Review of Cooper Bartholomew is Dead
by Rebecca James
My Thoughts:
I wish I could be
more generous with the rating because bloody hell this book was
good, but there were just a couple of tiny things that didn't work for
me.
Before we get into the small negativities, let me just say a big thank you to Rebecca James - finally an author has listened to our pleas and we got a wonderful, slow-building relationship built on mutual affection between two decent characters. Can I get me some hallelujahs? Libby and Cooper were both thoroughly fleshed out characters. They were sweet, genuine, caring and honest. All of the usual relationship drama was thrown out the window and we got a realistically sweet but still swoon-worthy relationship. I really don't know what more to ask for.
Quickly, I also need to add that the rest of the characters were kind of perfect too. There was a great variety of characters but not in a Glee cast kind of way. It was realistic. There was variety in social class, genders, sexualities, interests, family backgrounds... you get the point: plenty of diversity - can I get another one of those hallelujahs?
Also the writing? It was breath-taking in that simplistic-yet-takes-you-by-surprise kind of way. The mix of "then" and "now" sections, as well as the multiple perspectives - Cooper, Libby, Sebastian and Clare - in both first and third person was genius. Other authors that have attempted a story with that many shifts of perspectives have failed - or at least the books I've read have. It usually gets too confusing and too disjointed but Rebecca James managed it to perfection. It created palpable tension and really just made the book what it was.
But there was a couple of things that didn't work for me - as can be expected. For one the predictability was rather displeasing. Predictability is a big no-no for me and I saw the "twist" coming from quite early in the book. The other thing is that the ending left a little to de desired. (view spoiler)
But overall, this was fantastic book. I loved that it threw out all the clichés out the window and built a decent plot centred around decent characters. I've missed books like that. I'd recommend this in a heartbeat and will certainly be on the look out for more of Rebecca James's books.
Note: a copy was provided courtesy of Allen & Unwin Australia in exchange for an honest review. No compensation was given or taken during this process.
Before we get into the small negativities, let me just say a big thank you to Rebecca James - finally an author has listened to our pleas and we got a wonderful, slow-building relationship built on mutual affection between two decent characters. Can I get me some hallelujahs? Libby and Cooper were both thoroughly fleshed out characters. They were sweet, genuine, caring and honest. All of the usual relationship drama was thrown out the window and we got a realistically sweet but still swoon-worthy relationship. I really don't know what more to ask for.
Quickly, I also need to add that the rest of the characters were kind of perfect too. There was a great variety of characters but not in a Glee cast kind of way. It was realistic. There was variety in social class, genders, sexualities, interests, family backgrounds... you get the point: plenty of diversity - can I get another one of those hallelujahs?
Also the writing? It was breath-taking in that simplistic-yet-takes-you-by-surprise kind of way. The mix of "then" and "now" sections, as well as the multiple perspectives - Cooper, Libby, Sebastian and Clare - in both first and third person was genius. Other authors that have attempted a story with that many shifts of perspectives have failed - or at least the books I've read have. It usually gets too confusing and too disjointed but Rebecca James managed it to perfection. It created palpable tension and really just made the book what it was.
But there was a couple of things that didn't work for me - as can be expected. For one the predictability was rather displeasing. Predictability is a big no-no for me and I saw the "twist" coming from quite early in the book. The other thing is that the ending left a little to de desired. (view spoiler)
But overall, this was fantastic book. I loved that it threw out all the clichés out the window and built a decent plot centred around decent characters. I've missed books like that. I'd recommend this in a heartbeat and will certainly be on the look out for more of Rebecca James's books.
Note: a copy was provided courtesy of Allen & Unwin Australia in exchange for an honest review. No compensation was given or taken during this process.
Details:
Series: none presently
Publication: October 1st, 2014
Source: Allen & Unwin Australia
4 stars
