Off the Page by Jodi Picoult, Samantha Van Leer

Off the Page (Between the Lines, #2)

by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

An enchanting YA novel from Number One bestselling author Jodi Picoult, co-written with her teenage daughter.

Meant for each other . . .

Meet Oliver, a prince literally taken from the pages of a fairy tale and transported into the real world. Meet Delilah, the girl who wished Oliver into being. It's a miracle that seems perfect at first - but there are complications. To exist in Delilah's world, Oliver must take the place of a regular boy. Enter Edgar, who agrees to play Oliver's role in the pages of Delilah's favorite book. But just when it seems that the plan will work, everything gets turned upside down.

In this multilayered universe, the line between what's on the page and what's possible is blurred. Is there a way for everyone to live happily ever after?

OFF THE PAGE is a stand-alone novel as well as the sequel to the authors' bestseller BETWEEN THE LINES, and is perfect for readers looking for a fairytale ending.

Reviewed by Angie on

3 of 5 stars

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The ending of Between the Lines definitely left me curious as to what came next for Oliver and Delilah, and now I know! Off the Page picks up about three months later, with Oliver attempting to impersonate Edgar. It turns out that his mother really doesn't notice that it's not her son; she just thinks he's reinventing himself after their move. Meanwhile, the real Edgar is worried that the other storybook characters don't really need him to direct them anymore. Then characters and real people start swapping places, and it's up to Oliver and Delilah to set things right. Even if it means Oliver has to go back, too.

I really enjoyed Off the Page. I'm a total sucker for "misplaced" characters trying to fit in. Oliver's high school blunders are quite hilarious, and he's just so enchanted by everyday things that have lost their magic to most of us. Like spelling BOOBS with a calculator! But he does fit right in with the drama club, since acting is something he's excelled at his whole life. But things are falling apart in his story, and Oliver knows he must fix it and lose the love of his life. Obviously there's a twist that takes care of that though!

Off the Page did get a bit depressing. Something super, duper sad happens toward the middle. I didn't see it coming at all, and hoped that there would be a magical solution to it. Alas, there is not, since our world has no magic. And then the twist also involves sad stuff, but I thought it felt a little forced. Like, I didn't fully accept that this was the only way for everything to get to rights. I don't know. It just felt like sadness for the sake of sadness and to make this ending work out, even though it probably would have worked without that happening. I'm sure I'm not making any sense, but it was a weird twist for me.

In the end, I thought Off the Page was really cute other than those depressing things. I adored watching Oliver become a real boy and find his real happily ever after. Seraphima was also quite hilarious! I do have to say though, that this is definitely a sequel and not a companion novel (it's probably just marketed that way because it's from a different publishing house). While the characters do fill us in on what happened previously, it'll make much more sense if you've actually read Between the Lines first.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 16 April, 2015: Finished reading
  • 16 April, 2015: Reviewed