Landline - Rainbow Rowell | Review

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publisher: Orion

Publishing Date: 03/07/2014

Landline was my first book of 2015, and a book I've been wanting to read since it came out. I would absolutely read Rainbow Rowell's grocery lists, I devoured Fangirl and Eleanor and Park, and her story in the Stephanie Perkin's collated My True Love Gave To Me was my favourite. There was no doubt in my mind that I would love Landline.

And did I? Yes. Sorta. In a totally different way to her other works. Fangirl reasonated with me in so much depth - not only as a Kath who loves to write, and I appreciated the cultural references in Eleanor and Park. Landline described a place in life I haven't yet been.

That's a good thing for me, every now and again, to step away from the somewhat safe branches of YA fiction that I love so much. Landline was sharp, funny and emotional, with authentic and entertaining dialogue that has become a characteristic of Rainbow Rowell novels. Rainbow Rowell did an excellent job of intertwining past and present so we get to see all of Georgie and Neal's relationship, which was something I was concerned about.

The 'magical' phone was an interesting concept but unfortunately not one that I could fully get behind. It was a great way for Georgie to evaluate her past and remember why her and Neal got married in the first place, but eh, it just didn't really work for me. This is probably the main reason it dropped a couple of stars.

Landline was ok. It shone in the areas Rainbow is so great at, dialogue and character development and sheer emotion, but it lacked a special something for me. This has not dampened my Rainbow Rowell love at all, and now I just need to find time to read Attachments!

3/5 stars.

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