REVIEW: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

Name: Between the Lines

Author(s): Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Release date: 5th July 2012

Pages: 384

Source: For Chicklish review

Rating: 4 stars

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah. And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom. Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale.

[summary taken from Goodreads]

Having read a few of Jodi Picoult's books, I had understandably high expectations for Between the Lines.  I must admit that I was struck instantly at the beginning by the fact that this is like no other Picoult novel and I was a little disappointed that it fell just an inch short from my expectations.  I had to try not to compare it to her other books as it is totally different from them.  Despite a little disappointment to start with, Between the Lines proved that it is just as good as any other novel by Jodi Picoult as I read on.

What I love about this is that Jodi Picoult co-wrote this with her daughter - it must be a beautiful thing to share in a relationship.  Not many people can say they have written a book with their mother!  I can't believe the whole idea behind the book was thought up by Samantha - boy, does that girl have a great imagination!  The premise is absolutely beautiful and the fairy-tale feel wraps you in magic and believing in the impossible.  There is a very thin line between fantasy and ridiculously unbelievable and this book is in danger of crossing that line but as I read the book, it was as if I was trapped in my own bubble of magic and make-believe.  It wasn't until I put down the book and reflected what I had read that I thought, 'A character in a book talking to you? Really?!'  However, that's why Between the Lines is so amazing: it may seem far-fetched and entirely impossible to do some of the things Delilah does in the book but Jodi and Samantha have the ability to make you forget common sense and to believe every word on the page.  

I really warmed to Delilah and I think that most readers will love her too as she is so easy to relate to.  We all sometimes read a book and wished we knew someone in real life like a certain character!  She seemed quite naive and vulnerable which made me desperate that she got her happy ending and my heart melted every time she and Oliver were together.  Oliver doesn't judge her or bully her like everyone at her school and I adored that the handsome prince fell in love with a quiet, book-loving girl and not a stuck-up, vain, 'princess'.  There were some parts in the book which felt quite ridiculous but the blossoming romance between Delilah and Oliver was enough to knock me on the head and tell myself to stop being so sceptical!

The writing style cannot be faulted at all: Jodi and Samantha enticed and captivated me, leaving me hungry for more. I adored the intricate illustrations that came before each fairytale chapter (the book is split into the chapters from the actual fairytale, and Delilah and Oliver's POVs).  The silhouette drawings also add a light quirkiness to the overall book, making Between the Lines a very special book indeed.

However, the ending was a little too rushed for my liking, where there was a final attempt to rescue Oliver from the book.  There were just some details that I didn't understand and it was a little out of this world but I was pulled in again by the magical happily ever after so I quickly forgot my doubts and confusion.

Between the Lines is a pretty magical book full of hope, dreams and trying to overcome the impossible.  Despite some slips of confusion, it is a thoroughly enjoyable read that will pull you into a world where humans are only a paper-thin distance away from gorgeous princes (with British accents!) in fairytales.

4 teacups for Between the Lines!

***Thank you to Luisa for providing me with a review copy!***

I'm desperate to get my hands on a final copy because apparently the illustrations are in colour and while they are still beautiful in black-and-white (as they are in my review copy), I'm eager to see the 'finished product'!