When We Collided: When a Boy and a Girl Collide

ABOUT the BOOK
Author: Emery Lord
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: 2016
Genre: Fiction; Contemporary YA, Secular Fiction
Source: Amazon Buy
FIND the BOOK ELSEWHERE: Goodreads
FIND the REVIEW ELSEWHERE: Goodreads
Rating: ★★★

When We Collided by Emery Lord | Book Review

THE STORY | Vivi is colorful. Everyone she meets isn’t likely to forget her. She’s got an infectious, take-charge personality and this is what Jonah most likes about her. Into his unusual family that hides scars and secrets, Vivi inserts herself without blinking. She doesn’t shy away from his problems, and she doesn’t find his life too “messy.” Quite the opposite.

Vivi is afraid of Jonah’s life. In fact, she embraces the chance to get to know his large family, and Jonah, well, he’s special. What he doesn’t know is Vivi understands everything he’s dealing with. Only question is, how soon will Jonah realize what Vivi hides?

Warning! This review will have vague spoiler-y discussion.

REVIEW | Going into a novel written by an author with a book you’ve previously read and enjoyed is something of a risk. There’s always that question mark: will I like this novel as well as book [x]? The example in this case is that I’d read and loved The Start of Me and You a while back. Since then, I collected Emery’s novels, but hadn’t read another by her. This all changed when finally I picked up her YA drama, When We Collided.

Unfortunately, for all my gushing of ‘Me and You,’ I don’t have the same feels for When We Collided.

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The story takes a more serious approach than my prior experience with Emery’s writing. Or perhaps it’s just a more bittersweet approach. I understand what Emery attempts with this novel, but I feel like it comes across as a kind of “version” of John Green’s Paper Towns. Don’t misunderstand, ‘Collided’ is quite different. But at the same time, it has the same kind of vibe as a John Green novel.

“Even the constellations can see us now: we are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy, throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know.” ― Emery Lord, When We Collided

That said, I like the general “idea” of the plot. The characters are quirky which means they’re also quite memorable. Sadly, beyond this, this novel and I really don’t get alone. It’s not that it’s badly written or the story is bad, it’s more personal preference and style. What is good is well done. It’s just, the ultimate conclusion isn’t my cup of tea. Yet, I do understand the importance of the end. Plus, to be fair, I “spoiled” myself on the ending which means I kind of had to “pressure” myself to push through the book. This is a place a reader never wants to be in.

Contrary to all I’ve said, When We Collided does have merit. It’s not badly written and the characters are colorful. Though the romantic in me is heartbroken, as I say earlier on, I do understand the need for the book to end in the place it does. Still, for a girl who expected this to be more akin to The Start of Me and You, this doesn’t live up to expectations.

Content: There is thematic material in the novel such as depression and mental health topics. Vivi and Jonah also have a physical relationship. Nothing is graphic, but there is suggestive conversation, and a scene that makes it clear what’s going on. Profanity is frequent, and does include the f-word. The novel would receive a hard PG13-rating.