I don't know where to start. This book was meant for me to read. I requested it from Netgalley, and when I got the approval to read it, I remember being surprised because (full disclosure) I don't know WHY I requested it. I never had read anything by the author before, and when I read the description, I didn't think it was something I would normally pick up. Then, I started reading the first few pages and didn't think it was for me. Anything that is listed as or indicates "coming of age" just isn't my usual genre.
BUT, I can't express how glad I am that I continued because once I did, I got extremely invested. The story spans the lives of Silver, Honey and Malai, three friends in Montana. We get the view of them as they are young, brimming with hope for the future, but then surviving tragedy and loss and then making their own paths, the best way that each know how. But then, we are also witness to their adult lives and how the past always has an influence on the present. The book flips between the two timelines but does it so well. Most of the time, in dual timeline books, I always find myself enjoying one more than the other, but this one I couldn't wait to get back to both.
The way the author made these characters and their story is amzaing. At one point, (no spoilers) I gasped out loud and threw a hand over my mouth (lol). One time, I had an author tell me that there is no bigger compliment than to hear that their book made a reader actually feel and this book did this ten fold for me. I also found myself thinking about these chracters after I finished and feel that it might acutally be a good movie. Without giving a lot away, there is a love story in the book between two of the main characters and one of those people are relucntant (for very good reasons) to surrender themselves to that love completely, while the other patiently waits. After I finished the book, I heard the song Alive and Kicking by Simple Minds on the radio and thought it fit their story.
Lyrics from Alive and Kicking:
What you gonna do when things go wrong?What you gonna do when it all cracks up?What you gonna do when the love burns down?What you gonna do when the flames go up?Who is gonna come and turn the tide?What's it gonna take to make a dream survive?Who's got the touch to calm the storm inside?Who's gonna save you?Alive and kickingStay until your love isAlive and kickingStay 'til your love isUntil your love is, alive
The bottom line is the story and the characters are sticking with me well after I finsihed their story. Thank you so much to Netgalley for hte chance to read this book and to Imran Mahmood for Honey, Milai, SIlver and their story, and for also reminding us to listen for the songs of the birds.
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