alindstadtcorbeax
Written on Apr 24, 2021
rtc
A love story for everyone who loves books.
'One of the loveliest, most exquisitely beautiful books I've read in a very long time ... I didn't just read the pages, I lived in them' Jennifer Niven, author of All the Bright Places
Two teens find their way back to each other in a bookstore full of secrets and crushes, grief and hope - and letters hidden between the pages.
Years ago, Rachel had a crush on Henry Jones. The day before she moved away, she tucked a love letter into his favourite book in his family's bookshop. She waited. But Henry never came.
Now Rachel has returned to the city - and to the bookshop - to work alongside the boy she'd rather not see, if at all possible, for the rest of her life. But Rachel needs the distraction. Her brother drowned months ago, and she can't feel anything anymore.
As Henry and Rachel work side by side - surrounded by books, watching love stories unfold, exchanging letters between the pages - they find hope in each other. Because life may be uncontrollable, even unbearable sometimes. But it's possible that words, and love, and second chances are enough.
- ISBN10 1444907891
- ISBN13 9781444907896
- Publish Date 5 April 2018 (first published 6 June 2017)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Hachette Children's Group
- Imprint Hodder Children's Books
- Format Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
- Pages 352
- Language English
Reviews
rtc
liz089
Written on Mar 7, 2019
But some things I did not completely agree with.. like how selfish Henry was sometimes and how he treated Rachel, it did not really sit well with me...
So 4 stars, and definitely worth reading !!
Jyc
Written on Nov 24, 2017
Joséphine
Written on Sep 18, 2017
Initial thoughts: I like Cath Crowley's books. Sadly, I didn't think Words in Deep Blue was her best work. Maybe it's the narration which was a little less poetic than in her previous works that didn't click with me. Definitely a touching book, albeit not all that original. I feel like I've read very similar story several times over. On the upside, I enjoyed how Crowley navigated the complexities of relationships (mother-daughter, best friends, siblings, etc.) through this book.
Sam@WLABB
Written on Apr 28, 2017
There is actually a beautiful letter at the beginning of this ARC from the editor, where she describes the book in so many ways, and I have to say, she was dead on. It's a story about love -- first love, second chance love, end of love, beginning of love, familial love, friendship. It's a story about healing and being able to move on after a tragic loss. It's a story about books and words and the power they can have. And Cath Crowley did a stupendous job telling this story.
Top 5 Reasons Why I Loved This Book
*The Characters: Crowley created such an amazing array of characters in this book. Both Henry and Rachel are magnificent, with all their quirks and imperfections, but the auxiliary characters are also amazing. George is so fabulous. I fell in love with this girl who was so hard on the outside, but melting on the inside for an anonymous letter writer. Other notable characters: Henry's dad, Michael, Frederick, Lola, and Martin. I immensely enjoyed being in their company and getting to know them.
*The grief was so real: Rachel's pain was so palpable. It caused aches in my heart and brought tears to my eyes. There were so many things related to Rachel's grieving that I though Crowley did so well. I loved that she showed not only how Rachel was affected, but also, how her grief affected those around her. Crowley also made a point of explicitly stating that it as ok for Rachel to hurt for so long after her brother's death. That it was acceptable to ache for so long. There are NO RULES for grieving. She showed that Rachel began to heal, when she began to share her feelings and come to terms with the fact that Cal was gone. I was really touched by all of this as someone who has lost an important person, and I feel there are many people out there who can also relate.
*The banter was fantastic: These characters had a lot to say and they did so with style and wit. I lost count of how many times I grinned due to one of their conversations. These were bright and well read people, and they even scienced! Nuff said.
*The Letters: I also loved the letters, all of them. There was the pain and longing in the letters exchanged between Henry's parents. The lovely, sweet letters of first love between George and her admirer, and also, the slow rebuilding of a friendship in the letters between Rachel and Henry. The letters were so delightful, I found myself looking forward to finding one stuck between the chapters. And well, there was the Letter Library. **This is on my wish list**
*These characters love books: We spend a lot of time during this story in a bookshop with people who love books. They often talk about books, and these conversations were ah-mazing! When reading the bookish exchanges, I kept finding myself wanting to crawl into the book to join them, because I had found my tribe.
I have so many emotions about this book -- all good, I might say. I could never properly explain how beautiful and gorgeous and incredible this book is. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me long for those I lost, and made me want to hold tighter to those I love. Just utter perfection.
I'm not crying....
**I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. Quotes are from an ARC and may change upon publication.
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ellieroth
Written on Jan 20, 2017
Jo
Written on Jan 18, 2017
As soon as I heard about Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley, I knew I had to read it. I loved her novel A Little Wanting Song, and Words in Deep Blue sounded right up my street. And I was more right than I could have known. This book is so incredibly beautiful.
Rachel's brother, Cal, died ten months ago, and Rachel hasn't been the same since. She failed Year 12, she's lost interest in swimming, and she's lost interest in life. Rachel doesn't know how to keep living her life without her brother in it. As she's not planning on retaking Year 12 right now, her aunt, Rose, has sorted out a job for her back in her old town, until she's feeling ok enough to make decisions about her life.
Henry works in his family's second hand bookshop, Howling Books. He loves it there; the customers, the books, the Letter Library, where books can't be purchased, but people can leave letters to other people, or write notes in the margins, or highlight phrases that speak to them. But the bookshop is failing - his mum wants to sell, his dad doesn't, and it's future is uncertain. As is his; he was meant to go on a round-the-world trip with his girlfriend, Amy, in a few weeks, but she's just dumped him. He's heartbroken, and desperately wants her back, but Amy seems more interested in herself than anything else.
Henry and Rachel used to be best friends. Just before her family moved, Rachel left a letter for Henry in the Letter Library, telling him she was in love with him, but he ignored the letter when he wrote to her, as it had never happened, so eventually she ignored him, too. Now Rachel is back, and the job Rose has lined up for her is in Howling Books, cataloguing the Letter Library. Rachel doesn't want to face Henry again, after how he hurt her. Henry doesn't really know if he wants Rachel around himself, after she just stopped writing to him out of nowhere. Who does that to their best friend? But there are things neither of them know or realise, and their meeting again, and their time together in Howling Books will change everything.
This book is just wonderful. It's so, so gorgeous. Yes, it's predictable, and you know exactly how this book is going to end before you even start it, but sometimes predictability can be a good thing when it's cute and lovely. Even if Rachel and Henry - especially Henry - can be idiots who can't see what's obvious, and are fools for other people. And not everything about the story is predictable. And as much as it's a romance, it's so much more.
It's also about grief, and what a gaping chasm the absence of a loved one can leave in your life. How, sometimes, you can't see beyond the loss and you don't know which way is up, nor how to get out of this hollow emptiness you find yourself in. Rachel's grief was palpable, and heartbreaking, but I felt her depression was so well written. I've never experience depression, so I can't speak for the representation, but it felt true to me. And Cal! He's not in the book in person, but he lives in the pages of books, and he was just so pure and so good, and oh my god, I loved him, but he's dead. And that's so earth-shattering, for so many people.
Words in Deep Blue is also about books, and is full of passion for books. So many authors and titles are mentioned throughout this book, and so many of the characters have a deep abiding love for books, words, and reading. It's also about people who are affected by books, and the memories linked to books, and the letters and notes left in books, and the phrases highlighted in books, and the stories of those people, and how the books are part of their stories. And about a second hand bookshop that is a home and refuge of memories and love and words. A bookshop that isn’t doing so well and may or may not close. A bookshop I definitely wish I could visit. This book has made me look at books in a completely different way, and has me wanting to scour second hand bookshops and read the words other people have written in them. I used to think writing in books was sacrilege, but now I think it's quite possibly one of the most beautiful things ever.
Words in Deep Blue is, itself, written so beautifully, and I wanted to highlight so many passages about books, and words, and love, and life, and death, and people. So many. So many, in fact, I'll definitely be buying my own copy, and defacing it to my heart's content. This book is a precious, precious gem of a read, and I want to shout from the rooftops about just how bloody awesome it is, and press it into everyone's hands. I loved it. I loved it so much I could cry. It was just perfect. Do, please, read it.
Thank you to Hodder Children's Books via NetGalley for the eProof.
Bianca
Written on Oct 22, 2016
Words do matter. They’re not pointless. If they were pointless then they couldn’t start revolutions and they wouldn’t change history and they wouldn’t be the things that you think about every night before you go to sleep. If they were just words we wouldn’t listen to songs, we wouldn’t beg to be read to when we’re kids. If they were just words, then they’d have no meaning and stories wouldn’t have been around since before humans could write. We wouldn’t have learnt to write. If they were just words then people wouldn’t fall in love because of them, feel bad because of them, ache because of them, stop aching because of them, have sex, quite a lot of the time, because of them.
— For lovers of books and lovers of written words, this book is for you. A book about books where people leave letters to strangers, to lovers. Could've been a 5-star read but I had a few issues because of the love triangle fiasco.
Kelly
Written on Aug 10, 2016
Henry has spent the last three years in a tumultuous relationship with Amy, a narcissistic girl who cares little for anyone but herself. Henry is an incredibly passionate reader, intelligent and charming but allows himself to be manipulated, now his relationship has just ended for the umteenth time. As the Rachel and Henry begin to rekindle their friendship, the storyline shifts to include bookstore regulars such as elderly Frederick who is searching for a specific Walcott edition, Martin who is a casual employee tasked with cataloguing stock and George, Henry's younger sister who's mistrust and discontent as a result of being bullied for her unique sense of style and reading.
Words In Deep Blue is a legacy for lovers of the written word. For readers who find themselves within ink pages breathing in the scent of romance. The Letter Library was captivating. A destination for those wanting to share their thoughts and affections within the margins and none more so than Henry's sister George, who uses the Letter Library as an avenue to express herself without the fear of condemnation.
Martin
Fuck off and stop writing to me.
George.
Dear George
I'm not fucking off. I'm your friend. Friends don't fuck off. And by the way, friends don't tell each other to fuck off, either.
Martin
Martin
Fuck. Off.
George.
Howling Books provides a safe environment where judgements are cast aside for the love of words. But like so many of our independent bookstores, Howling Books relies on the patronage of locals and the bookstore is on the verge of becoming financially unviable. An incredibly important message for readers to support their local bookstores. Not only are a third of bookstores in Australia independently owned, but Australia also had the largest number of independent small business bookstores in the English speaking world and although fictional, Howling Books represents the need for local patronage to support small business, local publishers, authors and our industry.
It was achingly beautiful and incredibly emotional. Cath Crowley is Australia's premier young adult author, creating realistic characters and an engaging storyline that will hold dear for generations to come.