I did not enjoy this book at all. It was trite. Boring, wishy washy and nonsensical. I’m sorry but it was a waste of my time

The prose in this book is beautiful. However, nothing happens in the first 40% and while it picks up after that, there’s no real climax. It’s a very unique and well thought out magic system and a great cast of characters. It was just a little slow for me. It wasn’t a book I was really itching to get back into or continue reading.

What a beautiful showcase of Kelly Link's talent. It's difficult to summarize such a weird book, but here's the best I can do: The Book of Love is about a group of teenagers that are brought back from the dead and face some unique challenges along with the normal struggle of being a teenager. The writing is rich and poetic. The characters are average and magical at the same time. The plot is slow moving, but I never felt bored. There were parts that made me laugh, but most of the book is pretty sad and dark. If you're like me, you'll definitely need to read something light and fluffy after this one.

Stylish, just like her short stories, kelly link has brought her wacky insight to the novel form. Lengthy, but filled with deep interiority. This is not a book concerned so much with plot, as high concept as it sounds. This is, like all great books, about people. Stunning depictions of grief and life abound in this hilarious high concept consciousness-thriller. Kelly link is one of a kind.

Kelly Link has been on my radar for years, but I never quite got to her since I'm not generally a short story reader. When I saw this book pop up it seemed like a perfect opportunity to finally experience her writing. First things first, this is a long book (over 600 pages), and is not a quick read. I think that the style and length will definitely not be for everyone, (I've read some of the more negative reviews here and I can see where they're coming from), though I ended up really loving The Book of Love.

This book is hard to describe. On the surface, it is a sort of supernatural mystery centered on three teenagers who died/vanished a year before the story begins and are now just as mysteriously returned to life. Of course their return has conditions, there is strange magic involved, and two rather inscrutable men know what's actually going on but are refusing to give direct answers. The answers are doled out slowly throughout the entire length of the book, frequently in bits and pieces and out of order as the narrative skips from person to person. There are numerous points of view given, and each one helps to create a more complete picture of the people important to the story (whether central or peripheral).

The real strength here is the writing. It is beautiful and atmospheric and I can completely see why everyone has been raving about Kelly Link to me for years. She manages to create an entire town of fully realized characters and tell a complete story while never losing the slow dreamlike quality with which she begins. There are some books in the weird/supernatural genre that start out feeling cool and mysterious but end up feeling more and more mundane as answers are revealed and more of the mystery unfolds. Kelly Link manages to maintain the sense of dreamy otherness throughout the entire 600+ pages, which is wonderful. I didn't always like all of the characters, but she always made me understand where they were coming from and interest me in what they would do next. The way that the narrative skips from person to person does sometimes feel like reading a series of short stories (in a good way), and once I really got into the story everything flowed very nicely.

Like I said earlier, this book won't be for everyone. It is very long and the style might be too slow and dreamy for some. For others it's a wonderfully weird story about friends, family, magic, love, grief, and the choices that we make.

I can’t remember the last time I was this excited about a book release. I have been a Kelly Link superfan since Stranger Things Happen, and have been watching her odd, wonderful, beautiful career unfold ever since. I cannot overstate the gift it is to hold a novel-length Kelly Link book in my hands and know I have chapter after chapter of her charming and bizarre prose to remind myself that everything is a metaphor but also, in her world, sometimes people are actually demons and/or thousands of moths. I held my breath through every POV switch, and wanted, with every atom in my body, for these characters to survive, to thrive, to come back—and stay back—from the dead for keeps. No matter if she writes another five short story collections before her next novel, I will be waiting.

Far too lengthy without substantive context, wordy and repetitive, and flat characters. I'm sorry, but I did not enjoy this read at all.

"In the long-awaited debut novel from bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize finalist Kelly Link, three teenagers become pawns in a supernatural power struggle.

The Book of Love showcases Kelly Link at the height of her powers, channeling potent magic and attuned to all varieties of love--from friendship to romance to abiding family ties - with her trademark compassion, wit, and literary derring-do. Readers will find joy (and a little terror) and an affirmation that love goes on, even when we cannot.

Late one night, Laura, Daniel, and Mo find themselves beneath the fluorescent lights of a high school classroom, almost a year after disappearing from their hometown, the small seaside community of Lovesend, Massachusetts, having long been presumed dead. Which, in fact, they are.

With them in the room is their previously unremarkable high school music teacher, who seems to know something about their disappearance - and what has brought them back again. Desperate to reclaim their lives, the three agree to the terms of the bargain their music teacher proposes. They will be given a series of magical tasks; while they undertake them, they may return to their families and friends, but they can tell no one where they've been. In the end, there will be winners and there will be losers.

But their resurrection has attracted the notice of other supernatural figures, all with their own agendas. As Laura, Daniel, and Mo grapple with the pieces of the lives they left behind, and Laura's sister, Susannah, attempts to reconcile what she remembers with what she fears, these mysterious others begin to arrive, engulfing their community in danger and chaos, and it becomes imperative that the teens solve the mystery of their deaths to avert a looming disaster.

Welcome to Kelly Link's incomparable Lovesend, where you'll encounter love and loss, laughter and dread, magic and karaoke, and some really good pizza."

I mean Pulitzers and pizza right?

My feelings about this book are a very mixed bag. It gives off "American God" vibes - a very old and powerful god still walks around humanity and she's fickle and vain. She's looking for something and four teenagers in a small northeastern US town are being forced to look for it. Three of them are back from the dead. All of them do magic. Two of them I can't stand because they use their magic to impose their wills on their friends and families and I'm upsetti-spaghetti that they got happy endings.

While the story was interesting, it was also extremely long (600 pages on Storygraph!)... and there was absolutely no need for it to be that long. The author felt the need to tell the events of every day from multiple POVs, including from side characters who only get one or two POVs in the entire book. The prose wibble wobbles between grandiose and ode-ish (reminiscent of older English books) and new, modern prose (this is also inconsistent in the dialogue) that causes some whiplash throughout the story.

Overall, this book has real strengths - the story, the characterization - but eventually the story drags itself down and needs to shed some weight.

I honestly feel that this book will be great for some people, unfortunately I am just not one of those people. The prose of this story while it is beautiful did not draw me in. I felt like I was standing outside the story. Added to that, this an extremely long and slow paced book. I almost placed it as a DNF, but managed to keep reading.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book is hard to explain. Not plot wise (I don't tend to go into plots in reviews just my thought) but hard to know who to recommend it too. The book was atmospheric and exceptionally written and very character forward plot wise. And it would be easy to say if you like those things and the synopsis already interested you then this would be great for you, but it's long. And it drags. And I tend to find that how long a book feels is entirely dependent on who's reading it. So I'd say this book is most definitely worth the try but just keep that in mind if you're not someone who wants to push to get to the "good parts"

Gorgeous novel about messy teens. At times the prose was a bit annoying or the pieces didn’t quite fit but everything in total was gorgeous. Thanks for the arc

Kelly Link is obviously a gifted writer and her mastery of language is on full display here. Unfortunately, The Book of Love was not for me and I think the length and density will make it a tough sell for first-time readers of her work.

THank you to NEtGalley and Random House for the ARC, all opinions are my own. I appreciate the ARC but this was a big no for me. Confusing and not compelling even though the premise was so strong. Way too little plot and way too much prose.

I chose to read this book because I recognized the author from an earlier book I enjoyed, and also because the description caught by attention because I like fantasy and this one sounded interesting.

Description:
Late one night, Laura, Daniel, and Mo find themselves beneath the fluorescent lights of a high school classroom, almost a year after disappearing from their hometown, the small seaside community of Lovesend, Massachusetts, having long been presumed dead. Which, in fact, they are.

With them in the room is their previously unremarkable high school music teacher, who seems to know something about their disappearance—and what has brought them back again. Desperate to reclaim their lives, the three agree to the terms of the bargain their music teacher proposes. They will be given a series of magical tasks; while they undertake them, they may return to their families and friends, but they can tell no one where they’ve been. In the end, there will be winners and there will be losers.

But their resurrection has attracted the notice of other supernatural figures, all with their own agendas. As Laura, Daniel, and Mo grapple with the pieces of the lives they left behind, and Laura’s sister, Susannah, attempts to reconcile what she remembers with what she fears, these mysterious others begin to arrive, engulfing their community in danger and chaos, and it becomes imperative that the teens solve the mystery of their deaths to avert a looming disaster.

My Thoughts:
The prose is beautiful and is atmospheric in nature - almost like a fairy tale. There is a good story here. I liked some of the names: the band name is My Two Hands Both Knowe You; the coffee shop is What Hast Thou Ground?; and one of the magical characters is called Carousel. I thought those names were fun. I liked how some of the characters could turn into animals using their magical ability. Unfortunately, and I'm likely in the minority here, I found the book to be overly long and I was bored through a little over half of the book. I had to force myself through. Luckily the second half of the book had a little more movement to it. Also, I couldn't get invested in any of the characters. Nothing made me feel anything while I was reading this. It is not likely that I will recommend this one to my friends.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group through Netgalley for an advance copy. Expected publication on February 13, 2024.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I'm sure it will find its audience. I wanted to like it. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

(Posted to Goodreads) I have a soft spot for books that are memorable and unique. I can't think of another book like this one. I enjoy the way the style plays with voice. The plot is all over the place, but in a fun way... and the prose is fun and the characters are endearing. I was never bored, and that's all I really ask for.
What keywords can I even come up with for this book? It's YA I suppose but it feels a little more literary fiction. Magic. Bargains with Powerful Forces. Mystery. Love. Sisterhood. Music. Small towns. Half of these words don't seem right but I don't want to give a lot away. I can't emphasize enough that I really enjoyed how unique this story is.

Thank you to #RandomHouse and #NetGalley for providing this #ARC Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is February 13, 2024.

• 640 pages • first pub 2024 • fiction • contemporary • fantasy • magical-realism • 3.5 Stars

Three teenagers, Laura, Daniel, and Mo, disappear from their hometown, the small seaside community of Lovesend, Massachusetts, and are presumed dead. Almost a year later, they find themselves beneath the fluorescent lights of a high school classroom. In this “afterlife” the teens find themselves being used as pawns in a supernatural power struggle.

Speaking of struggling, I found this book rather challenging, which is disappointing because Kelly Link is one of my go-to authors. After having read and enjoyed all of her short stories, I expected more from this the long-awaited debut novel.

#Bookstagram #TheBookOfLove #KellyLink

The Book of Love by Kelly Link is a beautifully written and poignant story. Link's first full-length novel knocks it out of the park with an intriguing storyline, fascinating characters, and beautiful prose. I have been a fan of Link's short story collections, particularly her most recent, White Cat, Black Dog. I was excited when I learned she was writing a full novel, which certainly lived up to the hype. The characters and places feel real, yet there is magic on every page. Link expertly navigates the story, drawing the audience in. You are quickly hooked on the story; I couldn't put it down. I have always enjoyed Link's beautiful prose, quick wit, and engaging storytelling, presented in spades in The Book of Love. This is a book that anyone will love, and I can't recommend it enough!

Honestly, the book is not for everyone! Numerous perspectives, unreliable characterization, a slow burn of entire conjunction, a high volume of profanity, and violence may disturb most readers. However, I have to show respect for its uniqueness, bold style, unusual plot choices, and original execution. I consider myself one of the admirers amid the critics or those who opt to remain neutral. It's fresh, smart, unusual, strange, eccentric, different, and complex.

In this intricately woven narrative, "The Book of Love" by Kelly Link beckons readers into a realm where love, both mundane and magical, intertwines with mystery and danger. The story unfolds like a dream, leading the characters—Laura, Daniel, and Mo—back to life, a year after being presumed dead in Lovesend, Massachusetts.

Link's storytelling technique employs an "in the meantime" style, revealing overlapping perspectives that add complexity to the plot. Susannah, grappling with loss and anger, provides a unique lens into the aftermath of the characters' mysterious return. The narrative touches on themes of love, grief, and the blurred lines between life and death.

The novel introduces a magical pact with their music teacher, Mr. Anabin, setting the stage for a series of trials that challenge the characters to remember the night they died. As they navigate through the tasks, their lives intertwine with supernatural figures, weaving a tapestry of chaos and impending disaster.

The reviews offer diverse insights into the book's structure and content. The narrative's disjointed fashion, as described in one review, adds to the dreamlike quality, keeping readers uncertain of the story's direction. The varying perspectives and cryptic characters contribute to the novel's uniqueness.

While I appreciate the complexity and skillful portrayal of characters like Laura and Susannah, there are still challenges in following the narrative thread. The multiple points of view keep the plot engaging, but the shifting perspectives might leave readers questioning whose side to be on, mirroring the characters' uncertainties.

The explicit exploration of love and its various forms, including intimate scenes, adds another layer to the narrative. The intertwining of love, magic, and music creates a rich tapestry, and the novel straddles the boundary between fantasy and realistic fiction.

Overall , "The Book of Love" offers a challenging yet rewarding reading experience. Link's deep imagination, intricate characterization, and exploration of themes make it a novel that defies expectations, leaving readers enchanted and intrigued by the enigmatic world of Lovesend.

A heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sharing this unique work's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.