July 18, 2016

The 100 Year Miracle - Ashley Ream


Flatiron Books, May 24, 2016.



Three Stars



Once every century, the water around a small island in the Pacific Northwest glows green, caused by tiny sea creatures called Artemia Lucis. The miniscule arthropods complete their lifecycle in six short days, and their occurrence becomes known as “The 100 Year Miracle.” Ream’s new novel is set in the fictional Olloo’et Bay, within the actual San Juan Islands. Olloo’et Island is the traditional home of the First Nations people who share its name – although they have mostly disappeared, those that remain feel honour and respect towards the Miracle. The scientists that have invaded the island, however, do not all come with pure intentions.


Rachel is one of these scientists. She has travelled to the island as part of a team of specialists, working long days and nights to study the phenomenon before it disappears again. She also has ulterior motives: struggling with chronic pain due to a childhood injury, Rachel sets up her own secret laboratory to study the creatures, seeking a miracle cure for herself and others like her. However, one of her colleagues is suspicious of her secrecy – he is an Olloo’et man named John, and his goal is to protect the island’s habitat. John’s people believe that the Artemia Lucis do have healing powers, but that they can also destroy those who consume them.


Meanwhile, Henry and Tilda are a divorced couple who are once again living together in a beach house on the bay – Tilda has moved back in to care for Henry as he suffers from a fatal and debilitating disease. The couple separated partly due to the death of their young daughter, and being together in their family home again brings back many memories. When Henry sees Rachel on the beach, he transfers his fatherly feelings onto her (she is around the age his daughter would have been, had she survived). When he spontaneously offers his house to Rachel during her short stay, she agrees to move in – it will be easier to hide her secret lab if she is separated from the rest of the team.


Before Henry realizes what is happening, he finds himself drawn into Rachel’s obsessive research, and the two experience the hallucinogenic side effects of the “miracle cure.” There could be a rational explanation, but according to local mythology, the Artemia Lucis is a channel for one’s deceased ancestors to pull the users to the other side. Science or supernatural – we as readers do not know for sure. In fact, I was expecting the novel to take more of a supernatural/horror turn, but instead it followed the path towards more typical thriller territory, as Rachel faces imminent discovery of her unusual research methods.


I found Tilda to be the most relatable and likeable character. She gave up her political career to care for her ex-husband, despite the fact that she can’t help blaming him at least partially for their daughter’s death. While caring for Henry, she finds a new passion for sailing and a romance with a much younger man. While both burn her in the end, she develops greatly as a character, instead of getting lost in false hope like Rachel and Henry.


As the novel heads towards its conclusion, situations become increasingly contrived. The supposed suspense didn’t really work for me, so the thriller aspect of the novel kind of fizzled out. What I liked more was the development of the characters, and I wish Ream had remained focused on them. I also don’t see this as fitting into the “unreliable narrator” genre, because we know Rachel’s intentions from the start. There were several unresolved issues, and the characters’ actions weren’t always realistic, but I was steadily drawn into the story and found it very entertaining.


I received this novel from Flatiron Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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