David Arnold is the New York Times bestselling author of Mosquito land, I Loved You in Another Life, The Electric Kingdom, Kids of Appetite, and The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotic. He has won the Southern Book Prize and the Great Lakes Book Award and was named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start for his debut.
In this powerfully heartbreaking speculative love story by Arnold (The Electric Kingdom), two teens are inexplicably drawn to each other across all their previous lives, but fate always seems to tear them apart. The novel alternates between the perspectives of Noah and Poppy, who first meet as children in a small town in Vermont. They feel an instant connection, but Noah’s family moves away soon after. Years later, they cross paths again in New York City, where Noah is a successful musician and Poppy is a struggling artist. They rekindle their romance, but a tragic accident separates them once more.
The story then shifts to different times and places, where Noah and Poppy are reincarnated as different people with different names and backgrounds, but always with the same souls and the same love for each other. They meet as soldiers in the Civil War, as circus performers in the 1920s, as activists in the 1960s, and as astronauts in the future. In each life, they face various obstacles and challenges that prevent them from staying together, such as war, disease, violence, prejudice, and betrayal. Sometimes they die young, sometimes they grow old, but they always die alone.
However, in every life, they also leave behind clues and messages for their next selves, hoping to find each other again and break the cycle of loss. They carve their initials on trees, write songs and poems, paint murals and portraits, and send letters and emails. They also have recurring dreams and memories of their past lives, which help them recognize each other when they meet. They believe that there is a reason for their bond, and that there is a way to end their suffering.
"Arnold’s prose is both lyrical and devastating (“Love had run through this house like blood through a vein”), and the narrative’s focus on love and its apparent inevitability helps to lighten the intense tragedies the characters face. The novel explores themes such as destiny, free will, reincarnation, soulmates, and the meaning of life. It also raises questions about what makes a person who they are, and what remains of them after they die. The novel is a poignant and profound meditation on the power and persistence of love, and how it can transcend time and space."
In this powerfully heartbreaking speculative love story by Arnold (The Electric Kingdom), two teens are inexplicably drawn to each other across all their previous lives, but fate always seems to tear them apart. The novel alternates between the perspectives of Noah and Poppy, who first meet as children in a small town in Vermont. They feel an instant connection, but Noah’s family moves away soon after. Years later, they cross paths again in New York City, where Noah is a successful musician and Poppy is a struggling artist. They rekindle their romance, but a tragic accident separates them once more.
The story then shifts to different times and places, where Noah and Poppy are reincarnated as different people with different names and backgrounds, but always with the same souls and the same love for each other. They meet as soldiers in the Civil War, as circus performers in the 1920s, as activists in the 1960s, and as astronauts in the future. In each life, they face various obstacles and challenges that prevent them from staying together, such as war, disease, violence, prejudice, and betrayal. Sometimes they die young, sometimes they grow old, but they always die alone.
However, in every life, they also leave behind clues and messages for their next selves, hoping to find each other again and break the cycle of loss. They carve their initials on trees, write songs and poems, paint murals and portraits, and send letters and emails. They also have recurring dreams and memories of their past lives, which help them recognize each other when they meet. They believe that there is a reason for their bond, and that there is a way to end their suffering.
"Arnold’s prose is both lyrical and devastating (“Love had run through this house like blood through a vein”), and the narrative’s focus on love and its apparent inevitability helps to lighten the intense tragedies the characters face. The novel explores themes such as destiny, free will, reincarnation, soulmates, and the meaning of life. It also raises questions about what makes a person who they are, and what remains of them after they die. The novel is a poignant and profound meditation on the power and persistence of love, and how it can transcend time and space."