Review: More than you think
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 25, 2013
I actually thought Sliding Past Vertical was going to be a breezy romantic comedy, a contemporary roller-coaster ride of dysfunctional relationships, human resilience and the triumph of the heart. And it was that. But it was also a surprisingly serious study of the contrast between emotional instinct and emotional consciousness. Sarah, the protagonist, is the emotional equivalent of a bull in a china shop. She stumbles into and crashes out of relationships with an amazing lack of awareness while Emerson, her long-time friend and the perennial "older brother," picks up the pieces. When a rare flicker of self-awareness brings Sarah back to Syracuse--and Emerson--after years of distance, her attempts to understand and correct the chaos of her life lead to only limited success. She and Emerson form triangles with one third party after another, pulling apart, coming together, struggling to understand and grasp love in its most inspired form.Laurie Boris has a light, breezy style that barrels along and she infuses her story with brief images of heartbreaking beauty. I was completely caught up in the story, anxiously following the twists and turns to the surprising and shocking ending. This book will leave you exhausted, thoughtful and ultimately grateful for the perspective it imparts. It's much more than it seems.Note: This review is based on an Advance Reader Copy, which I received in exchange for an honest review.