I don’t even know where to start. Seriously. I’m practically
left speechless, which doesn’t happen very often. THIS BOOK. I can’t cope with
it. I’ve been reading well into the AM because this book is too stubborn to
leave my hands.
The first part of the book also gives us a great insight
into Simon’s life at Watford so far, and his relationships whilst being there.
We get to meet his best friend, Penelope, who I totally adore. And also his
girlfriend, Agatha. Even though there is a lot of backstory to cover, it
doesn’t feel rushed. By the time I reached the second part of the book, I felt
like I’d known the school and characters for years.
The chapters in which Simon is constantly thinking about Baz
made me so anxious for him to finally arrive in the story. It drove me crazy! And
then when he did arrive, oh boy did he arrive in style. He owned my heart
immediately. Baz is so completely different from Simon, and I loved getting to
see things from his point of view. He’s just so full of sass and arrogance, I
couldn’t ask for a better character.
Although he’s snarky and generally unpleasant towards
others, there is a specific scene from his first night back at Watford that
adds a vulnerable side to his character that I wasn’t expecting so soon. I was
already emotionally attached to him by that point!
Due to a promise made by Simon, he ends up working alongside
Baz for the first time, and it is here that the story takes on a whole new
level. The changing of the relationship between the two of them throughout this
book is a tension-filled emotional rollercoaster, and it’s beautifully written.
I don’t think I’ve read anything quite like it, and I simply couldn’t get
enough.
Rainbow Rowell is one of my favourite contemporary authors
because of how fantastic she is at building relationships. Every moment is
electrifying between her characters and no detail is spared. Although this is a
fantasy novel, Rainbow manages to inject some of that wonderful contemporary
style into the dialogue and the emotions, creating the
perfect balance of fantasy and romance.
One of the things that really stands out for me is the way we get to see the story from so many different perspectives. It doesn’t
just focus solely on the thoughts running through Simon and Baz’s minds. I loved
seeing Penelope’s side of things, and even Agatha’s. It allows readers to get to know all of the characters more in-depth.
I also have to mention how fantastically British this story is. Total credit to Rainbow for being spot on with all of the references and dialogue. I adore stories that embrace Britian in all it's Britishness glory.
The plot is thrilling from start to finish. There wasn’t
anything about this story that lacked excitement. The conclusion was cleverly
thought out, and I loved that not every question was answered by the time we
reached the epilogue (WHICH WAS PERFECT, BY THE WAY). There were some things left for the reader to ponder about.
I am so grateful that Rainbow decided to write this story,
and it deserves every bit of praise that it gets. Not only is it my favourite
book from this year, but it’s also one of my favourite reads of all-time!
So, as you’ve probably figured, I’m in love with this book.
Now I need to go and catch up on the sleep I lost reading it.