Wednesday 21 August 2013

Are We There Yet? - David Levithan


Pages: 254
Publisher: Harper Collins Children’s Books
Release Date: 1st August 2013
Edition: UK paperback, review copy

Other Titles by this Author: Boy Meets Boy, The Realm of Possibility, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (with Rachel Cohn), Wide Awake, Naomi & Eli’s NO-Kiss List (with Rachel Cohn), Love is the Higher Law, Will Grayson, Will Grayson (with John Green), The Lover’s Dictionary, Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares (with Rachel Cohn), Every Day, Invisibility (with Andrea Cremer), Two Boys Kissing

Danny isn’t used to having something in common with Elijah, however slight. Their last name is the rope that ties them together.

Danny and Elijah’s lives could not be more different. But a journey together sweeps them up in the romance, wonder and breathtaking beauty of Italy. And falling in love opens their eyes to the distance that’s grown between them.

Can one girl remind them of what it means to be brothers?

My second David Levithan novel in so many weeks and though once again, I fell in love. I’m kicking myself at not reading his books sooner.

Are We There Yet? is a love story with a difference; it’s about love between brothers. I’m a big fan of family- and sibling- relationship orientated novels and they don’t seem to appear in YA as often as I’d like. Elijah and Danny are as different as two people can be; so much so that you wouldn’t even think they were related. And yet as the novel develops it becomes evident that even though they’re different, they’re also the same in many important ways. It took a lot for them to even begin to consider this, not least a trip across Italy they were tricked into by their parents!

Speaking of Italy, SOMEONE TAKE ME. NOW. PLEASE. From Venice to Florence to Rome. They visited all of the standard tourist destinations that I’d give a limb to visit, ate at gorgeously authentic Italian restaurants and discovered hidden gems in the hidden corners of the cities. Are We There Yet? gave me some serious wanderlust. Everything was so vivid and Danny and Elijah’s comments on what they saw so thoughtful and evocative.

The focus on art, culture and history was a lot stronger than I expected it to be. Settings like Italy usually end up fading into the background of an epic love story, but Venice, Florence and Rome really had space in Are We There Yet?. The paintings, the architecture, the people, the city itself; everything had a presence and was taken in properly by Elijah and Danny. It was rather refreshing.

I really, really enjoyed Are We There Yet?; I’m falling in love with David Levithan’s novels. Next up, Every Day.


Thanks to Harper Collins for the review copy.

Sophie

2 comments:

  1. I love David Levithan! Every day is my favourite, I hope you love that one as much as Are We There Yet? It sounds like this one will give me a serious case of wanderlust! :)

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  2. I don't think I've ever read a family orientated book, you're right about it not being in YA much. I have yet to read a David Levithan book and I need to pick one up soon. I love the name Elijah!!! And OMG Italy! Must read

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