When You Reach Me

In the riveting novel entitled, When You Reach Me, by author Rebecca Stead, there were a substantial amount of characters that appealed to me. However, while lacking a dominating role in the plot, the character named Richard was by far my favorite. Known to readers as the boyfriend of Miranda's (the narrator) mother, Richard was characterized by his gentle and charismatic demeanor; a source of security throughout the novel. He consistently provided comfort and kindness, confiding words of wisdom and advice to Miranda, and thereby reinforced how paternal he was towards Miranda. I liked how his calm persona was always there to console Miranda, filling the void that was Miranda's father. While substituting as a father, Richard provided another blanket of trust on top, as he had another dimension to his character, one that was comparable to an inquisitive and thoughtful friend. I appreciated how he maintained himself as an individual Miranda could fully trust with her secrets. That pacifying ability of his remained static throughout the novel, as Richard's overarching persona remained consistent regardless of what havoc was thrown at the family. His rationality kept Miranda grounded. Despite any tumultuous events that occurred in the novel, such as discussions about time travel or about the family's home being broken into, Richard was always there to envelop Miranda, her mother, and even the reader with a sense of security, bringing everyone who he interacted with back to Earth. I appreciated his practicality and sensibility, being that it was a stark contrast to the often aloof and disorganized one of Miranda's mother. Richard's humility overcame any sense of arrogance that he could've otherwise felt, as his good looks and good personality garnered him the nickname "Mr. Perfect." The sheer simplicity of his character was appealing, that of which brought the plot line to a far more realistic and stable level, since all he ever truly wanted was to be fully accepted into Miranda's family.