| Title | : | This Is Not a Love Story |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0349001405 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780349001401 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 352 |
| Publication | : | First published May 7, 2015 |
In Amsterdam she meets moody, unpredictable Ethan, and clever, troubled Theo. Two enigmatic boys, who each harbour their own secrets. In a beautiful city and far from home, Kitty finds herself falling in love for the first time.
But will love be everything she expected? And will anyone's heart survive?
This Is Not a Love Story Reviews
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“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”
----Anaïs Nin
Keren David, a Dutch writer, has penned an uplifting tale about three teenagers set in Amsterdam in her book, This is Not a Love Story. This book explores the relationship of two individuals who move to Amsterdam and meet with another boy who changes their life completely. This book is going to remind you of The Fault in Our Stars a lot, as it is written is similar prose and offers lot of TFIOS kinda moments that are really enthralling to read about.
Synopsis:
Kitty dreams of a beautiful life, but that's impossible in suburban London where her family is haunted by her father's unexpected death. So when her mum suggests moving to Amsterdam to try a new life, Kitty doesn't take much persuading. Will this be her opportunity to make her life picture perfect?
In Amsterdam she meets moody, unpredictable Ethan, and clever, troubled Theo. Two enigmatic boys, who each harbor their own secrets. In a beautiful city and far from home, Kitty finds herself falling in love for the first time.
But will love be everything she expected? And will anyone's heart survive?
Kitty, a high school teenager, and her mother moves to Amsterdam from London after her father's death. Kitty was not that reluctant to not to go with this sudden change. Theo is another high school teenager, who moves From London to Amsterdam to his cousin's home after his father send him away on the pretext of his mother's illness and mostly because of his indiscretion. Ethan is a senior year teenager who likes to live life on the edge and loves to speak his mind and is a resident of Amsterdam. Kitty meets Ethan through his father as Kitty's mother and Ethan's father are friends! Kitty instantly feel that she could invest her feelings on this guy, but after Theo's arrival she falls head over heels in love with him. Unfortunately Theo has a secret that is way too dear to him and he might not be just ready to fall in love with Kitty. Will Kitty's weak heart be able to handle so much heart-drama?
The story is not a love story but certainly a messed up love drama where each confused guy is running after and breaking hearts of one another. The author's writing style is articulate and expressive and properly layered with both funny as well as emotional moments. The narrative is engaging and inspired from reality. Moreover the story is told from Kitty and Theo's POV thus letting us see into the minds of these two teenagers. The pacing of the book is medium as there are some parts which drags a little bit.
The story line may not be that unique but the setting is seriously arresting with all those intricate detailing about Amsterdam's each and every streets to canals to the must see destinations to the culture to the language to the food to every tiny details. The readers' are really in for a treat when they read this book as Amsterdam comes alive and for me it felt like I was transported instantly to that place. The picture of Amsterdam is vividly painted by the author.
The characters are quite realistic and well-crafted. Kitty felt quite mature considering her young age, maybe mostly due to her illness of having a weak heart. Kitty's demeanor evolves once she lands into Amsterdam and after meeting Theo she could not quite make her heart understand to not to fall for this guy. What I did not like about her is her indifference towards Ethan, she must let go of certain things to realize that her boyfriend is also confused at the head. Ethan is the broody and carefree guy who is exploring his sexuality an d goes through lot of changes all through out the story. Theo is smart but he too is caught between the likes of Kitty and Ethan at the same time trying to say goodbye to his past love. All the three characters had some stories of their own to keep the readers engaged and rooting for them till the very end.
The supporting characters from Ethan's friends to the parents are also well-developed. The story is centered around a love-triangle but this is not a typical three-way love story, instead it has an intricate drama. The story focuses manly on the questions of sexuality of a teenager, how they remain so confuse about it, how they figure it out, how they deal with it, all these situations are sensitively handled as well as projected by the author.
Overall, this is a motivating teenage drama that explores some modern day social issues instead of being too cheesy or romantic and not to mention there is Amsterdam in the story.
Verdict: An enriching, touching as well as entertaining story of teenage friendships, Amsterdam and a lot!
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Keren David, for giving me an opportunity to read and review her book. -
4.5 Stars
3 Reasons I Loved 'This is Not a Love Story':
The setting is beautiful
I absolutely loved the setting of This is Not a Love Story. It is set in Amsterdam and it was so immersive and gorgeous and has made me want to visit the city again as soon as possible! There are a lot of little authentic touches that make it so easy to picture the streets the characters are wandering through. I really can't praise it enough; I would recommend reading the story for the setting alone. But there are lots of other great things too!
The portrayal of sexuality
This was an unexpected twist in the story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Kitty meets two boys when she arrives in Amsterdam: Ethan and Theo. On first impressions, Ethan is the dark, moody and mysterious type whilst Theo is more upbeat and incredibly clever. Kitty is attracted to both boys and we follow her growing feelings and expectations as she embarks on a relationship. There is a twist in this love triangle, however, and I really loved the exploration of sexuality by all three characters as they try to figure out how they feel and question things they thought they knew about themselves. It is quite rare to wholly like all love interests in a book but I really did. I loved that they each have their own story and issues and that they are all given ample exploration.
The writing
This is the first of Keren David's books that I have read but it certainly won't be my last as the writing is so good. I loved the way the story was told in three parts and that each character is given their own story and voice. I also like that social media was incorporated as it helps with a realistic representation of who these teens are (and that not everyone is an active user). Friendships, sexuality and religion are all treated with an equal amount of care which made for an incredibly enjoyable read. -
Aww. What a great story. Fallen in love with Amsterdam all over again!
This Is Not A Love Story by Keren David was a really amazing read. I knew it would be. I've previously read and loved every book by Keren David and she has quickly become a favourite author.
Briefly, This Is Not A Love Story, is about three main characters. Kitty and THeo are both Londoners who have recently moved to Amsterdam and meet each other at school and meet each other and also, Ethan, this rather moody boy. This is a story about finding that place to belong about friendship and family and about falling in love.
Instead of doing a more traditional review for this book, I thought instead I might give you this list.
5 Reasons I Love and Recommend This Is Not A Love Story by Keren David
1. Keren's writing style
As I said, I'm a huge fan of Keren David's stories. I've read every book she's published and I've loved each of them for very different reasons. The thing that ties all of the stories together is Keren's unique writing style that pulls strands of everything together to form this wonderful story. This is a great story about friendship and family and religion and sexuality with a great setting but woven together with all of these different things is emotion and honesty and there's just something about the way the author tells this story that makes me believe every word and makes me feel strongly about the characters and their relationships to each other.
2. Jewishness
I absolutely adored the mention of the Jewish religion in this book. I don't come across many references to Jewish people or Jewish customs and holidays in a lot of the YA that I read so it was absolutely refreshing to have religion play a significant part of the story, especially one that I know very little about. I specifically loved focus on the experiences of North London Jewish people and how this community is so significant. I loved how each of the characters has her/his own take on the Jewish religion: Kitty wants to escape the fishbowl effect of being part of this community, Theo embraces it and Ethan feels on the outside of it all.
3. Sexuality
While I think there is a great deal of falling in love in this story, it's worth bearing in mind that as the title suggests, this is not a love story! The way in which sexuality is explored is included as one of my reasons for loving this book so much is because I really did enjoy the twist given to the love triangle trope. I also just loved the way in which new relationships are described just in general. Kitty in particular is very open to speculating on how she should be feeling as she begins a new relationship with Theo and exploring her own thoughts and feelings about previous expectations compared to how she is feeling. And the same goes for Theo as he questions his own changing ideas of his sexuality and how he feels about Ethan.
4. Social media
I feel like sometimes authors have this fear of including popular culture into their stories. There is, I'm assuming, the fear that inclusion of such things in stories will date a novel far quicker than omitting such things entirely. Personally, I find that including such things as YouTube and Instagram, the way in which Keren David did in This Is Not A Love Story, causes me, as a social media addict, to enjoy the story on another level. And at the same time as being very on point with the times, I loved the way in which Kitty begins to examine her social media presence and the way in which she feels it necessary to always put her best face forward and always portray herself and her life in the best possible way. I think this goes back to expectations that I brought up previously and I think it's a very clever way of exploring the idea of identity and how things like social media have an impact on one's idea of self.
5. Amsterdam
Most of all, more than any other reason in this list, one of the biggest reasons I love and recommend This Is Not A Love Story is that it feels so much like a love letter to Amsterdam. I've been to Amsterdam, and recently, and after reading the descriptions of Amsterdam in this book I felt like I could close my eyes and be transported right back to Amsterdam. Keren David really brought the atmosphere of Amsterdam to life in this story. And it is very clear from the way she writes about the place that Amsterdam must hold a special place for Keren David. It really shines through and makes me want to immediately book a ticket to return! -
I would like to give a big thank you Atom Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this great novel out on 7th May 2015.
I tend to do a lot of things backwards, so instead of going for the first novel Keren David wrote, I decided to remain true to myself and discover her by reading her 6th publication. This novel is also my next stop on my journey to read more UKYA this year, and believe me, it did not disappoint.
As the title indicates, this book is not a love story but rather the tale of three young adults trying to find themselves by adjusting to new circumstances in a big city.
Let’s meet Kitty first, witty and beautiful young lady who leaves London for Amsterdam to follow her mother. It is a move away from everything and everyone she knows motivated by a career opportunity it seems…Of Course, Kitty is not convinced, however she is determined to make it work to make her mother happy.
Theo will be the next one making the same trip, a punishment from his parents, he feels is totally unjustified and a complete disproportionate reaction to a situation only he can understand.
Ethan by contrast, who is also from the UK, already lives in Amsterdam and is biding his time, waiting to reach his eighteenth birthday so that he can be free of the parent he feels he does not need.
Our three protagonists will take that journey of self-discovery that most young people of their age embark on finding rather unexpected turns along the way.
I personally have not been to Amsterdam and if any of you picked up on any of my comments during my read, it is very apparent:). Out of all the things that this city has to offer, I am still baffled by the “multi storey bike park”!!!
However, what I enjoyed the most in this novel is the ability of the author to immerse the reader through her writing, in a culture and setting perfect to approach matters such as love, death, religion and even homosexuality. Matters that are seen through the eyes of growing young adults that are sensitive and are a big deal.
This first read of the Keren David bibliography has certainly made me curious about her other works and I will definitely pick a few of her novels.
I will gladly recommend this book to all! -
ah!! the sweet bitter time being young. full of adventure and chances. falling in love without knowing what is love. carefree and be young.
the sweet joy of falling in love, the heart break over stupid careless love. what an adventure.
this book is about that bitter sweet. friends, family and.... young stupid careless love. -
I received a copy of this via ATOM's Atomic readers system in exchange for an honest review-
Firstly, this is a book made for those who loved Anna and the French Kiss, Girl Online and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.
The title straight away makes me think that the author has tried to be clever and hide a love story. I thought it was cheesy and a bit blasé. But after reading it...oh my god! It was such a clever title! I applaud Keren David for this! The story is dived into 3 parts. Now, then and after.
Now, starts off with one of our main voices, Theo waking up to discover that the other main voice, Kitty, is missing. The initial panic I was feeling for this character quickly dropped when I turned the page to ‘Part Two- Then’. The panic left me and I was diving straight into Kitty and Theo who were new to Amsterdam (not to mention the introduction of Ethan) and forgetting about Kitty’s disappearance. Throughout the story Kitty is unsure of her feelings alike with Theo, but Ethan is thrown into the mix and I was left wondering just who this ‘love story’ was really about.
The writing was quick and easy to fall in love with. I adored the story and read it in one sitting, even marking my favourite points with post-it’s which I never do! I will be re-reading this book soon as well as picking up another one of Keren’s books soon. -
This was a really nice story to read! Not as soppy as some contemporaries, but still really cute and fun. I love how everything is not-perfect, a bit messy and confusing sometimes, but that is just how life can be so I really liked that in this book.
About the ending: Of course it is fun that the ending is very happy for everyone and everyone is partying together etcetera. But, I would have loved the ending even more if some people could part from each other and that it is still alright. You don't have to end up in one big happy group to have good closure over a story or over things that happened.
But I have to admit that I really like those endings because that is how life can be as well and I think that that would have suited this book even more, but this is not a bad ending and I think most people prefer this ending over 'mine' :) -
This book was like a breath of fresh air. It was so completely different to anything I’ve ever read and I completely fell in love with it.
The first thing about this book that made me fall in love with it was the fact that it was set in Amsterdam. I have always been fascinated by Amsterdam so reading a whole book that was set there was amazing. Along the course of the novel, I learned a lot about the city and I felt like I was there in a way.
The next thing about this book that made me fall in love with it was the fact that the characters were all so raw and realistic.
Read more of my review at:
https://thereadingfangirl.wordpress.c... -
'This Is Not A Love Story'. Hmmm. Isn't it?
I didn't go into this book with particularly high expectations, so I can't say I'm disappointed with it. The story sounded slightly dull, but I kept an open mind.
I liked the setting. I've always wanted to go to Amsterdam. I liked how Kitty was optimistic about moving. It certainly made a change from the typical "my parents are making me move to this wasteland and I miss my friends and my boyfriend and my spot in the posh cafe in town and HEY HES CUTE I LOVE THIS PLACE!"
So yeah. Cute setting. Unusual premise. BUT.
Kitty's obsession with Instagram was really, really annoying. Social media just doesn't belong in novels. I don't mind the occasional reference, but it seemed like Keren David was desperately trying to make the story current and modern. People reading this book in five years could well be like someone reading about a Bebo addict today. Dated.
Kitty's filter fondness made her seem narcissistic and conceited. I couldn't quite decide whether she actually was or not. I mean, let's be honest, we've all looked at a beautiful sky and thought about how many likes it would get, but I for one tend to snap out of it pretty quickly. Her constant selfies and descriptions of watching the likes 'flood in' was irritating and cheapened the story. It seemed like a gimmick to make the story hip.
Another way David tried to get down with the cool kids was the theme of bisexuality. Was it just me, or did it almost seem like she was poking fun at it? She talks about how bisexuality is 'really in at the moment' and how 'everyone in Amsterdam is trying it'. I'm not bi, but I know that that's the exact image that bisexuals are trying to get rid of! She makes bisexuality out to be an experiment, something to do if you're bored with heterosexuality, and again, it made the story seem really cheap.
And finally, the love. It's true, This Is Not A Love Story is not a love story, but we don't realise this (nor do the characters) until the last chapters! The whole novel revolves around Kitty looking for love, thinking she could fall in love with Ethan, thinking she is in love with Theo, Theo thinking he is in love with Sophie, etc etc. It was kind of repetitive and made all the characters seem really naive.
So, overall, This Is Not A Love Story thought it was a love story, and also thought it was really cool when it wasn't. The story had a lot of potential, but I didn't think it delivered. 2.4 stars. -
I absolutely LOVED this book. It's the first book by Keren David that I have read and I'll definitely be reading others now. I love the Amsterdam setting and I also loved the story, which took off in some really unexpected directions. I'm normally a horror-and-crime sort of reader but I became so interested in what was going to happen between Kitty, Theo and Ethan that I absolutely devoured this book! Recommended.
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Review to come.
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Kitty has the chance to start over, to reinvent herself, when her mother accepts a job in Amsterdam. She doesn't want to be the frail girl any longer, the person who needs to be looked after. Her new identity works and she makes friends pretty easily. Ethan is the son of a very dear friend of Kitty's mother. He's unpredictable and shows Kitty how it is to be fearless. He's a big flirt and doesn't take things too seriously. Theo is badly damaged by an affair that went wrong. He's still pining for the one he loves who is currently out of reach. He's in Amsterdam because his family sent him away. When he meets Kitty he finds someone he likes, someone he can talk to. She seems confident and experienced. Kitty has two great guys in her life now and she is falling in love, but is that really a wise thing to do?
This is Not a Love Story is an interesting story about living, love and life. Amsterdam is a fantastic setting and Keren David describes it really well. I loved seeing all the familiar places through her eyes. The main characters are fascinating. Kitty is an insecure girl who's trying to be more confident and more daring. She's still herself, but she tries to be a more outgoing version. She's strong and she's a bit naïve. She has health problems and she doesn't want any of her new friends to know about them. She wants people to see who she is without the label of being an ill person which is understandable and it makes a good story. Theo is in Amsterdam against his will. He's staying with a relative, because his parents sent him away. He worries about his mother, who's gravely ill, but he isn't allowed to be there for her. He's hurting and he's sad and he doesn't expect life in Amsterdam to bring him completely new experiences and a new version of himself. Ethan is a bit of a bad boy, but a very sensitive one. He isn't easy to read and always has a plan, to do something, to liven things up. He's talented, but doesn't know what to do with his future. They form an unusual group of friends and they're perfect main characters for this amazing story.
This is Not a Love Story is a story about finding yourself, about discovering who you are. Ethan is completely himself. He's bisexual and he flirts with everyone around him, but he doesn't let anyone come close. Kitty is intrigued by him, which adds to his image. He's also a little bit dangerous to be around. This story works so well because of the main characters. They're all from families with difficulties, they all have something to hide and they're trying to find their way in Amsterdam. Ethan is half Dutch and Kitty and Theo are English. For Kitty and Theo everything is new and it was wonderful to see them grow up really quickly. They discover a lot about themselves in a short period of time. That results in a surprising ending which I liked very much. I highly recommend this original book, it's really great. -
It's no secret that I love Keren David's books - I don't think there's any other author that nails the British teenage experience quite like she does. Although I've haven't reviewed it here, her previous book Salvage manages to balance realistic characters, engaging plot and heart-rending issues, something that I imagine is far trickier than it looks. I hate describing reads as 'issue' books, because it somehow feels like a disparaging comment rather than a compliment, with an automatic assumption that for a book to deal with tough or diverse issues, it has to sacrifice something in terms of plot or character. Ok, this has been true of some books but as This is Not a Love Story shows, just as Salvage did, it's more than possible to write about issues without sacrificing anything at all.
This where the similarities with Salvage end, however. Whereas that previous book put me through the emotional ringer by confronting some of the darker parts of society, This is Not a Love Story beams positivity and is one of the most refreshing books I've read in a long time. In fact, I can't think of anything it really falls into the same bracket as at all. Kitty's optimistic outlook on life is infectious and seeps through every page. I adored Kitty, but then I adored Theo and Ethan too - can't actually choose between them and wouldn't want to! This is the most realistic depiction of modern teens I've read in a long time - they're funny, emotional, they don't always have all the answers and they make mistakes, but then they move on. Their small expat community reminded me a lot of my gap year interactions many moons ago - you arrive in a new place, you fall in with a group and you get along with people no matter what your differences.
This is the first YA book I've read about Judaism and I loved the way it was presented as both a uniting force and common ground between Kitty and Theo, but also showed how religion isn't one dimensional - their upbringings had more differences than they did similarities and this connection wasn't the be all and end for them. Also, a shout out to the structure of the story - the added element of mystery ensured this a proper, bonefide page turner.
So whereas This is Not a Love Story isn't a love story (or is it?...), this review definitely is - a love story between woman and book (imagine a heart emoji right here - I don't how to do one on my desktop, sorry). -
Vergeet de titel, want dit is wel degelijk een liefdesverhaal! Het is een verhaal waarin niet de hoofdpersoon, maar de lezer verliefd wordt; op de schrijfstijl, op de personages, op de originaliteit, op Amsterdam!
Echt een boek wat op iedere TBR zou moeten staan. Liefde voor dit boek. LIEFDE!!!
Uitgebreide review volgt z.s.m. op
http://NerdyMommy.nl -
I have been a fan of Keren David for a while. Her stories are always really engaging and I oten find myself reading them in one sitting because I can't put them down. This book was no exception.
I loved This is not a love story from the first page. for a variety of reasons.
Firstly it is one of those books that has made me to want to book a trip to the place where it is set for a holiday. This book is set in Amsterdam focusing particularly at the many British people that have made it their home. It describes Amsterdam as a really fascinating and beautiful city which I really want to go and explore now.
I loved the story of Kitty. Kitty is 16 and just moved to Amsterdam for a new start with her mother. From the first page you really feel for her. She has had it tough over the past few months and is in a really fragile state and going to Amsterdam really gives her a new lease of life and a chance to find out more about who she is without her past hanging over her.
This story has a bit of a love triangle thing going on without being the real focus of the book and I enjoyed that whilst it was part of the story it wasn't the be all and end all of the story. I also enjoyed that the love triangle wasn't a straight forward and featured a bisexual character. To my mind more diverse characters are so needed in YA fiction as role models for teens to tackle unhelpful stereotypes. The story itself had me hooked and I needed to know what was going to happen next.
All in all an awesome read which I would thoroughly recommend. -
4.5 stars, SUCH A GOOD BOOK!
Different cultures, LGBTQ+ characters, religion and different family lifestyles.. YAY FOR DIVERSITY IN YA FICTION :D And also a female protagonist who doesn't need a boyfriend to define her, booyah. I read this book in a day and really didn't want it to end. I love the characters. It also really made me want to visit Amsterdam again and appreciate the scenery :) I would definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a contemporary read. -
4.5
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I don't know why I expected this book to be a love story.
But I am glad it wasn't.
My reason for not giving the book more stars is that I didn't really care for any of the characters. I thought they all overreacted quite a bit to everything and their reasons for their actions just felt unnecessarily overdramatic.
I liked the plotstructure though, the way we starts after the big event, then go back to see everything that led up to that moment and then back to after it all happened to figure out exactly what had happened. (If that sounded confusing it is just because I'm trying to avoid spoilers).
I picked up the book at library simply because I wanted to read something light after I'd finished my BA project. I wanted something that didn't make my brain melt, something easy. This book was easily read, true, but at the same time, it wasn't. It was sort of a sad story really.
And in the end, it was a sort of love story anyway. Not with a happy fairytale-eqsue ending, not the way we usually picture a love story. It was a story about love, and especially when love messes up or gets messed up.
I just wished I'd cared what happened to the three main characters. -
Keren David’s Salvage was the dark horse of YA in 2014: a warm, diverse and powerful novel about friendship, family and facing your fears which fought off stiff competition to be nominated for the Carnegie Medal and the first ever YA Book Prize. It was one of my favourite books of the year, but it was a long wait for the awards explosion. In contrast, This Is Not a Love Story has arrived like a blockbuster, in a maelstrom of glitz, glamour and inevitably high expectations.
Written in a classic, accessible and sharp style, This Is Not a Love Story brims over with heart. As a book which features everything from love triangles and heartbreak, school scandals and sick lit, family ties and moving away, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s YA’s answer to a soap opera — but look deeper into the drama and this may be Keren David’s most important novel to date.
Read the full review here at Daisy Chain Book Reviews:
http://daisychainbookreviews.blogspot... -
I'm really conflicted with how to rate this book. Parts were cleverly executed, but others felt really childish and therefore unbelievable. I'm giving it a three because I read the whole thing and, for the most part enjoyed myself, but certain elements of the story really hindered my experience.
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Rep: male bi mcs
im so disappointed by the lack of polyamory -
3,5 ster (echt, soms heb je gewoon een halve ster nodig!)
wat ik leuk vond: het joodse element, en het feit dat Keren David haar best heeft gedaan om een verhaal te schrijven over het feit dat het echte leven niet volgens een formule verloopt.
wat ik minder leuk vond: er gebeurde heel weinig. ik voelde helemaal geen band met de personages. (en waarom heeft de schrijfster niemand gevraagd om het Nederlands te verbeteren?) -
{3.75/5}
Woah!The title of the book doesnt really define the book but it does at the same time.The Plot twist was shocking but kinda expected simultaneously. -
Cole deserved the word no one can change my mind
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This review was written for
The Review Diaries
You can read the full review
here
Thanks to Netgalley and Atom for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Sometimes a book will get a huge amount of love and you can see what everyone’s talking about. Sometimes everyone seems to hate it and yet you yourself absolutely loved it. And sometimes, everyone loves a book but when you read it you cannot understand what they saw in it. This is what happened when I read ‘This is Not a Love Story’. I had heard so many good things about it, and yes there were quite a few elements of the story that I did really enjoy, but on the whole I found it a really frustrating read. Where was the story that everyone was raving about? Had I just picked up the wrong book?
Let’s split it up into what I did and didn’t like. First off, I loved the setting. Ever since I moved abroad I’ve been finding myself drawn more frequently to books set aside the UK and the US, and ‘This is Not a Love Story’ focusing on a group of expats in Amsterdam was wonderful. I loved seeing the community, the exploration of a new city and the brief mentions about how an expat community forms – you never know who you might meet where, and you tend to become friends very quickly with those people who are also fish out of water in this new country. Amsterdam was described beautifully and it was just so refreshing to have such a different culture, setting and outlook for a book simply from a change of location.
I also loved that sexuality was explored and that the love triangle trope was turned on its head. This was definitely a novel that didn’t explore the stereotypical route – as it says in the title, this is not a love story – and it was definitely a refreshing change to see.
As well as sexuality, it was also wonderful to see a book that explored religion, with both the point of view characters coming from very different Jewish backgrounds. Religion is so often something that is ignored in YA, so it was great to have it be so smoothly interwoven with the plot, without taking over.
It was also great to see social media play an active role in the plot. So many books these days try to ignore social media, I think mostly in fear of it dating the story. But social media plays such a huge part in so many people’s lives that to ignore it is frustrating. It was wonderful to see Kitty’s Instagram and the way that reflects her outlook on the world, how she feels everything needs to be perfect and sharable was so relatable and it was great how she started to examine her social media presence.
However, despite all the things that I loved, there were still things that didn’t work for me and that’s what dragged it down in rating.
The first section of the novel ‘Now’ left me feeling incredibly confused, it was a bizarre opening section because it was attempting to create tension for the rest of the story but instead it just left me feeling bewildered. I didn’t know who these people were, I wasn’t connecting to them, and it felt like they were in their twenties which was very strange to then go back and realise that they were in fact 16/17.
The pacing was really off for me. The opening is a strange lead in and then we go back and find out all the backstory that leads up to that point and I found myself getting further and further into the novel and feeling like nothing was happening. Where was it going? These characters were interesting, sure, but not enough to really keep me hooked. They all come across as incredibly immature. Of them all Ethan was probably the most interesting, along with Kitty, but even they had their moments. I really couldn’t stand Theo and his storyline with Sophie. The age ranges of the characters felt like it was all over the place – feeling like they were in their 20s in the opening, then learning they’re 16/17, but then there are sections of the book where they all start acting so immaturely that it feels as though they are 12 or 13. There were whole swathes of dialogue and thought processes that my mind boggled over. Yes it’s been a while since I was 16, but I’m fairly sure neither I nor my friends did/said/thought like this.
So whilst there were a lot of positives and reasons why I loved this book, there were also a lot of things that frustrated me and made reading it quite a laborious process. -
'Most people went off to have a smoke or get a snack, but Kitty and I stayed in the classroom. She stood at the window, looking out at the sparkling canal, the dancing, shiny leaves on the trees, the rows of houses on the other side, each one so similar yet utterly different.'
✮✮✮✮ 4 stars!
Well this was a rollercoaster ride! A pretty rollercoaster with pretty houses and flowers and quaint folk riding bicycles. And the odd hooker. Kind of reminded me of the series Skins.
After I finished reading, I had to leave a break before writing a review so that I could gather my thoughts together because when i put the book down i was just a mixture of WTF! and Aww and everything in between.
During that break I thought about the characters and how they're about 16/17 years old, and then I compared myself now to the characters, and then my 16 year old self to the characters. The 16 year old self totally understood the raw emotions and drama that these kid go through in the book- so step back old Katherine and see the world through a teenagers eyes again!
This is a fresh book full of variety! There's Jewish faith, Danish traditions, London backgrounds, bisexuality, girl power. I just love that about this book. Unlike other YA's, it really captures the reality of the 21st century. Especially Kitty noticing a picturesque scene and thinking it would look great on her Instagram!
One of the main things that stood out to me in this book was the depth of the characters. They really feel like people I actually know now as they all had their own stories, and background, thoughts and feelings. They had flaws and successes, made mistakes but got back up again, learnt lessons and messed up all over again. At times I really felt Kitty was a complete idiot, Ethan was a twat, and Theo was lacking any common sense, but then I remembered they are just young and they're being as spontaneous and silly and making as many mistakes as I did at that age!
Another thing that was great about this book (gosh im full of praises today), was that it was full of surprises! I really wasn't sure what was coming at any point and it was never predictable what would be happening on the next page. Really kept me reading as I wanted to find out more about the characters and see how they grow in the space of time.
The only reason that I haven't given this a full 5 stars is because the ancient 21 year old me found this book aimed at a younger audience and didn't really get all the drama (although was happy when Kitty's older sister basically sat her down and told her to calm the fuck down and stop obsessing over boys because there are way more important things like HOW MAGNIFICENT YOU ARE. You tell 'em sister.) This book is definitely worth a read- if not just to enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of Amsterdam!
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I adored this book. It was just fantastic.
What I really enjoyed about this book is the description of Amsterdam. About all the places there and it really has made me want to go visit Amsterdam.
The story starts off with it being after, Kitty has disappeared and everyone is looking for her as something had happened between her and Theo. That is what got me intrigued by the book, what happened to her, what had gone on in earlier events...
We meet Kitty, her father had died when she was 5 because of a heart problem which she also has, she lives with her mother and she has been offered a job in Amsterdam and she and Kitty go to start new. They stay with Kittys mum's friend Paul and his son Ethan. Ethan is very quite and doesn't really speak to his father a lot, his mother is always out of the picture doing work around the world.
Then we have Theo who was made to go to Amsterdam by his parents for a certain reason. He goes to stay with his cousin and his new wife. Him and Kitty meet at a school they have in Amsterdam and instantly become friends.
I loved the character of Kitty, she wants what's best for her mother, she loves taking photos and becomes instantly famous on the web because of her pictures on instagram etc. She was just a very enjoyable character and I loved reading about her and her adventures.
Theo is a boy who made a stupid decision back in the UK and is trying to get over it in Amsterdam. Sometimes he did annoy me but other than that I did like him a lot.
Ethan is 18, bisexual, quite but can also be very chatty towards Kitty and her friends. He has some social problems but other than that I really did love Ethan. I felt sorry for him as his dad did really try to be there for him and his mother made no impact on his life since she was gone all the time.
I remember reading this on the book to work and towards the ending, finding out what happened to Kitty and why she ran away had be shouting 'Oh my god' on the bus. I got some looks but I just couldn't help my self.
I was not expecting what happened to happen but it made me love this story even more.
All in all I absolutely loved this story. I couldn't put it down once and it was just brilliant. Keren has such a way with writing that had me gripped from the very beginning.
I would like this to be a movie now, I would also like to play Kittys big sister.
Just saying. -
I should've seen it coming.... It is called This Is Not A Love Story, so I should've known that it wasn't going to work out for all three of them. I found this book in the library and it was brand new, which made me very happy because the English books section in my library is very small and there's barely any new stuff in it.
Here are the things I loved:
1) It was pretty diverse.
2) Kitty has heart problems, Ethan has, in a way, special needs, Theo is very Jewish. These are topics you rarely find in YA love stories.
3) Dutch culture. As someone who is dutch, I loved reading this. I was outraged when Kitty suggested wearing a helmet while biking, I liked it how Ethan pronounced Theo's voice, "klopt" in such a sarcastic way of saying it. Aaaaaah.
4) The dutch language. I'm not that fond of this language, that's also why I stopped reading dutch books years ago, but just little dutch words in a sentence... LOVING IT. Also, the fact that I understood it is so fun, because that's not supposed to happen (see Ethan confessing his love in Dutch, and Theo not getting it. WELL I DID!!!)
5) Queer characters. I saw it coming because my library slip said it, but still.
6) "This is not a love story, it's a story about life."
Now, sadly, the things that made me give this 4 stars instead of 5:
1) "BISEXUALITY IS A TREND LOOOOOL" Like... When Ethan said he was bi, I was so happy, because we need more of that. I should've seen the biphobia coming then, because we can't have nice things.
2) Zwarte Pieten discussion. Not because I'm all "IT ISN'T RACIST!!" because I get where they're coming from (and by doing that I basically betrayed my entire country woops), but I'm just tired of that discussion. Also, how right you might be/feel, you. Do. Not. Interrupt. De. Intocht.
3) Dutch language. Yes, I put that on the other list too, but some parts were so inaccurate that I started to wonder if they did this on purpose. "Susje" is "zusje", "schaatje" is "schatje", "ik houw van jou" made me cringe, because it's "ik hou(d) van jou". Was this Amsterdam dialect? Does that exist? In the acknowledgments, David wrote that she had help. From who????
4) The big reveal. The fact that it was actually the girls playing the boys instead of Kitty going missing wasn't cool.
After all, I still liked it, so I'd recommend. -
Review: Kitty and Theo have recently moved to Amsterdam. Kitty's mother's boyfriend's son is Ethan. The three of them must deal with falling in love, keeping secrets from each other, and getting through life.
I wanted to read this because it kept getting flagged up in chats for featuring bisecusl boys, and I'd been meaning to read things by Keren for a long time. Keren reading short story from Ethan's viewpoint made me want to know more about him and therefore I started on this.
It did seem a bit wandering regarding Kitty and Ethan's story, to start with (probably because I'm generally less interested in people working out who they like until there's bigger conflicts involved). I did like seeing the development of Theo's relationship with Sophie, which is told partially by flashback partially in the present too. I also liked seeing all the relationship strands between Kitty, Theo and Ethan converge and how that all panned out. The building and breakdown of relationships in this book are tumultuous, but good to read about.
I really enjoyed reading about different cultures - Jewish and Dutch. I especially liked that Keren provided characters with different attitudes to aspects of their culture, offering a range of characters within such an under-represented group.
The side characters made a good group. My favourite was Rachel, Kitty's sister, who was funny, and a good support for Kitty.
There's a lot of things our main trio have to deal with. Family relationships, working out friendships, health issues, fitting in when moving abroad... A lot is happening here, and I quite liked seeing how Theo and Kitty fit in after the move.
Part one is the climatic event, part two is before, part three is after. I liked this structure, as it catches your attention immediately, and establishes characters.
I loved the ending. Kitty's discussion with her friends is good for reminding all of us of some lessons in life. Characters' justifications for the way they wanted things were realistic, especially Ethan's (last paragraphs of chapter 44) and while the strands unpacked within the novel are tied up, there's still an openendedness for the future.
Overall:
Strength 4 tea to a story that is not about love, but is about relationships, romantic, familial, and friendshippy, and overall about life.
