Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider

Schneider, Robyn. Extraordinary Means. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2015.
Pages: 324
Intended Audience: Teens
Genre: Dystopian / Romance
Notes for Parents: Contains some coarse language, underage drinking and mature scenes.

The Back Cover
Up until his diagnosis, Lane lived a fairly predictable life. But when he finds himself at a tuberculosis sanatorium called Latham House, he discovers an insular world with paradoxical rules, med sensors, and an eccentric yet utterly compelling confidant named Sadie—and life as Lane knows it will never be the same.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is author’s second novel. Her first, The Beginning of Everything, garnered lots of praise.

What’s good?

There is strong characterization and a realistic narrative in this engaging story of teens fighting a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis. The story is told in alternating viewpoints – Lane, the high achiever, and Sadie, the creative one – effectively telling two entirely different, emotional stories. Lane and Sadie are both likeable and relatable, and they tell their stories with honesty. The plot is simple, infusing what is essentially a love story with moments of tension, humor, and heart-break. Despite its tragic theme, it has elements of hope.
Best Part: “But at the last minute, I turned left, because I never had before, and because I had time to go down a different road.” (last line)

What isn’t good?

The story is predictable. The plot itself is quite thin, and there are few surprises. There isn’t a lot of action, and what tension there is comes and goes quickly. I would have liked more background information about the disease and how it returned with such force. The end was too easy.
Worst part: The dreaded love triangle.

Recommendation þþþoo

This is yet another book in the genre that has come to be known as “sick lit.” It has become the trend, like in A Fault in Our Stars, for sick and dying teens to fall in love. I enjoyed the characters and the setting, and even the premise, but the plot was weak and only a handful of things actually happen. I enjoyed the sense of hope that came with the ending, but not how easily all the problems were wrapped up. Recommended, but really only for those who need an illness with their romance.

Schneider, Robyn. Extraordinary Means. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2015.