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A review by unabridged_reader
A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti
2.0
The premise, the gorgeous cover, and Gayle Forman’s praise convinced me that I had to have this book. Now after reading the arc, I’m sad to say that this was not my cup of tea.
I wasn’t a fan of the prose; the author was telling me how our protagonist, Annabelle, felt rather than showing me. For this reason, I didn’t feel connected to Annabelle. She was dull. Apparently she was supposed to be pretty, likable, and involved in her community—the perfect high school student. I didn’t really see why she was so well-liked and other than that description, I didn’t know much about her.
Another reviewer had noted that transitions between the present and past were “jarring” and I have to agree with that. At some points I didn’t feel like there were transitions. I just knew it was a flashback whenever she mentioned a certain character. With that said, these memories were actually the most interesting part of the novel for me. In fact, they were the reason why I continued reading. These scenes, though sparse, were hauntingly realistic and well-narrated.
This is definitely a preference, but I wish the flashbacks were set in the present. Though I like how A Heart in a Body in the World focuses on the healing process, it felt like there was a distance between the protagonist and the reader and this distance was time. I would have felt a greater connection to the characters if I felt her emotions when she did.
I wasn’t a fan of the prose; the author was telling me how our protagonist, Annabelle, felt rather than showing me. For this reason, I didn’t feel connected to Annabelle. She was dull. Apparently she was supposed to be pretty, likable, and involved in her community—the perfect high school student. I didn’t really see why she was so well-liked and other than that description, I didn’t know much about her.
Another reviewer had noted that transitions between the present and past were “jarring” and I have to agree with that. At some points I didn’t feel like there were transitions. I just knew it was a flashback whenever she mentioned a certain character. With that said, these memories were actually the most interesting part of the novel for me. In fact, they were the reason why I continued reading. These scenes, though sparse, were hauntingly realistic and well-narrated.
This is definitely a preference, but I wish the flashbacks were set in the present. Though I like how A Heart in a Body in the World focuses on the healing process, it felt like there was a distance between the protagonist and the reader and this distance was time. I would have felt a greater connection to the characters if I felt her emotions when she did.