What do you think?
Rate this book
Subway Love
What if destiny leads you to your soul mate, but the laws of time conspire to keep you apart?
If her parents had never divorced, Laura wouldn’t have to live in the shadow of Bruce, her mom’s unpredictable boyfriend. Her mom wouldn’t say things like "Be groovy," and Laura wouldn’t panic every weekend on the way to Dad’s Manhattan apartment. But when Laura spots a boy on a facing platform, lifting a camera to his face, looking right at her, Laura feels anything but afraid, and she can’t forget him. Jonas, meanwhile, thinks nonstop about the pretty hippie girl he glimpsed on the platform — trying to comprehend how she vanished, but mostly wondering whether he will see her again in a city of millions — and whether if he searches, he would have any chance of finding her. In a lyrical meditation on love, Nora Raleigh Baskin explores the soul’s ability to connect, and heal, outside the bounds of time and reason.
If her parents had never divorced, Laura wouldn’t have to live in the shadow of Bruce, her mom’s unpredictable boyfriend. Her mom wouldn’t say things like "Be groovy," and Laura wouldn’t panic every weekend on the way to Dad’s Manhattan apartment. But when Laura spots a boy on a facing platform, lifting a camera to his face, looking right at her, Laura feels anything but afraid, and she can’t forget him. Jonas, meanwhile, thinks nonstop about the pretty hippie girl he glimpsed on the platform — trying to comprehend how she vanished, but mostly wondering whether he will see her again in a city of millions — and whether if he searches, he would have any chance of finding her. In a lyrical meditation on love, Nora Raleigh Baskin explores the soul’s ability to connect, and heal, outside the bounds of time and reason.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2014
About the author
Nora Raleigh Baskin
28 books303 followersI am seriously an open book. I've been writing semi-autiobiographical fiction since I was in 6th grade (1972) then, in 2001, Little, Brown published my first middle grade novel, about my life in 6th grade! titled "What Every Girl (except me) Knows." Twenty years and fifteen books later, that still, pretty much sums things up.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
July 1, 2017
یکی از بهترین بخش های کتاب راجع به قسمتیه که میگه بهترین زندگی رو با زمانی که بهت داده شده بکن. از زاویه دید دو نوجوان در نیویورک تعریف میشه که از متروی نیویورک روزمره استفاده میکنن. کتاب پر از زبان شاعرانه ست و چشم اندازی داره به رویدادهایی که میتونست اتفاق بیوفته.داستان زندگی تلخ لائورا و زندگی جالب پسری که باهاش آشنا میشه. اونا نمیتونن با هم قرار بزارن چون توی دو زمان مختلف زندگی میکنن. نثر مناسب و ساده ای داره و وادارت میکنه که سریع ورق بزنی تا ببینی چه اتفاقی قراره بیوفته. سرعت پیشروی داستان هم مناسبه.
April 24, 2017
5 Words: Family, New-York, art, attraction, time.
I'm not really a fan of time travel, but I couldn't help but be drawn to this book. I liked the premise, it has a beautiful cover, and I actually quite liked the whole meeting-on-the-train part.
It just wasn't really for me, it felt like hard work to read despite being so short. It might work for you though?
I'm not really a fan of time travel, but I couldn't help but be drawn to this book. I liked the premise, it has a beautiful cover, and I actually quite liked the whole meeting-on-the-train part.
It just wasn't really for me, it felt like hard work to read despite being so short. It might work for you though?
June 9, 2015
I'm still undecided on the rating as it was an odd book.
The aspect of the story was interesting, but it was really slow and dull.
I love books with time travel in, but this one just fell flat for me and was sadly a disappointment :/
On the plus side, the cover is gorgeous and I did like the general plot of the story.
Sadly it just wasn't for me.
But it may be the right book for you :)
The aspect of the story was interesting, but it was really slow and dull.
I love books with time travel in, but this one just fell flat for me and was sadly a disappointment :/
On the plus side, the cover is gorgeous and I did like the general plot of the story.
Sadly it just wasn't for me.
But it may be the right book for you :)
July 24, 2015
This is one of the shortest books I’ve read this year, at 197 pages it should have flown by. Yet despite reading Subway Love in one sitting it felt like a long read…
Before I began reading I was excited about the premise, I remember seeing Subway Love as a gorgeous hardback in New York in 2014 and calculating if I could possibly fit it in my already overflowing suitcase, sadly not. So when I found out it was being published in the UK I jumped at the chance to review it and let it the book skip past quite a few others to read it sooner rather than later.
I still absolutely love the idea behind Subway Love but while reading it I kept waiting for the connection to happen, to the characters, to the story. Neither ever came. I can’t even remember what the characters are called.
Maybe a first person narration might have changed my feelings, or a longer time for the two characters to build on their relationship. I don’t know. I wanted to adore this book so much and the idea is so good, I just wish I’d connected with Subway Love.
Before I began reading I was excited about the premise, I remember seeing Subway Love as a gorgeous hardback in New York in 2014 and calculating if I could possibly fit it in my already overflowing suitcase, sadly not. So when I found out it was being published in the UK I jumped at the chance to review it and let it the book skip past quite a few others to read it sooner rather than later.
I still absolutely love the idea behind Subway Love but while reading it I kept waiting for the connection to happen, to the characters, to the story. Neither ever came. I can’t even remember what the characters are called.
Maybe a first person narration might have changed my feelings, or a longer time for the two characters to build on their relationship. I don’t know. I wanted to adore this book so much and the idea is so good, I just wish I’d connected with Subway Love.
June 21, 2014
3 stars is a bit harsh as it was better than that - 3.75 maybe. It is a very interesting premise and for parts of this novel I was quite engaged - I am a big sucker for time travel. In the end though I still had too many unresolved issues and the ending was just way too rushed - I do wish authors would sometimes spend a little longer resolving what they have been building up for 100s of pages. I can't give it away but the actions and motivations in the last couple of chapters were not exactly explained to my satisfaction; nor was the time-travelling explained in enough depth. I did enjoy the references to the world of 1973. Had a lot of potential.
August 18, 2022
This book really gave me a new perspective. i say only good books do that. Subway Love is a tragical romance with the most eye opening ending i could imagine. it sparks curiosity, inspiration an passion. I think i might ride the train a lot more from now on.
February 25, 2021
The book was short, making it quite a quick read. Despite this, I found a some parts to be dull.
In terms of characters, I think that Laura and Jonas fell in love too easily, both of them thinking they were deep in love which would be okay, however I don't think that the readers were really given an idea as to //how// exactly it is that they fell in love. Where did it start? Jonas noticed Laura and found her to be physically attractive, he reached out, and they talked. Still, I think this would've only sparked a bit of interest. Perhaps it was love at first sight, but I wish that their relationship had been developed more so that the ending could have had more of an impact. Additionally, I don't think I completely understand the role of one particular character as I don't think that he really helped develop anything in the story, though that might just be my opinion. I liked the glimpse of the art scene that he was able to provide though, I found that to be really cool.
For all its flaws though, I still really liked the cover and how I was able to learn more about the characters individually in terms of their personal lives and how they react to their own challenges, and not just together as a couple. I rate this book a 1. The concept was nice, but I think there were a few gaps in the story.
Nevertheless, I recommend to at least try reading it. It might not be for me, but I feel like some people would really enjoy this book!
In terms of characters, I think that Laura and Jonas fell in love too easily, both of them thinking they were deep in love which would be okay, however I don't think that the readers were really given an idea as to //how// exactly it is that they fell in love. Where did it start? Jonas noticed Laura and found her to be physically attractive, he reached out, and they talked. Still, I think this would've only sparked a bit of interest. Perhaps it was love at first sight, but I wish that their relationship had been developed more so that the ending could have had more of an impact. Additionally, I don't think I completely understand the role of one particular character as I don't think that he really helped develop anything in the story, though that might just be my opinion. I liked the glimpse of the art scene that he was able to provide though, I found that to be really cool.
For all its flaws though, I still really liked the cover and how I was able to learn more about the characters individually in terms of their personal lives and how they react to their own challenges, and not just together as a couple. I rate this book a 1. The concept was nice, but I think there were a few gaps in the story.
Nevertheless, I recommend to at least try reading it. It might not be for me, but I feel like some people would really enjoy this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2014
One of the best parts of this book about a relationship that goes across time is the slogan and reminder to "Know how to live with the time that is given you" (p. 213). I need to remember this and remind myself to seize the moments that I have rather than waiting for the life I want to have. Told from the alternating viewpoints and times of two teens whose lives intersect on the NYC subway system, the book is filled with poetic language and glimmers of possibilities. Laura Duncan lives in Woodstock, New York, in the early seventies and commutes to the city to see her father while budding photographer Jonas lives in today's world with all its technological advances. They can't plan their meetings since they live in different times, which makes each meeting even more poignant, especially as the violent abuse Laura is enduring from her mother's boyfriend Bruce escalates. While I enjoyed the romance and the passages describing tagging and Max's desire to find his voice through the works he wrote on the subway cars, his intrusion often seemed annoying and problematic. I couldn't really work out why he was able to see both Laura and Jonas when others couldn't. Still, like many readers, I read as fast as I could turn the pages in order to see if this unlikely couple could somehow make things work.
August 9, 2015
A short read with a great premise but missing something to hook you in.
Originally posted on my blog Ashleigh Online
Subway Love has an intriguing concept and is a pretty quick read, but unfortunately it didn’t really do much for me. It’s not entirely captivating, and after struggling to wade through its choppy and sometimes confusing storyline, I found myself disappointed by the ending.
One of the biggest problems with Subway Love is the instalove that I just didn’t buy into. It’s a shame because the characters are actually really great and their individual stories are what redeemed this novel for me. With just a bit more development of Laura and Jonas’s relationship I think this could have been a much more enjoyable book, and at just 195 pages it’s not like there wasn’t room for more.
There’s nothing I hated about this book, but nothing I really loved either so it’s difficult for me to recommend it, but if you’re still intrigued I know that there are lots of people who did enjoy this book, so you might like to head over to Goodreads to find out more.
Originally posted on my blog Ashleigh Online
Subway Love has an intriguing concept and is a pretty quick read, but unfortunately it didn’t really do much for me. It’s not entirely captivating, and after struggling to wade through its choppy and sometimes confusing storyline, I found myself disappointed by the ending.
One of the biggest problems with Subway Love is the instalove that I just didn’t buy into. It’s a shame because the characters are actually really great and their individual stories are what redeemed this novel for me. With just a bit more development of Laura and Jonas’s relationship I think this could have been a much more enjoyable book, and at just 195 pages it’s not like there wasn’t room for more.
There’s nothing I hated about this book, but nothing I really loved either so it’s difficult for me to recommend it, but if you’re still intrigued I know that there are lots of people who did enjoy this book, so you might like to head over to Goodreads to find out more.
December 1, 2013
I'm damn near speechless...
Know how to live with the time that is given you. That's the theme, the motto, the koan of this book. Both Jonas and Laura are teens suffering through the painful divorces of their parents. They find each other on the NYC subway and through snatches of encounters on rocky tracks, they fall hopelessly in love. Hopelessly because its 1973 for Laura and present day for Jonas. And their love only exists inside the subway car. Outside they must contend with rigors and injustices of growing up in broken homes, dealing with adult issues while just the other side of adolescence. It was pure magic complete with a fairy graffiti bruva who somehow binds the two together with his artwork. I was so afraid of the impending ending. The book was reading so Somewhere In Time and I was waiting for the penny to drop. But Baskin crafts a beautiful bershert of an ending.
Amazing...
ARC received courtesy of NetGalley and unfortunately the artwork did not come through in the galley:-(
Know how to live with the time that is given you. That's the theme, the motto, the koan of this book. Both Jonas and Laura are teens suffering through the painful divorces of their parents. They find each other on the NYC subway and through snatches of encounters on rocky tracks, they fall hopelessly in love. Hopelessly because its 1973 for Laura and present day for Jonas. And their love only exists inside the subway car. Outside they must contend with rigors and injustices of growing up in broken homes, dealing with adult issues while just the other side of adolescence. It was pure magic complete with a fairy graffiti bruva who somehow binds the two together with his artwork. I was so afraid of the impending ending. The book was reading so Somewhere In Time and I was waiting for the penny to drop. But Baskin crafts a beautiful bershert of an ending.
Amazing...
ARC received courtesy of NetGalley and unfortunately the artwork did not come through in the galley:-(
September 26, 2015
Quick read, but I was left with a lot more questions than I would have expected. I love the use of graffiti, and the limitations Laura and Jonas face—hard to have much of a romance when you can only find the other person on a single subway car. I don't mind being asked to suspend disbelief, but...well, doesn't mean I don't want explanations. What was Max's role in all of this? Why Laura and Jonas specifically? Laura's deception at the end...smart, maybe, but also leaves a whole 'nother set of questions regarding the present day.
It's intriguing, but I also didn't mind so much when the book ended. Without some more answers to the why questions, the story felt a bit too untethered for me.
It's intriguing, but I also didn't mind so much when the book ended. Without some more answers to the why questions, the story felt a bit too untethered for me.
September 18, 2014
Laura and Jonas first see each other on a subway car and before long realize that seems to be the only place they *can* see each other because for Laura it's 1973, but for Jonas, it's present day.
The family relationships here were really well written and the time travel stuff was seamless. The romance itself was a little rushed. I would have liked to have seen more time with the two main characters on the subway as opposed to so much of their relationship just being alluded to. It made it feel a bit more like infatuation than a realistic love story.
The family relationships here were really well written and the time travel stuff was seamless. The romance itself was a little rushed. I would have liked to have seen more time with the two main characters on the subway as opposed to so much of their relationship just being alluded to. It made it feel a bit more like infatuation than a realistic love story.
March 3, 2015
On so many levels, this book was perfect. I was pulled into the story, loved the characters, and was eager to see what happened next. These are not small things, by any means. Where the book fell short for me was where it lacked. I just wanted more--more details about the characters lives after the story ended, more description about how events occurred, and a bigger sense of the magical realism. Overall I would recommend the book, as it's beautifully written and interesting.
Read
July 21, 2015I'll talk about this one in my end of the month wrap up!
September 3, 2019
A very boring book with no plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2020
High key bad
January 10, 2023
I was enjoying this book. Wondered where the story was going, how the characters would resolve their problem, how the one guy fit in to the story and why..
When you're reading a book you kind of have an idea how far through it you are, like if you're still in the first stage where the characters and setting are being established, or in the middle where the story is developing and there's movement towards starting to overcome whatever the challenge for this story is, or when you're nearing the end because the problem has been solved, the other subplots are all getting concluded..
Yeah, this book went directly from the first stage where I felt the author had done a good job with creating characters I was interested in and a story that I liked and wanted to continue exploring .. and literally jumped straight to a tie-up chapter summarising what happened to the two main characters.
It seemed like the author got tired of this part way through and decided to just end it quickly. And then threw in an odd little "but look, it all worked out fine in the end.. probably" chapter just so the readers wouldn't be so annoyed at the abrupt ending.
Overall I feel annoyed because I wasted time becoming invested in a story that just.. stopped.
When you're reading a book you kind of have an idea how far through it you are, like if you're still in the first stage where the characters and setting are being established, or in the middle where the story is developing and there's movement towards starting to overcome whatever the challenge for this story is, or when you're nearing the end because the problem has been solved, the other subplots are all getting concluded..
Yeah, this book went directly from the first stage where I felt the author had done a good job with creating characters I was interested in and a story that I liked and wanted to continue exploring .. and literally jumped straight to a tie-up chapter summarising what happened to the two main characters.
It seemed like the author got tired of this part way through and decided to just end it quickly. And then threw in an odd little "but look, it all worked out fine in the end.. probably" chapter just so the readers wouldn't be so annoyed at the abrupt ending.
Overall I feel annoyed because I wasted time becoming invested in a story that just.. stopped.
May 8, 2018
Quote: “When two people are destined in heaven to be together, they are complete, and the repairing of the world can begin”
I picked this book at the clearance stacks. It is a story about a girl from 1970 meeting a boy from present in the subway, coming from the different era. I got fascinated by the idea of time travelling, signing up for a short (195 pages) and easy reading book. What happened next is that I almost can’t finish this book. It was so flat and boring that I almost give up. Since it’s such a light book, I bring it around as my commuting book. I read it before work when I reach the place early & phew ~ I’ve finally finish this today. Not more than 2🌟/5.
I picked this book at the clearance stacks. It is a story about a girl from 1970 meeting a boy from present in the subway, coming from the different era. I got fascinated by the idea of time travelling, signing up for a short (195 pages) and easy reading book. What happened next is that I almost can’t finish this book. It was so flat and boring that I almost give up. Since it’s such a light book, I bring it around as my commuting book. I read it before work when I reach the place early & phew ~ I’ve finally finish this today. Not more than 2🌟/5.
January 16, 2023
This novella, Subway Love, is for individuals who enjoy a surprising storyline twist. Istg my heart leaped out of my chest when I saw what happened. A good book but confused me during the first few scenes.
December 26, 2017
Whhhhaaaa, time travel?
June 11, 2018
i wanted to like it but it was unengaging. Maybe it would work better on the big screen with good casting.
November 29, 2018
not a good book...it has no plot or action or story
January 23, 2019
Rating: 2.5
This could've been a great and cheesy love story if only the characters were older. They were 14, but they acted as if they were 17, 18. (Slight spoiler alert here)They even slept together, at 14! That just made me very uncomfortable and annoyed.
Other than that i really enjoyed the descriptions of the NYC subway, it made me want to go back to NYC :)
This could've been a great and cheesy love story if only the characters were older. They were 14, but they acted as if they were 17, 18. (Slight spoiler alert here)They even slept together, at 14! That just made me very uncomfortable and annoyed.
Other than that i really enjoyed the descriptions of the NYC subway, it made me want to go back to NYC :)
August 4, 2022
terrible. twilight was better by miles and miles and miles and that's saying something. don't waste ur time w this
July 27, 2015
3 stars.
A modified version of this review is posted on Swoony Boys Podcast.
Time-travel is definitely a story-line that intrigues me, and this was one of my most anticipated reads for the Spring. Subway Love has a great idea and good characters, but something was missing for me. I just didn't love it.
15 year-old Laura remembers the good times--when her parents were still together, when her brother wasn't strung out on drugs, when her mom didn't have a creepy, abusive boyfriend. She meets a mysterious boy on a subway and after a few chance encounters and stolen kisses, she begins to question everything she thought she knew.
Jonas meets a hippie girl on the subway and can't get her out of his head. With missed connections, mysterious disappearances, and her lack of knowledge of modern technology, Jonah starts to piece together what's going on and finally asks the question:
The pair try to figure out how they can see each other and what's so magical about the subway train they always seem to find themselves on. There's also a mysterious tagger, Max, who seems to have figured out that time and space seem to cease to exist for Laura and Jonah.
I liked these characters and loved how realistic their reactions to each other were. Laura was a victim, wanting someone to love her and notice her. Jonas was a sweet kid. He had some swoony moments.
I don't want to give away everything, but the thing that didn't work for me was how it ended. It felt like all this buildup...then I don't even know. That's all I can really say about it. With characters facing deep issues, Subway Love isn't your typical time-travel thriller. The time-travel aspect was seamless. It was well-written and a quick read, but I wanted more to the story. More to why they make the choices in the end that they make. Maybe I just didn't get it.
With characters facing deep issues, Subway Love isn't your typical time-travel thriller.
A modified version of this review is posted on Swoony Boys Podcast.
Time-travel is definitely a story-line that intrigues me, and this was one of my most anticipated reads for the Spring. Subway Love has a great idea and good characters, but something was missing for me. I just didn't love it.
15 year-old Laura remembers the good times--when her parents were still together, when her brother wasn't strung out on drugs, when her mom didn't have a creepy, abusive boyfriend. She meets a mysterious boy on a subway and after a few chance encounters and stolen kisses, she begins to question everything she thought she knew.
Jonas meets a hippie girl on the subway and can't get her out of his head. With missed connections, mysterious disappearances, and her lack of knowledge of modern technology, Jonah starts to piece together what's going on and finally asks the question:
"So, what year is it?"
The pair try to figure out how they can see each other and what's so magical about the subway train they always seem to find themselves on. There's also a mysterious tagger, Max, who seems to have figured out that time and space seem to cease to exist for Laura and Jonah.
I liked these characters and loved how realistic their reactions to each other were. Laura was a victim, wanting someone to love her and notice her. Jonas was a sweet kid. He had some swoony moments.
Jonas had no intention of not seeing Laura again, even if it meant meeting her on the subway in the middle of the night for the rest of his life; living on a diet of Chinese takeout; raising their children to be careful of the third rail; growing old and dying with nothing but an MTA MetroCard in his pocket. There had to be a way to make this work, to make this right. To make it real...
I don't want to give away everything, but the thing that didn't work for me was how it ended. It felt like all this buildup...then I don't even know. That's all I can really say about it. With characters facing deep issues, Subway Love isn't your typical time-travel thriller. The time-travel aspect was seamless. It was well-written and a quick read, but I wanted more to the story. More to why they make the choices in the end that they make. Maybe I just didn't get it.
With characters facing deep issues, Subway Love isn't your typical time-travel thriller.
October 10, 2014
This is the story of Laura and Jonas, a couple separated by time who develop an unlikely relationship when they meet in a graffiti-marked subway car. Laura struggles with an abusive step-dad, while Jonas and his little sister are still recovering from their parents' divorce.
What I loved: Comparing and contrasting the differences between Jonas and Laura. They are from completely different decades, different lifestyles and families. Yet they have so much in common - they are out of place in their own worlds for all the same reasons. The love-at-first-sight element was tampered by the effort Jonas and Laura put in to getting to know and understand each other.
What left me wanting more: Max's story. This lone-ranger of a graffiti artist (insisting that he's a "writer", which is amazing and authentic) really holds up so much of the story. I was thrilled to get some of his back story, I just wish it had come sooner. It was over halfway through the book before Max's story was truly revealed, and while the reader got some of his point of view before that point, they were very short and unsatisfying sections. I wish there had been more from Max. I know he wasn't one of the protagonists, but he is really crucial to the resolution of the entire story!
What confused me: During some of Jonas's POV sections he flashbacks to before his parents were divorced. There was no indication that these sections were flashbacks. I kept getting confused about whether I was reading from present or past Jonas's point of view, and I think this would be a definite deterrent to other readers attempting to enjoy the story. Any sort of delineating mark or diacritic to show when the flashback sections were happening would have made the book a much more enjoyable read.
Verdict: SUBWAY LOVE is a touching romance that will appeal to both adults and teens.
What I loved: Comparing and contrasting the differences between Jonas and Laura. They are from completely different decades, different lifestyles and families. Yet they have so much in common - they are out of place in their own worlds for all the same reasons. The love-at-first-sight element was tampered by the effort Jonas and Laura put in to getting to know and understand each other.
What left me wanting more: Max's story. This lone-ranger of a graffiti artist (insisting that he's a "writer", which is amazing and authentic) really holds up so much of the story. I was thrilled to get some of his back story, I just wish it had come sooner. It was over halfway through the book before Max's story was truly revealed, and while the reader got some of his point of view before that point, they were very short and unsatisfying sections. I wish there had been more from Max. I know he wasn't one of the protagonists, but he is really crucial to the resolution of the entire story!
What confused me: During some of Jonas's POV sections he flashbacks to before his parents were divorced. There was no indication that these sections were flashbacks. I kept getting confused about whether I was reading from present or past Jonas's point of view, and I think this would be a definite deterrent to other readers attempting to enjoy the story. Any sort of delineating mark or diacritic to show when the flashback sections were happening would have made the book a much more enjoyable read.
Verdict: SUBWAY LOVE is a touching romance that will appeal to both adults and teens.
Read
May 8, 2014Reread on May 3, 2014
A very quick read that explores this issue of soul mates, integrating a spiritual perspective that I can relate to. Readers will ride the New York subway during the present with Jonas and concurrently in 1972 with Laura. There, they spend time together, developing a relationship that is timeless. They have bond that goes beyond the physical. The author uses the term beshert, meaning soul mates. More information about this concept can be found on my blog at http://wp.me/pAaOH-M9 starting on May 12, 2014. (There is also a giveaway of all three of Nora's novels, including this one! Ends May 19, 2014, 11:59 PM, CST.
Anyone who is interested in time travel will find this fascinating. Another aspect that I found interesting were the graffiti artists who painted and tagged New York. Nora shares information about this in the Epilogue, where she explains how "in 1984, the New York Transit System started a five-year program to eradicate graffiti." What do you think? is it art or vandalism?
Key issues discussed in this novel:
Love and soul mates
Physical abuse
Time travel
Family
Divorce
Art and expression.
It was very cool that Laura and Jonas could only connect on the subway. The moment they stepped out, they were sent to their own times. I really liked the trust and concern that they shared for one another and it was easy to get wrapped up in the trials and tribulations they experienced every day, but then were able to set it aside when they were together.
If anything, this novel will make readers realize that it's important not to settle for anyone in their life who doesn't meet the criterial of a beshert, a soul mate. I married mine. I hope everyone finds theirs!
Thank you, Candlewick for the ARC.
A very quick read that explores this issue of soul mates, integrating a spiritual perspective that I can relate to. Readers will ride the New York subway during the present with Jonas and concurrently in 1972 with Laura. There, they spend time together, developing a relationship that is timeless. They have bond that goes beyond the physical. The author uses the term beshert, meaning soul mates. More information about this concept can be found on my blog at http://wp.me/pAaOH-M9 starting on May 12, 2014. (There is also a giveaway of all three of Nora's novels, including this one! Ends May 19, 2014, 11:59 PM, CST.
Anyone who is interested in time travel will find this fascinating. Another aspect that I found interesting were the graffiti artists who painted and tagged New York. Nora shares information about this in the Epilogue, where she explains how "in 1984, the New York Transit System started a five-year program to eradicate graffiti." What do you think? is it art or vandalism?
Key issues discussed in this novel:
Love and soul mates
Physical abuse
Time travel
Family
Divorce
Art and expression.
It was very cool that Laura and Jonas could only connect on the subway. The moment they stepped out, they were sent to their own times. I really liked the trust and concern that they shared for one another and it was easy to get wrapped up in the trials and tribulations they experienced every day, but then were able to set it aside when they were together.
If anything, this novel will make readers realize that it's important not to settle for anyone in their life who doesn't meet the criterial of a beshert, a soul mate. I married mine. I hope everyone finds theirs!
Thank you, Candlewick for the ARC.
May 24, 2014
OUT's Review
I had the pleasure of having a casual conversation with Nora Baskin regarding her book Subway Love. This was in and around the time of my trip to New York, the setting. When I read I always make connections, when I can. It’s just a habit. So when I began Subway Love, I was immediately brought back our discussions of subways. Subway rides and subway visual art. I remember very vividly the day our tour group decided to ride the subway, many for the very first time. So as I read, I could truly hear the quickly approaching subway. The sounds that doors made when opening. I remember getting on, looking out the window at the people still waiting for the next one. I remember looking around me wondering about the life story of the people around me. It was a subway filled with many silent stories.
Laura deals with the challenges of life every day and so does Jonas. Some different. Some very much alike. The discovery of one another, leads to a gentle relationship of love. The subway is the avenue for their love. The subway is the route escape from what life throws at them. However, without the subway, there is no relationship, no hideaway, no them. No subway love. Nora Baskin’s novel is an extremely swift read of love, time travel, and perseverance. She has woven together elements of genres to create a story that is so much more than a boy and girl meeting from different eras. It’s a story crafted with much attention to the lives of the main characters, their discovery of one another and the rocky ride along the way. The question is will the subway love last forever? Only time will tell.
I had the pleasure of having a casual conversation with Nora Baskin regarding her book Subway Love. This was in and around the time of my trip to New York, the setting. When I read I always make connections, when I can. It’s just a habit. So when I began Subway Love, I was immediately brought back our discussions of subways. Subway rides and subway visual art. I remember very vividly the day our tour group decided to ride the subway, many for the very first time. So as I read, I could truly hear the quickly approaching subway. The sounds that doors made when opening. I remember getting on, looking out the window at the people still waiting for the next one. I remember looking around me wondering about the life story of the people around me. It was a subway filled with many silent stories.
Laura deals with the challenges of life every day and so does Jonas. Some different. Some very much alike. The discovery of one another, leads to a gentle relationship of love. The subway is the avenue for their love. The subway is the route escape from what life throws at them. However, without the subway, there is no relationship, no hideaway, no them. No subway love. Nora Baskin’s novel is an extremely swift read of love, time travel, and perseverance. She has woven together elements of genres to create a story that is so much more than a boy and girl meeting from different eras. It’s a story crafted with much attention to the lives of the main characters, their discovery of one another and the rocky ride along the way. The question is will the subway love last forever? Only time will tell.
July 26, 2014
Jonas is struggling through a summer in NYC. It's kind of hot, he's kind of bored, and he's ticked off at his dad who left his mom for another woman.
Laura is struggling a bit too. Her older brother is a total hippie, rebelling against authority, using mind-altering drugs. Her mother has shacked up with a guy closer to her brother's age than her own. Her parents are divorced too, so she spends time commuting between her mom's home in Woodstock and her Dad's apartment in NYC.
Jonas and Laura meet on the subway one day, but they are truly star-crossed lovers. They have to hurdle time and space and schedules and brothers and friends to be together, not to mention the pleas of a subway "writer" (a tag artist), Max, who needs Jonas' help to document his big project.
This book has a slightly slow start. I felt lost at the beginning, but once I got into Jonas and Laura's stories, I was hooked. All the 70's references were fun to see, and it caused me to ponder how very much things have changed in 40 years.
CONTENT:
At first this seems like your run-of-the-mill YA book (and there is nothing derisive in that comment at all), but there is some moderate use of heavy swearing. There are also quite a few mentions of recreational drug use. For that reason, I'd recommend this only for older high schoolers (or you know, grownups like me).
NOTES ON THE AUDIOBOOK:
Kate Rudd is a reader I enjoy. It was through her that I first enjoyed The Fault in Our Stars. Her reading here is just as good. Her voice is expressive and pleasing to the ear. Todd Haberkorn read the chapters that are in Jonas' POV, and he did a great job as well.
**I received a copy of this audiobook from the publisher for review purposes**
Laura is struggling a bit too. Her older brother is a total hippie, rebelling against authority, using mind-altering drugs. Her mother has shacked up with a guy closer to her brother's age than her own. Her parents are divorced too, so she spends time commuting between her mom's home in Woodstock and her Dad's apartment in NYC.
Jonas and Laura meet on the subway one day, but they are truly star-crossed lovers. They have to hurdle time and space and schedules and brothers and friends to be together, not to mention the pleas of a subway "writer" (a tag artist), Max, who needs Jonas' help to document his big project.
This book has a slightly slow start. I felt lost at the beginning, but once I got into Jonas and Laura's stories, I was hooked. All the 70's references were fun to see, and it caused me to ponder how very much things have changed in 40 years.
CONTENT:
At first this seems like your run-of-the-mill YA book (and there is nothing derisive in that comment at all), but there is some moderate use of heavy swearing. There are also quite a few mentions of recreational drug use. For that reason, I'd recommend this only for older high schoolers (or you know, grownups like me).
NOTES ON THE AUDIOBOOK:
Kate Rudd is a reader I enjoy. It was through her that I first enjoyed The Fault in Our Stars. Her reading here is just as good. Her voice is expressive and pleasing to the ear. Todd Haberkorn read the chapters that are in Jonas' POV, and he did a great job as well.
**I received a copy of this audiobook from the publisher for review purposes**
January 29, 2015
Have you ever seen someone of the opposite sex in a quick passing and had them haunt you afterward? Jonas, in a funk because of his parents' divorce, is helping himself cope by taking pictures with his estranged father's old film camera. When he looks up from playing with it while sitting in the subway, a girl's face on the opposite platform nearly causes his heart to stop. When the train between them has passed, she's disappeared, but her impression on him is so strong that he begins an obsessive search for her. He has no name, no idea where she might live and no clue which way she went, that is if she actually got on the subway car.
On the other side of the tunnel is Laura. She lives in Woodstock, NY and is nervous every time she comes into New York City with her stoner older brother to visit her father because she tends to get lost easily. Back home in Woodstock, she's in a frightening situation. Her mom went hippie and is living with Bruce, a much younger guy who has started physically abusing Laura with hints of more and scarier things to come. He manages to hit or pinch her when Mom is out of the room. In short, Laura needs an escape, preferably to a safe place.
This is the story of how she and a boy who loves her find that place. Unfortunately, there are circumstances involved that make a relationship next to impossible, but Jonas and Laura sure try to make that happen. How they do so, what happens when they link up with graffiti artist extraordinaire, Max, and how the book wraps up in a, to me at least, satisfying way, make this a great book for teens and even tweens who like magical realism and a dandy romance. It's definitely worth adding to any public or school library.
On the other side of the tunnel is Laura. She lives in Woodstock, NY and is nervous every time she comes into New York City with her stoner older brother to visit her father because she tends to get lost easily. Back home in Woodstock, she's in a frightening situation. Her mom went hippie and is living with Bruce, a much younger guy who has started physically abusing Laura with hints of more and scarier things to come. He manages to hit or pinch her when Mom is out of the room. In short, Laura needs an escape, preferably to a safe place.
This is the story of how she and a boy who loves her find that place. Unfortunately, there are circumstances involved that make a relationship next to impossible, but Jonas and Laura sure try to make that happen. How they do so, what happens when they link up with graffiti artist extraordinaire, Max, and how the book wraps up in a, to me at least, satisfying way, make this a great book for teens and even tweens who like magical realism and a dandy romance. It's definitely worth adding to any public or school library.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews