At first I really liked Sam and Sadie. I liked how they came together and reconnected, how they worked together, how they complimented each other. Then I get frustrated by them. I found them both disappointing, making stupid choices. Eventually I realized they’re just terribly flawed people who struggle to communicate successfully. I can certainly relate. I like how Zevin leaves them at the end though. 

There’s something fairly major that happens late in the book that I was initially put off by. It felt too cliche. But, now that I’ve had time to think about it, I think it’s a necessary part of the story of Sam and Sadie. I think it could have happened in different ways, if Zevin had chosen a different path, but I think the final arcs of the story needed the catalyst. It would have been much more difficult to wrap the story. If you’ve read it, you’ll know the event I’m referring to. 

I really liked Zevin’s writing style. I didn’t expect literary fiction going in so it was a pleasant surprise for me. There isn’t as much technical video game talk as I expected, which I was glad for.