Began reading: 15.7.2016
Completed reading: 1.8.2016
Overall rating: 3.6 stars
Could the boy from her past be the love of her future?
Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion… she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit – the more sparkly, more fun, more wild – the better. And life is pretty close to perfect in Lola’s world, especially with her hot rocker boyfriend. That is, until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighbourhood and unearth a past of hurt and anguish that Lola thought was long buried. When talented inventor Cricket steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins is a contemporary young adult novel that contains romance. I wasn’t a huge fan of the first book, but I definitely thought this book was disappointing. It took me so long to finish, and while I was reading, I wished it would end. I don’t hate the book – I just didn’t enjoy it. I’m hoping that the final book will be a huge improvement!
I found the book to be well-written, containing a few grammatical errors. This was a let-down, as Perkins’ writing was flawless in the previous novel. Despite this, it contained numerous literary techniques that made the plot more detailed and easy to imagine. There were also some great quotes, including:
We’d never waved through our windows before, but it was unavoidably clear that we were aware of each other’s presence. So we were forced to acknowledge each other all day and all night, still having nothing to say but wanting to say everything (p. 63).
I’m not interested in making what’s easy.
I’m interested in making what’s beautiful (p. 77).
For as long as I can remember, I’ve talked to the moon. Asked for her guidance. There’s something deeply spiritual about her pale glow, her cratered surface, her waxing and waning. She wears a new dress every evening, yet she’s always herself.
And she’s always there (p. 105).
It’s maddening how someone so easy to read can be so impossible to understand (p. 115).
‘Sometimes a mistake isn’t a what. It’s a who’ (p. 169).
When two people are in love, it’s supposed to work. It has to work. No matter how difficult the circumstances are (p. 219).
‘History books are filled with lies. Whoever wins the war tells the story’ (p. 225).
‘I know you aren’t perfect. But it’s a person’s imperfections that makes them perfect for someone else’ (p. 327).
More quotes from this book can be found here.
Similar to the first novel, I found the plot to be interesting. I didn’t know if Anna and Étienne would be making an appearance, but I’m glad that they did (I’ll discuss their appearance further in the next paragraph). I especially liked the idea of Lola’s designer hobby, Calliope’s figure skating career, and Andy’s independent baking business. The issue that I had with this plot was that it was predictable – VERY PREDICTABLE. I mean, the title itself is a dead giveaway as to what happens between Lola and Cricket.
Now, about Anna and Étienne. I was happy to see how their relationship is developing; however, what was their role in the book? They didn’t contribute anything to the story, except showing us that they were still together. They made the book link to the first one, but they had very little connection to Lola and Cricket. Anna wasn’t a close friend to either of the main characters, so she seemed unnecessary. Likewise with Étienne – he was acquaintances with Cricket, but his role in this plot was redundant. I think that making them close friends with Lola and Cricket would have made their appearance somewhat significant and understandable.
The pacing of the plot seemed to be slow-paced. I’m not sure about you, but I found it to be dragged out. As I mentioned previously, it felt like it would never end. I found this to be irritating, and affected my overall rating of the novel. I can understand if detail and drama was required to make the plot more interesting; however, none of the plot twists stood out.
Another issue with this book was that the characters were unrealistic and unrelatable. I couldn’t relate to wearing costumes and hanging out with older guys, and I bet that guys couldn’t relate to a lifestyle similar to Cricket’s. While the whole falling-in-love-with-the-boy-next-door thing might seem realistic, the whole love triangle and Lola’s rebelliousness just didn’t appear to be real.
I suppose that this was supposed to happen, but this novel was VERY similar to Anna and the French Kiss – and that, for me, is not a good thing. I didn’t like the whole drama-throughout-the-book-then-instant-love-declaration situation, and it was exactly like when Anna realised she was in love with Étienne. I rated Anna and the French Kiss 4/5 stars, but the similarity between this book and that one really impacts this book’s likeability. I really, really, really hope that the next book isn’t like the first two!
My favourite character was Cricket Bell, as he was sweet and almost perfect boyfriend material. The issue that I had with him was that he was a bit ‘slow’ and kinda weird – I know he liked Lola, but he was constantly spending alone time with her and going out with her family. Is it just me, or is that weird? Lindsey is definitely a notable character, as she seems like a very loyal friend. Side note: I don’t understand how Lola could have blown her off to spend time with her boyfriend who insulted her friend in front of her (what a bitch).
I really disliked Max and Lola. Max was too insecure and he always acted like a jerk. The things he said to Lola and Lindsey were hurtful, and I hate him for that (you have no idea how weird it is to hate a guy with the same name as your crush). Like other readers, I found Lola to be childish and over-dramatic, which I found to be frustrating. She was always complaining and acting like a spoilt three-year-old, and I just wanting to knock some sense into her.
My favourite part was when Cricket gave Lola the automaton. I thought that it was unique and special, and I really wanted it. The dialogue during this scene, especially Cricket’s story, was adorable.
Recommendation time! If you like The Boy Next Door by Katie Van Ark, Making Pretty by Corey Ann Haydu, A Little Something Different and All Signs Point to Yes by Sandy Hall, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Paper Towns, He’s Just Not That Into You, Just Friends, One Small Hitch, LOL, and Waiting For Forever.
I will also be reviewing the rest of the Anna and the French Kiss series: Isla and the Happily Ever After. Keep an eye out for that!
My review for Anna and the French Kiss can be found by clicking on the title.
Happy reading!
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