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A review by iamrainbou
The Girl and the Grove by Eric Smith
3.0
The Girl and the Grove is so wonderful, one of the best YA had read this year. I love the story, I love the writing, I love the characters (so so much), I love the messages about the environment, I love the magical elements, I love the friendship. I love the diversity, the respect, and love that it’s so clear Eric put in the story.
Leila has been moving from foster care to foster care and living with seasonal affective disorder. She has been adopted by a lovely couple, who welcomes her with open arms, but it’s not so easy to let herself trust, to open the barriers she has lived with all her life. It doesn’t help that the voices in her head are louder than ever and she feels like there’s something in Fairmount Park, something she needs to do.
The story is so full of magic, hope and love. It’s a perfect balance between contemporary YA and the chosen one trope. There’s magic, schemes to save the world and adventures. And there’s also the struggle of Leila to open up, to feel comfortable in her new home. Between the fantasy and the contemporary we go; there’s despair and fear, but also so much hope for a better world. Yes, Leila has seasonal affective disorder and yes, it’s something we see through the story, but it's never considered as unreal or an exaggeration. Leila’s parents are very understanding and respectful of her mental health and her boundaries. They never push her, never question her. And I love it. I’m so here for supportive parents of mentally ill children.
The friendship between Leila and Sarika is heartwarming; she’s always there for Leila, always, she provides unconditional support and confidence. But Sarika is also her own character, with her own personality and conflicts.
Yes, there is romance and it was very sweet. Perfect for the story because it doesn’t eclipse the plot, doesn't solve everything, but gives Leila unconditional support. He listens to her, he tries to understand and respects what she wants. I mean, I wasn’t completely on board with romance (I felt kinda meh about Landon), but there were some cute moments that I enjoyed a lot.
There are so many things to see about this wonderful book, about the story and the characters, but at the end, everything sums up with a "THE GIRL AND THE GROVE IS SO GOOD, PLEASE READ IT", so I'm going to go with that for now.
Leila has been moving from foster care to foster care and living with seasonal affective disorder. She has been adopted by a lovely couple, who welcomes her with open arms, but it’s not so easy to let herself trust, to open the barriers she has lived with all her life. It doesn’t help that the voices in her head are louder than ever and she feels like there’s something in Fairmount Park, something she needs to do.
The story is so full of magic, hope and love. It’s a perfect balance between contemporary YA and the chosen one trope. There’s magic, schemes to save the world and adventures. And there’s also the struggle of Leila to open up, to feel comfortable in her new home. Between the fantasy and the contemporary we go; there’s despair and fear, but also so much hope for a better world. Yes, Leila has seasonal affective disorder and yes, it’s something we see through the story, but it's never considered as unreal or an exaggeration. Leila’s parents are very understanding and respectful of her mental health and her boundaries. They never push her, never question her. And I love it. I’m so here for supportive parents of mentally ill children.
The friendship between Leila and Sarika is heartwarming; she’s always there for Leila, always, she provides unconditional support and confidence. But Sarika is also her own character, with her own personality and conflicts.
Yes, there is romance and it was very sweet. Perfect for the story because it doesn’t eclipse the plot, doesn't solve everything, but gives Leila unconditional support. He listens to her, he tries to understand and respects what she wants. I mean, I wasn’t completely on board with romance (I felt kinda meh about Landon), but there were some cute moments that I enjoyed a lot.
There are so many things to see about this wonderful book, about the story and the characters, but at the end, everything sums up with a "THE GIRL AND THE GROVE IS SO GOOD, PLEASE READ IT", so I'm going to go with that for now.