Critique

It’s not often that I get the pleasure of reading a book that written like a tapestry or a beautiful painting. Most of the books for teens and tweens nowadays are written to be non-stop action page-turning thrillers that will sell like hotcakes. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy them, at least at some level, but I can only drink smoothies for so many meals before I want a full five-course meal.

Unfortunately, it’s often difficult to find books that have a bit more muscle to them because they’re only picked up by smaller publishing companies that don’t have the big marketing budgets to sell a million copies. Thus, I’m really pleased that Lauren Small reached out to me to review her book because I thoroughly enjoyed every word of it.

Evie and Eason feel like real people dealing with difficult circumstances and decisions that effect their past and their present. Small has done a magnificent job of weaving historical elements into the text, wars past and present, and showing the reader what sorts of comparisons exist in a “history always repeats itself” sort of way. It’s a poignant novel in many ways, especially considering that we continue to be warmongers, feeling like our slaughter of people all over the world is justified because they think differently than we do, or they threaten our way of life.

The language is beautiful, poetic, and although it’s the kind of writing that takes a long time to get through, it’s the kind of writing that a reader ought to languish, like watching Casablanca vs. reality TV. I recommend this text to readers 14+.