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aristorm's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
eesh25's review against another edition
2.0
Majorly unpopular opinion ahead!
From what I've heard, it seems that everyone and their mother is in love with this book. It's so bad (or good; for the book) that while reading, I was constantly wondering if I was somehow reading the wrong book, or maybe just not reading it the right way. I even took a little break to watch some vlogbrothers videos (recent obsession) hoping that they would put me in a good mood and I'd start liking the novel.
The good mood thing worked. But did I start to like the book? Check the rating I've given.
I just couldn't, for the life of me, get over how stupid it was. The protagonist, Rachel, was leaving town with her family. Before she left, she confessed her feelings to her best friend in a letter that she left in his favourite book. For the next few months, Henry wrote her tons of emails and letters, all of which she basically ignored because he didn't mention Rachel's letter and what she wrote. She didn't ask him about the letter herself, just ignored him. And in three years, never once did it occur to her that maybe he didn't get the fucking letter!
And now that she's come back (three years later), she's still mad at him while also trying to cope with the death her brother which occurred ten months ago. Henry just got dumped by his bitch of a girlfriend so he's very busy pining after her. In all that, the only interesting subplot is that Henry's family owns a used book store which, due to lack of profits, they might have to sell. Both Henry and Rachel work at the store.
There's another subplot with Henry's sister and an anonymous guy she exchanges letters with via the Letter Library in the book store. They're supposedly falling in love via the letters and there's this other guy who likes her but she treats him horribly because of the letter dude. With all these storylines, the grieving, the misunderstanding, the romance, the other romance, the two love-triangles, and the store, it's no wonder that the author didn't manage to give any of them the attention they needed. It's a huge mess that I couldn't wait to be done with.
Also, Henry is a complete and utter moron. From the start of his relationship with Amy (the ex), she only ever came to him when she didn't have some "better" guy to go to. Then she dumped him and immediately hooked up with someone else. She also humiliated him and never once showed that she cared about him.
It was like (and I can't not make this comparison) Pip and Estella. Except that Pip had a deeper reason for wanting Estella whereas Henry was just a moron who would not get it. I wanted to hit him on the head. With a brick.
But moving on from the stupid plot and the stupider characters, I didn't like the writing. There were a few quotable lines which made me think that it was good but the prose had little emotion and next to no imagery. I couldn't picture anything playing out in my head, nor did I feel a connection to anyone so the entire plot with Rachel's brother was wasted on me because I couldn't bring myself to care about either of them; and that's if it had been done well, which I didn't think it was.
Overall, hugely disappointed with this novel. It wasn't even one I was planning to read, not until I saw the rave reviews. If there was one thing I liked, it was the letters that were sprinkled throughout the novel. And like I said, a few quotable lines were there. But other than that, I'm just glad it's over. Do not recommend.
P.S. It was also very, very predictable.
alexan13's review against another edition
5.0
Stunned. Heartbroken. Sobbing. All in the best possible way.
joshish's review against another edition
4.0
Brain melting, heart melting, everything melting. Please write me notes in the margins of books too <3
brittanica_bold's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars! There were parts I loved and parts that frustrated me. Needed more George, less Rachel and Henry!
belgiancupcake's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Main protagonists are not likeable.
The ending went on and on. The last 20 pages could have been summarized in one sentence.
I finished it because it was a quick read, but would not recommend.
The ending went on and on. The last 20 pages could have been summarized in one sentence.
I finished it because it was a quick read, but would not recommend.
tishag's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I had high hopes for this book based on the synopsis, but it was much different than I expected, as in less romance novel, more serious contemporary fiction. None of the characters had anything positive going on in their lives, except for the MC's eventual romance which was predictable and came at the very end of the book. It was depressing and confusing at times. I didn't care for the narration, which I feel added to the confusion. The storylines were interesting, but the writing never hooked me.
I will say there are a couple things I did like/appreciate about the book. Books about books/bookstores will always feel special in some way and in this book's case, it was the idea of the Letter Library of the used bookstore that served almost as another character in the book. The LL holds books for people to read in-store, add notes, underline words or passages, and even communicate back & forth with other readers. I love this concept! Another thing I appreciated is that not everything was wrapped up with a neat bow at the end. While that's my preference for most books, it was fitting that a book filled with people who have messy/complicated/unhappy lives ended with things unresolved for most of the characters.
Overall, I didn't hate it and I went back & forth between a 2.5 and 3 star rating, so I'm splitting the difference and rating it 2.75. Not one I'm likely to recommend, but my isn't that cover pretty!
I will say there are a couple things I did like/appreciate about the book. Books about books/bookstores will always feel special in some way and in this book's case, it was the idea of the Letter Library of the used bookstore that served almost as another character in the book. The LL holds books for people to read in-store, add notes, underline words or passages, and even communicate back & forth with other readers. I love this concept! Another thing I appreciated is that not everything was wrapped up with a neat bow at the end. While that's my preference for most books, it was fitting that a book filled with people who have messy/complicated/unhappy lives ended with things unresolved for most of the characters.
Overall, I didn't hate it and I went back & forth between a 2.5 and 3 star rating, so I'm splitting the difference and rating it 2.75. Not one I'm likely to recommend, but my isn't that cover pretty!
undervmountain's review
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
Words In Deep Blue has two stories, and many stories in between, all bound up and told within the walls of Howling Books, Henry's second hand bookshop.The author managed to recreate the sense of walking into a familiar old bookshop perfectly and I was reluctant to leave when the last page ended.
There are two main stories here, one told in a dual narrative between Henry, who's just broken up with the girl he chose over Rachel, and Rachel herself, who hasn't spoken to Henry in three years since she left him a letter confessing her love before moving town, a letter he never replied to. Now Rachel's brother is dead and she finds herself back in Howling books, working alongside the guy she believes wronged her.
This is a truly magical story of grief, love, friendships and books. It's a story of growing up and learning to move on, even if it seems impossible. It's about finding love in the most unexpected of places and learning when it's time to let go of someone.
There are two main stories here, one told in a dual narrative between Henry, who's just broken up with the girl he chose over Rachel, and Rachel herself, who hasn't spoken to Henry in three years since she left him a letter confessing her love before moving town, a letter he never replied to. Now Rachel's brother is dead and she finds herself back in Howling books, working alongside the guy she believes wronged her.
This is a truly magical story of grief, love, friendships and books. It's a story of growing up and learning to move on, even if it seems impossible. It's about finding love in the most unexpected of places and learning when it's time to let go of someone.
hey_hail's review against another edition
3.0
This one, while not bad, had a really rough first half. It takes its time getting off the ground, which is not great for a book that’s under 300 pages. The second half it’s is bread and butter.