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A review by theespressoedition
Love Times Infinity by Lane Clarke
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Lane Clarke deserves a full standing ovation for writing such a phenomenal book. I've read my fair share of debut novels that don't feel fleshed out or ready to hit the shelves. That wasn't the case at all with Love Times Infinity. This book is recommended for fans of Nicola Yoon and Elizabeth Acevedo and I wholeheartedly agree that it warrants a place among those greats. It is filled with so much heart, wit, and emotional depth.
First and foremost, I feel the need to mention that the book takes place in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia. This is where I was born and raised and lived for 27 years. It means the world to me and I've never in my life read a fictional novel set in that city. Other places in Virginia, sure, but never RVA. This was a really special experience. It felt surreal to flip through pages referencing streets that I've walked a million times. It even mentioned an ice cream shop that I did a photoshoot at during my fashion blogging days. I mean, talk about cool! I realize I'm geeking out about this small detail, but to me, it wasn't small. It made the story feel so personal, like I could've just bumped into Michie and Derek at any point.
Something that makes the "greats" I mentioned above (Nicola Yoon and Elizabeth Acevedo) stand out among other contemporary YA authors is that they always have an underlying message in their stories. You don't necessarily read their books to escape so much as you read them to learn and grow. That was absolutely the case with Love Times Infinity. It didn't just touch on tough topics. It was swimming in them. If you plan to read this book, prepare to fully immerse yourself in difficult questions and thought-provoking scenarios. This might have been a coming-of-age story for Michie, but it made me rethink things as well, proving yet again that we can learn from 1) fiction and 2) books about those who are younger than us - at any age.
I'm not sure if the author has plans to turn this into a series, but I honestly hope that's the case. The ending wasn't a cliffhanger, but it was slightly open. Whether that's for the reader to make their own assumptions about what's going to happen next or so that there's room for a sequel, I'm not entirely sure. However, even if there isn't any continuation after Love Times Infinity, I love the way it wrapped up. There was so much phenomenal character development, the romance was sweet-yet-realistic for high school, and the found (somewhat dysfunctional) family gave me the warm fuzzies.
Do yourself a favor and add Love Times Infinity to your TBR. You won't regret it, that's for sure.
First and foremost, I feel the need to mention that the book takes place in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia. This is where I was born and raised and lived for 27 years. It means the world to me and I've never in my life read a fictional novel set in that city. Other places in Virginia, sure, but never RVA. This was a really special experience. It felt surreal to flip through pages referencing streets that I've walked a million times. It even mentioned an ice cream shop that I did a photoshoot at during my fashion blogging days. I mean, talk about cool! I realize I'm geeking out about this small detail, but to me, it wasn't small. It made the story feel so personal, like I could've just bumped into Michie and Derek at any point.
Something that makes the "greats" I mentioned above (Nicola Yoon and Elizabeth Acevedo) stand out among other contemporary YA authors is that they always have an underlying message in their stories. You don't necessarily read their books to escape so much as you read them to learn and grow. That was absolutely the case with Love Times Infinity. It didn't just touch on tough topics. It was swimming in them. If you plan to read this book, prepare to fully immerse yourself in difficult questions and thought-provoking scenarios. This might have been a coming-of-age story for Michie, but it made me rethink things as well, proving yet again that we can learn from 1) fiction and 2) books about those who are younger than us - at any age.
I'm not sure if the author has plans to turn this into a series, but I honestly hope that's the case. The ending wasn't a cliffhanger, but it was slightly open. Whether that's for the reader to make their own assumptions about what's going to happen next or so that there's room for a sequel, I'm not entirely sure. However, even if there isn't any continuation after Love Times Infinity, I love the way it wrapped up. There was so much phenomenal character development, the romance was sweet-yet-realistic for high school, and the found (somewhat dysfunctional) family gave me the warm fuzzies.
Do yourself a favor and add Love Times Infinity to your TBR. You won't regret it, that's for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, Abortion, and Abandonment
Content Warnings from the author: depictions of anxiety and depression, discussions of sexual assault, discussions of abortion, alcohol use, discussions of alcoholism, parental abandonment, grandparent death (backstory, off-page)