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A review by ccochard46
Out of Love by Hazel Hayes
5.0
Readability - 5 stars
Relatability - 5 stars
Personal Impact - 5 stars
Plot - 5 stars
Writing Style - 5 stars
Originality - 5 stars
Overall - 5 stars (surprise, surprise)
***IMPLICATIONS OF SMALL SPOILERS POSSIBLE***
Final Thoughts:
Screaming. Crying. Overall, very unwell.
Almost never have I ever given a review to a book that has gotten a completely, I mean SPOTLESS review from me.
First off, the idea of this book was absolute genius. Simple? Sure. Have we all thought about this idea probably once within our lifetime of how good of a book it would be to start from the end and work our way backwards in time? Most likely. But do most of us ever actually do it? Nope! Probably because, at least for me, the idea is too challenging. To progress a story from beginning to end is already challenging enough, but to flip it backwards and still give that effect of a novel with rising action, climax and resolution??? And to do it SEAMLESSLY??? Unbelievable. Showstopping. You know the Lady Gaga meme I'm referring to.
I love (and hate) how much this book broke my heart. There were so many moments of not only relation to my own life, but pure revelation. Almost every woman, if not person, has gone through similar struggles with one of the biggest loves of their life. Her struggle with identifying her own sexuality within her years-long relationship, navigating how Theo responds to change and her portrayal of finding herself (and he doesn't seem to handle it all that well, in my opinion, but you know... this book does begin with a breakup *shrugs*), moving from home, navigating your 20s and the financial burdens it can bring, temptation, family tension, and all the different avenues of struggle within a relationship. I was impressed by how many routes could be taken and related to throughout their story. Even side characters, such as the narrator's best friend, had their own personalities and story lines. There wasn't a single character in this that I didn't feel some kind of emotional charge to.
I also have a love/hate relationship with the ending. I was desperately trying to hold onto the idea that I was going to hate Theo up until the very end. Not that I'm in love with him now - however, I will give it to the author that she made me trip on my own feet with how charming he had become by their first meeting. I can easily see why their relationship had begun and moved as quickly as it had, and oh how we have all been swept off of our own feet in the same way before seeing all the blatantly bright red flags ahead of us.
This is the perfect book for someone who has really been through it, or has just left a relationship raw and looking for solace in someone and/or something that understands. Savor every moment of it and re-read it as often as you need to, as I know that I will.
Relatability - 5 stars
Personal Impact - 5 stars
Plot - 5 stars
Writing Style - 5 stars
Originality - 5 stars
Overall - 5 stars (surprise, surprise)
***IMPLICATIONS OF SMALL SPOILERS POSSIBLE***
Final Thoughts:
Screaming. Crying. Overall, very unwell.
Almost never have I ever given a review to a book that has gotten a completely, I mean SPOTLESS review from me.
First off, the idea of this book was absolute genius. Simple? Sure. Have we all thought about this idea probably once within our lifetime of how good of a book it would be to start from the end and work our way backwards in time? Most likely. But do most of us ever actually do it? Nope! Probably because, at least for me, the idea is too challenging. To progress a story from beginning to end is already challenging enough, but to flip it backwards and still give that effect of a novel with rising action, climax and resolution??? And to do it SEAMLESSLY??? Unbelievable. Showstopping. You know the Lady Gaga meme I'm referring to.
I love (and hate) how much this book broke my heart. There were so many moments of not only relation to my own life, but pure revelation. Almost every woman, if not person, has gone through similar struggles with one of the biggest loves of their life. Her struggle with identifying her own sexuality within her years-long relationship, navigating how Theo responds to change and her portrayal of finding herself (and he doesn't seem to handle it all that well, in my opinion, but you know... this book does begin with a breakup *shrugs*), moving from home, navigating your 20s and the financial burdens it can bring, temptation, family tension, and all the different avenues of struggle within a relationship. I was impressed by how many routes could be taken and related to throughout their story. Even side characters, such as the narrator's best friend, had their own personalities and story lines. There wasn't a single character in this that I didn't feel some kind of emotional charge to.
I also have a love/hate relationship with the ending. I was desperately trying to hold onto the idea that I was going to hate Theo up until the very end. Not that I'm in love with him now - however, I will give it to the author that she made me trip on my own feet with how charming he had become by their first meeting. I can easily see why their relationship had begun and moved as quickly as it had, and oh how we have all been swept off of our own feet in the same way before seeing all the blatantly bright red flags ahead of us.
This is the perfect book for someone who has really been through it, or has just left a relationship raw and looking for solace in someone and/or something that understands. Savor every moment of it and re-read it as often as you need to, as I know that I will.