What do readers think of How Far Is the Ocean from Here by Amy Shearn? Write your own review.

Things happen in threes for a reason and the relationship between Susannah, Julian and Kit is only the tip of the iceberg. The story unfolds as triads form, meeting, overlapping and blending, one into the other, much like the collections of three that Susannah keeps in her glovebox. As the story unfolds not only does the landscape evolve from desert to ocean but the lives of the characters evolve also from drabness to beauty. Each is a study in contrasts, most notably Frankie who is quite literally trying to change her whole being. I found the book hard to put down and the author's use of language was exceptional.

Having put the concentrated effort of getting through the wordy paragraph long sentences at the beginning of the book, I was rewarded with an enjoyable read. Quirky? Definitely! Great storyline! Believable characters? Maybe not for some readers, but for me believable enough to want to slap some sense into them every now and then. I was invested in them (and am non-violent).

Book clubs? Definitely! Younger readers? I'd say read it first and you decide as there are some issues (including the main plot) that draw strong opinions. Bottom line...hang in there, and enjoy.

This was a fun read. The book included the humor of the movie Little Miss Sunshine. I could really picture the desert and the people on the big screen. Then there was the pathos of a collection of dysfunctional but likable characters. I could commiserate with Susannah's conflicted feelings about surrogateship and the people she could effect with her behavior. The most interesting part was the relationships developed between this divergent group of strangers.


I hope that my book club will choose this book. We are a collection of teachers, counselors, and parents of special needs children. We might need sleeping bags before we can finish relating all of our thoughts and opinions. I just could not give that fifth star because it was not one of the BEST books I have ever read.

How Far Is The Ocean From Here was a different, yet interesting read. Susannah, a somewhat lost and impulsive young surrogate mother, flees to Thunder Lodge to contemplate her situation. There, she meets a cast of offbeat and quirky characters that added plenty of humor and took the story into interesting directions. I can't say I truly liked Susannah. There were times when her actions baffled me. But I do think the author did a good job with this story. I'll keep an eye out for her next novel.

A beautifully written story about a surrogate mom who just wants to see the ocean. Leaving her life behind, Susannah sets of for nowhere, anywhere, wherever the road leads her just weeks before the baby she is carrying for Kit and Julian is due to arrive.

Although Susannah's thoughts aren't always clear, the reader can understand the wonderment and uncertainty she is feeling about turning over this *stranger* once he finally arrives. We see the deals she makes with herself throughout the book, if she makes it to the ocean, she'll keep this baby, if she doesn't Kit and Julian were meant to have him. It's truly a roller coaster ride of emotions for both the reader and all the characters involved.

We as readers get to peer into the lives of these characters: Into the road trip Susannah feels the need to take, Feeling the fear and uncertainly Kit and Julian experience not knowing what is to come. And of course the thoughts and feelings from the rest of the cast of characters who we are introduced to as the story progresses.

How Far is the Ocean From Here is a delightful book filled with a few questions, some answers and a whole lot of entertainment!!

In my opinion there were parts of this book that were beautifully written--and it was a quick read--but I just couldn't believe in the characters. Not one normal person to be found! A fantasy, perhaps. I'll be interested to read her next novel.

Amy Shearn writes beautifully at times, however her sentences tend to be wordy. I often found myself lost midway through a sentence and had to back track to the beginning. As a result, I found this book very slow-going and never felt a connection to the characters or the story line. The ending was over-the-top in a way that I really dislike. Just when you think the story will resolve itself, the author throws in one more major crisis, then leaves the reader to guess what exactly happened between the end of chapter nine and the beginning of chapter ten.

Amy Shearn has a knack for description. As I read How Far is the Ocean from Here, I could feel the heat coming off the desert pavement and could easily visualize the quirky cast. However, as much as I wanted to embrace the characters, I couldn’t find any reason to particularly like them. Susannah’s choices seemed selfish, and I never really found it in me to root for her. Despite my neutral opinion of the characters, the faster pace of the latter half of the book compelled me to continue reading.

Even though Shearn's way with words is engaging, I never felt the emotional connection to the characters that I crave in books. Therefore, I can only give the novel 3 stars.