Reviews

I fell in love with hope by Lancali

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ayeshhasrinath's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

tyghe_bright's review

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emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

From the outset, I knew I'd love this book, even if the story was imperfect. The *writing*. The prose in this little book is STUNNING. It's made me catch my breath several times. The writing is impressionistic, which I *love*, but may not be for folks who prefer narrative plot-driven novels.1

The prose remains strong throughout, though not quite as strong when she's focused on plot. And the plot often suffers from "that's not how it works" with unrealistic portrayals of life in a hospital. Something the author knows about, because she's struggled with autoimmune disease. I also really felt the author's youth. It feels a little immature at times.

There's a "twist" about the narrator which is handled a little clumsily. It's hinted at heavily, and then explained explicitly, where it would have been better left more open.

Some reviews say it needed to be more accurate and realistic... but I disagree. If I were her editor, I would have encouraged her to go MORE abstract and fantastical. Her work shines most when she focuses on emotion and sensation.

Overall, it's a beautiful, if slightly imperfect, book with lovely, tender, tragic relationships. I still recommend it and will look for more by Lancali.

Content Warnings

noor_ahmed's review

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5.0

This is a straight up masterpiece. I felt it so much and I really related
beautiful
And has a special place in my heart
10 stars

finnmyronowsky's review

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

aceed18's review

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dark emotional hopeful lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

For everyone in this cast, I hope they find peace in all their tomorrows.

As someone with a chronic illness this hit me in so many ways. Ultimately this is not for the faint hearted but god is it my favourite book i have ever read. For me the book was neither about the beginning or the ending, it was about the middle. This story for me was about hope, no matter the ending we should live life with hope and its something that I am so glad was captured so authentically and beautiful especially through the lense of chronic illness.

This story is hope, despair, kindness, passion, resilience and above all love.