One word: lukewarm. (Contains spoiler)Beautifully written, Pages for You could have been quite a brutally realistic romance crafted with the omniscient fluidity of Brownrigg's writing; sadly, it wasn't for me. Though given a charming narrative with particularly gorgeous scenes, I couldn't shake the fact that I absolutely hated the ending. It wasn't the fact that Anne ended up with the surprisingly perfecto Jasper who we learn 'had a place' in Anne all along that could not be filled by Flannery or the fact that it lacked in spontaneity or was deprived of some sort of climactic voluptuous rendezvous, it was the fact that it had to be a guy. It irked me because I felt it perpetuated the common misconception that women merely lust for one another when a guy isn't around and then resume to some form of male worship when they get back. It annoyed me a lot and although the ending was respectably simplistic it completely ruined it for me. Another thing that I wasn't fond of: Flannery. Generally, I have this idea that there are some protagonists in Lit that are their story and there are others that are used for their story...and I felt Flan fell into the latter category. I didn't like her at all. After I finished the book I concluded merely that a) she was pretty and that b) she was in love with Anne. That was all. I understand that she was trying to 'find herself' but I would've liked her to have just a little bit more of a personality than just some pretty college girl who we know could have any guy she wants yet is (or is not?) a lesbian who seems to care little for anyone else but Anne. Brownrigg's writing is worth one of those 3 stars, nonetheless. Some scenes she transcribes in a kind of 'watercolour fashion' i.e, in a very delicately exquisite way. It's likely I'm just being really picky but I couldn't help noticing faults here and there (and hating myself for it at the same time). It's still quite a nicely told story and I did swoon over certain snippets (hehe). To prove it I'll finish with some of my favourite quotes/parts in the tale: "I'd like to pay your palms the same favor that you pay these pages, searching them for grooves and images and the secret signs of hunger, as you may scan these words for hidden messages. The lines of your hand might be a guide to your gifts for pleasure, or a clue to where you'll take me, or a map of where I might take you.""But sleeping: that was a new intimacy altogether and one Flannery often could not believe she shared. It was a secret, wasn't it? Sleeping? What a person looked like when they couldn't help it; what that defenselessness might suggest; what revelations might be conveyed by that loosened, floppy shape, in the unintended words or murmurs of the dreamer?"*"If she did believe in souls (maybe, who knew, it was something she'd have to grow up a little to form an opinion on), she would say that Anne's spoke to her through her eyes."**"It is an old story. One of the oldest. They would not have had to travel so far just to learn it: Lust—open, naked lust—must be named and punished. How else can we hope to keep the world in order?" *I never did find that song 'about a woman who learns of her lover's infidelities from the endearments he speaks in his sleep.' If anyone knows I'd be thankful if they told me. **Basically this whole paragraph about her eyes and how she could never describe them. I spent the whole section aww-ing.
I’ve heard buzz about this book all over the place, good reviews at that, and feedback that it would “ruin my life.”It did. In the most glorious way.I seldom read romance novels but this one really exceeded my expectations. Brownrigg narrated it in such a poetic manner and in such a rich prose. Narrated from the point of view of a young Flannery, showing us a different side of relationships and allows us to reminisce on our firsts. Every word and item symbolizes something deeper than it originally appeared, affecting each character in such a significant way: the books, the emotions felt by both characters (more evidently Flannery’s) and the words spoken in their minds that never made it out of their mouths. Both characters affected and influenced each other in such an illustrious manner. Within the 3 parts of the book, we see a different Flannery, a different Anne (though she remains sexy the whole book like DAYUM). The little moments of bliss between the two lovers, like the make up game agh so cute and the little geeky talks they have about books and authors, made me love this book. Paying attention to the little things, cherishing and remembering them.The ending was quite rapid. It was kind of like, wait what just happened? Most everything in part 3 happened so fast because *spoiler* ok so Anne moved away and Flannery was alone for a while and she flew to her and they broke up because of a past love coming their way JUST. LIKE. THAT. I know it’s pretty cliche to say that I wanted them to stay together though, in the back of my mind, I didn’t think it would last because of the age gap and their differences but why end it like that?! Although I like the part when they were laying together and that Anne was feeling so much love for her still but not love love cry. The part after the break up scene has to be my favorite. Flannery walking through the campus, as she did before the love, before the heartbreak, before Anne. It was a new beginning for Flannery: the experienced, bruised and battered Flannery. She had grown but not entirely changed.I give this book a 8/10★★★★★★★★☆☆
Do You like book Pages For You (2002)?
I hesitated between 3 and 4 stars because Pages For You is a odd one for me.When I started reading it I could not put it down and the way the narrative was constructed made it even harder to put it down.The writing style was fluid, quite poetic and really engaging. I really liked how honest the love story was and beautiful in a straighforward way.I loved how Flannery never once question why she is attrated to Anne but simply embrace it, I think it is quite refreshing.However, their relationship was sad quite melancholic; you could feel a sort of lingering regret throughout the story but that was not the point, it was about Flannery's first love, how Anne will ever be that person.Yet, whilst reading Pages For You, I felt a sort of estrangement from the story, as if I was kept at a distance and even if I wanted I could not go closer. Consequently, I felt like I did not really cared or feel any kind of attachment to Flannery or even Anne and I like to care at least one character when I read. It made the reading quite odd but I still enjoyed reading it.
—Manika
This is the story of someone who fell in love, not only with another human being, but also with herself. This is a self-discovery journey, a journey that teaches that with wonder comes loss, and that with sadness comes happiness. There are ups and downs, there are smiles and tears. In the end? It will be worth it. No matter how much it seems to hurt at the beginning, there will come a time in life when you will sit and smile at the memories from the moments that broke you into thousands of different tiny pieces. Those moments, those memories, those pieces... they are whoever you have become.This book is just beautiful. You too fall in love, you too start reading the signs... and they will break you... into tears, into smiles... What else could you really ask for?Still don't think that 17 is the appropriate age for Flannery, but reading this book was an absolute pleasure.
—Maria
This is such a great book, yet at the same time I almost felt like I didn't want to read it. Not in the way of not wanting to read the book- you really didn't want to put it down, but in the way of not wanting to near the thing that you knew would come; from page one I knew I didn't want to get to the ending. Pages for you is, after all, pages that have been written after the relationship took place, and the lover who is, in this case, Flannery's muse is now married to another. The first few pages I was reading in anticipation. I wanted to mentally prepare myself for the uninventable at the end of this book. You might say that I wanted to resist the temptation of falling in love, but the book doesn't let you. It creeps up on you, slowly, then ends up catching you in its web. The writing style alone can take up half of the credit for this. The way it has been written and the way the story slowly unfolds and drags you along with it... it is like a drug, the way love can be and then- god, I fell in love the way Flannery did. When you read this book you start living in two different worlds; your own and in hers and I dare say I might have felt it having an actual effect on my life. There was no way for me to stop reading these pages. All of it, the entire book sent me through a rollercoaster of feelings. The insecurity, joy, happiness, excitement, feelings of safety, love... yes, the 'love'.Okay, so here's a slight warning: this book will wreck you.What I really liked about this book and the characters is that the story progresses around them and that Flannery and Anne are direct influences to one another. They change and grow according to one another. There is especially noticeable change within Flannery; at the end of the novel, she has grown without entirely changing. I think this is exactly the way we 'grow' in real life. We experience and learn new things, but at our core, we remain ourselves. Another thing I'd like to praise the book for is that, although it is about two female's falling in love, they do not refer to themselves as lesbians or give themselves some other kind of label. They are simply loving each other and that is all that seems to matter.All in all, I don't think this book is supposed to be about anyone other than Flannery. We are experiencing her world which has been portrayed in a 'realistic' way. Realistic because once you fall in love the way she does, this is indeed all your world is about; it is centered around just the two of you. Perhaps I like this book so much because it is very relatable for me, but it is no doubt a great book without it having to relate to you too. This is the one book I would recommend to anyone even though I know not everyone can possibly like it. I love it and I hate it but it is so incredibly good. It is and will stay on my favorite shelf forever.
—Malou
