Saturday, April 10, 2010

I read, I feel, I babble... (mini installment)

Okay, I just finished this book. Just now. And if I was smart, I'd wait a bit to write this. Because maybe, just maybe I could say something coherent if I gave this some thought. Something beyond, "Go read this book! Seriously...do this now!"

Yes, right this minute I want to say, "This is the best book. Ever." Though in my head, I know that it is not *really* my favorite book of all time. But for right now, it is! At this moment, it really truly is!!!! Oh, and how I want this book high to last...

Reading this book, I wanted to be 30 years younger...and I wanted to find my way into the pages of this book. I so wanted these characters to be my friends. I loved Will. And I loved Will. I loved Jane, and Tiny, and Gideon. I loved how perfectly imperfect they all were. And how truly special and lovable and real that made them.

I lost count of how many times I laughed out loud. Not that I was ever keeping count. But you know how it is...you don't really mean to keep count, but you sort of know anyway. That is, until it happens so many times that the knowledge is not automatically available as a tally anymore. Yeah, it happened way too many times for automatic tallying in this book.

And it's a rare gift that something can be so incredibly funny...and yet say so much that really matters. I'm having a hard time boiling this book down to themes though. Yes, friendship. And love. And truth...in a myriad of permutations. And discovering a way to navigate this screwed-up, complicated, confusing, and incredibly wonderful thing we call life. But there's more to it, and I can't quite figure out how to put it into words. And really, it's this "thing" that I can't explain that made me love it the most. Oh crap. You really need to go read some reviews by people who can actually write. Actually, skip that...just go read the book!

9 comments:

  1. CAN'T WAIT!!! My friend Brittany got me a signed copy & I'm debating if I should read it in my last 2.5 hrs of readathon. Probably not though...

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  2. dont do this to me! don't make me put another book on the wish list!! aggggh!

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  3. Wow, what an endorsement! Isn't it funny, when we review books all the time, how it's difficult to come up with the phrases for one we're really crazy about?! It's like saying, "I love you" so many times it rather loses it's meaning and you're wishing you had something stronger to say to your husband? Or, at least that's the analogy I make...And, I love how you said, "It's not really my favorite book of all time, but right now it is." I felt that way when I finished Ivan Doig's A Whistling Season. It's really terrific when you come across a book you feel so strongly about. And now you've enticed me to read it.

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  4. I just read Chris's review and immediately requested this one from my library. I can't wait until I get my hands on it. Marc and I will definitely both be reading this one!

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  5. OK,OK...how can I possibly pass up a book that has you so enthusiastically endorsing it! I am off to put my request in on the library website right now!

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  6. I just read/reviewed this last week and I know exactly how you feel! The first thing I did after reading it was run down the hall and give it to my friend to read ... then I regretted not having it to look through again!

    I loved every second of reading the book! =]

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  7. Ok, babble on Debi my dear. Because of yours and Amanda's enthusiastic reviews this will be my first John Green AND first David Levithan book. SO excited!! :D

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  8. I just finished this and I agree - it ends on a HIGH note of wowness. but it's not my fave JG.
    Hope you are well, mydear. {{HUGS}}

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