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A review by letsgolesbians
Between You & Me by Marisa Calin
3.0
What I really liked about this book: the dialogue and actions were very, very realistic for teenagers. I had a crush on a teacher in high school, and in college, and Calin nailed the calculation that goes into every action you perform when you have a crush. The characters also each had a tinge of selfishness that is very much a real thing in the teenage world, where people care about each other but also are really worried about themselves. In that way, it was very realistic. This is why the book gets a 3 and not a 2.
But I could not get over the format of the book. It drove me crazy. The reader is supposed to be the main character's friend, so she talks to you the entire time. Which I hated. I didn't enjoy being told what I was supposedly doing without knowing what I was thinking or feeling, while knowing what Phyre was thinking or feeling. It was jarring. Also, I understand what the author was going for with the script format, especially since Phyre was interested in film and theatre, but UGH. I've had to read scripts, and I've had to write scripts, and the misuse of the format annoyed the hell out of me. You can't have dialogue with some random lines of stage direction while also addressing the audience and throwing in some exposition. I'm sure it's something that other people thought was cute, and that I'm in the minority because not a lot of people have actually had to deal with scripts, but I enjoyed the story less because I kept getting thrown off with what was going on because of how it was written.
Also, I'm sorry, PHYRE? Are her relatives named Eyrth and Wynd and Ayr? Jesus.
But I could not get over the format of the book. It drove me crazy. The reader is supposed to be the main character's friend, so she talks to you the entire time. Which I hated. I didn't enjoy being told what I was supposedly doing without knowing what I was thinking or feeling, while knowing what Phyre was thinking or feeling. It was jarring. Also, I understand what the author was going for with the script format, especially since Phyre was interested in film and theatre, but UGH. I've had to read scripts, and I've had to write scripts, and the misuse of the format annoyed the hell out of me. You can't have dialogue with some random lines of stage direction while also addressing the audience and throwing in some exposition. I'm sure it's something that other people thought was cute, and that I'm in the minority because not a lot of people have actually had to deal with scripts, but I enjoyed the story less because I kept getting thrown off with what was going on because of how it was written.
Also, I'm sorry, PHYRE? Are her relatives named Eyrth and Wynd and Ayr? Jesus.