BOOK REVIEW : Words in A Deep Blue
By Cath Crowley
BY SULPHIA IQBAL
MY THOUGHTS
I broke my promise.
I read another contemporary. Fortunately, Words In a Deep Blue is
one of the bearable ones.
When you go to
goodreads and read the synopsis, you might be surprised that I somewhat enjoy
this book. I will say, however, the synopsis makes the book sound sappier than
it really is. Besides, if you don’t focus on the drama and relationship between
characters, you might see where I am coming from.
Rachel and Henry
have been best friends and inseparable, or so they thought. When Rachel
realizes she is going to be moving away, she decides to come clean with Henry,
and she is further motivated by this new girl who is becoming closer to Henry.
The night before she leaves, she puts a letter expressing all her real feelings
for Henry ( guys bear with me ) in his favorite book from Henry’s family
bookstore, certain that he would see it. But Henry doesn’t see it, texts her he
overslept ( this is the morning that Rachel is leaving ), and Rachel is
understandably devastated, angry, and determined to keep Henry out of her life.
In the three years she is away, she ignores all of Henry’s attempts to call her
and oblivious Henry is left to wonder why his former best friend is so mad.
The book introduces
us to a three-year later Rachel who is finally forced to go back to her
first home after her brother drowns. She is struggling to cope with her loss
and seeing Henry again just adds onto the stress. Rachel still refuses to talk to
Henry, until she is forced to accept a job at his family’s bookstore. Henry is
dealing with his own set of problems, including divorced parents constantly
fighting, the possibility of having to close the family bookstore, and trying
to get Amy ( that stupid new girl from before ) to get back with him so they
can happily go on a trip through Europe he spent almost all of his money on.
Before I become the
all captious reviewer I am, I need to address the amazingness of Henry’s family
bookstore. This place has this thing called the Letter Library, a collection of
books where people leave personal letters or little notes within the pages or
margins. Can I just say - that is the best idea ever. This is ( to any bookworm
) the best form of communication discovered. I really wish a library like this
actually exists.
(UPDATE : I have
just searched this up and sadly, I cannot find anything like this in real life
*sadness* )
I do not feel too
much for the characters. Word in Deep Blue has diversity and
it really does highlights issues that are real, like coping with a death in the
family. While these elements are smoothly incorporated in the novel, they do
not make up for the slowness of the plot. Rachel’s character is probably
the one done best. Her dealing with Cal’s death is perfectly written. To the
author’s credit, when Rachel comes home after three years, she does not
automatically like Henry again - exactly the opposite, actually. This is
refreshing because Rachel does not change because of her previous feelings for
Henry; she warms up to Henry slowly and deliberately as a result of the time
they spend together.
The side characters
all have some awesome things going on while Rachel and Henry’s story unfolds.
Henry’s sister George has her own situation and exchanges in the Letter
Library, along with Henry’s parents’. But let me just address Amy. Amy is
Henry’s ex-girlfriend, and the latter is frustratingly obsessed with her. As
stupid as this may sound, I do not feel like it is Henry’s fault, but more Cath
Crowley’s. Yes, the author is pretty much responsible for everything in their
book, so I feel like Crowley deciding to make Amy this annoying obsession in
Henry’s life is not really meant for Henry. It contrasts with his character at
other moments in the novel, which make it seem forced. At the same time,
Henry is constantly oblivious to various things
throughoutWords In A Deep Blue, so maybe it is necessarily not
forced. I also understand that not all characters are perfect, and that Henry’s
constant need to impress and please Amy might just be proof of his
imperfection. I guess it just depends on how you look it at. For some, it may
be a nuisance. Other might see it as a practical flaw.
QUOTES
“We are the books
we read and the things we love.”
“Sometimes science
isn't enough. Sometimes you need the poets.”
“A dry, bookless
world. It's too bleak to even imagine.”
“It’s like he’s picking up parts of the world and showing them
to me, saying, See? It’s beautiful.”
Feeling in the mood
for a book about an old, yet new, friendship?
Check out Words
in a Deep Blue at the library and goodreads :
RATINGS: 3.5/5
