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kkoerth613's review against another edition
3.0
It was okay. Loved the Love narrator. It was cliché but some of the moments worked. Its slow so if you want a slow-ish short read, read this. Cute romance, though it had my eyes rolling.
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
I admit to thinking about 'The Book Thief' when I started this. Death narrates that (admittedly different!) novel, this is a much lighter affair, but both Death and in this case Love, prove to be charismatic narrators who chat to the reader.
This is a book for a summer's day, or an evening on the sofa, a cosy read that if you're in the mood, will probably give you the warm fuzzy feeling of a high quality 'chick flick' (and yes, 'When Harry Met Sally' is even mentioned in the book!).
Love is the storyteller, and also the weaver of the story itself, as he (or she? or it?) tells the reader about a teenager's breakup with his girlfriend, to whom he has just admitted his feelings, and how Love's plan for him goes awry as he meets another girl while on the rebound. Can Love fix his own plan and bring the two he intends together?
Self-referential, with lots of geeky references to films and actors I'm personally a fan of (Hitchcock, Gregory Peck, Eternal Sunshine...), it's quirky and memorable, with a teenage hero you feel for. Love classifies the characters as various sorts of romantic breeds, with footnotes and asides, keeping the tone informal and breezy.
Poor Gael - I did feel for him, his tale did take me back to my own (numerous) teenage heartbreaks. It felt obvious to me from the start what the eventual ending would be, but then again, that was how I felt when I first saw When Harry met Sally! It's the journey, as it is often is, rather than the eventual destination, that makes me sit and read page after page.
The story whizzes by, and Gael as senior has other issues besides his love life - a peppy and very observant little sister, separated parents he is angry at, a (former) best friend trying desperately to win Gael back.
This has probably been engineered to be screen-ready, and it certainly feels set for that - lots of smaller parts in funny little scenes for actors, lots of rom-com cliches (chases to the airport, the obligatory rain scene), but it knows it's conforming to type and references this, making it rise above the crowd.
I loved the narrator, it gave the familiar story a fresh perspective. I would definitely watch the film version if the voice was kept in. Great main characters and very realistic teen-speak.
Though there is nothing unsuitable for KS3 students, it is probably going to resonate more with those age 14 and above, who might recognise the agonies of adolescent relationships more strongly.
This is a book for a summer's day, or an evening on the sofa, a cosy read that if you're in the mood, will probably give you the warm fuzzy feeling of a high quality 'chick flick' (and yes, 'When Harry Met Sally' is even mentioned in the book!).
Love is the storyteller, and also the weaver of the story itself, as he (or she? or it?) tells the reader about a teenager's breakup with his girlfriend, to whom he has just admitted his feelings, and how Love's plan for him goes awry as he meets another girl while on the rebound. Can Love fix his own plan and bring the two he intends together?
Self-referential, with lots of geeky references to films and actors I'm personally a fan of (Hitchcock, Gregory Peck, Eternal Sunshine...), it's quirky and memorable, with a teenage hero you feel for. Love classifies the characters as various sorts of romantic breeds, with footnotes and asides, keeping the tone informal and breezy.
Poor Gael - I did feel for him, his tale did take me back to my own (numerous) teenage heartbreaks. It felt obvious to me from the start what the eventual ending would be, but then again, that was how I felt when I first saw When Harry met Sally! It's the journey, as it is often is, rather than the eventual destination, that makes me sit and read page after page.
The story whizzes by, and Gael as senior has other issues besides his love life - a peppy and very observant little sister, separated parents he is angry at, a (former) best friend trying desperately to win Gael back.
This has probably been engineered to be screen-ready, and it certainly feels set for that - lots of smaller parts in funny little scenes for actors, lots of rom-com cliches (chases to the airport, the obligatory rain scene), but it knows it's conforming to type and references this, making it rise above the crowd.
I loved the narrator, it gave the familiar story a fresh perspective. I would definitely watch the film version if the voice was kept in. Great main characters and very realistic teen-speak.
Though there is nothing unsuitable for KS3 students, it is probably going to resonate more with those age 14 and above, who might recognise the agonies of adolescent relationships more strongly.
taylorfan's review against another edition
Didn’t like the narration and didn’t enjoy the storyline.
mkmullin's review against another edition
3.0
3 1/2 stars
A cute quick read!! Not the most deep and a little predictable, but soooo goals and a great book to get you out of a slump. Also Love is so sassy which is amazing. If you love rom coms this is so the book for you!! :)))
A cute quick read!! Not the most deep and a little predictable, but soooo goals and a great book to get you out of a slump. Also Love is so sassy which is amazing. If you love rom coms this is so the book for you!! :)))
aepstone's review against another edition
5.0
An absolutely delightful, witty, and clever romance that I had the great privilege of working on -- mark your calendars, friends!
live_laughlovereading's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25