Michael is lonely, unhappy and worried at the beginning of the novel. How does his discovery of Skellig and his friendship with Mina help to change that as the book goes on? Describe Michael’s life and how it changes as the novel progresses.
Young Michael has undergone a great deal of change right as the novel starts, and he will continue to experience more. He has to come to terms with an ailing baby sister, a new house, distracted parents, changing relationships with his friends, and the entrance of two new extraordinary beings into his life: Skellig and Mina. Almond suggests that change can be hard—Michael cries a lot and is occasionally angry, quiet, or confused—and that it is okay not to react to it perfectly, as long as you are aware of how you are interacting with other people—e.g., Michael's fights with Mina and his Dad, both of which he is able to apologize for. Almond writes that change takes time to come to terms with, and it might not bring about exactly what one expected; however, change may, if one is patient, be even more wonderful than you expected.
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