Review: sad and depressing...
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 09 3, 2013
I think it makes sense to caution readers that this book focuses heavily on the topic of suicide. Just a reader caution if you are sensitive to this type of content.Breaking Nova is definitely an appropriate title for this book. Nova needed to reach a breaking point. So, does Quentin... but this story is mostly about Nova reaching hers. The story moves back and forth between Nova and Quentin, two people who have lost their first loves in very tragic ways. They are both struggling with self blame and the loss of themselves. Nova is drawn to Quentin because he reminds her of her first love Landon. It is the small flicker of light she needed to start her on a journey back from the dead. This is not an enjoyable journey, however. Nova has to hit rock bottom and walking with her on her journey to rock bottom was very hard, sad and depressing.The hardest part of this emotional journey were the flashbacks that both Quentin and Nova experienced throughout the story to the deaths and memories of their first loves. Once again... sad and depressing.There are no supporting characters in this book that are even remotely likable. Nova and Quentin are surrounding themselves with toxic people. This is not helping either of them cope with their loss but instead is dragging them deeper into a void or black hole. And, because there were no characters to give you any sort of relief from the sadness I felt myself in a constant state of doom and gloom. It was pretty much this way through the entire book up until the end.I really struggled with how to rate this book because I did not enjoy it... it was not a fun read... it made me sad. But, after some thought I think that maybe that was perhaps the point. There really was no room for rainbows and sunshine in this story. Both of these characters are on a difficult journey and at the end of the day I think that the author did do a pretty good job at bringing us into their black hole. I just didn't like being there. I hope that makes sense!I will say that I do like Quentin and Nova. And, I was very, very proud of her at the end of this book for making the smart decision to finally reach out to the one person in her life she should have been reaching for all along. (view spoiler) And even more proud of her for finally realizing that she needed to rid herself of the toxic people in her life so that she can begin to move forward. Sadly though... (view spoiler)This is book one in a series and is mostly about Nova's breaking point. We are left wondering what will happen to Quentin. So, yes, it's a cliffhanger...I have no idea if I will continue with this series. I am satisfied with Nova's journey but don't know if I want to continue to put myself through the emotional ringer to continue on with Quentin's. The content in this series was just very difficult for me personally.