Friday, June 15, 2012

Review: First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky

From Inside Jacket: Like his name, Gray is dark and stormy. Dylan, a girl always searching for what’s next, seemingly unable to settle down, is the exact opposite: full of light and life. On the outside, they seem like an unlikely couple. But looks can be deceiving and besides, opposites attract. What starts as friendship, turns into admiration, respect and caring, until finally these two lone souls find they are truly in love with each other. But staying in love is not as easy as falling in love. If Dylan and Gray want their love to last, they’re going to have to work at it. And learn that sometimes love means having to say you’re sorry.

My Rating: 3.5 hearts  

Thoughts on the Novel: When I saw the synopsis for First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky, I thought it would simply be a story about two very different people falling in love and then experiencing some obstacles that challenge that love. It was that; but, First Comes Love was also a book about two people learning more about themselves by having someone to talk to and confide in.

Told from the perspectives of both Dylan and Gray, First Comes Love allows you to see what the two characters like about each other while simultaneously letting you develop your own opinion about them as individuals. Gray is moody, cynical, and someone who’s very much a loner. Dylan on the other hand is extremely carefree and completely uninhibited with her emotions. She also has this quirky tendency of naming everything she owns. Although I found it easier to connect with Gray than Dylan, what’s nice is that both characters are college-aged – an age range that I find lacking in YA. As such, Dylan and Gray do engage in (frequent) sex; and so First Comes Love may not be appropriate for younger teens.

What I enjoyed the most about First Comes Love though was the setting. As Gray and Dylan develop their fledgling friendship into something more, they visit numerous places in Phoenix, which Kacvinsky describes in detail. I’m terrible at visualizing things and places in my head, but Kacvinsky’s descriptions made me feel as if I had actually visited Phoenix and tagged along with Gray and Dylan like a third wheel.

A short book with a surprising amount of depth, First Comes Love was released in May 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Comments About the Cover: I like that it’s very dark because First Comes Love isn’t one of those cheerful summer romance stories that are perfect for reading at the beach. I did take off the jacket though while reading the book on the bus since it’s kind of embarrassing to be seen in public with it.

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Thomas Allen & Son) for free.

8 comments:

  1. I agree with you on the age range. I think we need more YA characters that are not jailbaits (lol). That said, I will totally consider reading this.

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  2. I love the friendship turned into romance stories, they tend to be a bit more believable instead of the insta-love that's been plauging YA lately. Self discovery is also a bonus. I think I'll give this one a whirl if I find it at my library.

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  3. I'm glad you liked this book, Zahida! :D The cover really turns me off, so if I read it, I'd probably take the dust jacket off as well, haha. But the story inside sounds great. I'm a bit hesitant to read dual narratives, but I think I might give this book a try. Thanks for the helpful review! :)

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  4. College-aged protagonists? We really don't get much of that in YA! I think that people have renamed a new genre for it called New Adult, but I've only heard a few things about it so far so I can't be sure :) I don't think I was ever really planning to read this book before, but it sounds kind of sweet. And Katie Kacvinsky sounds like an awesome author!

    Awesome review, Z! :) <3

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  5. HAHA I do that to. If the cover is kinda off I either hid it in my lap or take of the cover if I can. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I really want to read this still ;) And I love the cover. I don't think it is TOO dark....

    Haley@www.passingthepages.blogspot.com

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  6. Ooooo yay for college-age characters! I'm partial to slightly older YA characters (probably because I'm old), so this one is definitely appealing to me. Love when books surprise me with more layers than I was expecting, fantastic review Z!

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  7. Young people engage in sex frequently? Who knew!

    I think I'd like Dylan, since we both like naming things. And the two povs appeals to me. It's been a while since I've read a YA book which features college aged characters. I'll have to check this one out. Though I can't say I'm a fan of the cover.

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  8. Wow, I love your review! I wasn't sure if this would be for me but you do a very convincing job. ;) I like that there's depth to this story and not just something we have seen a thousand times. I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

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