Our Chemical Hearts
by Krystal Sutherland
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Book Length: 320 pages
Genre: Young Adult
It has been a while since I have over-identified with character's in a book. At first I found myself relating to the broken nature of Grace Town. Despite her obvious depression Henry was pursuing her. In a way it felt like there was hope for us all.
Except then I found myself identifying with Henry who was chasing after a girl who was really just stringing him along for her own needs. She wasn't into him as much as she was into the healing that he provided her. The whole book she blamed him for wanting a different version of Grace, yet she was the one using him to feel a different version of herself. After they separate Grace begins to heal. This is all to the credit of Henry. Yet, Henry is now broken relying on his friends to help him to heal past the relationship that was Grace Town.
It was a beautifully written book with characters that obviously grabbed me. I do completely disagree with the book's message on love. In principle I get that it was trying to help others to see that love is what we make of it. We have to work at love like we have to work at anything else. My issue is that no one actually worked at love in this book. They all divorced. They all left. Even his parents who were pretty solid dissolved their relationship once Henry learned that there is no such thing as true love. Yet there is such thing. The point is that true love is hard work. The chemical portion of love is just passion. That is not true love. True love is the work and dedication and the choice to stay with someone despite the hard times. Even biologically this book just talked about surface love. It told teenagers everywhere that when the passion ends you have the right to leave and find something else. I do not agree with the message of love that this book portrayed. It is not a value that I would want my children taking away.
No comments:
Post a Comment