Reviewed by Kelly on
Extraordinary Means was a phenomenal, hopeful and emotional read, following the lives of both Lane and Sadie and their battle against an incurable strain of tuberculosis. Told in dual points of view, Lane is a new admission at Latham House, while Sadie is a permanent fixture at the hospital slash school. Both share a turbulent history, but each have their own dragons to slay while they form a tentative friendship. Each student is suffering from the same condition, but in varying degrees. Teens learn to live with the disease, remain healthy while still maintaining a sense of their former life. But it's not enough for Lane the overachiever. His one link with the outside world has betrayed him, so he retreats to his studies, trying to maintain his grade average while his illness begins to take over. Then he meets the effervescent Sadie.
Sadie is the vision of health. She's loud, vivacious and full of life. Lane is drawn to her infectious laugh and starts to reassess his time at Latham house, to survive the stay until a cure is found. But as the two become closer, they begin to realise that there is only one way in which the group will be leaving Latham, by miraculous cure or by dying. It was simply beautiful, emotional and written with such care of hand for those effected by a terminal illness.
The underlying message of Extraordinary Means is one of hope, and learning to live in the face of adversity. This isn't another story of teens grappling with dying, but making the most of what little time they may have left. Robyn Schneider is nothing short of magnificent, spinning a tender tale of life in it's purest form. Learning to love, learning to live and learning that life is too short not to make the most from the hand you've been dealt.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 29 March, 2015: Finished reading
- 29 March, 2015: Reviewed