There is so much to say about this book.
The first thing is: It is so beautiful. It overwhelmed me at first, but then, it was more than I had imagined Ann Brashares ever becoming. She had kept her beautiful, yet very easy form of writing throughout the years, and then, she gave us this. Every sentence is in harmony with the other. Every word makes sense just where it is. Every trait of character becomes so clear through just a simple paragraph.
If you do not like sad books, don’t read this. It is so very, very sad. I cried when I read it, more than I can admit. And usually, when you say: “I cried so hard when I read…”, you don’t mean, but here, I do. When I read it, I was so overwhelmed by the realness of sadness, by the fear of closing the book. The characters were so real.
Isn’t it weird how everything I ever say in book reviews is good? Ravishing, loving? Well, I admit that the first time I read this, I was so disappointed. Not to ruin the adventure of reading for you, but so many times I asked myself, “How can she do it? Why? Why?”
But now, everything makes sense.
Tibby, Bridget, Carmen and Lena reunite in this beautiful yet mysterious fifth book, not a part of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, but not a stand-alone. They remain what they were, but their lives have taken them to places you would have never imagined. The only character I feel Brashares has left out is Carmen Carma Carmabelle, who I always loved so much. It feels like she is flattened out rather than expanded, not as round a person as her “sisters”. Lena, Tibby and Bridget remain surprising, there, so present, even if one of them is not there.
But enough said. This book has been on my night table since I bought it back in June. Believe me when I say it is amazing.
Love Everlasting!
