Jennifer E. Smith
Genre(s): Contemporary, Romance Young adult
Published: October 9th 2014
Pages: 337
Rating: 2 stars
“Owen and Lucy are stuck in a life. As they await help, they start talking...
Though brief, the time they spend together leaves a mark. And as their lives take them to Edinburgh and San Francisco, to Prague and to Portland they can't shake the memory of the time they shared. Postcards cross the globe when they themselves can't, as Owen and Lucy experience the joy - and pain - of first love.
As each makes their separate journey in search of home, they will discover that sometimes it is a person rather than a place that anchors you most in the world.”
A copy of this book was provided by bookbridgr. This in no way influenced my thoughts.
Jennifer E. Smith wastes no time in jumping straight into Lucy and Owen's story, a fact I would be able to overlook if it weren't for the writing style. It was very simple and came across as trying too hard to be funny every time someone spoke. I got a very John Green vibe from the dialogue - meaning it felt pretentious, cocky, and unnatural coming from a teen - and I did not enjoy it. At all. The whole 'meeting in a broken down elevator' felt way too convenient and contrived to me, as well.
It was nice to see that, from the beginning, Lucy and Owen had different situations and personalities. But that didn't mean I connected with them, or really care or like them. Everything just felt so... easy. Whether that's because I'm not a fan of romance or contemporary, or whether everything magically and conveniently fell into place, I don't know. All I can say is that it felt extremely contrived.
I didn't like the romance in it, either. In fact, I felt that there was none. Lucy and Owen met for a day or so, then they both moved away and did a bad job of keeping in touch for months before meeting again. All the while there were lots of 'what ifs' and meandering internal monologues that I felt were trying too hard to be thoughtful and poetic. And don't even get me started on the ending. It was incredibly unbelievable and I am not satisfied with it.
I think I just need to stay away from young adult contemporary and romance, because it really doesn't do it for me. Overall, this was just a let down.
I recently read The Geography if You and me, and I did find it a bit of a let down. Things just moved too quickly. It was a very simple read.
ReplyDeleteThat's how I felt. It just... wasn't what I was expecting. :/
DeleteIt sucks that you didn’t like this book, I hate the feeling of the time wasted on a book you didn’t like when there are so many you could have read and enjoyed. I hope you enjoy the next book you read better! Great review!
ReplyDeleteI hate that feeling too. :( Unfortunately, it's pretty much impossible to love every single books you read. I'd love to love everything, but I'm so picky haha!. Thank you. :)
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