Noah and Jude are twins, and both very artistically inclined. This book follows the twins through some difficult times. It jumps back and forth between years and alternates between Noah and Jude's viewpoints.

 

This book deals with a lot of issues that teens might face, including questioning their sexuality, sex, death, divorce, mental health, and more. I didn't love the book, maybe because I don't usually enjoy realistic fiction. I read it for my Young Adult Literature class, and I probably wouldn't have picked it myself. But I am trying to branch out a bit.

 

Anyway, the book is well written and I can see the appeal it has for young adults. They can easily identify with the characters even if their own situation is a bit different. What bothers me about some of these stories is the romantic relationships. Books like this promote unrealistic expectations about love and relationships. Most of us don't find our "soulmate" (if one even exists), and we don't often experience a love that was "meant to be." Sad I know, but it seems worse to make teens think that this is how love works. 

Art has been a huge part of my life. I have loved drawing since I could pick up a pencil. I also learned when I was in college that I love to make art more than learn art. Now, I love to look at paintings and tour museums. I especially love Egyptian art. But I care little of learning various artists and styles. It's just never been my thing. I'm a maker, not a thinker. This book is seriously making me feel stupid for it.

This wasn't a book... it was a total out-of-body experience. From page one I was sucked into this beautiful, lyrical, poetic chaos that is the teenage mind... where you experience the highest of highs and lowest of lows... vacillating between "I'm the baddest badass revolutionary" to "I'm a tiny insignificant speck of no-talent nothingness." I don't think I've ever read a book with more heart and soul than this.

It has a great cast of characters delivered with creative genius. Noah and Jude will amuse you, infuriate you, befuddle you, steal your heart, stomp on it a few times, and return it to you bruised and battered, but stronger in the broken places. The story is told masterfully with bright, vivid imagery that fits the main characters' artistic nature perfectly.

It's been a while since I've added a book to my OMG shelf, but this one has earned a solid place there. This is clearly one of the best YA books I have ever read.