Book Review for The Lovelock by Eichin Chang-Lim
The Lovelock, by Eichin Chang-Lim, is a heartbreaking romance about two people, both of whom had deep, horrific connections with Death.
The book is separated in six parts. Part I introduces Violet, and the struggles she has in coping with her sister’s cancer. However, she meets a boy named Dylan, who has lost his mother to cancer. Part II goes into detail about Violet’s life, and how hard she’s trying to make it as an actress, despite her profession and her past. In Part III, Dylan finally comes back from Peace Corps to try and find Violet again. It all comes to a head when he gets into a car accident and is nursed back to health by Tess, whom he laters marries in an alcohol-fueled night. In Part IV, Violet succumbs to her depression, and almost ends her life, only to be saved by her friends in the end, as well as Amber. In Part V, both Dylan and Violet finally meet, only for Violet to run away and face her past. In Part VI, Violet and Dylan finally get back together, despite the heartbreak they’ve experienced.
Violet was a character I particularly resonated with. I know what it feels like to have a parent who has depression, and while her dad did try to help cover for her mother, in the end, it just wasn’t enough. It’s partially the reason why she came to love Dylan the way she did; he had a similar connection to her. Through pain and loss, they were able to stand with each other. That changed with their parents though. It was through their mistakes that Dylan and Violet ended up losing each other. At the same time, while I was happy they were growing up, there was still that big hole in their lives, that very hole that came with missing each other. Even when Dylan wanted to see her, he couldn’t; Tess was someone he had to care for, and though he didn’t love her, he still had compassion for her. To be honest, they’ve been through a lot. While I did understand how Dylan felt trapped in the marriage, in the end, I was happy that Tess’s final words still resonated with him.
The concept of grief was embedded within the pages. The sorrow of losing a cherished family member, and then members, in one fell swoop, as well as the fact that one was moving on, leaving the other behind; it was something that not a lot of people could deal with, much less move on from. It seemed like they kept grieving throughout their lives, but it was like, in the end, they still managed to find each other. It’s ironic in a sense, that Tess’s death was the motivating factor that Dylan needed to move on. Despite all the tragedy in the book, it really did seem like their marriage was a good one, despite the struggles they’ve had in the past.
I enjoyed the book. The characters dealt with fear of the future, and grief, and how everything was just spiraling out of control. Still, the two managed to find each other again in the end, despite all the heartbreak they’ve been through. Chang-Lim had written an enchanting story about what it means to be in love with someone through your entire life, and the beauty that comes with it. As such, I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5.0 stars, and would recommend it to those who enjoy The Simple Soul of Susan by Noel Branham, and The Shadow and the Rose by Amanda DeWee.
