Overall, this book was a great story filled with adventure and the price we're all willing to pay to survive. The writing at times got irritating due to its repetitive nature. For example, on one single page I read:
"and I looked in the mirror and saw--"
"I screamed, and I screamed I saw--"
"I fled from him, and as I fled I saw--"
I shut my eyes, and behind closed lids I saw--"
This sort of pre-vision dialogue certainly became noticeable and therefore irritating, and distracting. The imagery throughout the book is well written and familiar. For example I loved, "Oak and maples and elms all reached toward the rain, sighing happily as water soaked through their leaves and into their roots."
The plot moved, though sometimes slow. The beginning started off right, fact-paced and exciting, the middle, during the journey outside, it all became slower. The end, again, picks up leaving you on the edge of your seat and rooting for the characters. Throughout the whole book you feel for Liza and you keep hoping she finds what she is looking for, physically and emotionally.
The characters, all, are well defined and concrete though, not to say that they are perfect. I am left at the end wanting to learn more about Tara, Caleb,Kate and Matthew's history. I feel like I still don't know enough about them. For the story itself--good enough. For me and my overzealous imagination--I wanted to know everything.
Liza is sucha strong character, so kind and caring and passionate.But above all else she is majorly self-sacrificing, which is a wonderful point for young girls to take away from the book. Allie, the young, sweet healer, is a reliable friend and a deeply caring individual filled with unconditional love. Yet, she's smart and knows her limits. Matt's character is much in the same way very protective and strong and throughout the book the reader really gets a clear glimpse into his maturing and evolving personality. I found it endearing to read how Liza and Matt's relationship grows-- both become so reliant on each other and love blossoms in the most unexpected circumstances. Liza's parents though, are one of the characters that leave you wanting more, especially her mother, Tara, who by the end of the book you realize has a long history in this world, much of which is hugely relevant to this story.Her father--well, I'm glad for his outcome.
What I mostly enjoyed about this book were the allusions to us and the current events surrounding us everyday, mainly war and the outcomes of war. Liza learns, among other things, that there are two sides to each story. And even though you might have grown up thinking, "these people are the bad guys" that doesn't make you the good guy. This book really makes one think about how war effects each and every individual, even years after it may be over. There are repercussions and no one is without fault. We must all live with our mistake, yet except people for what they are , not shunning them because they are different.
