First, LOOK HOW PRETTY THE COVER IS. Second,
I LOVED THIS BOOK!! Which isn’t a surprise since its structure is similar to
Patrick Ness’s book, The Rest of Us Just Live Here, and I loved that one too.
The only way I can describe it, is that you get transported into the characters
world and watch them get transported into their own little world. Does that
make sense? Probably not. But once you read it my description will make a lot
more sense. Trust me. Or maybe it won’t but you can decide.
Eliza is obviously the main character
and I found her quite relatable. I particularly admired her passion. “Monstrous
Sea” was her everything. A place she could escape to and get lost in. She
reflects how an artist can truly get lost in their work and forget the world
around them. I’m not saying this is always a good thing but I’d quite like to
find something where I am as passionate as Eliza is with “Monstrous Sea.” It’s
clear she’s absorbed by her work and takes great pride in what she creates. It’s
quite powerful to read.
Now Wallace? Well he’s another story.
I wanted to like him. I really, really did. And at first, that was the case but
as the story progressed he just annoyed me. Also, I couldn’t quite understand
why he was so annoyed with Eliza. I can’t really explain much without giving
away too many spoilers but I’ll just say that you should never rely on other people’s
work to make you successful. You should want to be able to create your own
achievements and if you can have help, well, that’s great! But if you can’t,
don’t be bitter, just keep trying to succeed and you will. At least, that’s
what I believe anyway. This was probably
the only aspect I didn’t like in the book. I thought Eliza brushed off Wallace’s
behaviour way too easily. I, of course,
did not like that. Maybe I’m just too stubborn?
Anyway, back to favourable characters.
Her brothers? Total favourites! They appear more towards the end of the novel and
I wish there were more scenes with them as they were quite likeable characters.
Who knows, maybe Francesca Zappia will make a spin off with the brothers? I’d
definitely purchase that book.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I
have rated it 4 stars on Goodreads. I would have given it 5 but Wallace’s
insensitivity won out, and I just didn’t think it was realistic on how Eliza
ignored his behaviour. It is not okay to make someone finish their art just so
they can benefit from it. And the apology? Well that was practically
non-existent. Apart from that, I highly recommend reading this as it is a
beautiful read. Eliza was interesting, funny and truly invested in her art. I
imagine a lot of artists might be like Eliza or vice versa. They’re absorbed by
their work and in that point of time, nothing else matters but their art in
front of them. Oh! And the book also contains a Halloween party in a bookshop!
That’s right. A Bookshop. I hate Halloween but I would definitely be up for
that.
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