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A review by atalanta_nins
I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Did the review by parts of the books so be warned, spoilers ahead.
Part One: Requiem
I was genuinely thinking that I should dnf this book, but knowing myself, I knew I wouldn't. So far, it's not that great but I wouldn't say it's worse. This book seemed to have a good story, but there's something about it that felt like the story drags. We're introduced to both Evan and Shosh (somehow, very strange names) and their lives. So far, that's it.
Part Two: Nocturne
I think, for this part, it focused more on their own families, particularly their relationships with their siblings. Though, still waiting for something better (and a reason why I read this), so far it actually got good. Though, it bothered me how Evan's chapters seems longer than Shosh here. Also, that Evan knew Shosh but not personally, just someone he heard before or maybe passed by at school someday but never taking notice.
Part Three: Fugue
I felt there's not much that happened here. Also, I just realized that every chapter of Evan is on the first perspective POV while Shosh is on the third perspective POV.
Part Four: Sonata
Evan and Shosh cross paths in this part that most of their POV's are still focused on their own lives (which is nice as we get to glimpse their insides thoughts). At the same time, though both characters seemed to be well-written, in a sense that they have their own lives and personalities, it felt that the plot of the story is getting nowhere and I felt like I'm reading two different books, like they are not that connected as what I initially thought. But maybe things will change especially now that both seemed to figured out that they both hear the Nightbird and that hauntingly beautiful voice and songs.
Part Five: Minuet
I think I may have finished this one the fastest, and I like the growing interaction between the two leads. I just felt bad somehow that Evan had purposely misses his submission to Headlands, and just like what Maya said to him, that eventually if he kept on waiting fir bad things to happen, it will eventually happen. Also, so fat, of all the end stories in each chapter, The New York one is the one I liked the most.
Part Six: Opus
The protagonists' lives seemed great, as both had decided to continue their dreams, even though that means Evan and Shosh will spend their time apart. Also, I was initially proud that Shosh was slowly avoiding alcoholic beverages but then she lapsed and that helped her to realize that she indeed needed help. Nothing wrong with that, just that, we're nearing the end and it felt so sudden, like rushed, as we're nearing the end. Not that it surprised me, more like it felt flat, like I could see it coming. And I now felt that the title dis so much for thus book and the book didn't live up to it.
Part Seven: Coda
So, I finished it till the end, and while I won't reread this book, it was nice that I was able to finished it. Something about changing for the better even if you've failed or that we feared things such as bad things will happen even if they aren't happening now, that we forget that we only have one life to live and that should not stop us from trying, from achieving our dreams. It is not too late for anything, we all have our own pace, our own time.
I think though, I might have liked this book when I was younger.
Part One: Requiem
I was genuinely thinking that I should dnf this book, but knowing myself, I knew I wouldn't. So far, it's not that great but I wouldn't say it's worse. This book seemed to have a good story, but there's something about it that felt like the story drags. We're introduced to both Evan and Shosh (somehow, very strange names) and their lives. So far, that's it.
Part Two: Nocturne
I think, for this part, it focused more on their own families, particularly their relationships with their siblings. Though, still waiting for something better (and a reason why I read this), so far it actually got good. Though, it bothered me how Evan's chapters seems longer than Shosh here. Also, that Evan knew Shosh but not personally, just someone he heard before or maybe passed by at school someday but never taking notice.
Part Three: Fugue
I felt there's not much that happened here. Also, I just realized that every chapter of Evan is on the first perspective POV while Shosh is on the third perspective POV.
Part Four: Sonata
Evan and Shosh cross paths in this part that most of their POV's are still focused on their own lives (which is nice as we get to glimpse their insides thoughts). At the same time, though both characters seemed to be well-written, in a sense that they have their own lives and personalities, it felt that the plot of the story is getting nowhere and I felt like I'm reading two different books, like they are not that connected as what I initially thought. But maybe things will change especially now that both seemed to figured out that they both hear the Nightbird and that hauntingly beautiful voice and songs.
Part Five: Minuet
I think I may have finished this one the fastest, and I like the growing interaction between the two leads. I just felt bad somehow that Evan had purposely misses his submission to Headlands, and just like what Maya said to him, that eventually if he kept on waiting fir bad things to happen, it will eventually happen. Also, so fat, of all the end stories in each chapter, The New York one is the one I liked the most.
Part Six: Opus
The protagonists' lives seemed great, as both had decided to continue their dreams, even though that means Evan and Shosh will spend their time apart. Also, I was initially proud that Shosh was slowly avoiding alcoholic beverages but then she lapsed and that helped her to realize that she indeed needed help. Nothing wrong with that, just that, we're nearing the end and it felt so sudden, like rushed, as we're nearing the end. Not that it surprised me, more like it felt flat, like I could see it coming. And I now felt that the title dis so much for thus book and the book didn't live up to it.
Part Seven: Coda
So, I finished it till the end, and while I won't reread this book, it was nice that I was able to finished it. Something about changing for the better even if you've failed or that we feared things such as bad things will happen even if they aren't happening now, that we forget that we only have one life to live and that should not stop us from trying, from achieving our dreams. It is not too late for anything, we all have our own pace, our own time.
I think though, I might have liked this book when I was younger.