April & Oliver

I loved this book for several reasons but I especially appreciated the tenderness. incisiveness, and care the author used to reach down deep into the long loving friendship between two very different people who have one thing in common; they love each other without necessarily knowing it. As the author Sally Rooney often does the author was remarkably patient while putting the delicate pieces of the plot puzzle together while turning these two protagonists into living, breathing characters who stay with the reader long after the final page. I am surprised the novel is not a bestseller. It certainly should be.

APRIL & OLIVER by Tess Callahan is just a marvelous book written by a very gifted writer. It is basically the story of April and Oliver who meet up after many years after the sudden death of April's younger brother. As children, April and Oliver were extremely close and knew each other better than anyone; however, during their separation, they didn't stay in touch and eventually grew apart. This book is, without a doubt, a character-driven novel; and I found all of the characters to be very real as well as very complicated. The reader can't help but be touched by the pain that both April and Oliver have in their lives. Because this novel was so beautiful, I found myself reading it slowly and appreciating each and every page. I think another reason that I wasn't able to breeze through this book was because I found the story to be just gut-wrenching. I loved both April and Oliver (even when I wanted to just shake some sense into them) but they were both so unhappy and even self-destruction in so many ways. I had a difficult time with many of their actions (especially April's); and yet, I still became caught up in their lives and kept holding out hope that they would find some happiness. The book is just incredibly well written; and it's very hard to believe that it is Ms. Callahan's debut novel. I was a little disappointed to find this out because I wanted to go back and read her prior books and now I just have to wait for her next one. Her prose is just exquisite and her dialogue is spot on. I can't get over how well she developed the characters in this book. They were all flawed and their interactions were complicated, but I felt as if I knew them by the end of this book. One thing about this book that made it so very special to me was the ending -- I thought it was just perfect. I don't want to give anything away, but the ending did cause me to think a great deal about April and Oliver and what potentially happened to each of them. On the BlogTalk Radio show, I actually asked the author what she thought happened after the book ended; and I absolutely loved her answer. I'm paraphrasing, but here's the gist: "I have no idea and didn't really think about it. The characters were done telling their story to me." As a non-writer, I am just amazed by that answer, but I think it's so telling about the type of writer Ms. Callahan is. I highly recommend APRIL & OLIVER as a book club pick. As I mentioned earlier, this book is very character driven so there is naturally a great deal to discuss about April and Oliver as well as their relationships. I was so excited to find this reading guide with 25 excellent discussion questions. In addition, there is also a reading guide for APRIL & OLIVER and THE POWER OF KNOW by Eckart Tolle that has ten more questions. A lot of the questions posed allow you to discuss the characters in this novel, but you can also touch upon the themes of loss, guilt, and forgiveness. It truly is a wonderful discussion book!

"April and Oliver" is a lovely, elegant novel, with raw moments tempered by some beautifully rendered prose and characters that could easily have been cliches, but emerge as complex, fascinating human beings. The plot here is perhaps nothing new to avid readers of this type of character-driven fiction. April and Oliver may be in love and destined to be together or they may be each other's foils and therefore only necessary to each other in their individual process of achieving self actualization. Just when the novel suggests these two need each other to heal themselves, it will veer into a different direction that makes it seem as if April and Oliver both need to break ties permanently if they are to be happy in their skin. The end result is that it's almost impossible to know if we should root for these two to end up together or hope they break free of each other forever. And therein lies the key to enjoying this novel. It's best not to approach it with the desire to be given a clear-cut, uncomplicated, and romantic ending. While I do personally think the author dropped enough clues throughout the novel to suggest that the characters would ultimately end up together, the story is really about self-discovery. Traditional romantics drawn to this novel because of the emphasis on love and yearning in the description might therefore find this a frustrating read. All others, I think, will enjoy Tess Callahan's ability to give all her characters--including the supporting ones like T.J., Al, and Quincy--a fully fleshed out existance that makes you appreciate shades of gray.

How a mother of twins had time to write this novel is BEYOND ME! This book came recommended based upon my reaction to Follow Me. This novel is similar in the way that there is a sadness that shadows its main characters and you realize that it is only within their grasp for them to move out of the shadows and into the light. Both April and Oliver need a transformation. They need to accept their truths. But, sometimes the "broken" take a much longer road to finding self-acceptance or self-love. April and Oliver cannot deny the truths within them just as they cannot deny the air they breathe. Everybody can see them, but they just can't see to see themselves. I found myself completely engrossed in this read. The character development was excellent and the storyline kept me engaged the entire time. I can relate to characters like April and Oliver. The way they think makes sense to me and I can feel for them in such a way that their hardship is part of their beauty. Callahan did a fantastic job with the surrounding characters Al, Nana, Bernadette, and T.J. Each of them I see in my mind's eye as clear as day. On Sher's "Out of Ten Scale:" I've learned a lot lately about how absolutely subjective reading is. Two people will read this book and not walk away with the same impression of it. Words of a well written book truly are art. When an author is able to tell a story in such a way that you feel connected to the characters and you find yourself caring about their outcome, then the author has done his/her job. Callahan did her job well with April & Oliver. For me, a GREAT LOVER OF FICTION, there is nothing greater for me than a story that sweeps me away into another world. April & Oliver has done that for me. In my opinion, Tess Callahan wrote a poignant, heartbreaking tale of redemption that I will rate, in the genre: Fiction, a 10 OUT OF 10. I highly recommend this novel to book clubs as it will promote A GREAT BOOK CLUB discussion.

The very first chapter hooked me and never let go. The writing is beautiful and the characters are so well-developed you don't want to stop reading yet you don't want to read it too fast either. When April's brother dies and her childhood best friend Oliver returns with his fiance, their unrequited sexual tension is palpable. However, April's made some bad choices in men and she even though she knows it she doesn't feel she deserves better because of her history of abuse at the hands of a family friend. Oliver tries to help her but he has secrets of his own that keep him stuck in the past and his fiance Bernadette is sandwiched in the middle of these two starcrossed, uncomsummated lovers. The ending, though satisfying, leaves me thinking about April & Oliver and what they are doing now. Unforgettable characters that will stay with me for awhile. I recommend April & Oliver to anyone who likes to get pulled into a story; this book has it all. There is some violence and sexual abuse, but ultimately it is a story of love, loss and relationships.

I stayed up late last night reading this novel. I read it for most of the day and made myself stop from time to time just so I could stretch it out. I loved it totally - the beautiful story, the amazing writing, the satisfying ending. April, Oliver and the other characters were real and believably sympathetic. The story was grabbing and compelling - not in the least bit boring. I haven't felt this way about a book for so long. Yes!