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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
Let's talk about the plot;
For me, this was all about character. Norah was one of the most brilliantly written characters ever, Gornall has captured mental health so perfectly, I was definitely awed.
Now, I know what you might think, the Goodreads Synopsis almost reads like a potential insta love story, but honestly it was so much more than that. I think rather than love at first sight, Norah had finally realised that in Luke, there is someone that accepts her for who she is, I mean, her friends, from the gist of it, didn't attempt to visit her at home, and it seems that they just didn't want to understand what she was going through. Enter Luke, and also enter a journey of grief, illness and love.
Let's talk about the characters:
Norah is definitely relatable with her thoughts. I was with her every step of the way, and their were so many times that my heart just broke for her. She was so brave, even when she felt most scared, I admired scenes when she tried to be rational, yet I couldn't help but ache for her when things became tough. I definitely feel like she's one of the most real characters in YA Lit, and this book is definitely one of the best ntemporaries I've read in some time. Actually since Turtles all the Way Down! I felt every emotion that Norah did, I wanted to hug her so much and tell her every thing would be okay.
Luke was so precious too! He waa utterly unique and not at all what I was expecting. His character definitely contrasted to Norah but at times they had slight similarities and I loved every minute of seeing their interactions develop! In a friend and confidante; and vice versa too, it was amazing seeing these characters open up so vastly and deeply.
I really loved how supportive Norah's mum was of her, I feel like that's semi rare sometimes. But I could feel how much love their was between Norah and her mum, it was just amazing, lovely and touching to see how much her mum had sacrificed for her daughter's wellbeing: and she wasn't one of the suffocating mum types, she just wanted Norah to be happy and well.
Let's talk about the writing:
The writing was so addictive, I couldn't stop once I started, and I wouldn't put it down. The writing was done so well, not only could I see everything played out in my mind, but I felt suspense when Norah was scared, uncertain when she was, and so much more, and when Luke admitted something to Norah, I honestly had to chuckle because of how the events of the book played out. Utter brilliance, and there was a scene at the near end that actually terrified me, I was so nervous and proud.
An utterly beautifully put together book, I know I'll definitely revisit it.
Happy reading :)
For me, this was all about character. Norah was one of the most brilliantly written characters ever, Gornall has captured mental health so perfectly, I was definitely awed.
Now, I know what you might think, the Goodreads Synopsis almost reads like a potential insta love story, but honestly it was so much more than that. I think rather than love at first sight, Norah had finally realised that in Luke, there is someone that accepts her for who she is, I mean, her friends, from the gist of it, didn't attempt to visit her at home, and it seems that they just didn't want to understand what she was going through. Enter Luke, and also enter a journey of grief, illness and love.
Let's talk about the characters:
Norah is definitely relatable with her thoughts. I was with her every step of the way, and their were so many times that my heart just broke for her. She was so brave, even when she felt most scared, I admired scenes when she tried to be rational, yet I couldn't help but ache for her when things became tough. I definitely feel like she's one of the most real characters in YA Lit, and this book is definitely one of the best ntemporaries I've read in some time. Actually since Turtles all the Way Down! I felt every emotion that Norah did, I wanted to hug her so much and tell her every thing would be okay.
Luke was so precious too! He waa utterly unique and not at all what I was expecting. His character definitely contrasted to Norah but at times they had slight similarities and I loved every minute of seeing their interactions develop! In a friend and confidante; and vice versa too, it was amazing seeing these characters open up so vastly and deeply.
I really loved how supportive Norah's mum was of her, I feel like that's semi rare sometimes. But I could feel how much love their was between Norah and her mum, it was just amazing, lovely and touching to see how much her mum had sacrificed for her daughter's wellbeing: and she wasn't one of the suffocating mum types, she just wanted Norah to be happy and well.
Let's talk about the writing:
The writing was so addictive, I couldn't stop once I started, and I wouldn't put it down. The writing was done so well, not only could I see everything played out in my mind, but I felt suspense when Norah was scared, uncertain when she was, and so much more, and when Luke admitted something to Norah, I honestly had to chuckle because of how the events of the book played out. Utter brilliance, and there was a scene at the near end that actually terrified me, I was so nervous and proud.
An utterly beautifully put together book, I know I'll definitely revisit it.
Happy reading :)
Loved this so much! It was an amazing, realistic portrayal of mental illness and Norah was such a relatable character. I loved how the love interest didn't "fix" her, but Norah moves forth with recovery for herself. My one complaint, and it's a small one, is that it ended so quickly! I almost wish there had been a bit more resolution, but the book is still amazing on its own.
Written by an author with anxiety and agoraphobia, this is an authentic story of a teen dealing with mental illness. It's also a love story - Norah thinks about a LOT of stuff that neurotypical teens probably don't, but she also gets a crush and has a first date and experiences lots of thoughts and feelings that most teens do. So, yes, this is a book about a teen dealing with mental illness, but it's also a story about first love.
I would hand this to teens who enjoy character-driven novels with some romance.
I would hand this to teens who enjoy character-driven novels with some romance.
Full review here: https://lindsayjmarsh.wordpress.com/2017/02/18/book-review-under-rose-tainted-skies-by-louise-gornall/
3.5 ~ I really appreciated seeing a main character with OCD and agoraphobia. These are anxieties i relate to (on a different level, yes) and i therefore felt connected to Norah.
[ One particular speach about how brave she was for doing basic things despite how scared she is of them, touched me very personally as I'd been told this recently and hadn't realised it before. ]
It was a sweet romance with a near-perfect boy next door which I would have longed for so dearly when I was a teen.
(Although I personally don't relate to liking people and wanting to be in a relationship when you've only spoken to them a couple of times..)
Finally, I feel like it ended a little abruptly though? On one hand, I really appreciated her anxieties not being "fixed" just cause she has a boyfriend, but I was still waiting for a bit more closure on certain aspects of herself (like the self harm, and maybe more about how/if she was going to continue working towards studying in France like she wanted to).
[ One particular speach about how brave she was for doing basic things despite how scared she is of them, touched me very personally as I'd been told this recently and hadn't realised it before. ]
It was a sweet romance with a near-perfect boy next door which I would have longed for so dearly when I was a teen.
(Although I personally don't relate to liking people and wanting to be in a relationship when you've only spoken to them a couple of times..)
Finally, I feel like it ended a little abruptly though? On one hand, I really appreciated her anxieties not being "fixed" just cause she has a boyfriend, but I was still waiting for a bit more closure on certain aspects of herself (like the self harm, and maybe more about how/if she was going to continue working towards studying in France like she wanted to).
I rather enjoyed this book and I believe it represents mental illness in a good way. Although I can't speak on its OCD or agoraphobia perspective whether it was true to those feelings. It is an own voices novel so the author has first hand experience. The anxiety I felt was very spot on,as someone whose suffered from anxiety that in the past has caused me to not want to leave the house I felt the author had really captured that feeling.
Although this book was not triggering for me please just know self harm is apart of this book!
Other than those I really enjoyed it and think its worth a read. could of benefited with being a tad longer mostly just cause I came to love the characters and wanted more.
Although this book was not triggering for me please just know self harm is apart of this book!
Other than those I really enjoyed it and think its worth a read. could of benefited with being a tad longer mostly just cause I came to love the characters and wanted more.
(3.5)
i really enjoyed (for lack of a better word) seeing through the eyes of a character that has to deal with agoraphobia, anxiety and OCD on a daily basis. but for some reason i felt really disconnected to the romantic plot - and that kinda spoiled my enjoyment of the book.
it's still a really interesting read, especially as it is an own voices story.
i really enjoyed (for lack of a better word) seeing through the eyes of a character that has to deal with agoraphobia, anxiety and OCD on a daily basis. but for some reason i felt really disconnected to the romantic plot - and that kinda spoiled my enjoyment of the book.
it's still a really interesting read, especially as it is an own voices story.
Pros:
Norah's anxiety/agoraphobia was almost too real, as her thought processes were almost identical to my own
I loved Norah's humor
Cons:
The love story was weird, like it felt completely unreal
Luke was bland and we learned literally nothing about him
Norah didn't seem to be anything but her disorder, like we learned little bits and pieces of who she was, but nothing that really stood out
I feel like Norah was completely fleshed out, but the story was completely unimportant
Norah's anxiety/agoraphobia was almost too real, as her thought processes were almost identical to my own
I loved Norah's humor
Cons:
The love story was weird, like it felt completely unreal
Luke was bland and we learned literally nothing about him
Norah didn't seem to be anything but her disorder, like we learned little bits and pieces of who she was, but nothing that really stood out
Spoiler
Why did the break in happen?I feel like Norah was completely fleshed out, but the story was completely unimportant
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think my heart liquefied and bled from my chest. I NEED MORE NORAH AND LUKE RIGHT NOW.