Publisher:
Harper Collins
Children’s Books
Release
Date: 1st
August 2013
Edition:
UK paperback,
review copy
Other
Titles by this Author: Boy
Meets Boy, The Realm of Possibility,
Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (with
Rachel Cohn), Wide Awake, Naomi &
Eli’s NO-Kiss List (with Rachel Cohn), Love
is the Higher Law, Will
Grayson, Will Grayson (with
John Green), The Lover’s Dictionary, Dash
& Lily’s Book of Dares (with
Rachel Cohn), Every Day, Invisibility
(with Andrea
Cremer), Two Boys Kissing
Danny
isn’t used to having something in common with Elijah, however slight. Their
last name is the rope that ties them together.
Danny
and Elijah’s lives could not be more different. But a journey together sweeps
them up in the romance, wonder and breathtaking beauty of Italy. And falling in
love opens their eyes to the distance that’s grown between them.
Can
one girl remind them of what it means to be brothers?
My second David Levithan novel
in so many weeks and though once again, I fell in love. I’m kicking myself at
not reading his books sooner.
Are
We There Yet? is
a love story with a difference; it’s about love between brothers. I’m a big fan
of family- and sibling- relationship orientated novels and they don’t seem to
appear in YA as often as I’d like. Elijah and Danny are as different as two
people can be; so much so that you wouldn’t even think they were related. And yet
as the novel develops it becomes evident that even though they’re different,
they’re also the same in many important ways. It took a lot for them to even
begin to consider this, not least a trip across Italy they were tricked into by
their parents!
Speaking of Italy, SOMEONE TAKE
ME. NOW. PLEASE. From Venice to Florence to Rome. They visited all of the standard
tourist destinations that I’d give a limb to visit, ate at gorgeously authentic
Italian restaurants and discovered hidden gems in the hidden corners of the
cities. Are We There Yet? gave me
some serious wanderlust. Everything was so vivid and Danny and Elijah’s
comments on what they saw so thoughtful and evocative.
The focus on art, culture and
history was a lot stronger than I expected it to be. Settings like Italy usually
end up fading into the background of an epic love story, but Venice, Florence
and Rome really had space in Are We There
Yet?. The paintings, the architecture, the people, the city itself;
everything had a presence and was taken in properly by Elijah and Danny. It was
rather refreshing.
I really, really enjoyed Are We There Yet?; I’m falling in love
with David Levithan’s novels. Next up, Every
Day.
Thanks to Harper Collins for
the review copy.
Sophie
I love David Levithan! Every day is my favourite, I hope you love that one as much as Are We There Yet? It sounds like this one will give me a serious case of wanderlust! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever read a family orientated book, you're right about it not being in YA much. I have yet to read a David Levithan book and I need to pick one up soon. I love the name Elijah!!! And OMG Italy! Must read
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