's decision at the end of the book felt both surprising and right.
February 25, 2012
Grossman's debut novel is engaging from the very first page!
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