Review by Cvogel5487 -- Looking Glass Friends by E L Neve

[Cvogel5487]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Looking Glass Friends" by E L Neve.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Looking Glass Friends by E.L. Neve is a work of art; a complex romance mixed with poetry and philosophy. Readers are guests on the budding love story between two strangers as they connect and change their worldviews.

Set in 1997 at the beginning of the internet and cell phones, two strangers meet at a bakery. Neil sells to Ellie the stash of cream puffs he has set aside for his wife. Emboldened by the sweet gesture, Ellie purchases a copy of her favorite book, Atlas Shrugged, for Neil. This book softens the bleak view Neil has on life and sets the two off on a domino effect of letters and daily emails, discussing everything from books to poems to the world. Gradually, this written friendship moves to nightly phone calls, and their discussions become more personal.

Neil and Fay have been married for four years and during this time, Fay realizes Neil is changing. Fay is happy but docile, and creates art every day, while Neil is depicted as cold, selfish, and unemotional as of recent. He isolates himself, playing computer games and reading books. Unbeknownst to Fay, this is Neil’s way of dealing with a morbid depression from lack of substance in his life and challenges for his mind.

Ellie and Jack are married with five-year-old son Johnny. Jack is an antique music broker and showers his family in gifts, as a way to show affection as well as possession. Jack is shown in a dim light to the readers, his personality much less liked than Ellie’s, for good reason. Ellie is warm, devoted to her son, and spends her days caring for her family while looking for inspiration.

As Ellie and Jack bond through their minds, they do not realize how deep their connection goes. Both are faced with similar choices. Do you stay in an unhappy life to preserve the happiness of others? Or do you sacrifice another’s happiness for your own? Should you sacrifice anything in life? Are you brave enough to jump from the cliff of one life for a chance at something more stimulating? Neil and Ellie battle these questions as they grow closer, their minds needing each other like their lungs need air to breathe.

E.L. Neve uses excerpts from Atlas Shrugged as well as samples of John Keats and T.S. Elliot to paint a beautifully dark, complicated yet hopeful image of the characters. Looking Glass Friends will interest anyone who enjoys well written romance novels with multifaceted characters. If you are unfamiliar with the poetry or books mentioned throughout the novel, it does not take away your understanding of the plot. I would say it enhances the feelings and the imagery described. The author is able to fluently include quotes that bolster the story and match perfectly with the emotions presented. I was eager to see how Ellie and Neil would make their decisions and what that meant for their families. It took less than two days to read from beginning to end, that is how quickly the author captivates the reader. For these reasons, I am awarding Looking Glass Friends 4 out of 4 stars.

Anyone who avoids romance, poetry, or philosophy may want to skip this book. Also, chapters bounce back and forth from different perspectives, so if that bothers you, this is not a good choice. I found nothing to dislike in this book, other than that I had to research a few words. But needing to check a dictionary is never a reason to be upset. The grammar was nearly perfect throughout the entire novel. It was noticeably well edited and beautifully written. It really does make the reader think. I am eager to read more from E.L. Neve.

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Looking Glass Friends
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[Renee_Prior1995]

I like these type of books. Im glad to see it got a perfect rating from you. Good review