Book Review: Dying To Know You by Aidan Chambers

Dying To Know You by Aidan Chambers

My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

Publication Date: 2 May 2013 by Definitions,part of Random House U.K (Originally published in 2012 by Amulet Books)

Blurb:  Karl, aged seventeen, is hopelessly in love. But the object of his affections, Firella, demands proof, and poses him a series of questions regarding his attitude to the many sides of love. But Karl is dyslexic, and convinced that if Firella finds out, she will think he is stupid, and unworthy of her, and leave him.

So Karl asks a local writer to help him construct his replies - and an unlikely, but extremely touching, friendship develops between the two men. They both come to learn a great deal about about life from a very different perspective, and when an act of violence shatters their calm, they find their respective appraisal of life shifting in profound ways.

 Buy the book HERE.

My Review:

**I received a copy of this book from Random House U.K in exchange for an honest review.**

As a book reviewer and a book blogger,my favourite part of the hobby is getting the opportunity to discover books and authors that I haven't heard of before.I came across Dying To Know You while browsing the Random House U.K website and the cover caught my attention.It's not like the usual YA covers with cool graphics or girls in dresses which does a good job in catching the attention of the age group the books are targeted at.The simplicity and the serene look of the cover got me really intrigued.And the blurb of course ( the one on the back of my copy is a different one),though it doesn't let on much of the story.

If you've read the blurb,you'll see that Karl gets in touch with Fiorella's favourite author to help him with answering the questions Fiorella sets for him.But the blurb does not give away anything on the fact that the entire story was told from that author's point of view,and instead of focusing much on Karl and Fiorella's relationship,the story shows the blooming of Karl's friendship with the author with time,and how this chance meeting helps them to become each other's most trusted confidantes.Through their friendship,the real author,Aidan Chambers,gives a wonderful insight of the pain of losing someone close, but then eventually letting go and moving forward with your life.And of course,discovering new loved ones to fill in the gap for the ones you have lost.

This book is one of the most unique contemporaries I've ever read,one that made me feel happy and sad at the same time.It is one of those books which,without reading, would leave your life incomplete.If you're a consistent book lover then you'll definitely know what I'm talking about as you're bound to come across a book which made you feel this way.So don't even think about missing out on this book if you're a contemporary fan or better yet,even if you're not one.

Though since there is a bit of suicidal and sexual reference in the book I'd recommend it for older readers.


Other Reviews for this Book: 

Buried In Books
So Many Books,So Little Time
Rather Be Reading