Latest Read: Lovely, Dark and Deep

Here are the basics ...
Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara
Publication date: Oct 16, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Category: Young Adult - Contemporary
Source: Borrowed from library

Summary: Since the night of the crash, Wren Wells has been running away. Though she lived through the accident that killed her boyfriend Patrick, the girl she used to be didn’t survive. Instead of heading off to college as planned, Wren retreats to her father’s studio in the far-north woods of Maine to be alone. Then she meets Cal Owen. Dealing with his own troubles, Cal’s hiding out too. When the chemistry between them threatens to pull Wren from her hard-won isolation, Wren has to choose: risk opening her broken heart to the world again, or join the ghosts who haunt her. (Adapted goodreads.com) 

My thoughts…

The good: Wren Wells is not an easy character to get to know or even like at times. She's uncommunicative, pushes people away and drowning in her own grief. But strangely enough, that's exactly what made her so real to me. Because I can't even begin to understand what she's going through and yet, I felt for her. At the end of her senior year of high school, she and her boyfriend Patrick get into a car accident and he doesn't make it. This is the "simple" version of her story. As the plot progresses, we learn that there's more to to the tragedy, which gives us a better glimpse into the depth of her pain. The author doesn't try at all to paint a rosy picture of Wren's inner thoughts or turmoil. It's so honest and raw and we are privy to the worst of it.

But we also get to watch her take steps towards healing. She decides to live with her semi-estranged father in a very small, secluded town and takes a gap year (aka hides out from almost everyone who cares about her) instead of heading off to college as planned. She's basically living the life of a hermit until she meets Cal Owen. He's dealing with his own set of problems too, although not quite like hers, and there's an almost immediate kinship between them. I have to admit though, the romance felt a little too fast at first but they do hit bumps in the road which made their relationship more realistic. But it's not just about him. The book also explores her relationships with her parents, the people in her "old" life and the ones she starts to open to.

(Some) reservations: I did feel like the "climax" of the story occurred too late in the book. I don't want to give anything away but a lot of the time, I felt that Wren needed to speak up more. A LOT more. And when she finally does, it felt so gratifying but again, I wish it had happened sooner so we could've experienced more of the aftermath. Because it was definitely a turning point for her and I just wanted more.

Do I recommend?: I do. It has a more somber tone and slower pace than anything I've read lately but I enjoyed it a lot.

Happy reading!