People learn to truly love the things that they have already lost. This concept of yearning and reclaiming what was missed is reflected upon the narrative,”Over the Distant Mountain Ranges” by Dennis Wong. Through the perspective of a child, the ideals of second chances are brought forth by its passage of life, death, and its coexisting redos. There were just the three of them, Lucinda, and her parents, Annalise and Phil. They have lived their lives secluded from everything else but not from the love that they have for one another. But life’s irony is in taking away what is good, even from an innocent child.

An illness resulted in the death of Lucinda’s parents, and she yielded with the grief that consumed her little heart. Her grandparents have done nothing but to desperately wish for the dead to come back. And so they did, but never in the frame that they have anticipated. The stable became the first home that the child was adamant of staying, not because of the horses but of the souls that inhabited their bodies. Her parents lived within those animals, and despite the skepticisms brought forth by her grandparents, she remained fixed in her belief. Lucinda had finally gotten her mother and father back, and she will do everything in her power to make them stay. But nothing is truly permanent, and on her fifteenth birthday she had finally come to terms with this actuality. In “Over the Distant Mountain Ranges”, children are portrayed to be stronger and wiser than they seem. Lucinda’s growth is patterned after the writing of the author.

As the page progresses, her choices of words and her actions as written in ink is displayed in a maturing manner too. This is a talent that only a few authors possess. The narrative also aimed to appeal to the emotions of its readers. As it celebrates both the happiness of kinship and the misery of loss, audiences are inexplicably tied to this story’s affective dynamics. Symbolisms have also been observed among objects that were hinted throughout the plot. They not only helped in understanding the story better but also allowed readers to gain wider understanding of the motivations that drive each character. Although the narrative was fast-paced in its display of the plot, it still managed to give an effective overall appeal. I recommend that you read this book.