The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

5 out of 10: In honor of Valentine's Day, my review today is of a love story- The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan. Adam, Brayden and I went to Barnes and Noble on Saturday night to pick my Valentine's present. I gave Adam a stack of four books (Across the Universe, Delirium, Chasing Lincoln's Killer and The Lover's Dictionary), and he chose this one because it sounded the most romantic.

I loved the idea of this book- a love story told thru a dictionary. And I have enjoyed some of David Levithan's other works- Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, both co-written with Rachel Cohn.

I loved discovering the connection between the dictionary word and the part of the story underneath it. Here are some examples:

indelible, adj.
That first night, you took your finger and pointed to the top of my head, then traced a line between my eyes, down my nose, over my lips, my chin, my neck, to the center of my chest. It was so surprising, I knew I would never mimic it. That one gesture would be yours forever.

obstinate, adj.
Sometimes it becomes a contest: Which is more stubborn, the love or the two arguing people caught within it?

The author tells the story thru the words, so it isn't in chronological order. I found that very creative. I also loved how real this story is. Ups and downs are all over the place, just like in most relationships. The only thing I didn't like (right after finishing it) is that there was no clear ending. I was expecting that, because of how the book was laid out, but I still had hope that one of the entries would make it clear if the couple stayed together or broke up. As I think back on it, however, it was a good move. It fits in with the scattered storyline, and it's real. Endings in real-life relationships are not always cut and dry. I was still left with wanting more. Maybe not a clear ending, but more of the story. The book is a very fast read, and I feel it could have been longer.