Heart the Lover was book 39 on the year! And it’s a doozy, one of the best books I read this year. Lily King is a great writer. She explores relationships, love, pain and grief in a deep yet accessible way. I first became aware of Lily’s writing when I read a Vogue article titled: My Boyfriend, his Best Friend and Me: A Love Story. That article describes a love triangle that happens at University that reverberates across all of their lives for many years. Lily dates a guy who's a bit of a dink and doesn't treat her super well and she falls for the best friend. Heart the Lover is a fictionalized expansion of that Vogue piece. I was not ready for this book. The Vogue article knocked me flat emotionally and this book does that and then some. Relationships are joyful and painful and they almost never go the way you expect them to. Lily King navigates those complex emotional dynamics with gravitas and grace. If you have the time, read that Vogue piece OR this book! You are in for an emotional ride.
by Not_the_last_Bruce
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I went to a book signing/reading of hers a few weeks ago, and she was a delight to listen to. She talked about her writing process as well as some of her roadblocks while writing this book.
I adore her writing style — no unnecessary details or descriptions.