literallytara 's review for:

To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

4.0

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I picked this book up because of the cover -- it is one of my favorites from last year. But I was not sure about the book itself, because I've never read a Jenny Han novel. Luckily, I enjoyed the book!

Though this is a story about Lara Jean dealing with the aftermath of an embarrassing ordeal (all of her unsent love letters being actually mailed to the addressees), it is not strictly a love story. The real plot here is in Lara Jean figuring out who she is and what she wants. Her mother died many years before and her older sister, Margo, has left for college in Scotland, so Lara Jean finds herself all alone as the oldest child in her family. Where Margo was confident and involved in relationships, school, and the family, Lara Jean is not as sure about where she fits in all three.

The love letters that Lara Jean writes represent her unfulfilled desires. When Lara Jean likes a boy, she falls hard and does not know how to handle those feelings. As she moves on, for various reasons, the letters she writes are the one moment where she pours her heart out and expresses her feelings -- and then shuts them away in a hat box. Because, you know, that's what you do with feelings when you don't know how to handle them! When the letters are mailed, Lara Jean is forced to face her emotions, talk about them, and externally her desires. At first, she has difficulty facing what (and who) she wants. She hides, makes up excuses, and participates in an elaborate lie in order to avoid confronting reality.

Lara Jean's emotional awakening is not just a matter of picking a boy to love: it spreads to every aspect of her life. In particular, the book truly shines when the story focuses on Lara Jean finding her place within her family. I do not have two sisters, but I've been told that this book in particular authentically portrays the complexities of the sister dynamic. Lara Jean has a complex relationship with both of her sisters, and these relationships are only made more complex by the addition of two different romantic interests, who each bond with the family as a whole in different ways. I was impressed by how present Lara Jean's family was in this story! It's quite rare in YA to see the family involved in the story, and it was so refreshing to see the romantic interests connecting with the most important people in Lara Jean's life.

Before finishing the book, I learned that this is the first book in a series (I'm guessing a trilogy?), so Lara Jean's character development is not yet complete at the end of this story. She is caught between romantic interests and does, indeed, make a choice, but there is clearly more to come for Lara Jean. I actually quite liked the end of the novel because I was pleased that Lara Jean made the choice she did, and even more pleased that she is eventually clear and honest about her feelings with all affected parties.

I also have to hand it to Jenny Han for avoiding some ridiculous plot moves. Often in contemporary romance, authors use every opportunity to create conflicts that go on forever based on simple miscommunications. I almost groaned at a few points in the story where Han could have done this, but she did not! I was so impressed with how Lara Jean grew throughout the story and not just in the final 50 pages.

FINAL GRADE: B

This was an enjoyable read. It falls short of an A because I think it lacked that extra something magical that makes a book a top ten read at the end of the year, but I still highly recommend it -- especially if you know you like contemporary novels and romances. I also recommend it if you love the idea of a close-knit family dynamic and reading about delicious Korean dishes! I am not sure that I'll be back for the rest of the series, but never say never!

And, bonus material, here is my review of the book from YouTube! (Spoiler free until 2:30 -- then there are mad SPOILERS)