Authors: Jodi Picoult (mother) & Samantha Van Leer (daughter)
Other Books by Jodi Picoult: Nineteen Minutes** My Sister’s Keeper Handle with Care
Over the Moon: An Original Musical for Teens
Genre: Fantasy and Romance
Important Characters: Delilah Oliver Jules Edgar Jessamyn Jacobs
Summary: This novel is about a high school teen named Delilah who is not part of the in crowd so to speak who carries on in the background. She takes great interest in reading her favorite book, Between the Lines over and over again especially because the hero of the book is a hot prince named Oliver. One day Delilah notices something different in one of the illustrations of the book and this occurrence takes over her thoughts. Eventually, Oliver finds a way to speak to Delilah, the only reader ever who is able to hear him, and they become captivated by each other, falling in love. They want nothing less than to be with one another but in a closer respect, not divided by a clear, impenetrable film coating each page. They begin to experiment in finding out a way to get Oliver out of the story. He wants to experience something other than the world there is inside the book, which he has explored time after time. One day Delilah seems to fall into the pages of the book and she and Oliver are together in this way for the first time. Despite the fact that this is what they had been working towards, Delilah is unable to bear the thought of being in the book forever without her mother or best friend, Jules. Somehow she finds a way out but Oliver is still trapped within. The rest of the novel is a descriptive account of their journey and efforts to be together in a real world. After meeting the author Jessamyn Jacobs and her son Edgar, it seems that there is just no hope in accomplishing this task. Does Oliver make it out? Do Oliver and Delilah live happily ever after or does the barrier remain between their worlds?
Arrangement: Each chapter alternates from the story inside the story also called Between the Lines to Oliver’s point of view with him telling about his personal feelings and daily experiences, and finally to Delilah’s POV about her life.
Personal Opinion: I thought this novel was very interesting and unique in comparison to the numerous other love stories I have read. It was suspenseful throughout and unpredictable which is a key characteristic I love about books. I am not as interested in fantasy as I am in dystopian or realistic works but I thought Jody Picoult tied in the realistic ideas of a typical teenager’s life with the make believe aspects of princes and castles in a clever way which made the book stand out to me in a different way from many of the others I have read.
Recommendation: I would recommend this novel to those who appreciate the typical teen love story and the conflicts that go along with wanting something that seems unattainable. There is quite a bit of fantasy throughout especially with the subplot of the book within the actual novel, making it important that the reader likes this genre. Because there are two narrators, Oliver and Delilah, and readers are able to see things from both of their perspectives it seems as though the book can be enjoyed by both females and males but leaning more in the female direction. It is a rather easy book to understand and follow, likely written for an upper middle school audience but able to be enjoyed by older readers as well.
Strengths: Unique story line Thought provoking Powerful themes
Weaknesses: Grew to be slightly longer than necessary, with a lengthy list of attempts at freeing Oliver from the novel Not written very eloquently, also lacking interesting ideas for wide gaps
Authors: Jodi Picoult (mother) & Samantha Van Leer (daughter)
Other Books by Jodi Picoult:
Nineteen Minutes**
My Sister’s Keeper
Handle with Care
Over the Moon: An Original Musical for Teens
Genre: Fantasy and Romance
Important Characters:
Delilah
Oliver
Jules
Edgar
Jessamyn Jacobs
Summary:
This novel is about a high school teen named Delilah who is not part of the in crowd so to speak who carries on in the background. She takes great interest in reading her favorite book, Between the Lines over and over again especially because the hero of the book is a hot prince named Oliver. One day Delilah notices something different in one of the illustrations of the book and this occurrence takes over her thoughts. Eventually, Oliver finds a way to speak to Delilah, the only reader ever who is able to hear him, and they become captivated by each other, falling in love. They want nothing less than to be with one another but in a closer respect, not divided by a clear, impenetrable film coating each page. They begin to experiment in finding out a way to get Oliver out of the story. He wants to experience something other than the world there is inside the book, which he has explored time after time. One day Delilah seems to fall into the pages of the book and she and Oliver are together in this way for the first time. Despite the fact that this is what they had been working towards, Delilah is unable to bear the thought of being in the book forever without her mother or best friend, Jules. Somehow she finds a way out but Oliver is still trapped within. The rest of the novel is a descriptive account of their journey and efforts to be together in a real world. After meeting the author Jessamyn Jacobs and her son Edgar, it seems that there is just no hope in accomplishing this task. Does Oliver make it out? Do Oliver and Delilah live happily ever after or does the barrier remain between their worlds?
Arrangement:
Each chapter alternates from the story inside the story also called Between the Lines to Oliver’s point of view with him telling about his personal feelings and daily experiences, and finally to Delilah’s POV about her life.
Personal Opinion:
I thought this novel was very interesting and unique in comparison to the numerous other love stories I have read. It was suspenseful throughout and unpredictable which is a key characteristic I love about books. I am not as interested in fantasy as I am in dystopian or realistic works but I thought Jody Picoult tied in the realistic ideas of a typical teenager’s life with the make believe aspects of princes and castles in a clever way which made the book stand out to me in a different way from many of the others I have read.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this novel to those who appreciate the typical teen love story and the conflicts that go along with wanting something that seems unattainable. There is quite a bit of fantasy throughout especially with the subplot of the book within the actual novel, making it important that the reader likes this genre. Because there are two narrators, Oliver and Delilah, and readers are able to see things from both of their perspectives it seems as though the book can be enjoyed by both females and males but leaning more in the female direction. It is a rather easy book to understand and follow, likely written for an upper middle school audience but able to be enjoyed by older readers as well.
Strengths:
Unique story line
Thought provoking
Powerful themes
Weaknesses:
Grew to be slightly longer than necessary, with a lengthy list of attempts at freeing Oliver from the novel
Not written very eloquently, also lacking interesting ideas for wide gaps