Spectacular Things Summary, Characters and Themes
Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein is a compelling exploration of family dynamics, sacrifice, and the personal aspirations that define our lives. The story follows Mia and Cricket Lowe, two sisters navigating life’s challenges in distinct yet interconnected ways.
While Mia battles medical complications after giving birth, Cricket, a goalkeeper for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, is grappling with the newfound pressures of her successful athletic career. The novel examines the delicate balance between family responsibilities and personal dreams, highlighting the difficult choices we must make in the face of love, ambition, and identity. It’s a moving story about the intersection of love, sports, and sacrifice.
Summary
The narrative of Spectacular Things weaves through the lives of Mia Lowe, who is giving birth, and her sister, Cricket, a goalkeeper for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team.
The plot alternates between Mia’s intense labor and Cricket’s experience as a reserve player on the team during the 2028 Summer Olympics. Mia, in the hospital, tries to keep her focus on the U.S. team’s game against the Netherlands for the gold medal. Cricket, anxious about the possibility of being called into the game, hopes for a chance to show her skills.
Mia’s labor is painful but steady until complications arise due to her high blood pressure. The doctors monitor her more closely as the situation escalates.
Meanwhile, Cricket watches the game unfold from the sidelines. The U.S. team is ahead, but a sudden turn of events occurs when the starting goalkeeper, Sloane Jackson, suffers a severe leg injury. The match is temporarily halted while medics attend to Sloane, and Cricket is called in to replace her for the final minutes of the game.
With only minutes left on the clock, Cricket steps in, her first international appearance, and faces immense pressure from the Dutch team’s attack. In a pivotal moment, Cricket makes a crucial save, securing the U.S. victory and the gold medal. Her performance elevates her from a backup to a hero.
As Cricket celebrates her Olympic triumph, Mia’s labor intensifies. In the final stages, Mia delivers a healthy baby girl but faces severe complications due to excessive blood loss and elevated blood pressure. She is rushed to surgery while Oliver, her husband, holds the newborn, and the family anxiously waits. Six days later, Cricket returns to Maine, basking in the glory of the gold medal but soon learns from Mia that her sister has suffered a significant health setback.
Mia, after giving birth, developed acute kidney injury (AKI), requiring dialysis. The doctors inform Mia’s family that her best hope for recovery is a kidney transplant.
Mia’s condition is critical, and Cricket is confronted with a heartbreaking decision. As her soccer career takes off, Cricket faces the dilemma of whether to donate one of her kidneys to her sister, knowing that doing so would end her career.
The sisters, despite their close bond, are faced with competing desires: Cricket’s desire for athletic success and Mia’s need for a life-saving transplant. Both Mia and Oliver suggest that Cricket consider donation, but they understand the gravity of the choice. Cricket is torn, unsure whether to sacrifice her career for her sister’s survival or continue pursuing her dreams.
The novel deepens the exploration of family relationships and personal sacrifice. Cricket grapples with her identity as an athlete and her deep sense of responsibility to her family. As Mia continues her struggle with kidney failure, Cricket is left to reflect on the cost of her ambitions and the uncertain path ahead.
The novel’s earlier chapters also explore Mia’s complicated relationship with her mother, Liz.
At a graduation party for Mia, Liz drunkenly expresses admiration for her daughter, calling her “the fairest one of all,” a reference to Snow White. This remark unsettles Mia, who has never known her father, leading her to question her identity.
Her life takes a turn when a man named Quimby (Q), Mia’s father, suddenly reappears after years of absence. Despite Liz’s hostility, Q integrates into their lives, and Mia gradually accepts him into her family. However, Liz’s emotional withdrawal after Q’s departure creates tension in the family, leaving Mia to shoulder responsibilities for her younger sister, Cricket.
Cricket’s rise to prominence in soccer strains the relationship between the sisters.
Mia feels overshadowed as Cricket’s talent outshines her own, and their mother redirects all her focus onto Cricket’s potential. Eventually, Mia steps away from soccer, supporting Cricket’s dreams while forsaking her own. This dynamic intensifies when Mia goes to college at Yale, feeling torn between her aspirations and her role in the family.
At Yale, Mia struggles with homesickness and an existential crisis about her place in the world. She uncovers disturbing truths about her father, which forces her to confront her family’s painful past.
Meanwhile, Cricket’s life at school is marked by new challenges and relationships. She navigates the pressures of being a top soccer player while adjusting to college life. Her relationships, including one with a fellow student named Yasmine, offer her a glimpse of balance between personal life and athletic ambitions.
However, the emotional weight of her family situation still haunts her.
Cricket’s rising soccer career, however, brings her into constant comparison with former teammate Sloane. She feels lonely despite her success, a feeling that only deepens as Mia’s condition worsens.
Cricket is overwhelmed with guilt as she struggles with her inability to be there for her sister. Mia, meanwhile, contemplates quitting dialysis, frustrated by her deteriorating health and the unfairness of her situation. After a health scare at a U.S. Women’s National Team game, Cricket realizes the true extent of her emotional distance from Mia and decides to reconnect.
The turning point comes when Cricket visits Mia at the hospital, where they have an emotional conversation.
Cricket finally apologizes for her detachment, and they begin the long process of rebuilding their bond. Cricket sacrifices her athletic career, opting to donate a kidney to Mia, which ultimately saves her sister’s life. This act of love and sacrifice symbolizes Cricket’s shift in priorities, moving away from soccer to focus on her family.
Sloane, who also plays a pivotal role in the story, becomes closer to both sisters as they work together in the soccer world.
As Mia recovers and her health improves following the transplant, Cricket transitions to coaching the national soccer team, a position she had never anticipated. She finds peace in her new role, and the family is reunited.
The novel concludes with Cricket and Sloane preparing for the 2031 Women’s World Cup, both personally and professionally fulfilled. Their journey of growth, healing, and sacrifice highlights the importance of family, love, and knowing what truly matters in life.
Characters
Mia Lowe
Mia Lowe is a central character in Spectacular Things, embodying the themes of sacrifice, resilience, and familial devotion. Throughout the story, Mia is portrayed as someone who has long lived in the shadows of her younger sister Cricket’s success.
As a child, Mia struggled to meet her mother’s expectations, particularly in soccer, which led her to put aside her own aspirations to care for her family. Her sense of identity is deeply tied to the role of a caretaker, especially for her younger sister, and later for her mother, who becomes emotionally distant after the return of Mia’s father, Q. Mia’s life takes an unexpected turn when she enters adulthood, dealing with the challenges of her own health, including the complications from childbirth and her later battle with kidney disease.
Despite her hardships, Mia is characterized by an enduring love for her family, even when faced with the difficult decision of whether her sister Cricket should donate a kidney to her. As the story unfolds, Mia’s journey is one of self-discovery as she struggles to break free from the expectations placed upon her. Her eventual acceptance of her own life and future is a testament to her growth, marking her transformation from someone defined by her familial roles into a woman who embraces her identity on her own terms.
Cricket Lowe
Cricket Lowe, Mia’s younger sister, is a pivotal character in Spectacular Things. She is introduced as an emerging soccer talent, someone who harbors dreams of becoming a goalkeeper for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team.
Cricket’s trajectory is marked by her intense dedication to soccer, which often places her at odds with her family dynamics.
Her career, particularly her Olympic gold medal victory, sets the stage for a complex emotional journey. Cricket’s story is one of internal conflict between her personal ambitions and her deep connection to her family, particularly Mia, whom she feels increasingly distanced from as she climbs the ranks in her soccer career. Cricket’s struggles with loneliness, homesickness, and guilt over her sister’s deteriorating health are portrayed as key emotional undercurrents in the novel.
Her relationship with Mia, once filled with mutual support, is strained when Mia and Oliver’s romantic relationship is revealed, further complicating her emotional landscape.
However, Cricket’s eventual sacrifice—choosing to donate a kidney to Mia despite the toll it takes on her soccer career—highlights her deep love for her family and her growth into a more selfless and grounded individual. By the end of the story, Cricket finds peace not just with her career, but with her evolving role in her family and her newfound relationship with Sloane, cementing her transformation from a focused athlete to someone who values love and personal connections.
Sloane Jackson
Sloane Jackson is a crucial secondary character in Spectacular Things, playing a pivotal role in Cricket’s journey both as a teammate and as a friend. Sloane’s character arc is built around ambition and the sacrifices that come with pursuing athletic greatness.
Initially introduced as a talented and driven goalkeeper, Sloane becomes a source of competition and camaraderie for Cricket.
Their shared history of rivalry and friendship adds depth to their relationship, as they both work toward similar goals in the world of soccer. Sloane’s career, however, faces a major turning point when she suffers a catastrophic injury during an Olympic match. This injury forces Sloane to grapple with the fragility of her career and her own emotional well-being, particularly as she watches Cricket rise to fame in her place.
Sloane’s return to the soccer scene and her relationship with Cricket evolve in the story, revealing a more complex, supportive dynamic between them. By the end of the book, Sloane becomes a key part of Cricket’s life, both professionally and personally, as they reconcile their past tensions and transition into a romantic relationship. Sloane’s growth mirrors that of Cricket’s, as both women shift their priorities from professional success to personal fulfillment and love.
Liz Green
Liz Green, Mia and Cricket’s mother, is a deeply flawed character whose emotional instability and focus on Cricket’s soccer career create much of the family tension in Spectacular Things. Liz’s behavior shapes Mia’s early life, as she strives to meet her mother’s high expectations, only to be overshadowed by Cricket’s emerging talent.
Liz’s emotional withdrawal from Mia, especially after the arrival of Quimby, Mia’s biological father, exacerbates the growing rift between them. Liz’s erratic emotional state, worsened by her tumultuous relationship with Q and her preoccupation with Cricket’s potential in soccer, pushes Mia into the role of caretaker, further stifling her own aspirations. Liz’s neglect of Mia, combined with her obsession with Cricket, plays a significant role in Mia’s struggles with self-worth and identity.
However, as the story progresses, Liz’s complex character is revealed, especially in her interactions with Mia during the latter’s health crisis. Though her actions are often selfish and self-absorbed, Liz is ultimately shown to have deep emotional turmoil, stemming from her own unresolved issues with love and loss.
Despite her flaws, Liz’s character demonstrates the emotional complexity of a mother who, though misguided, still cares for her daughters in her own, flawed way.
Oliver
Oliver is an important secondary character in Spectacular Things, acting as both a romantic partner to Mia and a source of emotional support throughout the story.
His character serves as a stabilizing force for Mia, particularly during her pregnancy and the subsequent health crises. However, his relationship with Mia becomes strained when Cricket discovers their secret romance, leading to a moment of betrayal and tension between the sisters. Despite this, Oliver remains a loyal and caring partner, supporting Mia through her medical complications and the emotional weight of the family’s challenges.
His relationship with Mia evolves over the course of the story, eventually becoming a source of grounding and security for her. His willingness to support Mia, even when faced with the complexities of family dynamics, adds depth to his character as someone who values love and commitment.
By the end of the book, Oliver represents a figure of constancy in Mia’s life, offering her a foundation of support as she moves forward into the next chapter of her life.
Themes
Family Bonds and Sacrifice
In Spectacular Things, family dynamics are explored through the deep, emotional connections that exist between Mia and Cricket, especially the sacrifices both women make for one another. The story highlights how these bonds are tested by life’s unpredictable challenges, such as Mia’s health crisis and Cricket’s burgeoning soccer career.
Cricket is thrust into a difficult position when her sister, Mia, requires a kidney transplant. Her sense of duty to her family clashes with her personal ambition and dreams of soccer stardom. This theme of sacrifice underlines the profound love between sisters and the heavy burden of selflessness. Cricket’s internal conflict—choosing between her career and her sister’s survival—captures the essence of familial devotion. At the same time, Mia’s own struggle to accept her dependence on her sister is an emotional journey that highlights the complexities of family loyalty.
Their relationship serves as a testament to how love can shape decisions, often forcing individuals to put others before themselves. Ultimately, the book presents a narrative where family, in all its complications, emerges as a force that can inspire profound personal transformation.
Identity and Personal Growth
As both Mia and Cricket evolve throughout Spectacular Things, the theme of identity becomes a powerful undercurrent.
Mia’s journey, from high school to Yale and her eventual unraveling of the truth about her father, Quimby, challenges her understanding of herself.
The revelation of Quimby’s past forces Mia to confront the darker sides of her family’s history, pushing her to carve out her own identity, separate from the expectations and secrets imposed by her family. Cricket, too, grapples with her self-worth, particularly in the context of her competitive career. As she becomes an Olympic hero, she must navigate her feelings of loneliness, isolation, and the expectations placed on her as an elite athlete.
This theme explores how personal growth often involves confronting uncomfortable truths, letting go of external definitions, and finding the courage to embrace one’s authentic self. Both sisters must learn that growth isn’t just about achievements or recognition, but about understanding their own emotional needs and desires.
The Pursuit of Ambition
Ambition is a central theme in the lives of both Mia and Cricket. Spectacular Things delves into the challenges that come with striving for success, especially when this ambition is at odds with personal relationships. Cricket’s dedication to her soccer career is tested repeatedly, first by the competition with her teammate Sloane and later by the sacrifices she must make for her family. As Cricket reaches the pinnacle of her soccer career, she realizes that her success comes at the expense of her emotional well-being and her relationship with Mia.
The theme of ambition also weaves through Mia’s life, especially as she watches her sister excel in a sport that once defined her own identity. Mia’s early life was shaped by her mother’s soccer dreams, but as she shifts her focus to academics and independence, the book reveals how the pursuit of personal ambition can be both a source of pride and internal conflict.
This theme underscores the tension between following one’s dreams and maintaining meaningful relationships, suggesting that true success lies in balancing ambition with personal connection and self-understanding.
The Struggles of Health and Mortality
Spectacular Things offers a poignant exploration of health and mortality, with Mia’s battle with kidney disease serving as the novel’s emotional core. The book underscores the fragility of life through Mia’s health struggles, particularly the looming threat of dialysis and her eventual need for a kidney transplant.
These health issues become a stark reminder of the human body’s limitations, creating a sense of urgency and vulnerability in Mia’s journey. For Cricket, her success in soccer contrasts with her sister’s declining health, highlighting the disparity between their physical conditions. The theme of mortality serves not only as a catalyst for the story’s emotional depth but also as a reflection on how individuals confront their own fragility and the fragility of their loved ones.
It reveals how illness and death affect not only the person directly involved but also their family, as they must navigate the difficult terrain of caregiving, emotional support, and the inevitability of loss. The medical crisis challenges the sisters’ relationships and ultimately strengthens their bond, illustrating how confronting mortality can foster personal growth and a renewed appreciation for life.
Friendship and Rivalry
Cricket and Sloane’s relationship in Spectacular Things is a complex blend of friendship and rivalry.
Both women share a common goal of achieving greatness in soccer, but their personal dynamics are influenced by competition. Sloane, once a mentor to Cricket, represents the career Cricket aspires to, making their friendship fraught with tension and occasional jealousy. The story captures how rivalry can evolve into mutual respect, as both women push each other to be better.
Their relationship demonstrates that the line between friendship and rivalry is often blurred, especially in the world of professional sports. Cricket’s journey, particularly when she becomes a key player for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, is marked by the fluctuating nature of her friendship with Sloane. As their careers develop, they must learn to navigate their shared history, understanding that competition doesn’t always mean animosity. The theme of rivalry and friendship highlights the ways in which individuals can both challenge and support one another, growing from the very tensions that could otherwise divide them.
This dynamic mirrors the larger themes of the book, where familial love and personal ambitions often intertwine in unexpected ways.
The Impact of Secrets and Truths
The theme of secrets and the impact of truth on relationships is another significant element in Spectacular Things. Mia’s discovery of her father’s involvement in a scandal about sexual abuse shakes her perception of her family and her identity. This revelation forces Mia to confront the darker aspects of her family’s history, leading her to make significant decisions about her future and her relationship with her mother.
The burden of secrets is not limited to Mia, however; Cricket, too, grapples with the idea of hiding her true feelings from her family, particularly as she navigates her soccer career and the pressures of her growing fame. The truth, while painful, becomes a catalyst for personal transformation, helping both sisters redefine their sense of self and their place in the world. This theme emphasizes how keeping secrets can impact not only the individuals involved but also their relationships with others.
It suggests that the weight of hidden truths can be burdensome, but revealing them is often necessary for healing, growth, and moving forward.