The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication Date: January 4th 2011
Pages: 211
Source: library
Buy It: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Borders
A sweet and touching modern love story, told through dictionary entries.

basis, n.
There has to be a moment at the beginning when you wonder whether you’re in love with the person or in love with the feeling of love itself.

If the moment doesn’t pass, that’s it—you’re done. And if the moment does pass, it never goes that far. It stands in the distance, ready for whenever you want it back. Sometimes it’s even there when you thought you were searching for something else, like an escape route, or your lover’s face.

How does one talk about love? Do we even have the right words to describe something that can be both utterly mundane and completely transcendent, pulling us out of our everyday lives and making us feel a part of something greater than ourselves? Taking a unique approach to this problem, the nameless narrator of David Levithan’s The Lover’s Dictionary has constructed the story of his relationship as a dictionary. Through these short entries, he provides an intimate window into the great events and quotidian trifles of being within a couple, giving us an indelible and deeply moving portrait of love in our time. --Goodreads
The narrator expresses his love life through certain words in the dictionary. He documents his relationship with Joanne, all the ups and downs and in betweens. A lovely, fast read of how the modern relationship can blossom into something permanent.

This book was so fresh and fantastic! I have never read anything from Levithan and now I understand why his work is so popular. His voice popped right off the page, whether he was telling a joke or going to a funeral. Each entry was fabulous and beautifully written. The structure was what made the book truly unique. Using a word from the dictionary that connected with his relationship was the reason I read the book.

The plot jumped all around. It was organized by the alphabet-- left me in a constant desire to know what's going to happen next. There were times where the narrator even repeated entries to add small bits at the end to keep you guessing.

There were really no substantial characters except his lover, Joanne, and Kathryn who came later in the book. Both played an important part in the narrator's life and having only two characters was a fantastic way to make it easier to read as well as to get to know them better.

This lovely read definitely belongs on your to-read list.

Rating:

Cover: 3
Characters: 4
Writing Style: 5
Plot: 3
Ending: 3
Overall: 4





Rated PG-13 for sexual references.

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