I read so many books that it is often impossible for me to remember a specific character’s name or the exact detail of an event from any novel to recommend it, so I have decided to really put my best effort forward and attempt to review books as I read them. Today’s post was going to be on The Matched Trilogy by Ally Condie and it is wonderful, but then I read 2 books that I really need to tell you about first. Is that sacrilegious? Irreverent? I don’t think so because I feel like I need to give some attention to realistic fiction because it is often overlooked by the critics and by us, the readers.
Let me begin with The Disenchantments and let me assure you that there isn’t a love triangle, but there is a passionate longing. Colby longs for Bev while Bev longs for something definite in her life because Bev really doesn’t believe that anything will last forever. They literally and figuratively journey together with their friends on a magical music tour right after high school graduation. Colby has had plans to travel to Europe with Bev, but first they are hitting the road in a VW bus with their pals – sisters Meg and Alexa. Meg, Alexa and Bev form the all girl band – The Disenchantments. Secrets are revealed, news is broken and the reader feels every heart break or swell with emotion. Colby and Bev are you or I as teenagers – guilt-ridden, heartbroken, sexy and creative. Despite its title to the contrary, you will be enchanted by this story of real kids with real problems, real dreams on a very real adventure.
I was so impressed by The Disenchantments that I had to read hold still by Nina LaCour. Then I had to stop reading it almost immediately – on page 18 to be exact – because I had already developed such a deep connection to the protagonist, Caitlin, that I was appalled by how another character was treating her. I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but let’s just say this is a powerful novel of loss and finding a way to continue to live. Sounds cliche, and maybe that’s because I am not as good at expressing how lovely this story truly is. The book’s pages are heavy cream and the words are profoundly deep. An honest depiction of what happens to someone when they lose that person they were not ready to let go of.
Honestly, if you don’t read these books, you will be missing out on that experience where you actually inhabit the book. This does not happen to me that often.
LaCour, Nina. The Disenchantments. Dutton Books. 2012
LaCour, Nina. hold still. Dutton Books. 2009.
