Book Review - Between the Lines

Between the Lines

Author: Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

Standalone

Genres: Contemporary, Fairy Tales | Young Adult

Release Date: June 26th 2012
Publishers: Simon Pulse

No. Pages: 352

Source: Purchased

Rating: 

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Delilah, a loner hates school as much as she loves books— one book in particular. In fact if anyone knew how many times she has read and reread the sweet little fairy tale she found in the library, especially her cooler than cool classmates, she’d be sent to social Siberia forever.To Delilah, though, this fairy tale is more than just words on the page. Sure, there’s a handsome (well, okay, incredibly handsome) prince, and a castle, and an evil villain, but it feels as if there’s something deeper going on. And one day, Delilah finds out there is. Turns out, this Prince Charming is not just a one-dimensional character in a book. He’s real, and a certain fifteen-year-old loner has caught his eye. But they’re from two different worlds, and how can it ever possibly work?

In this story we have a lonely 15 year old girl who's only comfort is books. Delilah, through no fault of her own, does not seem to fit in at school and a string of accidents involving one of the popular girls leaves her an outcast for good. She does have Jules, her only friend, but upon discovering a the book Between the Lines in the school library, Delilah has now found another friendships of sorts with the characters in this book for kids much younger than her self.

Delilah's obsession with this book is getting out of hand, her mother is worried about the amount of time she spends reading, but she doesn't understand the connection she has or the spark she felt when she first held it. For Delilah, its how the story stays the same that draws her in but the prince Oliver who keeps her coming back for more. She knows the story is for children, but the she cant help but see her self in Oliver, someone who like herself grew up without a father. She loves the familiarity of knowing what's going to happen and how things stay the same, until one day everything changes. She soon finds out that where she longs to jump into the story, Prince Oliver is desperate to get out.

She's gone crazy, or isn't far of. That's the only explanation as to why the characters, or one in particular, is now talking to her right?. Oliver needs her help to break free of his role, they are all actors he tells her, every time the book closes they go about their life waiting till their next performance, the next time the book is opened and read. But Oliver is not happy any more, he longs for a different life and he believes Deliah can give it to him.

She was focused on the book before, but now its completely consumed her life. She's stopped taking notice of anything going on around her, even her best friend, her sole purpose now to help Oliver. But in doing so she finds her self more alone than she was before, no one can hear him talking other than herself and when her mum forces her to get help, believe she is just crazy, she starts doubting her self. Everything she's trying to do in order to help Oliver is falling, and its looking more and more like he will forever stay apart of this book despite what he wants.

I have been a fan of Jodi Picoult since I was 18, I have read 9 of her books ( I have to start reading her books again) and I have felt wowed after every single one, so when I first heard she was doing a YA I was partly worried and excited. I was worried because I thought that it wouldn't be as good as her others and that it just wouldn't work and that's why I put of this book for so long. I wish I hadn't though, I wish I didn't doubt her.

I love everything about this story. I love the character's, I love the story within a story, I love the little illustrations I just love it. But what I love the most about it is I really feel like I connected with Delilah. How many of us have read a book and become so obsessed with it that we wished to pluck a character out or just jump in ourself? I know I have and I think you'd be lying if you said you hadn't felt it even once. The way a connection between the reader and book is captured in the story is amazing. Yes I saw the ending coming but it didn't take away the joy I felt having read it.

The characters were lovely, even the sub characters. Each of them had their own story to tell and each of them got to tell that in one way or another. The only character I felt we didn't get enough about was Jules so that was a bit of a let down but I'm happy to say it was the only one. The idea behind this story was just so unique and brilliant that it leads me to ask the question, why hasn't anyone thought of it before? and if they have and I'm just missing the books where can I find more like this? I know some people had grievances about the book, not everyone can like it. But I for one am not one of those people :).