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A review by missriki
Over You by Amy Reed
4.0
This writing in this book is so unorthodox, yet so beautiful. The first part is written in a sort of second-person point of view, with Max addressing Sadie directly, using “you” and “we,” which took me a bit to get into, but once I did it really felt quite natural. It gives the narrative a really intimate and personal feel, like you are privy to Max’s private missives. Amy Reed writes damned beautiful prose, making heavy use of imagery and metaphor, and I loved the gentle juxtaposition to mythology throughout the book.
This book is generally pretty quiet in terms of plot, but it is an absolute study in character development. We see Max entrenched in this deeply toxic friendship with Sadie, at first unable to even make a decision for herself. In the beginning she leans on Sadie for everything, and hardly knows herself at all. Watching her emerge as a whole and complete person after Sadie falls ill is an enlightening journey. Her guilt over leaving Sadie behind is overshadowed by her excitement at being her own person, and the constant struggle she experiences captivated me.
In this novel, Max is bisexual, and there’s this nagging feeling that her feelings for Sadie might be of a sexual nature, yet not completely developed. There’s an intense homoerotic feel to their relationship, yet at the same time it doesn’t circumvent the point of the novel. It’s less about Max’s sexuality and more about her finding herself.
This book is beautifully written, with smart, stunning prose and striking imagery. The toxic friendship takes center stage, revealing intense and deeply conflicted characters. The book features a bisexual main character, but it is about more than her sexuality. It is a story about finding yourself and becoming the person you are meant to be.
This book is generally pretty quiet in terms of plot, but it is an absolute study in character development. We see Max entrenched in this deeply toxic friendship with Sadie, at first unable to even make a decision for herself. In the beginning she leans on Sadie for everything, and hardly knows herself at all. Watching her emerge as a whole and complete person after Sadie falls ill is an enlightening journey. Her guilt over leaving Sadie behind is overshadowed by her excitement at being her own person, and the constant struggle she experiences captivated me.
In this novel, Max is bisexual, and there’s this nagging feeling that her feelings for Sadie might be of a sexual nature, yet not completely developed. There’s an intense homoerotic feel to their relationship, yet at the same time it doesn’t circumvent the point of the novel. It’s less about Max’s sexuality and more about her finding herself.
This book is beautifully written, with smart, stunning prose and striking imagery. The toxic friendship takes center stage, revealing intense and deeply conflicted characters. The book features a bisexual main character, but it is about more than her sexuality. It is a story about finding yourself and becoming the person you are meant to be.