Send Me Down a Miracle

by Han Nolan

A sleepy, God-fearing community in Alabama erupts in chaos when a flamboyant artist from New York City returns to her hometown for an artistic experiment. “A fresh voice and an enigmatic subject combine to make kids engage in an activity they probably don’t do much-contemplate.”-Booklist

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Novels, Religion

272 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1996

About the author

Han Nolan is widely acclaimed for her evocative language, her gritty subject matter, and her ability to plumb the psyche of her characters. Her books include Dancing on the Edge, which won the National Book Award, Send Me own a Miracle, a finalist for the National Book Award, Born Blue, A Summer of Kings, and several other acclaimed novels. She and her husband live on the East Coast.

Reviews

[Nia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that the girl in this story is very smart and she is very happy and intelligent to her family.

[Susan Bazzett-Griffith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I genuinely was bored through mist of this short novel about a girl who lives in a tiny mountain town with her preacher dad, and who befriends an eccentric artist who arrives one summer. When the artist claims she had a vision of Jesus sitting in a chair, the whole town goes apeshit and a sad widowed dad whose twin daughters are dying from sickle cell anemia throws all his hope into a miracle stemming from that chair. It doesn't turn out well. The story is slow AF, but I'll begrudgingly admit the writing is at times lovely, and the author has a Twain-like knack for realistic dialect- so 2 stars instead of one, despite me not enjoying the book at all.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book at just the right time in my life, when I idolized people like Adrienne and needed a bit of a reality check. However, now that I'm an adult I want to tap the author on the shoulder and ask her to please not use the suffering of black people as a plot device in a story with a white protagonist. I read Dancing on the Edge; I know she can do better.

[Stephanie Hutabarat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really funny book! And not a thriller book. It's about a young 'artist' who came to small town and declare that she saw Jesus after fasting 1 month for inspiration. Really funny. 3 stars for this!

[Lisa Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too bad. Just not special.

[Selena_v · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truth be told, I was actually hesitant to read this book. These types of books often makes me feel guilty for the things I’ve never done for God. But what actually got me reading this book is the last sentence to the summary, “…and Charity is stuck in the middle, questioning her father, her religion…”
A Christian book that talks about questioning their religion, ok.
This will be definitly something new.

The book starts off with the main character, Charity, meeting Adrienne. Adrienne is a artist and Charity instantly falls in love with her ‘free and unique’ style, but her dad thinks differently. Her dad is the small town’s preacher, but is he the best preacher? She soon struggles between whether what her dad is saying and what the whole town seems to be saying. I really enjoyed the ending, it showed how something that looks so perfect and good can be sometimes be needing help from others around them.

“Send Me Down A Miracle,” was a thought provoking book yet it had a wonderful plot to go with it. I would recommend this book looking for a short read with a identity crisis type of flow to it. Technically it is not my cup of tea, but if I ever feel in the mood of a quick and good read I know where to look.

[DannyB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written book. The story, characters, and setting really drew me in. I felt like I really understood what this young southerner's perspective was. The daughter of a stern, stubborn, but caring, preacher. Charity desires to be some one important in the world, but what does that mean? Leaving home? Changing who you are? That's what Charity hopes to find out. Will the answers come from God, Jesus, her father, or the New York artist who is spending the summer? Charity aims to seek her destiny, and find out how the town of Casper will always be a part of her. Well written and excellent details created a fun reading experience for me. A little zany around the climax, but a fun read nevertheless.I would recommend this book to young readers.

[Stefan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where is the 3 1/3 stars option? I liked the beginning, the topic, and the ending, but the book dragged in the middle. Think of Flannery O'Connor for a middle-schooler. The book is set in the deep south, and the main character lives in a small town where her father is the preacher, her mom has gone away to a birdcage collectors convention, and a former resident, Adrienne, returns to town. Charity looks up to Adrienne, an artist. When Adrienne has a vision, Charity is in the middle of a town divided between those who believe that Adrienne's vision is a sign of God, and those who think that people going to visit the chair to pray for help is idolatry. I found the ending moving, and will recommend this book to students looking for a thoughtful book centered around religion.

[Damar hening Sunyiaji · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ide ceritanya keren, tokoh tokohnya punya konflik yang unik seperti sharale, charita dan joe si gila yang entah anaknya menderita penyakit apa.
Kursi Tuhan yang dianggap kudus oleh warga alabama itu gak ada artinya bagi adriene.
Gak ada tokoh jahat, masing masing punya kepentingan dan nasib yang bikin greget.
Mungkin persoalan berat badan sharale bukan masalah besar, tapi tentu saja kadar masalah bagi tiap orang berbeda dan anggapan pun berbeda.
Endingnya mengagetkan, karena orang orang di alabama yang notabene nya baik hati itu terpaksa melakukan tindakan tindakan jahat demi kepentingan pribadi dan nasib orang orang tercintanya.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adrienne Dabney turns a small town upside down when she locks herself up in her house for several weeks without food or light. She emerges three weeks later, claiming to have seen a vision of Jesus.

Charity Pittman, a preacher's daughter, believes in the miracle, even though her father denounces Adrienne and her miracle. Charity learns much about life and herself as she observes the difference between saying you have faith and living like you do.

Though-provoking.

[Laura (Booksforbreakfast) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good read - Very much infused with religion so I don't recommend it if you don't believe in God. It's about a girl named Charity who is the preacher's daughter and has always been a goody goody until Adrienne moves into town. She's very different and artistic, doesn't care what people think and Charity is drawn to her. Then Adrienne claims to have seen God in a chair in her home and it turns their town completely upside down.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Picked it up by happenstance at a used book store. Raises wonderful issues about faith -- the faith in which we are raised and the faith which we grow into. Interesting issues about power, as well. And there are moments of sheer laughter. "It was me! It's because of the okra!" A literal interpretation of the bible can be terrifying for a child... for adults, too.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a young adult novel, but is a wonderful quick read. As an artist myself I loved the off-beat artist character Nolan includes...again, the story is told from a young girl's perspective... trying to wrestle with faith, family, and loyalty. I read 2 other Nolan books after this, both were good, but I liked this one the best.

[Shella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think there is something sentimental about this book.. I don't know why, I feel closed to the character eventhough our story is really not related. a little sad..
a story about little girl in little village whose mother just runaway and left her family.
the book doesnt take my breath away, but cannot be kept out of my mind either

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Han Nolan portrays her characters so well. I found it interesting that the main character was named Charity. This book reminded me of the witch trials with people caught in religious fervor.

I liked the changes in the characters, but I struggled to connect with any of them. I felt like an observer instead of being emotionally vested.

[Sigrid Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book -- all the characters in it are very well-written, not caricatures. The plot doesn't take every neat turn one might expect. I liked it, I enjoyed reading it, and I finished it in a couple hours. A good, serious YA book.

[Linda Shroyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another novel from a young girl's perspective.....yes, it is a YA novel, so a quick read, but I loved the kooky New York artist who experiments with living in a sensory deprivation exercise. This fascinates our heroine, but is at odds with her preacher father.

[Janthi · Rating 3 out of 5]

lumayan lah!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite has good as If I Die Before I Wake, but still a good book for readers of every age. Many good lessons to be learned in this one.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

At age 10, stunning. I need to read this one again.

[Uci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Han Nolan selalu bisa membuat pembacanya tertawa walaupun kisah yang diceritakan sebenarnya sangat tragis. Jadi tambah cinta sama pengarang yang satu ini...

[Spider the Doof Warrior · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do like how two main characters learned how to love and care for other people because of Charity, but would folks REALLY worship the result of someone's hallucination?


I reckon they do that.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emotions, convictions and hope can lead people to incredible conclusions. This book confirmed for me that I was created to be a mom of males...not drama-queen girls!

[Darryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book is really bad i do not recommend this book to anyone. it is a total waste of time like forreal.

[Shantay]

OOOOOOOOO! From the description, this book sounds very rebellious.

[Audrey Camp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Send Me Down a Miracle *** Thou shalt make no graven image. A Southern yarn, a modern parable. #YA #bookreview

@RedDoorReviews

[Noah Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty cool book in an old country kind of way. I love how this story has many things happening because of one object. Kind of makes you wonder what will happen next and keeps you on the edge.

[JS · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okra!

[Cali Kai =] · Rating 2 out of 5]

The begining is a little bit weird but the end was really good!

[Beth/Sr. Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

i liked her ideas of God and religion