mia rivas

This book was beautiful in a way I can’t even explain. It was so far from what I expected. Going into this I was ready for a basic “love you till the end” with some kind of tragic death but this book was actually a lot more serious and I actually really loved that aspect. *spoilers* In the beginning the author builds your concept of the characters and who they are. Then you begin to truly live the characters and in a similar manner to lily, you love the way her life is and how things are. You fall in love with Ryle and their relationship as well as the new friend group she is around. This is why when Ryle starts becoming abusive, you can understand all the more the grief lily faces and the struggle she has to leave him. You desperately wish for their to be some way, especially with how much he loves her and the baby, for them to get back together and know for sure he will never hurt her again but again, just like lily, you know deep down there is no way to be sure and that there is no way they can continue to be together. You truly walk through the entire process of grief and acceptance with lily especially after her talk with her mother. I’ll admit, I didn’t love the fact that she went to atlas so quickly in the epilogue as it kind of ruined the point of the line at the end of the last chapter but that doesn’t change how beautifully heartbreaking that hospital scene was to show the true meaning of the book. Overall an amazing book that everyone should read at least once. I hope the sequel is equally as good.