Ever since I first saw the cover, I knew I needed this book. Of course, it was out in ARC format at the time and I never actually requested one - why? I have no idea. Nevertheless, as the book wasn't in or anywhere near my hands, I forgot about. Then, I saw an author talking about how amazing it was, and then I caught a glimpse of a book as I was strolling through Target, so by the time I found it at the local library, I was more than ready for it. I was ready for it, but I didn't enjoy it.
Similar to what always happens with the books I read, the first chapter was great. It was only after that that I realized that nothing was happening, and chapter by chapter, the story only continued to go downhill. I started out intrigued by the whole ghost girl character, Lucy. No one knew anything about her, and while there were myths about her "species", very few believed them. After reading the synopsis, I had assumed that this would be your regular paranormal romance between a supernatural and a human. I was right, but at the same time I was very wrong.
About halfway through the book, when I started to understand that this plot wasn't going to go in any direction I wanted it to, I realized something else as well. Now, this may be completely in my imagination, but I'm pretty sure this entire novel is simply a metaphor for suicide. The signs were all there: the main character, Colin, his parents died when he was young, and he's always looking for the next adrenaline rush. He's never really felt like he's belonged, never been interested in the things going on around him. Stereotypical suicide case, right? Right or wrong, it annoys me, because any attempt to make suicide sound beautiful is messed up, and it's not something I can or will accept. On the other hand, Sublime may actually be trying to make people comprehend the process of suicide, and what goes on inside a person's head that makes him ready to end his own life. Either way, I was not okay with this concept in general, and so the last fifty percent of the book had me simultaneously glaring at the words on the page and resisting the urge to throw the book against a wall. I'm willing to give the novel the benefit of the doubt on the whole suicide allusion, but that's what I felt while reading the book, and it seriously detracted my interest and empathy for the novel and its characters.
The end of the book was intriguing in that it was left pretty open ended. However, the conclusion I came to definitely didn't earn the book any points. The story and the writing was well done, but it's not something I appreciate, or am interested in. I understand how Sublime manages to make audiences emotionally invested, but it just didn't work out for me. The story was very bland, and it seemed to drain the very life out of, well, life. The reason I read books is to delve into new worlds full of depth and character, and I must regretfully say that this novel fell short of the mark. I don't think I would ever recommend this novel to anyone.
As far as the plot goes, I can confidently say that I have never encountered anything like it in all my life. Unfortunately, the plot was one of the biggest deal breakers when it came to this book. Due to the the lifeless characters and the way the story played out in my mind, Sublime simply wasn't a novel that I could find myself able to appreciate.
Similar to what always happens with the books I read, the first chapter was great. It was only after that that I realized that nothing was happening, and chapter by chapter, the story only continued to go downhill. I started out intrigued by the whole ghost girl character, Lucy. No one knew anything about her, and while there were myths about her "species", very few believed them. After reading the synopsis, I had assumed that this would be your regular paranormal romance between a supernatural and a human. I was right, but at the same time I was very wrong.
About halfway through the book, when I started to understand that this plot wasn't going to go in any direction I wanted it to, I realized something else as well. Now, this may be completely in my imagination, but I'm pretty sure this entire novel is simply a metaphor for suicide. The signs were all there: the main character, Colin, his parents died when he was young, and he's always looking for the next adrenaline rush. He's never really felt like he's belonged, never been interested in the things going on around him. Stereotypical suicide case, right? Right or wrong, it annoys me, because any attempt to make suicide sound beautiful is messed up, and it's not something I can or will accept. On the other hand, Sublime may actually be trying to make people comprehend the process of suicide, and what goes on inside a person's head that makes him ready to end his own life. Either way, I was not okay with this concept in general, and so the last fifty percent of the book had me simultaneously glaring at the words on the page and resisting the urge to throw the book against a wall. I'm willing to give the novel the benefit of the doubt on the whole suicide allusion, but that's what I felt while reading the book, and it seriously detracted my interest and empathy for the novel and its characters.
The end of the book was intriguing in that it was left pretty open ended. However, the conclusion I came to definitely didn't earn the book any points. The story and the writing was well done, but it's not something I appreciate, or am interested in. I understand how Sublime manages to make audiences emotionally invested, but it just didn't work out for me. The story was very bland, and it seemed to drain the very life out of, well, life. The reason I read books is to delve into new worlds full of depth and character, and I must regretfully say that this novel fell short of the mark. I don't think I would ever recommend this novel to anyone.
As far as the plot goes, I can confidently say that I have never encountered anything like it in all my life. Unfortunately, the plot was one of the biggest deal breakers when it came to this book. Due to the the lifeless characters and the way the story played out in my mind, Sublime simply wasn't a novel that I could find myself able to appreciate.
Book Synopsis: True love may mean certain death in a ghostly affair of risk and passion from New York Times bestselling duo Christina Lauren, authors of Beautiful Bastard. Tahereh Mafi, New York Times bestselling author of Shatter Me calls Sublime “a beautiful, haunting read".
When Lucy walks out of a frozen forest, wearing only a silk dress and sandals, she isn’t sure how she got there. But when she sees Colin, she knows for sure that she’s here for him.
Colin has never been captivated by a girl the way he is by Lucy. With each passing day their lives intertwine, and even as Lucy begins to remember more of her life—and her death—neither of them is willing to give up what they have, no matter how impossible it is. And when Colin finds a way to physically be with Lucy, taking himself to the brink of death where his reality and Lucy’s overlap, the joy of being together for those brief stolen moments drowns out everything in the outside world. But some lines weren’t meant to be crossed…
Source: A copy was borrowed from the local library.
Title: Sublime
Author: Christina Lauren
Publication Date: October 14, 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genre: Paranormal Romance, YA
Pages: 336 pages
