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A review by wingsandfables
Words Composed of Sea and Sky by Erica George
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Some books have magic in them. A special thing that touches pieces of your soul in a way you can't describe. This is one of them.
I felt so many emotions while reading this book and I loved every single minute of it. With a story that weaves two very different time periods together, George truly brought to life some of the most endearing characters I've ever read. I was so completely invested in both the present and the 1862 storyline that I had difficulty putting the book down for any amount of time. And the paralleled storylines are weaved so effortlessly together that I never felt frustrated or sad when we switched time periods to spend some time with the various characters of the book. I adored the way the storylines gave hints to each other, allowing the reader to slowly come to the right conclusions about the mystery surrounding the book while painting a plot that kept the reader engaged. It had the perfect balance.
The characters were so relatable in so many ways. From Michaela's struggle with her stepfather to Leta's rejection of doing exactly what was expected of her by her parents to Elijah's longing and Benjamin's need to listen to his heart. There is something that every reader can find in the characters that speaks to them. The romances in the book were so, so sweet, and I loved the bittersweet twist to some of them. I have to admit I cried a few times while reading this.
Lastly, I adored George's writing style and voice. With a book centered around characters who love poetry, her lyrical prose was the perfect finishing touch to the pages. I also loved the poems that were placed throughout the book. They never read cheesy and brought an even more endearing level to the storyline for me. Also, as someone who has never even been near Cape Cod, I really felt like I was there while reading. The writing was just so immersive and I truly got lost in it so many times.
As a fan of both contemporary and historical fiction, this book really hit such a sweet spot for me. And even though I teared up so many times while reading, I loved this book with every single part of my being. It was such an enchanting read and I'm definitely marking George down as a writer to anticipate future novels from. I truly feel privileged to have gotten to read an ARC of this book and get to experience the magic sooner. Thank you so much to Running Press Kids!
I felt so many emotions while reading this book and I loved every single minute of it. With a story that weaves two very different time periods together, George truly brought to life some of the most endearing characters I've ever read. I was so completely invested in both the present and the 1862 storyline that I had difficulty putting the book down for any amount of time. And the paralleled storylines are weaved so effortlessly together that I never felt frustrated or sad when we switched time periods to spend some time with the various characters of the book. I adored the way the storylines gave hints to each other, allowing the reader to slowly come to the right conclusions about the mystery surrounding the book while painting a plot that kept the reader engaged. It had the perfect balance.
The characters were so relatable in so many ways. From Michaela's struggle with her stepfather to Leta's rejection of doing exactly what was expected of her by her parents to Elijah's longing and Benjamin's need to listen to his heart. There is something that every reader can find in the characters that speaks to them. The romances in the book were so, so sweet, and I loved the bittersweet twist to some of them. I have to admit I cried a few times while reading this.
Lastly, I adored George's writing style and voice. With a book centered around characters who love poetry, her lyrical prose was the perfect finishing touch to the pages. I also loved the poems that were placed throughout the book. They never read cheesy and brought an even more endearing level to the storyline for me. Also, as someone who has never even been near Cape Cod, I really felt like I was there while reading. The writing was just so immersive and I truly got lost in it so many times.
As a fan of both contemporary and historical fiction, this book really hit such a sweet spot for me. And even though I teared up so many times while reading, I loved this book with every single part of my being. It was such an enchanting read and I'm definitely marking George down as a writer to anticipate future novels from. I truly feel privileged to have gotten to read an ARC of this book and get to experience the magic sooner. Thank you so much to Running Press Kids!