The Words for Love • Words in Deep Blue

The day before she moved away, Rachel left a love letter for her best friend Henry in his favorite book in his family’s bookshop. But Henry never found the note. Now that’s she’s returned to the city years later, she’s hesitant to open herself up to any sort of relationship with him. But as Rachel & Henry begin working side by side in his family’s bookshop, their friendship blossoms as they start to find hope in one another as they make sense of the messiness of both their lives. 

It has been years since the last time I got to read a book from Cath Crowley (Graffiti Moon is still a book I think of fondly), so to say that I was excited to read Words in Deep Blue is an understatement. Fortunately, this novel did not disappoint! It’s written with Crowley’s simplistic writing style - bare bones, but with carefully chosen words to evoke an emotional response. The story is about a girl who is wading through grief and uncertainty in the wake of her brother’s death; it is also about a boy who is making sense of his worldview and future. I loved the way that Crowley wrote each of their parts (though I was partial to Rachel); I also loved the way she tied their stories together. She also managed to weave in quirky bits that made this novel unique – Henry’s family and their quaint little bookshop; Henry & Rachel’s friend Lola who is in a two-person band; the neighbors and frequent customers in the bookshop; Rachel’s interest in the ocean and science; Henry’s fascination with books. All these things added something special to the story, and I savored every bit of it. 

I enjoyed Words in Deep Blue, despite its brevity and the way that it felt like readers were only getting a glimpse into just a season in both Henry and Rachel’s lives. I liked the characters so much that I would have loved to read just a little bit more. Still, I found Words in Deep Blue compelling and smart. I am eager to get my hands on a finished copy, both for aesthetic reasons (because have you seen the cover?) and reader ones (particularly my desire to mark up my copy). I would certainly recommend adding it to your TBR!

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers | Publication Date: June 6, 2017

Source: ARC borrowed from Cristina (Thanks!)

Buy the Book: Book Depository | Amazon | IndieBound