Publisher: Headline (15th Apr 2014)
Received a proof for review from the publisher, thank you!
Blurb:
Owen lives in the basement. Lucy lives on the 24th floor. But when
the power goes out in the midst of a New York heatwave, they find
themselves together for the first time: stuck in a broken lift between
the 10th and 11th floors. As they await help, they start talking...
The brief time they spend together leaves a mark. And as their lives
take them to Edinburgh and San Francisco, to Prague and to Portland,
they can't shake the memory of the time they shared. Postcards cross the
globe when they themselves can't, as Owen and Lucy experience the joy -
and pain - of first love.
And as they make their separate journeys in search of home, they
discover that sometimes it is a person rather than a place that anchors
you most in the world.
Jennifer E. Smith is the author of two of my favourite YA books, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and This Is What Happy Looks Like. So, given how much I enjoyed them, I had really high hopes for The Geography of You and Me, but honestly, I was disappointed. I liked it, but I expected more. I promise, I won't compare this book with the author's previous ones.
The Geography of You and Me is about two people meeting under the most unusual circumstances. In the middle of a New York City heatwave, Owen and Lucy find themselves stuck in an elevator during a massive blackout. With nothing else to do, they start talking and a friendship is quickly formed. However, will things still be the same after the leave the elevator? What will happen next? As they are forced to be apart, they keep in touch with a string of postcards and emails, but will those be strong enough to hold them together?
I think the premise of the story is simply clever. I really liked the plot - it's engaging right from the first page. Jennifer E. Smith's writing style really shines through in this book, as much as it did in her previous ones. The only thing that bothered me about this book is that I didn't connect with the heroine, Lucy. I tried to like her, but I couldn't, it felt forced. Owen, on the other hand, was a redeeming factor. I think he's just lovely and he plays the "madly-in-love boy" card really well!
One of the things I look forward to when I read Jennifer's books is the dialogue. It's clever, funny and witty, but I felt it was a bit too strained in this book. Like, the characters were trying a bit too hard for my liking. In The Geography of You and Me, Lucy and Owen move to different places - Lucy to foreign countries whereas Owen will travel to different states in the US. I really enjoyed reading the beautiful descriptions on the surroundings, especially Paris and Rome.
I wouldn't say I didn't like it, but I'd say I didn't love it. I'm really on the fence on this one. The blurb promised a lot of potential and it got my hopes high, but I was let down because the book was too short! There were a few funny scenes which made me laugh and some made me smile. The Geography of You and Me is a tender love story about first loves and new beginnings. I wouldn't rule Jennifer E. Smith out yet, I'll definitely be looking out for her future books! I'd like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 6/10
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| I'm bad at casting teen actors so here goes. AnnaSophia Robb as Lucy and Thomas Mann as Owen |
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