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thejordanjournals 's review for:
Isla and the Happily Ever After
by Stephanie Perkins
I don't know why I was so nervous to read this final book. I was a little nervous that I wouldn't love these characters as much as the ones from the previous two books, but that was just not the case.
I found Isla and Josh's story to be the most heartbreaking of the romances. Out of the three stories, their story in the one in which we see the most of the actual relationship. They get together very early on in the book, whereas Lola and Cricket did not get together until the final chapter. Thus, we see a lot of the turmoils of the actual relationship and not all the will-they-wont-they leading up to it. I really enjoyed that because it made their story stand out from the previous two. Perkins did a wonderful job of creating three very distinct romances.
I've seen a lot of people comment on the instalove nature of this couple. I will not deny that they are very much subject to this trope. However in the discussion questions at the end of the novel, the question is raised as to whether the quickness and fullness of this kind of love is realistic. So, it seems like this was a potential move on the author's part. Perhaps to show how quickly that one right person can turn your world so upside down and become so vital so quickly? Additionally, teenagers love with such wild abandon that I think this quite possibly a realistic scenario. There is definitely instalove, and I was definitely turned off at first; but as the novel progressed, I found myself understanding the reasons behind that dive-in-head-first approach to the romance. Basically, I came to understand the situation by the end of the novel and wasn't bothered by it as much.
Furthermore, I absolutely loved loved LOVED the ending. This novel is worth everything to experience the ending. I've always appreciated how Perkins weaved these three companion novels together, and this one was no different. It was so fulfilling to see everything come full circle in the end. Just, all the feels.
P.S. The way Josh's artwork of Isla is described was so beautiful and sexy. It was like the feeling you get when you watch Jack in Titanic draw Rose. Only this time, you get to read about half a dozen sketches like that. Also, why couldn't we have had some mixed media of Josh's artwork? Seems like a missed opportunity haha.
I found Isla and Josh's story to be the most heartbreaking of the romances. Out of the three stories, their story in the one in which we see the most of the actual relationship. They get together very early on in the book, whereas Lola and Cricket did not get together until the final chapter. Thus, we see a lot of the turmoils of the actual relationship and not all the will-they-wont-they leading up to it. I really enjoyed that because it made their story stand out from the previous two. Perkins did a wonderful job of creating three very distinct romances.
I've seen a lot of people comment on the instalove nature of this couple. I will not deny that they are very much subject to this trope. However in the discussion questions at the end of the novel, the question is raised as to whether the quickness and fullness of this kind of love is realistic. So, it seems like this was a potential move on the author's part. Perhaps to show how quickly that one right person can turn your world so upside down and become so vital so quickly? Additionally, teenagers love with such wild abandon that I think this quite possibly a realistic scenario. There is definitely instalove, and I was definitely turned off at first; but as the novel progressed, I found myself understanding the reasons behind that dive-in-head-first approach to the romance. Basically, I came to understand the situation by the end of the novel and wasn't bothered by it as much.
Furthermore, I absolutely loved loved LOVED the ending. This novel is worth everything to experience the ending. I've always appreciated how Perkins weaved these three companion novels together, and this one was no different. It was so fulfilling to see everything come full circle in the end. Just, all the feels.
P.S. The way Josh's artwork of Isla is described was so beautiful and sexy. It was like the feeling you get when you watch Jack in Titanic draw Rose. Only this time, you get to read about half a dozen sketches like that. Also, why couldn't we have had some mixed media of Josh's artwork? Seems like a missed opportunity haha.