Book Review | Beach Read | By Emily Henry
Contemporary fiction
My thoughts
Narrative and Plot
Beach Read is the kind of book that hit me so hard emotionally that sometimes I had to stop and take a break. Needless to say, the narrative which is mainly through the main character – January – is strong and pulls your emotional strings.
The plot is about coping up with loss, grief and finding yourself but mainly writers block. It is more like a peek behind the curtain. That was fresh and definitely kept the story moving. Personally, there is a lot in the book that I could relate to. But even if you don’t feel that connection, the book is enjoyable and perceptive.
Characters and Conflicts
January was grieving her father or at least, she was struggling with the loss. Gus had his own set of issues. They’re too broken people coming together. Being in the same profession they had a lot in common and yet they were different. The banter between the two was enjoyable. The complicated love story though, I am not really a great fan. Romanticizing emotionally closed men is a bit misleading in my opinion.
However, the story explores both the individuals and their ongoing struggles. There is fun along with a lot to think about. Even if it is gradual, you see them opening up. If I had to pick faults, the ending where January eventually faces her fears feels a bit abrupt. She was avoiding it the whole time and all of a sudden she gets the courage because of her relationship. That was a bit hard to believe. Had the progress been a bit gradual, it wouldn’t have looked out of place.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed the book and the writing. It was emotional and fun at the same time. The story within the story was just beautiful as well. To me, that spoke more about January’s growth as a person. She found hope again.
I wish I had the strength to reread it but I won’t. Too much getting personal for me. If you love reading a book about relationships, grief, loss, personal struggle and a little bit of romance, pick this one.
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2 Responses
[…] This is a much hyped book in the contemporary genre. Don’t go by the cover because it is not all as happy as it looks. The book mainly focuses on getting over grief, depression and finding companionship as adults. And also, writer’s block. The romance is definitely strong but it is mainly about the main character, January dealing with loss and arguably a change in her worldview. You can read my non-spoiler review here. […]
[…] Beach Read is a much hyped book. It follows two writers – January and Augustus – who are going through a writer’s block. January is a romance writer and Gus is a literary fiction writer who writes about serious and dark themes. In order to get over their writer’s block, they decide to switch genres. First thing I want to say is, don’t judge this book by its cover. It is deep and very perceptive. The theme is mostly about getting over loss and grief. I enjoyed the book, despite it being not so feel good. You can read a detailed non-spoiler review of the book here. […]