pravinak's review against another edition
4.0
*3.5. I loved the book but there were parts were it was too fast or just not needed. But the idea was beautifully executed and it was great read🙌🏽
nicolemhill's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars. I really, really wanted to like this one, but I found the writing often clunky and the love story lacking in depth. A wonderful concept, but disappointing execution (for me).
joliendelandsheer's review against another edition
5.0
Review first published on my blog The Fictional Reader
Where do I even start on this book? Honestly. This had been on my shelf for a few months. I bought it because I’d seen some great reviews on it -and because the cover is gorgeous. But I didn’t truly know what it was about. So in my attempt to get you to read this book, I’ll tell you all about it.
SETTING
Here’s what I didn’t know before I started. This is actually a historical fiction novel. The story starts in 1920, when Love and Death each choose a player. Every so often, Love and Death play the Game. Each chooses a player, without telling them about the game. At birth (in 1920 for our main characters) they mark them, and so the Game begins. Love chooses Henry to be his player, and Death then chooses Flora.
Most of the story takes place in 1937 however, when Henry and Flora are 17 years old. It plays out in Seattle. Here’s what’s so interesting about the setting. Henry is an orphan, and white. He was taken in by this rich family, who have a son of the same age. He goes to private school and helps out at the newspaper the Dad owns, even though all he really wants to do is play music and baseball. Flora is a mechanic, a pilot, a singer, and a girl of color. She’s African-American girl, in a time where there was even more racial tension/repression than now. All she has ever wanted is to be a pilot and have her own plane.
I loved that this book was not only beautiful, but included diverse aspects too. There is a lot of mention of discrimination, both explicit and implicit. The “racial lines” are clearly drawn in society, and it makes me so angry to read about. It makes me angry in real life too, by the way.
I think the setting of this story was incredible. Not only the time period, but the places too. I could imagine the airfield Flora worked at, the jazz bar she partly owned and worked at. I could imagine Henry playing music in his room, and watching Flora sing. It was beautifully written.
PLOT
As I said, Love and Death each choose a player. The game ends when either of them wins. When the players choose to be with each other regardless of the consequences, Love wins. When they don’t, Death wins and she takes them both. Neither of the players are aware of that, however.
I adored watching this story unfold. To watch Henry and Flora grow into themselves, and get to know each other. My heart ached at times, and at other times it was filled with hope. There is so much loss, grief, hope and courage in this story. I can’t even express to you how much I loved reading it.
CHARACTERS
Ah, the aspect in which this novel TRULY shines. The characters. I adored Henry. His optimism. His music. His hope and faith in others. His willingness to help. I adored Flora. Her strong will. Her beautiful voice. Her big dreams. Her hard work. Her love and devotion to her family.
This book is not only beautiful in its characters and story, but the writing is incredible too. At a certain point in time, Henry writes a song for Flora. When you’re reading the book, you really can only see it in poem-form though. I mean, kind of. They’re still lyrics, but it looks more like a poem because you have no clue what the music sounds like. And the song he wrote may seem cheesy, but I thought it was absolutely beautiful. There’s still something about two of the lines in it that sticks with me. I’ll put those lines in bold for you.
Both characters are truly incredible. But there are a lot of side characters that are worth a mention too. Like Ethan. Ethan is the son of the people who took in Henry. He’s dyslexic, something he has kept hidden his entire life, as he is supposed to take over his dad’s newspaper one day. He really cares for Henry. At times, it truly shows he was raised by rich, white people. He can be snobbish and racist at times. And it’s important to recognize that. But he also has his own struggles that are important.
I also had mixed feelings about Love and Death. At times, I admired Love. At other times, I hated how he used these mortal lives and manipulated them like it meant nothing. How he played with feelings like only Love can. I felt the same way about Death though.
There’s one other character I want to mention: Helen. I HATE what happened to her. If you’ve read this book, message me on Twitter so I can talk to you about it!
All in all, I would highly recommend this book. It was my first 5 star read of the year. Not only is the setting gorgeous, and are the characters incredible, the writing itself is beautiful too. Please, go read this book. I beg you.
Where do I even start on this book? Honestly. This had been on my shelf for a few months. I bought it because I’d seen some great reviews on it -and because the cover is gorgeous. But I didn’t truly know what it was about. So in my attempt to get you to read this book, I’ll tell you all about it.
SETTING
Here’s what I didn’t know before I started. This is actually a historical fiction novel. The story starts in 1920, when Love and Death each choose a player. Every so often, Love and Death play the Game. Each chooses a player, without telling them about the game. At birth (in 1920 for our main characters) they mark them, and so the Game begins. Love chooses Henry to be his player, and Death then chooses Flora.
Most of the story takes place in 1937 however, when Henry and Flora are 17 years old. It plays out in Seattle. Here’s what’s so interesting about the setting. Henry is an orphan, and white. He was taken in by this rich family, who have a son of the same age. He goes to private school and helps out at the newspaper the Dad owns, even though all he really wants to do is play music and baseball. Flora is a mechanic, a pilot, a singer, and a girl of color. She’s African-American girl, in a time where there was even more racial tension/repression than now. All she has ever wanted is to be a pilot and have her own plane.
I loved that this book was not only beautiful, but included diverse aspects too. There is a lot of mention of discrimination, both explicit and implicit. The “racial lines” are clearly drawn in society, and it makes me so angry to read about. It makes me angry in real life too, by the way.
I think the setting of this story was incredible. Not only the time period, but the places too. I could imagine the airfield Flora worked at, the jazz bar she partly owned and worked at. I could imagine Henry playing music in his room, and watching Flora sing. It was beautifully written.
PLOT
As I said, Love and Death each choose a player. The game ends when either of them wins. When the players choose to be with each other regardless of the consequences, Love wins. When they don’t, Death wins and she takes them both. Neither of the players are aware of that, however.
I adored watching this story unfold. To watch Henry and Flora grow into themselves, and get to know each other. My heart ached at times, and at other times it was filled with hope. There is so much loss, grief, hope and courage in this story. I can’t even express to you how much I loved reading it.
CHARACTERS
Ah, the aspect in which this novel TRULY shines. The characters. I adored Henry. His optimism. His music. His hope and faith in others. His willingness to help. I adored Flora. Her strong will. Her beautiful voice. Her big dreams. Her hard work. Her love and devotion to her family.
This book is not only beautiful in its characters and story, but the writing is incredible too. At a certain point in time, Henry writes a song for Flora. When you’re reading the book, you really can only see it in poem-form though. I mean, kind of. They’re still lyrics, but it looks more like a poem because you have no clue what the music sounds like. And the song he wrote may seem cheesy, but I thought it was absolutely beautiful. There’s still something about two of the lines in it that sticks with me. I’ll put those lines in bold for you.
You are the moon
And I am the sea
Wherever you are
You’ve got pull over me
The whole of the sky
Wants to keep us apart
The distance is wearing
A hole in my heart
Someday your moonlight
Will blanket my skin
Someday my waves
Will pull all of you in
Someday I promise
The moon and the sea
Will be together
Forever you and me
Both characters are truly incredible. But there are a lot of side characters that are worth a mention too. Like Ethan. Ethan is the son of the people who took in Henry. He’s dyslexic, something he has kept hidden his entire life, as he is supposed to take over his dad’s newspaper one day. He really cares for Henry. At times, it truly shows he was raised by rich, white people. He can be snobbish and racist at times. And it’s important to recognize that. But he also has his own struggles that are important.
I also had mixed feelings about Love and Death. At times, I admired Love. At other times, I hated how he used these mortal lives and manipulated them like it meant nothing. How he played with feelings like only Love can. I felt the same way about Death though.
There’s one other character I want to mention: Helen. I HATE what happened to her. If you’ve read this book, message me on Twitter so I can talk to you about it!
All in all, I would highly recommend this book. It was my first 5 star read of the year. Not only is the setting gorgeous, and are the characters incredible, the writing itself is beautiful too. Please, go read this book. I beg you.
lulu_turner's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly, I don’t know. It was an ok read with a good premise but, I found myself skimming through a lot of it.
I feel like the important thing to note (and that really bothered me) was that Flora and Henry were of different races yet they were barely put in situations where that was noticed or mattered. It was like the only person who acknowledged that was Flora. I’m not sure if that was the author wanting to avoid being insensitive, but in the late 1930s it would have been appropriate to discuss the REAL hardships they would have gone through. My parents are different races and even when they began dating in the late 90s it was an issue with their families and strangers who would see them together. I don’t know, I guess I just wanted believability along with the love story.
I feel like the important thing to note (and that really bothered me) was that Flora and Henry were of different races yet they were barely put in situations where that was noticed or mattered. It was like the only person who acknowledged that was Flora. I’m not sure if that was the author wanting to avoid being insensitive, but in the late 1930s it would have been appropriate to discuss the REAL hardships they would have gone through. My parents are different races and even when they began dating in the late 90s it was an issue with their families and strangers who would see them together. I don’t know, I guess I just wanted believability along with the love story.
libbystephenson's review against another edition
Starting the year with a DNF. Love yourself.
afutt92's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It reminded me very much of "The Book Thief" (one of my all-time favorite books), but it had its own unique story and flair. This was a very good book; I wouldn't call it a "great" book, because I do have my complaints about it. For one, I didn't feel attached to any of the characters. The narration was very remote, and I didn't finish the book feeling like I truly knew any of the characters, even the two protagonists. I also felt like it was very jumpy, going quickly from Hooverville to nightclub to flight school to mansion without really any explanation. However, overall, I enjoyed "The Game of Love and Death" very much. This is a sweet, subtle story that's a perfect read for a quiet weekend.
annebennett1957's review against another edition
3.0
The ending is better than a three star but the middle part is worse than that so the average is three stars. I see the appeal and the book is very unique---Death and Love playing a game where death is always the winner.
elliebailey's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreaking and beautiful, this historical fiction novel is as smart and well written as a YA novel can be. After a busy semester at school that left little time for free reading , I enjoyed this book thoroughly.
Flora is a young african american woman living during 1937. Clever, pilot hopeful by day and confident night club singer by night, Flora never dreamed of meeting Henry, a shy and musical white orphan. Slowly, they fall in love through a series of unexpected encounters. As the novel continues, the characters identify that they have been pawns all along in an age old game played by the immortal characters of Love and Death. The descriptions of the complex personalities and motives of love and death give the seemingly overdone themes in this book a fun, fresh spin. I loved the symbolism of flight that the author used repetitively as well.
Overall, the author presents a skilled and polished book that is sure to engage both the short attention span of the teen reader and those passionate about literature.
Flora is a young african american woman living during 1937. Clever, pilot hopeful by day and confident night club singer by night, Flora never dreamed of meeting Henry, a shy and musical white orphan. Slowly, they fall in love through a series of unexpected encounters. As the novel continues, the characters identify that they have been pawns all along in an age old game played by the immortal characters of Love and Death. The descriptions of the complex personalities and motives of love and death give the seemingly overdone themes in this book a fun, fresh spin. I loved the symbolism of flight that the author used repetitively as well.
Overall, the author presents a skilled and polished book that is sure to engage both the short attention span of the teen reader and those passionate about literature.
aschwartz184's review against another edition
2.0
This one falls under the category of "wanted-to-love" unfortunately. The writing was beautiful, but the plot just dragged on with little to no action.
burstnwithbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This book was unexpected in the best way. The concept is beautiful and devastating and the story was masterfully told. I’m totally in love with these characters and I just completely appreciate how everything was handled throughout the story! Definitely recommend!