When We Collided by Emery Lord: A Review
At first, I was hesitant to read this book due to the sensitive subject matter it covers (IE: mental illness), but as I dove into the story, I quickly learned that this wouldn't be a rant review. Which is probably good, I'm not overly fond of writing "I hate this book" style reviews. This book was readable, but not what I'd consider amazing, so I give it 3 stars. Please advise, there will be spoilers in this review from this point on.
I'm very wary of books with mental illness addressed in them. Sometimes, characters with hardships feel more like cartoon characters than real people. Vivi, one of the primary protagonists, struggles with bipolarism. For the most part, I would say Emery Lord did a decent job portraying it. However, a decent job doesn't mean it's a phenomenal representation.
I take issues with Vivi's manic episodes because I felt sometimes she behaved like an absolute lunatic and felt more like an elaborate circus clown without much depth when she was written this way.
Her mother blatantly ignored symptoms of her hypomania (including her painting her room without permission and buying a freaking electric scooter). Any decent parent ought to have acknowledged this as a clear sign of something being off, especially considering how close Vivi and her mother were supposed to be.
I must say that everyone is a little different in the way their bipolar disorder manifests itself so I will concede that Vivi's behavior could fit the pattern of select individuals. I feel like sometimes it was a bit overdone though, and that irritates me a little.
Anyway, we need to talk about Jonah. I know in comparison to Vivi, other readers often find him pale and dull in contrast. I understand that logic, but I found him to be not only more realistic than her but also just a better overall character. Jonah was real, kind, and his relationship with his family jumped off the page. He felt like a real teenage boy in every way, down to his flaws and emotions. Yes, he was more understated than Vivi in his approach to many things but I felt like he was the perfect love interest and just an all around great character. His interactions with other characters felt authentic, and his emotional struggles were just as vivid and gripping. I love him a lot and thought he was brilliantly crafted.
I'm a sucker for a good romance, and with summer right around the corner, I felt like it was a great time to finally read this book (I've had it since December). My only complaint regarding the love story was the instalove aspect. The connection between Jonah and Vivi was too immediate, considering he went from awkward and a bit standoffish during their first interaction to being warm and open with her only a few hours later. I didn't feel their chemistry as much as I should've. Yes, in real life, people are attracted to one another very quickly and connections between people don't always take a long time to develop, but I think there's a clear difference between quick connections and instalove that was exemplified in this novel. YA fiction can often spin into instant romance territory, but the story was enjoyable enough to mostly disregard that detail.
Overall, I found this book okay. There were a lot of parts I can say I loved, but also some that just felt bland and forgettable to me. I liked it, but didn't adore it. It's a quick read for summer, but in terms of emotional and deep stories, it missed the mark for me.
I'm very wary of books with mental illness addressed in them. Sometimes, characters with hardships feel more like cartoon characters than real people. Vivi, one of the primary protagonists, struggles with bipolarism. For the most part, I would say Emery Lord did a decent job portraying it. However, a decent job doesn't mean it's a phenomenal representation.
I take issues with Vivi's manic episodes because I felt sometimes she behaved like an absolute lunatic and felt more like an elaborate circus clown without much depth when she was written this way.
Her mother blatantly ignored symptoms of her hypomania (including her painting her room without permission and buying a freaking electric scooter). Any decent parent ought to have acknowledged this as a clear sign of something being off, especially considering how close Vivi and her mother were supposed to be.
I must say that everyone is a little different in the way their bipolar disorder manifests itself so I will concede that Vivi's behavior could fit the pattern of select individuals. I feel like sometimes it was a bit overdone though, and that irritates me a little.
Anyway, we need to talk about Jonah. I know in comparison to Vivi, other readers often find him pale and dull in contrast. I understand that logic, but I found him to be not only more realistic than her but also just a better overall character. Jonah was real, kind, and his relationship with his family jumped off the page. He felt like a real teenage boy in every way, down to his flaws and emotions. Yes, he was more understated than Vivi in his approach to many things but I felt like he was the perfect love interest and just an all around great character. His interactions with other characters felt authentic, and his emotional struggles were just as vivid and gripping. I love him a lot and thought he was brilliantly crafted.
I'm a sucker for a good romance, and with summer right around the corner, I felt like it was a great time to finally read this book (I've had it since December). My only complaint regarding the love story was the instalove aspect. The connection between Jonah and Vivi was too immediate, considering he went from awkward and a bit standoffish during their first interaction to being warm and open with her only a few hours later. I didn't feel their chemistry as much as I should've. Yes, in real life, people are attracted to one another very quickly and connections between people don't always take a long time to develop, but I think there's a clear difference between quick connections and instalove that was exemplified in this novel. YA fiction can often spin into instant romance territory, but the story was enjoyable enough to mostly disregard that detail.
Overall, I found this book okay. There were a lot of parts I can say I loved, but also some that just felt bland and forgettable to me. I liked it, but didn't adore it. It's a quick read for summer, but in terms of emotional and deep stories, it missed the mark for me.
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