The Wonder of All Things - Jason Mott

During a local festival of some sorts a small plane crashes into the people watching the show. In the events that follow, thirteen year old Ava is seen when she miraculously heals the wounds of her best friend Wash. The video spreads around the internet like wildfire. Although it might seem wonderful at first, the healing doesn't come without a price. Ava's own body is wasting away and everyone - for their own interests - wants her to do more, more, more...

 

Interesting novel. The questions it raised are no easy ones and they don't have simple - if any - answers. Is it selfish to keep Ava's powers from the rest of the world, even when using them is killing her? If they should be used, who should she help them? For it's more than obvious she can't save them all. In the end no answers are given, but the book focuses mostly on people wanting help from Ava, even when it's her close family (who has their own understandable reasons but also know it's killing Ava). (I did however wonder where the people from the other site were, I mean there must have been people who're against doing this to a child (social services?). Or perhaps an important person like a president requesting help, someone who has more power to push someone into doing something than the good old guild-trap. I wonder how the characters would have solved something like that, it would force them in taking decisions more).

 

It reminded me of Jason Mott's first novel, The Returned, as it features another thing people might wish for, but that growing over their heads very soon and turning in a disaster instead. The writing was fast and easy to read. I thought Ava and Wash's relationship was cute.

 

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!