Check out my BookTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoIzjdWXr4oOkFLlSbe2FQ

First Impressions
I picked this up because I saw that it was available through Libby and I knew I had an ARC to read by E. Lockhart before the end of the month. I knew this book was hyped for a while and I figured I should read it before reading her new work.

I’m so glad that I did. I didn’t like the description because it’s so vague, but having read it… I understand why it’s vague.

Essentially, this book follows Cady’s journey in figuring out a past trauma. She doesn’t remember much about her fifteenth summer on the island and she wants to know why. Nobody is filling her in, leaving her to figure it out “in her own time.”

Writing Style
I get why this book has mixed reviews. E. Lockhart’s writing style isn’t for everybody, but it’s definitely for me! She writes in small chapters, which is a huge plus in my book. She has an airy way of writing, while being extremely dark in some moments. It just works.

One of my favorite things about her style is her embodiment of metaphors. Lockhart immerses herself and steeps her characters into these intense metaphors that make you think.

For example:

“A giant wields a rusty saw. He gloats and hums as he works, slicing through my forehead and into the mind behind it.”

She’s describing a migraine. I suffer from migraines, so I appreciate the accurate sentiment.

She goes from these detailed metaphor snippets to chapter-length metaphors. She has sections where Cady is writing a fairy tale, which parallels with her life and the trauma that she’s trying to uncover.

Her use of metaphors in general are beautiful and abrupt. I like to think of her writing style as if poetry were written in prose. While she does not write in verse, it feels like it sometimes.

The Story
I don’t want to say much here because of spoilers, but the twist is brutal. I cried for the last part of the book after the plot twist dropped because I seriously didn’t see that coming.

The characters were incredibly well developed, in my opinion. It’s hard to talk about the story without giving it away in this case… but trust that the story is great. If you don’t mind spoilers, head down to the next section for more detail.

If not, stay put and don’t read the rest of this review. Just know it’s a great young adult contemporary that deals with real problems and gets real fast.

Beware of Spoilers
Like I said, I can see why some people don’t like this book. I loved it and I cried.

The ending is like whiplash. I personally don’t like that the crew was still at the house when she returned. I’m not sure if people in similar situations as Cady get that kind of closure when they come a realization like she did.

However, I loved it despite hating it. I love that she was able to say goodbye to everyone and all of the conversations started making sense (between her and Gat especially). It seemed as though they weren’t conjured by her head, but were spirits that visited her to help her remember. I’m not sure if I liked that.

Part of me is saying that it should’ve been in her head, but the other part kind of likes that her friends came back to see her off.

I don’t know, but it was a different type of ending.

Anyway, five stars! Loved it! Can’t wait to read Again Again.