I don't want to be a bitter bunny, but I can't help myself that I just fell in-love with the idea of this book! I'll give you a quick synopsis. I won't put in any details because that's part of the reading experience you'll have.
As given by the title itself, this is a story of how a boy and a girl got together then broke up after a few months of dating. Officially they were dating, but in her friends' and his sister's minds, this was just a phase that they'll soon get over. In the end, they were all right. The relationship was toxic, but she loved him nonetheless. She was sixteen, and he was too. Being at that age is hard enough without the angst you'd feel around you. To top her story off, she fell in love with a jock, the basketball team's co-captain to be specific. And he fell in love with her too. "You're not like other girls." he says. And he was not like other guys she knew. They ran in different circles, but soon came to find a common ground where both their interests and thoughts could meet. But in the end, still they broke up.
Why did they break up? Going through the book you'll find a host of images depicting items from their time together. Yes, you got it, she narrates, while you, the reading, emulate the experience of the guy in the future as he goes through the letters she wrote telling the story of each item. You'd think this was irritating because she could have just gotten straight to the point. But, I'm afraid if she had done that, you would not completely understand the emotions and thoughts of going through a toxic relationship that you thought was doing both of you some good.Plus, it is the idea of going through those stories of their relationship that make you, as the reader, realize little by little the details that made their relationship fictitious in reality.
This book was cleverly written. It takes you through the relationship of these two lovebirds in an unconventional way. It starts at the end and ends in the beginning. It's not that difficult to understand once you've gone through the first page and the first illustration. The illustrations of the items are the best part because they literally serve as a visual aid to the reader. They give you a sense of direction in imagining the setting and the characters. It's not interactive, but it sure does give your mind quite a stir when you see them.
Going through the story mid-way I realized a perfect soundtrack for this would be three songs of Taylor Swift namely the following:
(1) Fifteen;
(2) We Are Never Getting Back Together; and
(3) 22.
These songs I think say more than they give away. I realized this as I absorbed the tone of the narrator's voice. And I think you'll agree with me as you get to the latter part of the book.
Thee perfect thing about what a good match these songs are to this book is that they help you realize how to regain your focus after coming form such a terrible heartache. I'm not saying to drown off your sorrows listening to these songs and reading this book for inspiration. I'm saying read this and listen to them and move on with your life. It's is harder than it looks, but hey, you have to.
I guess going through this book made me realize how inevitable it is that as a teenager you would normally get giddy over a simple smile, or a thoughtless hello, or even a meaningless kind gesture. It's the hormones working and we know that now. As an adult then, you would think that we could already avoid getting into similar situations as Min here did. But the fact is, we are still susceptible to slipping back sometimes no matter how we are slapped in the face with such realities. I guess it just really depends on how we take the lesson thrown at us. We either see it or we don't.
Shout Out!
To the author Daniel Handler and artist Maira Kalman, Why We Broke Up is a phenomenal book I will always cherish.
To singer songwriter Taylor Swift for those heart-wrenching songs that make us girls just want them even more!
Dani
May 1, 2013; 10:05PM-- Happy Labor Day! :)
Open your eyes
to the world unknown
Try to see everything
all those you would forego.
As given by the title itself, this is a story of how a boy and a girl got together then broke up after a few months of dating. Officially they were dating, but in her friends' and his sister's minds, this was just a phase that they'll soon get over. In the end, they were all right. The relationship was toxic, but she loved him nonetheless. She was sixteen, and he was too. Being at that age is hard enough without the angst you'd feel around you. To top her story off, she fell in love with a jock, the basketball team's co-captain to be specific. And he fell in love with her too. "You're not like other girls." he says. And he was not like other guys she knew. They ran in different circles, but soon came to find a common ground where both their interests and thoughts could meet. But in the end, still they broke up.
Why did they break up? Going through the book you'll find a host of images depicting items from their time together. Yes, you got it, she narrates, while you, the reading, emulate the experience of the guy in the future as he goes through the letters she wrote telling the story of each item. You'd think this was irritating because she could have just gotten straight to the point. But, I'm afraid if she had done that, you would not completely understand the emotions and thoughts of going through a toxic relationship that you thought was doing both of you some good.Plus, it is the idea of going through those stories of their relationship that make you, as the reader, realize little by little the details that made their relationship fictitious in reality.
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| Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler Illustrations by Maira Kalman |
This book was cleverly written. It takes you through the relationship of these two lovebirds in an unconventional way. It starts at the end and ends in the beginning. It's not that difficult to understand once you've gone through the first page and the first illustration. The illustrations of the items are the best part because they literally serve as a visual aid to the reader. They give you a sense of direction in imagining the setting and the characters. It's not interactive, but it sure does give your mind quite a stir when you see them.
Going through the story mid-way I realized a perfect soundtrack for this would be three songs of Taylor Swift namely the following:
(1) Fifteen;
(2) We Are Never Getting Back Together; and
(3) 22.
These songs I think say more than they give away. I realized this as I absorbed the tone of the narrator's voice. And I think you'll agree with me as you get to the latter part of the book.
Thee perfect thing about what a good match these songs are to this book is that they help you realize how to regain your focus after coming form such a terrible heartache. I'm not saying to drown off your sorrows listening to these songs and reading this book for inspiration. I'm saying read this and listen to them and move on with your life. It's is harder than it looks, but hey, you have to.
Shout Out!
To the author Daniel Handler and artist Maira Kalman, Why We Broke Up is a phenomenal book I will always cherish.
To singer songwriter Taylor Swift for those heart-wrenching songs that make us girls just want them even more!
Dani
May 1, 2013; 10:05PM-- Happy Labor Day! :)
Open your eyes
to the world unknown
Try to see everything
all those you would forego.
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