Synopsis
"Jonah never thought a girl like Vivi would come along.
Vivi didn’t know Jonah would light up her world.
Neither of them expected a summer like this…a summer that would rewrite their futures.
In an unflinching story about new love, old wounds, and forces beyond our control, two teens find that when you collide with the right person at just the right time, it will change you forever."
Vivi didn’t know Jonah would light up her world.
Neither of them expected a summer like this…a summer that would rewrite their futures.
In an unflinching story about new love, old wounds, and forces beyond our control, two teens find that when you collide with the right person at just the right time, it will change you forever."
Vivi's Narrative
I don't feel that I'm spoiling anything but telling you that Vivi has bipolar disorder. Though she doesn't come right out and say it for several chapters, there are plenty of warning signs (many reviews have also mentioned the mental illness aspect, so I don't think anyone is really going in blindly at this point). Last year, I read a wonderful graphic memoir titled Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me by Ellen Forney. In the book, Forney tells the story of how she had to come to terms with her bipolar disorder. It is not easy. Because bipolar has so many facets and categorizations, it often takes a lot of trial and error to find the right treatment. Of course, you're not "getting better", you're just managing your illness. Bipolar is scary because it reaches high highs and low lows. People who experience mania often feel invincible, and this is the case with Vivi. There were a few points where I thought, "Wow, Vivi is kind of annoyingly quirky. Is she supposed to be a 'manic pixie dream girl?'" And then I remembered that she is, in fact, manic, just not in the "cute" way that we often see in other stories.
I personally feel that Emery Lord did a fantastic job of portraying Vivi's mania. As it worsened, I got anxious. Vivi's manic thoughts and actions were bleeding through the pages. There were parts that were difficult to read. It felt real. As with the schizophrenia in Made You Up, I feel that bipolar disorder needs a chance to be shown in media in a way that is both realistic and manageable. I truly appreciate what Lord did here.
Jonah's Narrative
Jonah's story reminded me at times of My Life Next Door. Here's a boy with a big family that genuinely cares for each other but is also kind of frustrating and overwhelming at times. However, the Daniels went from a family of 8 to a family of 7 in the past year when the patriarch died of a heart attack. Everything, understandably, sort of fell apart. Jonah is grieving, of course, but his main concern is his mother, who stays in her bedroom and has stopped doing all motherly duties. Jonah and his two older siblings feed and watch the "littles", doing a job they don't really feel cut out to do because they are still kids themselves. His story explores a lot about grief, grief-induced depression, moving on after the death of a loved one. It's a serious issue that many people can relate to.
When They Collided
Vivi and Jonah meet in the first several pages, so insta-love is very much a thing here. Jonah's world has been covered in a gray haze and Vivi, all color and joy and bright ideas, brings him and his family out into the light a bit. It's summer, people like to have the occasional fling, it happens. But it never truly felt like a love story. The personal experiences of both characters meant so much more to me than their personal relationship. The times that they spend together intimately are acknowledged vaguely and then move on to the next thing. Their relationship was never fully formed. People will categorize this as a YA Contemporary Romance, but the romance is lacking here. I personally believe that the romance was the weakest aspect of the book. I do feel that their meeting was important to the trajectory of the story and of both of their situations, but I never felt myself rooting for or truly believing in the love between Vivi and Jonah.
Overall
3 Stars
This is a tough call for me. I enjoyed the story, especially Vivi's parts. There's still something missing, though. A huge factor in 4 or 5 stars for me is the story's ability to stay with me. While I might not forget about Vivi right away, I feel that the rest of the book will slip away.
Comments
Post a Comment