Book: Eve and Adam
Author: Katherine Applegate, Michael Grant
Site: http://theoneandonlyivan.com/, http://themichaelgrant.com/
Category: Young Adult - Science Fiction
[Note: ARC c/o BEA! Book will officially be available on October 2, 2012]
My thoughts...
Summary: There was a car crash, a horrible debilitating injury, and the hospital. But before Evening Spiker could even lift her head out of the fog of unconsciousness, there was Solo, a boy she never knew was under her mother's care, checking her out of the hospital and rushing her to Spiker Biopharmaceuticals - her mother's research facility and his home. Just when she thinks she will die - not from her injuries but from boredom - her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy. (Adapted from back of book)
The good: I thought the premise was really interesting. I mean, Eve gets to create a boy - the perfect boy! Which seems fun and cool in theory (my guy would probably be a cross between Ian Somerhalder and Ryan Gosling) but in reality? Kind of on the creepy side. But I enjoyed Eve as a main character. She's really picky about dating guys and in one scene, she and her best friend run down a list of guys she's rejected for various reasons. It reminded me of a conversation I could've had with one of my own friends.
The bad: The pacing of the book. It took about 100 pages for the story to pick up and then once it did, the plot was kind of all over the place and then got wrapped up in a pretty bow, super fast. I got to the last page and was hit with this feeling of.. what just happened here? The chapters also alternated between Eve and Solo, which I normally like in a book. But their individual voices weren't distinct enough. I'd start reading a chapter, get confused as to whose POV I was reading and have to go back. Plus these two suffered from a case of instant love. After like 3 conversations, Solo was all - I'm madly in love. NO. YOU. ARE. NOT. I can't say enough how much this irritates me. But when they would talk, I enjoyed their interactions! The book should've been longer and given these two more time together.
Do I recommend?: I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. For me, it was just okay and probably better suited for a younger crowd (as in much younger than me, haha).
Happy reading!
After like 3 conversations, Solo was all - I'm madly in love. NO. YOU. ARE. NOT.
ReplyDeleteActually the two authors of this book met for the first time, fell in love and moved in together within 24 hours. And have been together for 33 years.
That's amazing! I do think a love like that is rare though and I've never really believed in love at first sight. I guess I'm cynical like that :) But that's wonderful to hear about the two of you!
DeleteKind of amazed that you found my review.. I appreciate you commenting!
I agree with Rachel- Kudos and on meeting your wife and knowing instantly you were meant to be. However, I do agree that instant love in books is very misleading. Bear in mind, I have not read this book yet, but for two 16 year olds, falling in love after 3 conversations is highly unlikely. If this is in some way autobiographical, then that's cool, but I would wager that you and your wife were not 16 when you met, so I think it's a bit unfair to choose that portion of Rachel's review to zone in on. YA authors love to throw the love word around a bit too frequently if you ask me and it can take away from the believability of the story. In any case, I think Rachel was very generous with her review stating both pros and cons which is what every good reviewer does.
DeleteWe were in our early 20's. She was a college senior. So, mentally still 16.
DeleteAnd I was mentally 14. (Still am.)
I do believe in love at first sight. In fact, I think it's much more common than people admit. Which is not to say it's the majority of cases, but I've met a number of people who are like, "I knew right away." That doesn't mean it always works out, but it's not a myth, either.
I'm not picking on the review - I appreciate all reviews. Just saying that LAFS does happen sometimes. I first saw her through her apartment window, having just come home from being with my then girlfriend. I thought, "There she is," like I'd misplaced her and finally found her. I had never just knocked on a stranger's door that way, and yes, it seems ridiculous, but I knew that was her before I even knew her name.
I'll tell you something else: just weeks before that I had been arguing with someone, telling them that the very concept of love was nonsense. The point being: don't be cynical. Be smart, don't be a fool, but don't be so sure you know it all. The girl in the window is sitting across from me, one of our kids is upstairs, the other is in the kitchen, and it will be 33 years in 2 days.
Thanks for sharing your story with me. It's a beautiful one and I do hope that one day I find a love that will last as long as yours has. I genuinely mean that.
Deleteoh... this may not be on the list of books to read. though it brings up a good conversation topic: "Make your ideal boyfriend"
ReplyDelete