The Quick Cut: A girl with synesthesia finds her life turned upside down when a boy enters her life, saying her parent's death was not an accident.
A Real Review:
When a person has unique skills or abilities, it can feel a little bit like a superpower. These traits become ways to see the truth of situations or have a leg up what others may miss. But what if the ability you thought gave you the whole truth made you miss what was really going on? This is the reality for Ella.
Ella has spent most of her life raised by her grandmother. After her parents died in an accidental fire, the only family left beyond the one who's raised her is an uncle. With an expectation of taking over the family insurance business, Ella has spent her life focused on her remaining family and trying to use her synesthesia to determine what few people she can trust. Except all goes wrong when Alec enters the picture letting Ella know that her parents death wasn't accidental and Ella was there that night. How does he know? Because he was there that night... and it's a day that's haunted him his entire life.
Whew, this book was a trip to the finish! I probably should have seen this ending coming truthfully, but I was so enamored by the characters that it surprised me when it came in like a hurricane. The buildup is slower than I usually like, but the intricate way all the details come together and work makes it worth the time.
This story does a phenomenal job of not only highlighting the condition of synesthesia and it's very mysterious details, but utilizing it to further the mystery. It inspired me to do research on the condition to learn more after the book ended I was so curious. I have heard that synestetes can see emotions as colors, but I never knew that could work out also with written or spoken words and with other senses like hearing.
Ella's pain and struggle are relatable even though what she has been through is so extreme. She relies so much on her status as a synestete that it kept her from seeing all the details in her life. It also keeps anyone from getting in to really know her.
Alec is almost the opposite to Ella. Even though they both carry a pain inside that haunts them, Ella's is unconscious and unknown while Alec's is very pointed and specific. He remembers exactly what happened and it's in many ways dictated his movements. He has let others into his life specifically to answer the questions outstanding. Although he means well, he doesn't always come off looking the best. He puts Ella ahead of everyone even after all this time apart, which only adds to their adorable dynamic.
A long build to a powerful ending about a girl with synesthesia.
My rating: 4 out of 5