Miles Away From You

Reviewed by: Sarah Cropley - Scarborough Public Library, Scarborough, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 10, 2018

Review

Miles Away From You is the debut novel by A.B. Rutledge. About eighteen months ago, Miles' girlfriend, a transgender teen named Vivian, attempted suicide. She's been on life support since and Miles and his moms have been fighting a legal battle with Vivian's parents--unsupportive and transphobic. Miles has just turned eighteen, and he is exhausted by the battle and how he hasn't dealt with what happened. His moms decide to send him to Iceland for a trip for the summer. There, Miles begins to process what happened and to grapple with his history with Vivian. He photographs her boots, one of the only things he has left of her, all over Iceland, in a project that begins to heal him.

This book has been touted as a book about transgender characters. While it is true that Vivian, her struggle with her family, and her thoughts and feelings about being trans are a centerpoint of Miles' focus, she is already long gone when the book begins. Her voice is not a part of the story and, therefore, there are much better choices for someone who looking for a book about a transgender character. However the treatment of Vivian as a character is sensitive and nuanced. Rutledge takes pains to ensure that Vivian is never referred to by male pronouns or by her dead name, even when Miles is angry with her (a rarity in published fiction). Miles' pansexuality is often discussed, and he has romantic encounters with male and female character throughout the story. At its heart, it's a story of discovering one's identity after a seismic shock--Vivian was the center of Miles' identity for a long time and now she's gone.

The inexperience of the author occasionally shines through in improbable circumstances and the occasional grating of particular characters. Still, Miles paints a vivid picture for the reader in his messages to Vivian, and readers will be hooked. Violence, drugs, alcohol, frequent thematic mentions of suicide, and sexual situations makes this book recommended for high school students and above.

Overall Book Score: good