>
David Levithan, the co-author of such books as Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares (reviewed on this blog), has produced something wonderful in The Lover’s Dictionary.
This book is the tale of two lovers told through a series of definitions arranged in alphabetical order, not chronological order. Their story is revealed in the way that people have to learn about each other, through snippets exposed over time in conversation and daily life.
As I was reading, I kept wanting to share particularly insightful, funny and well-written lines with the people around me. David Levithan has a wonderful gift with the English language that makes his writing a true pleasure to read. This is definitely a book I will be picking up to reread at some point in the near future.
Because there was rarely anyone around to share my favorite definitions with while I was reading, I will share a few short entries here.
autonomy, n.
“I want my books to have their own shelves,” you said, and that’s how I knew it would be okay to live together.
ineffable, adj.
These words will ultimately end up being the barest of reflections, devoid of the sensations words cannot convey. Trying to write about love is ultimately like trying to have a dictionary represent life. No matter how many words there are, there will never be enough.
