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⭐
High school students Laura, Daniel, and Mo have died. They don’t remember how and they certainly don’t know what they are now doing standing in their music teacher Mr. Anabin’s classroom, with a fourth young man they don’t recognize, who doesn’t even seem to know who he is. Upon detecting their presence, Anabin verifies that they have each indeed perished and have spent a year trapped in the realm of Bogomil from which people typically don’t return. Bogomil himself appears and the pair agree to let the quartet return to their normal lives as if nothing had ever happened, under the condition that while there they must complete a series of tasks, including discovering what caused their deaths, and at the end of the assignment, only two of the four will be allowed to remain alive.
Laura finds herself back at home with her single mother and sister Susannah, with whom she shares a sort of love/hate relationship. Daniel returns to his large family just across the street from Laura, and his on-again/off-again relationship with Susannah. Mo finds himself back at the home of his grandmother, a successful romance novelist who basically raised him, only to discover that while the trio were missing she had passed away, leaving him in the care of her long-time assistant. Everyone believes that the group had simply been studying abroad for the past year and each finds that they have memories of doing so despite it not being true, and so they attempt to assimilate back into their previous existences while trying to solve the mystery of their demise and learning to use the magic that allowed them to return. As you would expect from the title this book really is about love in all its many forms, and the ways it shapes and guides us through our lives. Family, friends, and lovers all come into play, as does learning to love and accept oneself, and Link’s often gorgeous prose brings the many intertwined relationships to life. She has a talent for developing people that feel real, imbuing even minor characters with enough personality to make it hurt a little when they suffer. There are moments that feel slightly hokey every now and then, but they are easy enough to look past. Link mostly handles the plot of her sprawling, supernatural, small-town saga well, making it easy enough to keep track of everyone and everything, though some events can occasionally feel repetitive. Rather than use chapter numbers the breaks are delineated with headings reading “The Book of Daniel”, “The Book of Laura”, and so forth, highlighting some of the religious subtext scattered throughout. Despite the fantastical events that surround the story, a lot of the little moments the characters experience feel eminently relatable, and there are several moments that pack an emotional punch, though none of them are allowed to really live long enough to settle in. I really enjoyed The Book of Love and would happily spend time with these characters again, but I was left with the weird feeling that I should have felt something more than I did. ★★★★
Laura finds herself back at home with her single mother and sister Susannah, with whom she shares a sort of love/hate relationship. Daniel returns to his large family just across the street from Laura, and his on-again/off-again relationship with Susannah. Mo finds himself back at the home of his grandmother, a successful romance novelist who basically raised him, only to discover that while the trio were missing she had passed away, leaving him in the care of her long-time assistant. Everyone believes that the group had simply been studying abroad for the past year and each finds that they have memories of doing so despite it not being true, and so they attempt to assimilate back into their previous existences while trying to solve the mystery of their demise and learning to use the magic that allowed them to return. As you would expect from the title this book really is about love in all its many forms, and the ways it shapes and guides us through our lives. Family, friends, and lovers all come into play, as does learning to love and accept oneself, and Link’s often gorgeous prose brings the many intertwined relationships to life. She has a talent for developing people that feel real, imbuing even minor characters with enough personality to make it hurt a little when they suffer. There are moments that feel slightly hokey every now and then, but they are easy enough to look past. Link mostly handles the plot of her sprawling, supernatural, small-town saga well, making it easy enough to keep track of everyone and everything, though some events can occasionally feel repetitive. Rather than use chapter numbers the breaks are delineated with headings reading “The Book of Daniel”, “The Book of Laura”, and so forth, highlighting some of the religious subtext scattered throughout. Despite the fantastical events that surround the story, a lot of the little moments the characters experience feel eminently relatable, and there are several moments that pack an emotional punch, though none of them are allowed to really live long enough to settle in. I really enjoyed The Book of Love and would happily spend time with these characters again, but I was left with the weird feeling that I should have felt something more than I did. ★★★★
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Okayy. First post, first book review, and first book I finished this year (I’m very slow).
Found myself hooked by the shifting perspectives between the two main characters, Sadie and Sam, who are soul bonded for better or for worse - two characters that are deeply intertwined in each other’s lives.
The plot reminds me a lot of When Harry Met Sally in the way that it spans decades and we as readers get glimpses during the pivotal moments of Sadie and Sam’s relationship.
The book touches on platonic love and how it sometimes can be greater than romance. There is also a strong emphasis on work and passion for a craft. In this case the craft was developing video games, which was probably what made this such an easy, digestible read for a nerd like me.
I’m giving this an 8.7/10.
Found myself hooked by the shifting perspectives between the two main characters, Sadie and Sam, who are soul bonded for better or for worse - two characters that are deeply intertwined in each other’s lives.
The plot reminds me a lot of When Harry Met Sally in the way that it spans decades and we as readers get glimpses during the pivotal moments of Sadie and Sam’s relationship.
The book touches on platonic love and how it sometimes can be greater than romance. There is also a strong emphasis on work and passion for a craft. In this case the craft was developing video games, which was probably what made this such an easy, digestible read for a nerd like me.
I’m giving this an 8.7/10.
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📚A very popular book, but if you havent read it yet... I recommend it.
Devoured it in a few hours first time I read it. The way the characters view relationships is very in line with my own. To the point where since reading it I have a relationship with a similar dynamic since (don't know if I recommend that). The point of the book, to me, has always been to showcase the difference forms love can take on, even when the feelings are unchanging.
Other than that Sally Rooney is just a really good writer, is tapped into interesting discourses which she weaves into her stories, and she knows how to make a character problematic in ways that feel relatable and honest instead of foreign or scary. + i just really like stories about 20-something-year-olds being themselves, figuring shit out without much plot holding it together.
My best friend gave it a 1/5 stars on Goodreads bc she thought everyone was boring and whiny sooo like.. it's not for everyone maybe.
Devoured it in a few hours first time I read it. The way the characters view relationships is very in line with my own. To the point where since reading it I have a relationship with a similar dynamic since (don't know if I recommend that). The point of the book, to me, has always been to showcase the difference forms love can take on, even when the feelings are unchanging.
Other than that Sally Rooney is just a really good writer, is tapped into interesting discourses which she weaves into her stories, and she knows how to make a character problematic in ways that feel relatable and honest instead of foreign or scary. + i just really like stories about 20-something-year-olds being themselves, figuring shit out without much plot holding it together.
My best friend gave it a 1/5 stars on Goodreads bc she thought everyone was boring and whiny sooo like.. it's not for everyone maybe.
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in honor of St. Patrick’s day, i just finished this book about unrequited love, love at the wrong time, love again at the right time, requited friendship that ebbs and flows, etc., set in Ireland in the early aughts. and i am weeping! it’s very funny and heartwarming and precise, definitely one of the better contemporary lit books i’ve read in the past year
of course, read if u like Sally Rooney…
of course, read if u like Sally Rooney…
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Not perfect, but easily their best album in years. Really enjoying it.
