Review: Notes on Heartbreak

Notes on Heartbreak by Annie Lord
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While Notes of Heartbreak is not necessarily "well-written" in the traditional sense (with some pretty cheesy metaphors and dragging a little in bits), it is extremely well-grounded. She does a fantastic job of making the story feel concrete and making it feel like its hers.

For one, her voice is unceasing and strong. The quotes she likes, the things she does, the thoughts she has, they are always filtered through language and observations that keep her firmly in view of the reader. This is her story, and we don't miss that for a second. This combines with her ability to draw out detail in a way that creates a strong grounding for the stories she is describing. These are real events, and they feel real because she does not hold back on the little things instead of abstract descriptions or ideas that may be more pretty but don't feel quite as real.

I probably would rate this higher and enjoy this more if there wasn't a disconnect in that I did not see myself in the main character. If I did, this would have been a significantly more emotional read. As is, while I appreciated the power and the movement, it didn't quite move me.

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