Review: Does love mean letting yourself be consumed by another?
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 24, 2012
Sarah Sexton and Martin Blake have been friends since primary school. They are bound together not by blood or by attraction, but by a deep sense of understanding and acceptance of the other. However, as they begin their adult lives, Martin and Sarah take very different paths. Sarah's friends wonder what it is about Sarah and Martin. They have nothing in common. Eventually Sarah begins to wonder about her friendship with Martin as well. He's her oldest friend, but he can be toxic. People leave Sarah's life because of Martin. But Martin needs Sarah. How can she cut off her oldest friend?This novel made me realize something I didn't think was possible - that is, I could love a story while despising one of the two main characters. However, as much as I didn't like Martin, I had a certain sympathy for him. I wanted to scream at Sarah for not setting boundaries, but I understood her reasons. Loving someone without conditions means not setting boundaries. But does love mean letting yourself be consumed by another?This was a great read on so many levels. I was drawn in by the strong dialogue and the intricate web of relationships around Sarah and Martin. I also enjoyed the settings - Sydney, Australia and Hong Kong. I've never been to either of these places, but the author did a wonderful job of describing them and they felt familiar by the time I was halfway through the novel.I'd read The Skin of Water by this same author and absolutely loved it. Consumption is very different in its topic, and yet contains the same wonderful writing and characterization as The Skin of Water. I highly recommend both novels.