A mess from the beginning -- couldn't finish it. The entire premise of this book is problematic and I cannot believe it exists.

I started on this but it really wasn't interesting me and I didn't connect to the main character so I ended up abandoning it. It's forcing me to give a star rating but that's just based on the fact that this book wasn't for me so I will not be reviewing it elsewhere since I didn't finish it.

Miles is a (queer) teen whose (trans) girlfriend has been in a coma for the past 18 months after she swallowed too many pills in a suicide attempt. To help him find closure and move on, Miles's moms send him on an impromptu one-month vacation to Iceland. There, he meets Oskar, his concierge at the hotel. However, it turns out that Oskar unexpectedly and semi-accidentally becomes more friend than hotelier. Oskar takes Miles on tours of Iceland, of his heart, and of his closure. Together, they fall in love, fall out of love, and find closure.

Miles Away from You is a wonderful story that of queer characters where their queerness is not the overarching plot. Instead, Miles finding his self after grieving for so long is the main objective of his trip and therefore of the book. And while Rutledge's inclusion of intersectionality brims with verisimilitude, it seems a little too convenient that nearly every other character Miles interacts with is on the Kinsey scale. Oh well, a little "how does that in-your-face, everyone-is-not-cis-white-rich-male make you feel, Mr. Heterosexual?" never hurt anyone. :)

The build-up to Oskar and Miles getting together is deliciously shippy. However, their falling out and the last 30 pages of the book seem rushed. We wait 200+ pages for them to realize they are perfect together, and then a "misplaced" person happens, everything falls apart, and Miles is quite suddenly back in the States, despite the fact that Miles narrates to Vivian that the last leg of their trip is several days. I suppose, though, that that is a side effect of the fact that the narration is Miles writing to Vivian. He gets to gloss over that frustration with Oskar because it's like his diary. He's in control of the story 100%, and that makes him an unreliable narrator. You can tell it's good writing, though, when you start analyzing the feels and solid reasoning and authorial intent starts emerging. #englishmajorproblems

TL;DR: If you like LGBTQIA+ YA, read this. If you like books dealing with social emotional issues and introspection, read this. If you like epistolary novels, read this.

Not my cup of tea. It would be a shame to depict all the things that didn't work for me, as the problem is that I just picked the wrong book (again, I fell for the cover, which is incredible anyways).

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I could not finish this book. Wasn’t catching my interest, couldn’t get in to the story.

I started reading this, but I ended up having to to give up due to the disgusting racist and transphobic elements to the story. .

DNF unfortunately, and I very rarely give up on books. I just didn't like the mc and I found the trans 'rep' to be problematic. I feel that the outrage towards the trans representation in this book is 100% valid.

Miles is in a bad place. His trans girlfriend has been in a coma for a year after attempting suicide. His mums decide to send him to Iceland for the summer to help him start living again.

I enjoyed reading this book, it kept me interested. I found Miles to be a bit whiny at times. Seeing other reviews I realise that it has upset quite a few people.

There are a lot of grief stories, each one a little different, just like in real life. THis one explores what happens when your grief is news, when there is controversy attached. So there's a lot to explore, at least in the background. At heart, this is a story of a boy who's lost his first love and is trying to figure out how to love again. Moderately interesting.

I originall quite enjoyed this book and planned on rating it a 3* as it quite happily kept me fairly engaged. However I have since seen a lot of outrage and upset from the Trans community with regards to the representation within the novel. For this I rate it only 1.5* as I believe honest representation is more important than quality of reading experience.

Three years ago Miles fell for Vivian, a talented and dazzling transgender girl. Eighteen months ago she tried to commit suicide, the attempt left Vivian on life support. Now Miles isn’t sure who he is without her, but his mother’s think it’s time for him to figure out how to say goodbye.

They book him a solo trip to Iceland. At first he has a hard time leaving the refuge of his hotel room, but after a push from Oskar, the hotel concierge who is strangely alluring, Miles decides to honor Vivian’s life by photographing her treasured Doc Martens standing empty against the surreal landscapes. He travels Iceland, meeting people and trying to learn to love again and accept that Vivian, still in a coma and in the charge of her unaccepting parents, will never recover.

Miles’ story is told through a series of instant messages to Vivian, some hopeful, some heartbroken, some grateful, some angry, some drunk. In another writers hands this premise could of been gimmicky, and the that would have been awful. There’s been a upsurge in LGBT literature over the last few years but less that looks at the specific issues that trans people face, and even less that treat trans people as people first and trans second. This book does that, Miles loves Vivian. He loves her mind, her spirit and her body through all her dysmorphia.

The book also looks at Miles’ own confusion about his sexuality. Again it deals with it sensitively but also with no holds barred. Writing letters that will never be seen allows a person to be utterly honest and the author takes full advantage of that.

Thoroughly recommended.

5 Bites

NB I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley in return for an honest review. The BookEaters always write honest reviews.

TW: suicide, self harm, abuse, transmisia, mental illness, homomisia, pedophilia.

This book handles consent (or the lack of) horribly. I was literally the vomit face emoji throughout the whole book, and there was no consent given in many situations & it’s not addressed directly or handled in a sensitive way. It’s all swept under the rug or laughed off and the MC still remains an ahole.

Also as an ownvoices trans reviewer and as an ownvoices ace reviewer, I thought that the author handled the portrayal and representation inaccurately. We have a trans character who committed suicide and was on life support, and Vivian isn’t portrayed in a positive way. She was portrayed as emotionally abusive, and also her partner Miles at first treats her in a transmisic way. Miles and his parents also fall under the “white savior” trope, because Vivian’s (black) parents are abusive and unaccepting

The way that Miles treats women and how he sexually objectives many situations where he has some disgusting and disturbing inner monologue. The way that he touches people without their consent, the way that Vivian’s suicide is a vehicle for him to further the plot. And then at the end, her family deadnames her which is so disappointing that she couldn’t leave as her true self.

About 90% of the books is just have sex in Iceland, and or trying to look for sexual experiences in Iceland. There were two gay people, and one of them was an evil pedophile (of course). During a trip to a body of water for a swim, our MC misgenders a nonbinary person by saying that they’re “one of the girls”. There’s also the naked trans trope which was unecessary.

As a trans and ace person, everything that the author did was rough and incorrect in regards to representation. There are lots of quotes and receipts that I don’t have on hand, but I recommend reading a fellow trans person’s thread about their thoughts on the quotes. The worst book that I’ve read in a long time, would not recommend.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own**

Okay, so judging by the reviews so far on Goodreads, this is a polarising book. Those who read and view it within the journey-to-find-yourself trope have enjoyed Miles’s voyage to Iceland, and discovered a flawed yet sympathetic character, who (as is the way) makes plenty of mistakes, shows himself initially to be selfish and horny, and whose letters to Vivian (which form the narrative framework) offer poignancy, insight and truthful anger.

Others who read it through a political and social lens, express deep hostility and rage. This is becoming a very familiar reaction – readers offended on behalf of marginalised communities, at the way they are being erased. They are then blasting the author for causing this offense, and I am starting to find myself reacting against these loud calls for these books to boycotted or banned. Sometimes the reader identifies with that particular identity and justifiably call it ‘triggering’. But nobody forces anyone to read anything, so if a story about a black M2F trans teen who attempts suicide, falls into a coma for 18 months, and is unable to speak for herself to refute Miles’s accusations and memories, then I say this is not the book for you.

I guess my review is written in response to some of these unhappy readers.

Their main argument revolves around the central plot being hinged upon cis white characters whose narrative is dependent on someone ‘lesser’ dying. While Miles is far from cis, he is white, and some would argue privileged and entitled. Interestingly, his identification as demi-sexual also causes angst. Apparently he objectifies other characters way too much, to be demi. I struggle with this concern, because Miles also throws around the terms ‘pan’ and ‘queer’, and his two mothers run programs for LGBTQIA youth, which is how Miles meets Vivian. He constantly proves he is open-minded, open-hearted, and falls for both boys and girls. I understand that the main characteristic of ‘demi-sexual’ is that a person must have an emotional connection before there is sexual attraction, and it’s true that Miles often refers to other characters by their physicality and his attraction to them. Yet, those that he actually makes out with, are all people with whom he has an established bond. All right, so I can’t explain the situation with the French backpacker. But if I accept Miles’s own defence (the sight of two girls making out turns him on), I can sort of see his point of view.

But with every mistake Miles makes, it only becomes clearer how real he is. He is selfish about Vivian’s situation. He is angry at her for her last actions. He is angry she remains in a coma 18 months later, and that her parents refuse to let her go. He is angry at himself for not noticing, and not being there on the day Vivian made the attempt. He is also in obvious need of some intimacy, a connection with another person, so he’s constantly searching for that. Anybody who argues that he is not traumatised by his situation is misreading his portrayal. He is deeply bereft and completely stuck. While the trip to Iceland helps him to process her situation, Miles remains troubled, and so of course, he is troublesome.

Landscape is obviously a key aspect of the novel. Iceland is remote, alien, but as he befriends Oscar, and develops familiarity with Reykjavik and the surrounding countryside, his confidence grows, he becomes more at peace with how his life now is, and it’s exhausting to watch him try to maintain his rage at the injustice of everything Vivian went through.

There is way more to the legal ramifications of her situation too, but readers can learn that for themselves. What you should know is that Miles’s journey is far from easy, and he fights all the way. While I understand people’s anger about Vivian being used as a prop, there’s also the consideration that statistics show suicide rates are very high in the trans community. Surely we can also argue another point of view: that readers learn more about the plight of under represented communities and can develop empathy and awareness of their situations, and when faced with it in their own lives, they might be better equipped to act more compassionately. This is what books can do – highlight social inequality and the unfairness of the world for us to learn to do better to improve it.

Some of what Miles says about and to Vivian is distressing. But he is grieving and so twisted about her, it’s not surprising that he directs some anger toward her. So yes, if hurt people acting out, and taking ages to recognise their own faults is something that would enrage you, stay away from this book.

I found it lively, fast-paced, and unpredictable. Thanks to publisher HMH Books and Netgalley for advanced copy. Recommended for people who like their contemporaries angsty and controversial. The sex talk and discussions about trans issues are direct and confrontational, and Miles is always thinking about touch, intimacy and closeness. The contrivances of some plot points are hard to ignore, and there is a skeevy character who preyed on a very young man. It’s a tough read, with an open, but mostly satisfying conclusion.

It has been eighteen months since Miles lost his best friend, Vivian, to a suicide attempt. She has been on life support and her parents have let the domain to her blog lapse and Miles is feeling the loss all over again. One of his mothers believes a trip to Iceland is just what he needs, but he has made the hotel room his sanctuary and is not getting the full Iceland experience. It takes the hotel manager, Oskar, pushing him to experience Iceland with his camera to get him out of his self-imposed depression. Will Miles find healing from the loss of Vivian?

Miles Away from You is a stand-alone novel full of heartbreak and love. The story is told in a series of instant messages from Miles to Vivian so each section is quick to read and the story flows without much effort. Rutledge has taken many tough topics and has worked them together into one emotionally charged story that most readers will be able to relate to. Miles Away from You is a good read that doesn’t push a specific set of values on the reader.

The cover is so gorgeous! The writing is beautiful and honest. I would love to give this to my students who are transitioning.

This is a debut novel by author, a plot that covers very uncommon topics such as bisexuality from a guys perspective, finding what he likes and getting involved in careless actions, because, he hasn't learned to think ahead..he explores sex and sexuality with random people. I come across a new term called "demi".

I saw the book representing a decent amount of depression, when main character, Miles, isn't aware of his attitude, he is present but without an effort about his life. Having mentioned depression, it isn't easy read. I found the best way to read it, leaving days in between.

There's saying what happens in..., stays in..., same could be told about Miles, except, is it? During his stay in Iceland, he faces for the first time- being away from home, having to choose and think of something else except his girlfriend. This is where I could not believe one may holds no knowledge of buying some sort of grocery items for his meal, keeping in account he was living in a camp on a van.. The the whole trip is a treat by his mum, so it's not as he has to pay from his own pocket, but.... loosing credit card and getting robbed is one way what may happen to Miles. Thankfully in the hotel where he is staying there's front representative Oscar, who is very, very attractive and helpful and feels sorry for Miles. He let's him tag along and travel with him.

I definitely expected better from MILES AWAY FROM YOU, but it turned out to be a book that focused 90% on sex and I found the treatment of suicide victims inherently problematic. Reviewers in the trans community have commented on their outrage and I think it's completely justified...I'm pretty saddened that it would feature such a bleak and hopeless story for the single trans character. I wouldn't recommend this to trans kids, so then who is it for exactly?

I also found Miles to be insufferable and very selfish. He improved slightly as the book went on but he was just horrible and it was all "me me me" for him. To the point where he basically said he deserved a medal for having a trans girlfriend and definitely should be acknowledge for the hate *he* received for it. That's so selfish I was really flabbergasted.

I also hated how all Miles thought about was sex, to the point where he said he "craved human flesh" and was sexualising some random stranger (he never spoke to) in a laundromat doing his laundry. This book is literally just about a horny boy getting a ton of sex in Iceland and that's not what I was here for. I actually found it to not even be really YA because of this. Sex and alcohol starring as most of the plot? I'm not happy. He also ends up body-shaming his trans girlfriend because she had body dysphoria and wouldn't have sex with him for a long time. This is....so wrong.

I felt the attitude to suicide was how the victim is the selfish one, and this is so wrong. It's 2018 already. Let's treat suicide as a real deadly side-effect of depression instead of a "selfish out" for people. Vivian seemed portrayed as as nearly villainous at times.

However I did enjoy several things, including the absolutely adorable character of Oskar, who later turns into the love interest. He was so complex and dimensional and I was grieved for his backstory as well as really interested in what he'd do with his future. He was the highlight of the book! And I loved the chemistry he had, almost immediately, with Miles. Their romance was slowburn and then a collision and I loved that part immensely.

I also loved seeing Iceland and, according to the author's note, she actually went touring there and it TOTALLY pays off! I really felt like I saw a lot of Iceland, even though I was just reading a book!

Overall though? I still think the book had too many problematic elements to fully be supportive of it.

Honestly, kind of meh. Like other reviewers I've seen, I didn't like the black trans girl gets fridged for cis white male explores the world and learns more about himself plot. It's 2018. That story was not necessary. I was much more interested in learning about Vivian,.

I'm withholding public reviews of this book because I DNF'd it. I had downloaded the book earlier and wanted to wait to read it until it was closer to the release date so I could film my thoughts for my BookTube channel around the launch of the book. However, I found this book to be pretty problematic in its views of women, sexuality, suicide, and mental health. I didn't enjoy the characters, their development, or an attempted suicide used as a plot device. I can appreciate the "attempt" at inclusive diverse representation but this missed the mark, heavily.

I am sorry I really tried to get into this book, but I just could not do it. I felt the writing was monotonous and boring and I just couldn't get past it. I really wanted to like it but I guess it was not my cup of tea