Author: Jandy Nelson
Genre: Young Adult Fiction (16+)
Review by: Ciara, Maynooth Library
Synopsis: At first, Jude and her twin brother Noah, are inseparable. Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude wears red-red lipstick, cliff-dives, and does all the talking for both of them. Years later, they are barely speaking. Something has happened to change the twins in different yet equally devastating ways . . . but then Jude meets an intriguing, irresistible boy and a mysterious new mentor. The early years are Noah’s to tell; the later years are Jude’s. But they each have only half the story, and if they can only find their way back to one another, they’ll have a chance to remake their world. This radiant, award-winning novel from the acclaimed author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.
Review four stars
I loved this book. The dual narrative coming from differing times, Noah telling the story up to a powerful event in their lives and Jude telling of the aftermath is a narrative style I hadn’t seen before and which I really enjoyed. Jumping between when the characters were 14 and 16 was a little confusing at first but I soon got into the swing of it. I loved that it added a level of mystery to the story as I tried to piece together what had happened in these twins lives that they went from best friends to barely speaking. The writing is colourful and full of beautiful pose and metaphors, both twins are artists and their work bleeds into the way the narrate their stories. Often when books are told from multiple Points of View you can hear the author but Nelson does a great job in giving both Jude and Noah their own distinct voices.
A fantastic look at what it means to be family, how to hold together after loss and to love even when things seem impossible.
Available as an E-Book on Borrowbox or to borrow from your local library.
Leave a Reply