Revisit Week: The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan

Published Jan. 4th, 2011
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
211 Pages

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

I first read this book when it came out. Bought it brand new at Border’s bookstore, when they were still around and it took about a week for me to get through it. Now about 6 years later, I wanted to re-read this book and as reading it, I can remember why I was so excited for this book but at the same time over it.

Levithan did a really creative job with breaking down words and instead of providing a basic definition, he provides a situation or a scenario. It is simply adorable. Some are short and some are long.

However, the issue with this book is it becomes redundant. Even though the stories are different after a while they all begin to sound the same. Because of this the book was too much to keep going.

Lover’s Dictionary is a really cute and good idea but it is too long to really enjoy the book.

2.5 Pickles

NetGalley Review: Another Day (Everyday # 2) by David Levithan

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
To Be Published Aug. 25, 2015
300 Pages

Rhiannon lives the same life everyday. She has accepted the fact that she doesn’t deserve more from her distant boyfriend Justin or even her family. 

But one morning, Justin sees Rhiannon as if she is new, beautiful and for the first time she feels loved and has the perfect day with him. However, come the next morning Justin doesn’t remember a thing. Desperate for that feeling again, Rhiannon begins questioning not only Justin but the life she has been living. 

Finally her answers come in the least expected way, when a stranger tells her that the Justin she spent that day with wasn’t Justin at all.

The thing about reading book two of this series is almost nothing new was presented. It really is the same story told through Rhiannon which means the same story with her emotional conflict that was more than obvious in the first book.

The thing about Rhiannon is she is unhappy with her life and has been for a while. I also go the impression that she is simply scared to be alone. Justin brings nothing to the table. He doesn’t even like the fact that she wants to hold his hand in public. His distance and Rhiannon’s acceptance makes it seem as if there is something emotionally wrong with Rhiannon.

What I liked about the book was how easy it flowed from the first book. Levithan doesn’t miss a beat and I really enjoyed that. I loved the pace of the novel and how Levithan doesn’t over saturate the novel of romance or a unrequited love. But the novel is a sad read . . . even with happier moments, Rhiannon is a sad individual that is trying to get out of it, so it makes it a bit of a slow read.

Overall, I did like this book. It reminded me of why I love Levithan as an author and why I enjoyed the first book.

3 Pickles