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A review by sophs_mood_reading
Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Two strangers meet in an art institute and agree to have 6 conversations to learn about each other. This is how Regan and Arlo begin their relationship and let emotional whirlwind begin.
The presentation of the story is quite interesting we start with some old school third person narrators for both Arlo and Regan and then switch to their own inner monologues. This is where things get complex as we are not simply in a first person linear narrative, no this is the thought process of the character at the time. We get to live through moments but also know exactly what they are feeling and thinking. It gets complicated and be difficult to seperate if there is dialogue or just thought process. But you really do feel connected to the character and truly know them.
In all this is where I found I couldn’t really agree with it being a love story. On the surface maybe yes but Regan and Arlo are so self obsessed, co dependent and then obsessive about each other that I couldn’t really say yes this is love but more hmmm this seems problematic. This made it hard for me to really love the book as all I could think was eek she really has some mental health issues that need properly addressing and not necessarily how they are being addressed in the book.
It is beautifully written and you do really understand the inner workings of Regan and Arlo, I’m just not sure that’s something I wanted to do.
The presentation of the story is quite interesting we start with some old school third person narrators for both Arlo and Regan and then switch to their own inner monologues. This is where things get complex as we are not simply in a first person linear narrative, no this is the thought process of the character at the time. We get to live through moments but also know exactly what they are feeling and thinking. It gets complicated and be difficult to seperate if there is dialogue or just thought process. But you really do feel connected to the character and truly know them.
In all this is where I found I couldn’t really agree with it being a love story. On the surface maybe yes but Regan and Arlo are so self obsessed, co dependent and then obsessive about each other that I couldn’t really say yes this is love but more hmmm this seems problematic. This made it hard for me to really love the book as all I could think was eek she really has some mental health issues that need properly addressing and not necessarily how they are being addressed in the book.
It is beautifully written and you do really understand the inner workings of Regan and Arlo, I’m just not sure that’s something I wanted to do.