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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
Well I'm pretty sure I first read this book about 5 years ago as I was trying to find another Jacqueline Woodson book and 5 years later this is still a book I love
The plot, which is centered about "Ellie" and Jeremiah , is about forbidden love and the adversity that they must overcome in order to be together. I usually hate the love at first sight books but there was something about this book and these characters that it perfect for them.
Being an interracial couple, with Jeremiah being black and Ellisha being white, helped shed light on the society that we live in today due to the obstacles that they had to overcome. The book is told from both of their point of view which allows the characters to really shine through as individuals but also as a couple.
This book is very deep and touching and I may or may not have shed a quick tear when it was over. I would definitely recommend this book .
The plot, which is centered about "Ellie" and Jeremiah , is about forbidden love and the adversity that they must overcome in order to be together. I usually hate the love at first sight books but there was something about this book and these characters that it perfect for them.
Being an interracial couple, with Jeremiah being black and Ellisha being white, helped shed light on the society that we live in today due to the obstacles that they had to overcome. The book is told from both of their point of view which allows the characters to really shine through as individuals but also as a couple.
This book is very deep and touching and I may or may not have shed a quick tear when it was over. I would definitely recommend this book .
I don't really want to review this beyond saying this is a timeless and powerful story.
Also, Black Lives Matter.
4.5
Also, Black Lives Matter.
4.5
I felt it coming but I was not ready. Miah!!!
I always struggle with insta-love in books, but I do know this is a loose retelling of R+J, so I will allow it. I am teaching the play in a couple of months, and now I am wondering if I should include this as a pairing??
Anyway, my poor heart. That ending. Oof.
I always struggle with insta-love in books, but I do know this is a loose retelling of R+J, so I will allow it. I am teaching the play in a couple of months, and now I am wondering if I should include this as a pairing??
Anyway, my poor heart. That ending. Oof.
This book was recommended by Justine Larbalestier who wrote "Liar" in her recommendations for books "like" Liar. Um, I don't know what planet anyone who saw any similarities between these two books is from, beyond both being set in NYC. Seriously, that's all I can come up with, other than the race of one of the characters.
If You Come Softly is the most trite, simplistic love story about the love between a Jewish girl and a black boy - that perfect star crossed love that they both feel the moment they literally bump into each other up through the tragic death of one of them (no real spoiler here, that's all revealed within the first three pages).
There were so many places this story could have been a deep and challenging look at relationships - from relationships with parents to racial complexities to dealing with reactions to their relationship. But everything - until the untimely demise of one party, of course - was so ridiculously perfect. Both mentioned not liking the negative reactions of some to their relationship, but they never actually dealt with any outright hostility and they were able to know it was a perfect love able to sustain all those slings and arrows.
The ending - though it was obviously coming from the start - was so abrupt and again, perfectly tragically set up for biggest dramatic impact, just made me laugh.
I admit I'm well above the target age for this book, but the thing about good YA works is that doesn't matter. This did not fall into that category.
If You Come Softly is the most trite, simplistic love story about the love between a Jewish girl and a black boy - that perfect star crossed love that they both feel the moment they literally bump into each other up through the tragic death of one of them (no real spoiler here, that's all revealed within the first three pages).
There were so many places this story could have been a deep and challenging look at relationships - from relationships with parents to racial complexities to dealing with reactions to their relationship. But everything - until the untimely demise of one party, of course - was so ridiculously perfect. Both mentioned not liking the negative reactions of some to their relationship, but they never actually dealt with any outright hostility and they were able to know it was a perfect love able to sustain all those slings and arrows.
The ending - though it was obviously coming from the start - was so abrupt and again, perfectly tragically set up for biggest dramatic impact, just made me laugh.
I admit I'm well above the target age for this book, but the thing about good YA works is that doesn't matter. This did not fall into that category.
I thought this book covered a lot of ground - interracial love, homosexuality, divorce, teen angst, first love - in a lovely and deep way. I was disappointed by the climax, which I found to be too stereotypical of young adult romances, even if it is a sad fact of our intolerant culture. However, the ending does not detract from the imagery and elegant style of Woodson; I would like to read more of her work.
An old classic that I never read until now - I love the cadence of Jacqueline Woodson's writing and was so entranced by this story. Heartbreaking and raw - loved it.
*I read this in 2018, I'm trying to get my goodreads up to date*
This was the first Life's Library Book Club choice. Not many books have made me cry full on tears streaming down my face but this one sure did. It was a wonderful book, and packed so much emotion into a short amount of pages. I have no other words.
This was the first Life's Library Book Club choice. Not many books have made me cry full on tears streaming down my face but this one sure did. It was a wonderful book, and packed so much emotion into a short amount of pages. I have no other words.
Oh my aching, screaming, broken heart. This is lovely.
I read this book for the first read as a part of Life's Library, a book club/subscription services created by John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas. I haven't picked up a YA Novel in a while, so I was excited to see this book delivered to my house. I thoroughly enjoyed Woodson's narrative style and chewed through this book in just a few days. It was uplifting and heartbreaking all at once, and reminded me what it felt like to be young and in love. My only critique would be that I felt the ending was a little rushed, one or two more short chapters would have been nice.
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