Miriam's Well

by Lois Ruby

Popular, outgoing Adam befriends shy, religious Miriam, but when she is diagnosed with cancer, her religion forces her to refuse medical treatment and Adam is horrified to learn that the lawyer handling the church's case is his father. Reprint.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Teen, Religion, Realistic Fiction, Childrens

Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 1986

About the author

Lois Ruby is the author of fifteen books for middle-graders and teens, including STEAL AWAY HOME, SKIN DEEP, and THE SECRET OF LAUREL OAKS. She and her husband live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the foothills of the awesome Sandia Mountains. Lois explores lots of haunted places, including ghostly locations in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and even a few spooky spots in Australia and Thailand. No spirits have tapped her on the shoulder yet, but she hasn't given up hope.

Reviews

[Elsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I've read Miriam's Well and I still think it is a phenomenally good book. When their high school English teacher pairs Adam and Miriam for a class project, both will be challenged when deeply held beliefs come into conflict. Miriam is a member of a very strict fundamentalist Christian sect, while Adam's family is Jewish. While out with Adam and his girlfriend one afternoon, Miriam collapses and the rescue squad takes her to the emergency room. Suddenly, their backgrounds become an important part of the story because one of the strong tenets of Miriam's church is a rejection of modern medicine, relying solely on healing from God. Adam wants Miriam to do whatever is necessary to get well, but Miriam and her family utterly reject any and all medical treatment. As she is diagnosed with bone cancer, the hospital takes the case to court to force Miriam to enter the hospital and to receive chemotherapy and radiation as prescribed by the doctor. Adam also has to deal with the fact that his father has been retained as attorney by Miriam's family and church, and his father is arguing that the court should not abridge Miriam's first amendment rights to reject treatment.

This is a very complex situation and in the hands of a lesser author, it would be very tempting to favor one point of view over the other. To appeal to a broad audience, perhaps Miriam and her church would be belittled and portrayed as close-minded. To market the book as Christian Literature, maybe there'd be more emphasis on the role of faith and a villainization of the legal system for forcing the beliefs of the science and medicine upon a community of faith. However, Lois Ruby has written one of the most balanced books I've ever read dealing with a very difficult subject.

I highly recommend Miriam's Well , particularly to teens and those who work with them—teachers, librarians, counselors, religious educators. I'd love to see this book used in a high school class because of the discussions which could spring from the ideas presented in this book. Even if you aren't a young adult or a teacher, read this book. It's that good.

[JeniReadABook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book about faith, about growing up, about taking a stand for what you beleive in. This story is definately worth your time. I recommend it wholeheartedly. I read it for the first time as a teenager, and I've reread it several times since then.

[BrookAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was great at the beginning. It wasn’t predictable at all. I never really knew what was going to happen next in this book however, the ending wasn’t that great. I won’t spoil it, but it disappointed me a lot. Still a good read that leaves you with some questions and strong feelings.

[Alyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. The plot is great. Its about a Christian girl and a Jewish boy who get paired up for an English assignment. One day she faints and slowly he starts to fall for her, although he has a girlfriend, and vice versa. Their love is also forbidden because her uncles dont like him because he is Jewish, and Miriam always obeys her uncles. Eventually they find out that she has cancer and Adam is with her the whole time. The doctors connot do anything to help her because her relgion does not allow her to use modern medicine. She has to rely on her own strength to try and win the fight. All while her guardians and the court fight over what is best for her. Thats the main plot but alot of other sub plots are there, and a lot of other characters aswell.

I've re-read it every winter break, and sometimes during spring break for a total of 5 or 6 times. Although I did lose the book! :( But im searching for it! The plot in this book is amazing, and yes its a bit slow paced but it get alot better. I also like the characterization of the Miriam and Adam, and how it switches back and forth between their P.O.V.s, even though it gets a bit confusing. Im also a high school student so this book definitely realates to me a bit...although im not a Christian girl with cancer who has the attention of the hottest boy in the school.

I really liked the ending, although it was sad. They didnt end up together but its a good change. Ive read so many books where the 2 main characters always end up together, this book was a nice change from all the others, although it broke my heart! I felt especially bad for Adam! I was also so happy when she beat the cancer!

One thing that has always stuck with me is when Adams girlfriend breaks up with him, and he says he still loves her but she says "Actions speak louder than words, and you've been spending a lot of time with Miriam." (Or something like that)it's so true!



This is a great read! I would recommend it to everyone! Espiecally YAs.I cant wait to find it and start reading it again!

[noodle (breaker of chains, mother of dragons)) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not bad at all for YA, and it is a "cancer book." There's a lot of exposition before the story takes off, but still worth getting through I think. Ruby did a great job deepening the relationship between Adam and Miriam without making it too sentimental. And props to the author for keeping her own opinions about what should have happened out of the story. The religious people are mostly not stereotypes (contrast with Lasky's Memoirs of a Bookbat, and Meyer's Drummers of Jericho), but people with good intentions who just have really messed up ways of showing it. I saw on amazon that lots of readers hated the ending. The unexplained remission, and the breakup and all. But I thought they were done well, and not what readers were expecting. Very realistic too.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, this book is hard to find. I eventually tracked it down on an app service my local library offers. So yay for local libraries!

Miriam's Well is a Romeo and Juliet story - Jewish boy falls for a girl who appears to be part of an extremely conservative Christian sect. However, that sect prohibits its believers from consulting the medical profession as we know it in modern time, all the more problematic because Miriam faints at school and her narration also reveals that she's having joint aches pretty incessantly. The narration changes to the boy whose name I can't remember, and we see the contrast between this faiths, their doubts, and their home and school situations pretty well, even as the faiths and doubts and home and school situations waver as time goes on.

It's an familiar story with an unusual twist, a concern I don't see in most YA books. I appreciated that the author took pains to portray all beliefs in the book as valid, rather than subject to ridicule.

[Della · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book to learn about other cultures/religions from, and kind of see their point of view. It has an extraordinary plot, and the characters will become your friends by the end of the reading. However, I rated it a four because you have to read the first hundred pages or so to really get into it. It's still an awesome book to read, though!

[Theresa Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just re-read this- I probably got it during or shortly after a Lurlene McDaniel phase. You know, high school girl with cancer, etc. But I liked the relationship between Adam and Miriam, and the end of their relationship strikes me as something that would be too mature for most high schoolers, but it works well for them. Or, at least, for her.

[Samira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't very happy with the ending; seemed like a cop-out, but it was a good book with a thought provoking subject.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was obsessed with this book as a pre-teen; picked up a library copy to see how it holds up some 18 or 20 years later. Will try to jot some thoughts later.