A Blend of Fantasy, YA Romance, and Climate Change
Forty Words For Love is a genre-bending novel. First, there is the fantasy element with a group of people who "fell from a Golub tree" and have leaf emblems that seem to be a semi-permanent body marking. The leaf design provides protection but magically erases when a safety perimeter has been crossed. I wanted to say when that person crosses the safety perimeter, but there is no guarantee in the chapters I've read so far that leaf-tattoo characters are humans. The nearby ocean is affected by magic and changes colors. The threatening gray sea seems to have killed a young boy who is not a leaf-y. Second, this book involves YA romance which is fairly standard: hot girl, two male admirers but only one has won her heart and his arm around her waist. Male number two, observes their closeness while in the forest. There are also economic/ social class divisions with a wealthy candy-maker family who lives in a mansion and has a nanny. Part of the social class division, however, relates back to whether or not you have a leaf . Finally, there is a third element that is realistic: climate change. Early in the book, readers learn that 18 years ago the gardens would not grow and homes collapsed from sheets of ice. This is something right out of the nightly news in 2023.
Whew! There is a lot going on but it all seems to be blending together in a compelling way. It makes one want to keep turning the pages even if fantasy is not your usual go-to category. It is difficult to know whether this book will maintain this pace and interest level, but kudos to the author for creating something fun.
Whew! There is a lot going on but it all seems to be blending together in a compelling way. It makes one want to keep turning the pages even if fantasy is not your usual go-to category. It is difficult to know whether this book will maintain this pace and interest level, but kudos to the author for creating something fun.