Monday 10 March 2014

Amy and Matthew: A Love Story, Cammie McGovern


Pages: 322
Publisher: Macmillan
Release Date: 27th March 2014
Edition: UK paperback, review copy

This is the story of Amy and Matthew.

It’s about being different.
It’s about feeling alive.
It’s about finding each other.
It’s about falling in love.

Ever since copies of this Amy and matthew started dropping on bloggers doormats all I’ve heard about it is how beautiful and affecting it is. Although I do agree with that, there is also a part of me that doesn’t quite know how I feel about it.

I loved the surprising equality in Amy and Matthew’s relationship. While Amy is trapped in her body, she has hemiplegic cerebral palsy; Matthew is trapped in his mind by his OCD. Amy can’t speak without her Pathway and her movements are unpredictable; Matthew is ruled by the voice in his mind telling him that he has caused improbable occurrences and that he needs to wash his hands over and over and over again. They are both battling with something that they have no control over, and trying to take control of it. The struggles they face and the way they deal with them with strength and presence is so empowering.

Even though Amy and Matthew is written in third person, both protagonists have really strong, definitive voices. Their presence is so vivid and they both have such vibrant personalities. Though I cared about them both and I wanted them to get what they deserved and be happy, but I also wasn’t really fussed by them at the same time. I can’t pinpoint why or what it was that made me feel that way.

Cammie McGovern pushed a strong message home with Amy and Matthew about inner strength, making your own choices and path in life, not judging someone by one factor of their personality or physicality and the almost life-saving abilities of friends. It’s an incredibly powerful idea that will stay with me for a long while.

Amy and Matthew has a cast of characters, ideas and themes that are commanding of your attention and thoughts. It’s a powerful novel that will captivate many, many readers.  

Thanks to Macmillan for sending me a review copy.

Sophie

1 comment:

  1. Wow, I've seen this around but had no idea it had such strong and different characters, it sounds really interesting!

    ReplyDelete

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