Evie doesn't want to spend the summer with her father in Iceland. She would rather be in Florida with her best friend, her almost-boyfriend, and her beloved abuela. Instead, she's up where the sun won't stop shining, her estranged mom won't stop calling, and the wi-fi keeps cutting out. Bored and alone, she finds painting inspiration in the cherry orchard over the hill. She also finds Oskar.
Oskar is too embarrassed by his stutter to talk to Evie, so he lets her believe he doesn't speak English. Still grieving the loss of his family and hiding from the world, he intially resents her intrusion into his family's legacy. Then, as Evie responds to his feigned ignorance by pouring out her heart, he begins to look forward to their one-sided interactions.
I can't say that I approved of Oskar's deception, but I could understand why it happened and how it grew into a larger problem as feelings got involved. What kept me reading was how the author captured the uncertainties of late teenagerhood, as Evie and Oskar had to make decisions on their futures, balancing past hurts with family obligations, and understanding the world isn't as black and white as childhood would have you believe.
I also liked how the narration switched from Evie to Oskar on a chapter by chapter basis, with very different writing styles used to differentiate their voices.
For an intricate, interesting, and sometimes painfully accurate look at growing up, four stars.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley
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