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A review by aeonianjoy
The Unfinished Line by Jen Lyon
5.0
I don't want to rate this masterpiece. This book is an amazing experience.
I finished The Unfinished Line two weeks ago, and since then I've been wondering whether I finished the book or if this damn book finished me! Let me tell you, readers—those yet to read—it is not just any run-of-the-mill love story. This is a journey of two beautifully crafted main characters who see life through two very different lenses. As readers, we walk alongside them to share their love, their pain, and everything that comes with life.
So, why am I writing this review so late? Because this book left me with a void that needed time to fill up—or maybe it never will. I could still remember, after finishing this book, I cried so hard that I couldn't breathe for a few moments. Even today, as I write my view, my eyes well up remembering the last line of Scene 53, Take 2. In short, it's crushing. It will rip out your heart and stomp on it like it's nothing.
I am accustomed to Jen's rich writing style. And let me tell you, I have an enormous fictional character crush on Catherine and Amelia Walker. With UFL, it has to be Dillion Sinclair. Her characterisation is just outstanding—so very flesh and blood. There was never a moment while reading when I thought, "Oh, this is just a fictional character..."
This is mainly the story of a highly ambitious individual who is so very tunnel-visioned when it comes to her sport. I'm not discussing the whys because that would give away too many spoilers.
On the other hand, Kameryn Kingsbury is everything Dillion is not. Perhaps that keeps them glued together until, of course...
Kameryn Kingsbury is a breath of fresh air for Dillion and for us. She is what makes this highly charged narrative breathable. If I am in awe of Dillion, then I am in love with Kam. Her helplessness in front of Dillion's doggedness felt so palpable. And I hate Dillion for Take 1. Why? Why couldn't she see beyond her ambition? Why couldn't she accept that life is far more interesting with someone like Kam by her side? How could she be so selfish? Yes, Ms. Lyon, from where I stand (as far as Take 1 is concerned), I would say she acted selfishly. She constantly shut down Kam and never actually wanted to address the black hole inside her,
Before this review goes out of hand, I would like to say this is an amazingly written story, and one shouldn't restrict oneself from reading this masterpiece just because it falls under the Sapphic genre. Jen Lyon is a master storyteller. Period. Though my rational brain understands that Take 1 is 'THE END', my heart never agrees with it. One reason being, I couldn't accept Kam's torment. Her defeat to hold Dillion, to hold them. I couldn't see her swallowing the fact that she was not enough for Dillion,
My only disagreement is that Take 2 seemed too late and too little after the devastation that Take 1 brought to me.
My parting thought is this: life is a movie with no scope for "should have been," so we must spend it wisely and sometimes ponder the devastation we might cause by simply not considering those who tag along with us, no matter what.
If this review makes any sense to you, please read this book.
I finished The Unfinished Line two weeks ago, and since then I've been wondering whether I finished the book or if this damn book finished me! Let me tell you, readers—those yet to read—it is not just any run-of-the-mill love story. This is a journey of two beautifully crafted main characters who see life through two very different lenses. As readers, we walk alongside them to share their love, their pain, and everything that comes with life.
So, why am I writing this review so late? Because this book left me with a void that needed time to fill up—or maybe it never will. I could still remember, after finishing this book, I cried so hard that I couldn't breathe for a few moments. Even today, as I write my view, my eyes well up remembering the last line of Scene 53, Take 2. In short, it's crushing. It will rip out your heart and stomp on it like it's nothing.
I am accustomed to Jen's rich writing style. And let me tell you, I have an enormous fictional character crush on Catherine and Amelia Walker. With UFL, it has to be Dillion Sinclair. Her characterisation is just outstanding—so very flesh and blood. There was never a moment while reading when I thought, "Oh, this is just a fictional character..."
This is mainly the story of a highly ambitious individual who is so very tunnel-visioned when it comes to her sport. I'm not discussing the whys because that would give away too many spoilers.
On the other hand, Kameryn Kingsbury is everything Dillion is not. Perhaps that keeps them glued together until, of course...
Kameryn Kingsbury is a breath of fresh air for Dillion and for us. She is what makes this highly charged narrative breathable. If I am in awe of Dillion, then I am in love with Kam. Her helplessness in front of Dillion's doggedness felt so palpable. And I hate Dillion for Take 1. Why? Why couldn't she see beyond her ambition? Why couldn't she accept that life is far more interesting with someone like Kam by her side? How could she be so selfish? Yes, Ms. Lyon, from where I stand (as far as Take 1 is concerned), I would say she acted selfishly. She constantly shut down Kam and never actually wanted to address the black hole inside her,
Spoiler
ultimately succumbing to it.Before this review goes out of hand, I would like to say this is an amazingly written story, and one shouldn't restrict oneself from reading this masterpiece just because it falls under the Sapphic genre. Jen Lyon is a master storyteller. Period. Though my rational brain understands that Take 1 is 'THE END', my heart never agrees with it. One reason being, I couldn't accept Kam's torment. Her defeat to hold Dillion, to hold them. I couldn't see her swallowing the fact that she was not enough for Dillion,
Spoiler
that she couldn't matter when Dillion decided to put a full stop on everything, including her own life.My only disagreement is that Take 2 seemed too late and too little after the devastation that Take 1 brought to me.
My parting thought is this: life is a movie with no scope for "should have been," so we must spend it wisely and sometimes ponder the devastation we might cause by simply not considering those who tag along with us, no matter what.
If this review makes any sense to you, please read this book.