by Emily Henry
Read: November 18 - 20, 2015
Published: January 26, 2016 by Razorbill
Source: Kindle purchase
Category: YA, contemporary with myth elements, parallel worlds, First Nations
Find: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound
Book Discussion: Natalie Cleary must risk her future and leap blindly into a vast unknown for the chance to build a new world with the boy she loves.
Natalie’s last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start... until she starts seeing the “wrong things.” They’re just momentary glimpses at first—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a pre-school where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn’t right.
That’s when she gets a visit from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls “Grandmother,” who tells her: “You have three months to save him.” The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it’s as if time just stops and nothing exists. Nothing, except Natalie and Beau.
Emily Henry’s stunning debut novel is Friday Night Lights meets The Time Traveler’s Wife, and perfectly captures those bittersweet months after high school, when we dream not only of the future, but of all the roads and paths we’ve left untaken.
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Five things I love about The Love That Split the World:
1) This book is beautifully written. From the beginning the words in this book stole my breath. "Love is giving the world away, and being loved is having the whole world to give."
2) One of my favorite elements of this story is the use of verbal storytelling. Especially, the way the First Nations stories that are part of Natalie's Native American heritage weave into the plot (though I'm not sure if the ones in here were were made up for the book).
3) The whole setup of The Love That Split the World - with the seemingly parallel worlds that only Natalie and Beau can go between - is really interesting, and I was as eager as they were to figure out what was happening to them. This book definitely has a sense of urgency about it that played into that and kept me reading quickly.
4) I'm a romance girl, and I enjoyed watching Natalie and Beau find each other and fall in love. Despite all the obstacle against them, life was unable to keep these two from meeting each other, and once they did, that was it for them. *swoon*
5) The revelations near the end and the way the whole conclusion of the book played out was surprising, moving and very well done. I love how it brought the whole narrative together.
Two things that didn't work as well for me:
1) I got a bit bored with the Alice parts of the book. It took me a while to figure out why she was included, and while I loved the mythical quality to this story, I didn't connect as well to the way the characters tried to figure out what was going on from a more scientific perspective.
2) I began to loathe Matt more and more as the book continued, so I struggled with all the drama he caused, which was a lot. I wanted him to be much less of a part in this story. My tolerance level for angst and "it's not really a love triangle" is very very low, and it was a struggle to connect to Natalie's care for him. But this is "not really a love triangle," and I think most readers will be fine.
In sum: The Love that Split the World is a unique and fascinating set up for a story, and the way it all played out definitely surprised me. It almost felt like I was reading a new, modern myth, which was a really cool concept. I finished this smiling, but also wanting more and more Natalie and Beau. I love them together.
Love Triangle Factor: None (Despite what I said above, Natalie and Matt have broken up when this book begins, and he isn't a contender, though he causes drama. We also meet a person Beau had previously dated - the less of that the better for me, though.)
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone
Published: January 26, 2016 by Razorbill
Source: Kindle purchase
Category: YA, contemporary with myth elements, parallel worlds, First Nations
Find: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound
Book Discussion: Natalie Cleary must risk her future and leap blindly into a vast unknown for the chance to build a new world with the boy she loves.
Natalie’s last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start... until she starts seeing the “wrong things.” They’re just momentary glimpses at first—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a pre-school where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn’t right.
That’s when she gets a visit from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls “Grandmother,” who tells her: “You have three months to save him.” The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it’s as if time just stops and nothing exists. Nothing, except Natalie and Beau.
Emily Henry’s stunning debut novel is Friday Night Lights meets The Time Traveler’s Wife, and perfectly captures those bittersweet months after high school, when we dream not only of the future, but of all the roads and paths we’ve left untaken.
____________________________________________________________________________
Five things I love about The Love That Split the World:
1) This book is beautifully written. From the beginning the words in this book stole my breath. "Love is giving the world away, and being loved is having the whole world to give."
2) One of my favorite elements of this story is the use of verbal storytelling. Especially, the way the First Nations stories that are part of Natalie's Native American heritage weave into the plot (though I'm not sure if the ones in here were were made up for the book).
3) The whole setup of The Love That Split the World - with the seemingly parallel worlds that only Natalie and Beau can go between - is really interesting, and I was as eager as they were to figure out what was happening to them. This book definitely has a sense of urgency about it that played into that and kept me reading quickly.
4) I'm a romance girl, and I enjoyed watching Natalie and Beau find each other and fall in love. Despite all the obstacle against them, life was unable to keep these two from meeting each other, and once they did, that was it for them. *swoon*
5) The revelations near the end and the way the whole conclusion of the book played out was surprising, moving and very well done. I love how it brought the whole narrative together.
Two things that didn't work as well for me:
1) I got a bit bored with the Alice parts of the book. It took me a while to figure out why she was included, and while I loved the mythical quality to this story, I didn't connect as well to the way the characters tried to figure out what was going on from a more scientific perspective.
2) I began to loathe Matt more and more as the book continued, so I struggled with all the drama he caused, which was a lot. I wanted him to be much less of a part in this story. My tolerance level for angst and "it's not really a love triangle" is very very low, and it was a struggle to connect to Natalie's care for him. But this is "not really a love triangle," and I think most readers will be fine.
In sum: The Love that Split the World is a unique and fascinating set up for a story, and the way it all played out definitely surprised me. It almost felt like I was reading a new, modern myth, which was a really cool concept. I finished this smiling, but also wanting more and more Natalie and Beau. I love them together.
Love Triangle Factor: None (Despite what I said above, Natalie and Matt have broken up when this book begins, and he isn't a contender, though he causes drama. We also meet a person Beau had previously dated - the less of that the better for me, though.)
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone
I'm super excited to get my hands on this one. I just hope that Amazon brings it fast because I preordered it but it still hasn't arrived yet :(
ReplyDeleteAlex @ The Book's Buzz
I'm really excited to read this one, I love the setup as you've described it and I'm a romance girl myself so all of that sounds good. I'll have to wait to see if I'm bored with Alice and whether I loathe Matt (sounds like I will). Great review! ~Pam
ReplyDeleteLauren, I feel like a broken record saying this but I love and appreciate SO MUCH how you always introduce me to fantastic books I've never come across before! I haven't heard of this one at all but I love standalone novels and I know I'm going to adore this, what with the romance and the parallel worlds and the Native American folklore. I'm also always so grateful for your love triangle scale since it helps me mentally prepare myself which is so invaluable. It really saves a book if I know to expect some love triangle-ish aspects versus being blindsided and hating their minimal presence. Wonderful review, as always, dear! :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous review Lauren :D YAY for enjoying this book a lot. <3 So glad you loved the romance and the story :) But ugh. A bit of drama isn't very good, hih. I have heard some mixed things about this book, so don't really think it would be for me :p But ahh. You do make it seem pretty great :D Thank you for sharing sweetie. <3
ReplyDeleteIt looks like my friends divide into two camps: those who love this beautifully written and romantic story and others who didn’t enjoy this confusing book. I guess I need to read it. Hopefully with your warning about your issues with this book I would enjoy it. Lovely review, Lauren!
ReplyDelete