Beautifully written story by Laura Wiess
“It’s the sound of life, and I feel like I need to be in it. I want to be in it.”
My emotions were all over the place as I read this book. It has taken me two days to try to figure out what to write for this review as I know that what I write is not going to convey how I really feel. As Rowan went about her life, I felt as if she was just trying to fit in. Running beside Nadia: skipping school, going to parties, flirting with guys, she was looking for a way to fit in. Eli, what a vital individual to add to Rowan’s life and what a story he had. He’s right there in the middle as he understands firsthand what Rowan is experiencing, add to that his past and this attraction between Rowan and Eli, you just have to love him. His calm and loving personality and his own way of looking at the world, it was just what Rowan needed. Two suicides in such a short period of time is a lot to handle. First, the death of the young father and now the death of her own father, Rowan feels numb. As Rowan tries to come to grips with her life, I was grabbing at my tablet for something tangible to hold onto. Laura’s words had me. Those sentences packed with emotions were getting the best of me while the story sailed on. I knew what was coming up I had read the synopsis but the impact it had on me was something else. The words are powerful and the emotions of the characters as they deal with the multiple suicides are intense and heartfelt. As they healed, the sky became bluer and the air became lighter but the pain still lingers, it is a wound that will always show its scar.
Laura’s words in the book were very powerful and provoking. Leaving some sentences short and others long, had me bookmarking quite a few pages in this novel as I wanted to come back and reread them. The subject matter is not something a lot of people like to talk about but this story deals with this topic before it occurs and its aftermath. Watching the individuals cope and heal is a powerful and emotional event which did not occur without some shedding of the tears. Yes, there are many joyous occasions in the book and many times I laughed and smiled while reading this novel. It’s a terrific book that I will not forget and one I will reread again.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book to read.
