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Two options: Subject myself to a heartbreaking torture or ignore it?
Well, we all know the answer to that.
How do I even attempt to write a review at this point? This gut-wrenching, unbelievably raw and heartfelt story drags you into the lives of Ren and Della’s son, Jacob, and leaves you in a raw, comatose state. Yes, comatose. I ended up skipping my morning class because of my insomniatic tendency last night.
Pepper Winters has become equivalent with heartbreak and renewal in my book. Ever since The Boy and His Ribbon and The Girl and Her Ren, she has slowly become one of my favorite authors. She’s an amazing storyteller although she did almost give me an early date with the crematorium. That moment at the end — my jaw became a limp fish when I heard the nurse say those horrid words. I can’t believe she did that, trying to pull a fast one on us.
This can be read as a stand-alone (if you really want to), but I would definitely recommend Ren and Della’s story. The first part may be a bit easier on the ducts, but the second is a sucker punch to the lungs. Plus, if you don’t read those two first, you won’t pick up on some of the hidden meanings and won’t form an emotional attachment to ALL of the characters. You do not want to miss out.
I won’t summarize the story, the actual synopsis sums everything up in a nicely wrapped box with a blue ribbon, so . . .
What I will mention is how dangerous this book can be for your psychological health. There were moments when I was twisted into a pretzel trying to understand Jacob and Hope. They were obviously meant for each other, but damn was it a rough journey. Hope honestly has the determination of a grizzly bear (okay, I was trying to think of a tenacious animal and I thought of a husky. Then I decided to do some research and decided on a grizzly . . . just in case you were curious).
So yes, Hope is like a grizzly bear. Something about that sounds off, but I’m keeping it. Moving on, if I’d been her, I’d like to say I’d continue trying to chisel away at that titanium armor. Overall, Hope definitely deserves a place among the badass heroines.