snark (reading) lady

I bought this book as a Kindle Daily Deal and for a while, kept it as my "waiting" book. You know, my waiting in traffic, in a waiting room, during my work breaks book. At some point, I just became so enamored with Miles O'Malley and with Puget Sound, that I pushed my other reading aside and tore through the end. Jim Lynch, through Miles, describes the sea life of the sound so richly and deftly, that I found myself pouring over photos and researching every little tidbit Lynch mentioned. Geoducks and mermaid's purses and oar fish and giant squid. I imagined myself walking on the muds of the bay. It's more than a setting; the bay becomes a character in this book.Against that backdrop, Miles is growing up. This summer, in addition to his mysterious discoveries in the waters of Puget Sound, he overhears his parents discussing divorce, he navigates his crush on his once baby-sitter, and he helps an elderly neighbor avoid being placed in a home. His dealings with every other character in this book made me love him. He was both clueless and wise, the way only a 13 year old can be. Now, that said, it would be hard for me to recommend this book. I think I liked it that much. I think I liked it in that way. There is no real explanation as to why I felt a kinship with this book. But I did. I'm not sure everyone would find this book as magical and masterful as I did. But I did. And I'm so glad I spent those $0.99.