That loneliness in the moment is never a guarantee of loneliness in the future, that sadness is not a fixed point in one’s life any more than happiness is. Instead, I will remember its tender, beautiful, heartbreaking promise that things will be okay. But it's not what I'll remember years down the line, when I think about this book. This book is such an aching record of loneliness, and it's loneliness that cuts too close to the skin. Have you ever finished reading a book and wondered what the last person who read it and resonated deeply with it is feeling and if they're okay? It isn't a new favourite for me, but I appreciated it lots. I said this is the type of book I want to write because it felt like something that Nina LaCour poured herself into, something subtle and strong, a message she wanted to share. I think some of Marin's reactions to things were overly angsty and that there weren't many powerful moments. I'm giving this 4 stars because I don't think it was my perfect book. I love brevity, what can I say! I also really enjoyed that there was lots of cross-generational relationships - teenagers, parents, grandparents - because sometimes YA feels like a bizarre teen-only world. It never took me out of the story, it made it feel more grounded and real. I've made a video all about this, but I'm really irked by teenager representation that doesn't involve the internet or cellphones. I also, and I cannot emphasize this enough, loved Nina LaCour's use of technology. I like that things like being coloured or queer were present but not plot devices. I loved that it took place in winter, on an abandoned university campus, where everything amplified Marin's feelings of emptiness and isolation. This is a book about relationships and emotions and I liked being caught up in Marin's brain. What I really appreciated was that Nina LaCour abandoned the idea that a novel has to be entirely plot driven.
Which is a pretty big thing to say, I suppose. This is the kind of book I want to write.
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