Review: Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan + Giveaway
What: Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan
Who: Bloomsbury
When: September 1st 2014
How: A copy of this novel was provided by Bloomsbury Australia for review.
When Apple’s mother returns after eleven years of absence, Apple feels whole again. She will have an answer to her burning question – why did you go? And she will have someone who understands what it means to be a teenager – unlike Nana. But just like the stormy Christmas Eve when she left, her mother’s homecoming is bitter sweet, and Apple wonders who is really looking after whom. It’s only when Apple meets someone more lost than she is, that she begins to see things as they really are.
Like a brilliant hybrid of Cathy Cassidy and Jacqueline Wilson, Sarah Crossan entices you into her world, then tells a moving, perceptive and beautifully crafted story which has the power to make you laugh and cry.
I read Apple and Rain in one sitting. It was incredibly addictive, and it drew me in from the first sentence.
I must admit that I was expecting this book to be about a teenage girl going through a tough time who finds a boy who is also going through a tough time and then they bond and fall in love.
If you think this is what the story of Apple and Rain is, you are mistaken. I most definitely was.
Apple and Rain is the story of a thirteen year old girl who finds out she has a sister.
Even though this story was pretty much the opposite of what I expected when I opened up Apple and Rain, I was still interested in it. Even though it is not really a book I would have picked up, because I tend to find it hard to relate to younger protagonists, this novel was written more like a YA novel than a MG, and I was intrigued by the story.
Our main character, Apple, was mature in some ways, but she was incredibly naïve and irresponsible in others. She hurts people with her careless attitude and does some pretty stupid things to impress her long-lost mother. But I guess this had me hoping that she would learn from the mistakes she made, and grow because of them.
There weren’t a lot of charcaters in Apple and Rain, which I am always a fan of. This way, I really got to know the characters that were integral to the storyline, like Apple and Rain and their mother and their grandmother. Apple’s best friend, and Del. The interactions between them all are so important in a story like this one, and with not a lot of peripheral characters, those interactions are clearer and relationships are more easily identified.
My favourite character in this book was Del. He was adorable and a little weird (but I always like them a little weird), and he didn’t let Apple’s flippant and standoffish façade drive him away. I have a heap of respect for him for that, because most people run away when someone requires you to persevere with no guaranteed outcome of friendship (or something more).
I liked how Apple and Rain was divided into parts according to what Apple was studying in her English class. I think they all had significant meaning to the story, and also gave me a bit of a hint as to what would happen in that part of the story, as well.
Whilst Apple and Rain was not a favourite of mine, I’m quite glad I read it because it’s a little different to the books I usually read, and it made me step outside of my reading comfort zone.
© 2014, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity. All rights reserved.
Giveaway
Nice to see you liked this one too Chiara! I found Del to be an interesting character as well, and I loved her the poetry that Apple learned about in her English class came through as well. Great review :)
The poetry was so lovely, and I wish there had been more!
And Del was amazing, and I think he should have been featured more because I would love to know more about him :D
Thanks, lovely!
I absolutely loved this book. I can see how you would have been misled, though! :P Del was such a lovely character, and he added some much-needed humour to the story. I also really loved the complexity of Rain’s character.
I know, right, haha XD
He definitely did! He was a breath of fresh air!
Ohmygosh, yes. Rain was such a sweetheart and I just wanted to jump in and hug her.
I keep seeing reviews for this book pop up! It looks good, I’d love to give it a read :) I’ve entered the giveaway, and am (obviously) hoping I win! Haha! xx
Good luck with the giveaway, Millicent! :D
Wonderful review, Chiara! I haven’t had a chance to read this one yet, but it is on my priority TBR – although I’ve read several reviews for this book, I never had a clear understanding of what it was really about until now – even though you were misled and found some faults in this, I’m glad you enjoyed it overall. Also, what a gorgeous cover it has!
Thank you, Ebony!
I’m glad I was able to help you understand what it’s about, haha. I kind of wish I had known before going into it!
I’m glad I enjoyed it, too. it’s so different to my usual reads, so that was great :D
And ohmygosh yes I am in love with the water colour cover!
Del was so so cute! I loved his and Apple’s friendship. But gee, I got such a shock when Rain was her sister…heh. I did like the book, but it wasn’t sob-worthy or anything, imo. And I was very furious at the mother. And I was sad for the grandmother…being abandoned. Poor grandma. :(
Del was adorable, right! I loved their relationship, too.
No, it wasn’t sob worthy. I teared up once or twice, but that was it.
UGH YES THE MOTHER. I just wanted to tell the children to go back to the grandmother!
I read the blurb for this one a while back and was intrigued immediately! The cover is also so adorable–I just want to squish it. Is that natural? haha I’m liking the sound of limited characters. It’s always nice to see a book take direct interest in developing the characters it has as opposed to squishing a soap opera cast in. Great review, as always, Chiara!
The cover is very beautiful, isn’t it? And squishing it isn’t weird. I squish books sometimes ;D
Yes! I absolutely love it when a book is character driven, and it was definitely one of the main reasons why I liked this book so much.
Thanks, Jess!
I’ve read so many good reviews for this and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. I enjoy books about sisters. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for giving a copy away.
Hopefully you’ll win this copy, Rochelle! It’s definitely a lovely read. :)
This sounds absolutely amazing Chiara! I’ve heard quite a lot about it from fellow bloggers, and each of them has given it glowing reviews, so I am so glad that you enjoyed it too! It sounds like such a sad story, but I suppose that sad stories are necessary because they really help remind us about everything we take for granted. Definitely going to pick up a copy of this because I LOVE beautiful writing and strong character development! Thanks for sharing Chiara, and, as always, BRILLIANT review! <3
I hadn’t heard anything about this book before I read it, which is probably one of the reasons I got the storyline so wrong XD But I enjoyed it nonetheless.
It was a bit of a sad story, but but Apple learns and grows so much as a character, that I wouldn’t classify it as a really sad story (if that makes sense!).
I’m glad you’re interested in reading it, Zoe!
Thank you <3
This was a lovely review and the second one I’ve read today that has made me decide it needs to go onto my TBR list. I had previously decided against it as I wasn’t sure I was up for a tearjerker and while it still seems like it could be sad I am drawn to the idea of a story of sisterhood. Great review and thanks so much for hosting a giveaway!
Thank you, Philippa! I’m glad you liked it :)
There are some emotional bits, but it’s definitely not a depressing book! And the idea is truly lovely, especially if you want a sisterhood story.
No problem, and good luck!
I can only read so many sad books in a year. When this arrived with tissues, I thought “here we go”. It sounds so depressing and heart wrenching, especially with Apple taking care of her sister and everything, oh man. But yay for sisters not being neglected!
It’s not really sad. There’s a sad part where I got a bit teary, but it’s not tissue-worthy, in my opinion.
The relationship between Apple and Rain develops in such a lovely way, it’s definitely worth reading just for that!