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A review by bookstackreviews
I'd Give Anything by Marisa de los Santos
4.0
I read the first book in the Love Walked In series nearly 12 years ago and I remember being captivated by the way de los Santos could capture a complex feeling with a couple poetic sentences. The poetic writing of I'd Give anything starts off at a canter not a trot. It took me a minute to get used to the rhythm of the writing but once I fell into step, I was surrounded by the magic of the sentences. Reading any de los Santos book is always an experience, and I'd Give Anything was exactly as lovely as I would have hoped.
At Almost 40 Ginny's quiet, steady husband finds himself in the middle of a work scandal that changes everything for Ginny and her daughter Avery. In the midst of the complex emotions she has surrounding her husband's error in judgement, Ginny is faced with the toll a family secret has taken on her and the the friendships this secret has cost her over the course of her life.
For such a short little book, the narrative sure covers a lot of ground! The story perspectives switch between Zinny, a wild hearted teenager who found wonder in everything, and Ginny the mother who after all these years is attempting to reconcile who she was as a teenager with who she has become. I felt that both narratives were equally as engaging and I wasn't bidding my time in one chapter to get to the story I found 'more interesting'. Both held their water separately thanks to the vibrancy of the characters. The most successful part of the character's journey was the deep dive look at the familiar gray areas we find ourselves a part of. The exploration of both the blurred lines we fall between, and the ones we place ourselves in without knowing the cost, brought up so many interesting issues to examine. I found these issues both relatable and satisfying to think on long after the book had ended.
The only part of this novel that did not work for me was the way the two narratives intersected. I felt that the convergence was a little clunky, and the ending felt slightly rushed. The stories took their time and were unfolded so carefully I had assumed the ending would follow this lead and I didn't feel like that was the case. It was a little bit disappointing, but that tiny disappointment only docked one star from what would have been an easy star read! I would still recommend this to a lot of people (In fact, I just told my sister to go put it on hold). This would make for a lovely summer read selection! It is worth noting that even though this is the fourth installment in the Love Walked In Series, each of the books easily read as a stand alone, so find the book in the series that interests you the most and let the lovely prose wash over you.
At Almost 40 Ginny's quiet, steady husband finds himself in the middle of a work scandal that changes everything for Ginny and her daughter Avery. In the midst of the complex emotions she has surrounding her husband's error in judgement, Ginny is faced with the toll a family secret has taken on her and the the friendships this secret has cost her over the course of her life.
For such a short little book, the narrative sure covers a lot of ground! The story perspectives switch between Zinny, a wild hearted teenager who found wonder in everything, and Ginny the mother who after all these years is attempting to reconcile who she was as a teenager with who she has become. I felt that both narratives were equally as engaging and I wasn't bidding my time in one chapter to get to the story I found 'more interesting'. Both held their water separately thanks to the vibrancy of the characters. The most successful part of the character's journey was the deep dive look at the familiar gray areas we find ourselves a part of. The exploration of both the blurred lines we fall between, and the ones we place ourselves in without knowing the cost, brought up so many interesting issues to examine. I found these issues both relatable and satisfying to think on long after the book had ended.
The only part of this novel that did not work for me was the way the two narratives intersected. I felt that the convergence was a little clunky, and the ending felt slightly rushed. The stories took their time and were unfolded so carefully I had assumed the ending would follow this lead and I didn't feel like that was the case. It was a little bit disappointing, but that tiny disappointment only docked one star from what would have been an easy star read! I would still recommend this to a lot of people (In fact, I just told my sister to go put it on hold). This would make for a lovely summer read selection! It is worth noting that even though this is the fourth installment in the Love Walked In Series, each of the books easily read as a stand alone, so find the book in the series that interests you the most and let the lovely prose wash over you.