Review: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult & Samantha van Leer

Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Release date: June 26, 2012
Format: Paperback
ISBN13: 9781743310922
Pages: 352
Goodreads || Book Depository (US cover) || Allen & Unwin

What happens when happily ever after… isn’t?

Delilah hates school as much as she loves books. In fact, there’s one book in particular she can’t get enough of. If anyone knew how many times she has read and re-read the sweet little fairy tale she found in the library, especially the popular kids, she’d be sent to social Siberia… forever.

To Delilah, though, this fairy tale is more than just words on the page. Sure, there’s a handsome (well, okay, hot) prince, and a castle, and an evil villain, but it feels as if there’s something deeper going on. And one day, Delilah finds out there is. Turns out, this Prince Charming is real, and a certain fifteen-year-old loner has caught his eye. But they’re from two different worlds, and how can it ever possibly work?

MY THOUGHTS

This was a fun story that was quick and easy to read. Between the Lines is the first Jodi Picoult book I’ve ever read, and it’s co-written with her daughter, Samantha van Leer. It is a fun book with pages of illustrations and coloured text.

Even though this book is marketed as a YA novel, it felt a little bit juvenile to me. I’m not sure if it’s because of the fairytale aspect of the book…but this felt more middle grade than young adult. But because of how young it felt to me, it was very easy and fast to read. It had an enjoyable story, though there were bits that I didn’t think were believable (especially how Oliver escapes from the fairytale in the end) and there were some things that I couldn’t grasp the logic of.

I liked the format of the book and how it was split into Oliver chapters, Delilah chapters, and pages from the fairytale. It was nice to be able to see things that unfolded from each of their perspectives. I thought Oliver’s chapters were particularly interesting because we get to know more about the fairytale world and what happens to their story when the book is closed. I loved the illustrations that were included, though I did wish that some of them were more relevant to the fairytale that was unfolding at the time.

Overall, I think this would be a really great and enjoyable book for a younger audience.

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