The Geography of You and Me

by Jennifer E Smith

[Leah]

When I read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E Smith a few years ago I loved it – it was such a warm and charming read and Jennifer became an author whose books I had to keep reading and buying whenever they were released because I just couldn’t miss out on such an enjoyable author so I was super happy to download a copy of Jennifer’s new release The Geography of You and Me and I couldn’t wait to dive in! I may have only read one of Jennifer’s novels – though I have the another of hers on my shelf to be read, but I thought her new book sounded amazingly charming, even more so than The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight any any book that begins with a blackout and a stuck elevator is going to seriously appeal to me.

The Geography of You and Me is yet another sweet, charming read. Jennifer E Smith is one of the best YA novelists around and you always know what you’re going to get when you pick up one of her novels. The Geography of You and Me opens with a city wide NYC blackout and Lucy and Owen find themselves stuck in a lift in their apartment building. Once freed, they spend the evening together, chatting and getting to know one another and end up sleeping on the roof. The two form a bond like neither have ever felt, but when Lucy’s parents inform her of their decision to move to England and Owen’s father is told his job is no longer his own, the two find themselves on opposites side of the continent. Their only form of contact is postcards and emails, but is that enough to keep these two together or will their friendship fade into oblivion?

The opening few chapters of The Geography of You and Me were super great. I really felt the connection between Lucy and Owen, it was instantaneous not helped by the circumstances which made it all the better and all the more intimate. It’s the sort of fairy tale meeting you dream of, and this is something Jennifer E Smith excels at – she can go no wrong with the way her characters meet, they’re dreamy and perfect. (But also disappointing – as I have yet to meet my perfect guy on a plane or in an elevator!). As Lucy and Owens paths diverged I felt super sad because I enjoyed their back and forth chatter so much and it just wasn’t the same for me when Lucy was in England and Owen was travelling across America, although I did like reading about Owen’s travels, mostly because I am a sucker for road trips and especially when a novel is set in parts of America I love to visit!

The Geography of You and Me is another funny, sweet, charming read. I wasn’t perhaps as engrossed as I was in TSPOLAFS but I still kept reading on and in because I was desperate for Lucy and Owen to meet again, it was surely written in the stars – or, an elevator! Jennifer E Smith is easily one of my favourite YA writers – I always fall in love with her characters and her writing is sublime. No one engages me with third person narrative as Jennifer E Smith does and she does it in such an easy way – her writing just flows and seems to easy to read. I enjoyed the novelty of Lucy and Owen sending each other postcards – a lost art, let’s be honest! It’s another fantastic, cracking read and I can’t wait until next year when we’ll hopefully get another new Jennifer E Smith novel.