Between the Lines

Between the Lines #1

by Jodi Picoult

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.
And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.
A romantic and charming story, this companion novel to Off the Page will make every reader believe in the fantastical power of fairy tales.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Fairy Tales, Teen

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 26, 2012

About the author

Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-eight novels, including Wish You Were Here, Small Great Things, Leaving Time, and My Sister’s Keeper, and, with daughter Samantha van Leer, two young adult novels, Between the Lines and Off the Page. Picoult lives in New Hampshire.

MAD HONEY, her new novel co-authored with Jennifer Finney Boylan, is available in hardcover, ebook, and audio on October 4, 2022.

Website: http://www.jodipicoult.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jodipicoult

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jodipicoult

Reviews

[Christine Riccio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super fluffy, cute, and easy to read. It felt like I was reading a fairy tale as a child! It doesn't feel like young adult, but it's a charming, refreshing read! Here's my booktalk: https://youtu.be/D59k9BvRTVg

[Eden · Rating 2 out of 5]

a) Just because a woman/mermaid dislikes men doesn't make her a feminist. Oh my Lord, do I really have to bring this up after the Tempest fiasco? That makes her a misandrist: a man-hater. A feminist is a person who believes in equality for both men and women. GET THAT THROUGH YOUR HEADS. (This is not snark. This is pure naked truth.)

b) Just because you make a lack of courage your hero's tragic flaw doesn't mean you can make him perfect in every other way. I'm a little sick and tired of all the boys who can make our gals blush with every smile or word they output.

c) An intimate connection does not occur because you've both lost a parent. Especially when the hero can't even remember aforementioned parent.

d) Why. On. Effing. Earth. Would. You. Use. CENTURY GOTHIC ON THE INSIDE OF A BOOK?! *shrieks* It suuuuure didn't help me take Delilah seriously. The font for Oliver's passages isn't much better. DX

(This is a really inadequate review, I realize. Please see my dear friend Nafiza's review, where she much more eloquently states why this book isn't good.)

[Nafiza · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a very famous play by Tom Stoppard called Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. The play deals with metaphysical elements of two-dimensional characters who question their existence and its cyclical nature. Between the Lines reminded me of that play. It, too, deals with a character in a fictional piece of work fighting against his existence or, perhaps, the lack of it. There are some very delightful illustrations accompanying the text – my favourite is the one where Prince Oliver is climbing the text. The premise is definitely promising and in the beginning, I was quite entertained by the novel.

Unfortunately, it started unraveling for me after the first few chapters. While the exchanges between Delilah and Prince Oliver are engaging, Delilah herself is not a character I can empathize with or even relate to. I understand her love for reading but her fascination with one book to the point where she reads it over and over again consecutively is somehow not very believable. Maybe it’s just me. The thing that turned me off Delilah completely is the way she treats her best friend. How am I supposed to like a main character who throws away her only friend for a fictional character? Who doesn’t return her friend’s calls, ignores her entreaties to spend time together, lies to her – all for a guy who may or may not be able to change the medium of his existence. And then when we do get the requisite turning over a new leaf, will love you better and yay from Delilah, it is only for the express purpose of getting her friend to drive her somewhere – oh it’s not written as such but really, I read Between the Lines and yes, pun is intended.

Another thing that pretty much sealed the deal where the book is concerned is Delilah’s comment about the mermaids. For some context, the mermaids are written as boy-loving when the book is being read but once the covers are closed, they do not care for men at all. Apparently, according to Delilah, this makes them “hard-core feminists.” Right. I do not understand what not liking men or thinking that you do not need a man to complete you as a person has to do with being a feminist. Feminism has very little to do with men. Hating men is not feminism. Not wanting to be in a relationship is also not a sign of feminism. Feminism is not, I repeat, a disease. God. This makes me so angry. Okay.

Delilah is fifteen years old and from what I read, has not experienced life at all. She hasn’t met many people, has not had life altering experiences, has not lived and yet, she is talking about “destiny” and “fate” and meant to be together with you forever. Yep. Also, the ending is pretty ridiculous. I will not believe that a person would sacrifice so much so quickly. I don’t think so. It seemed too neat and too contrived.

Conclusion? I cannot recommend this book to you because I didn’t like it. This is not saying that you shouldn’t read it – I don’t dictate what you read and what you don’t. I’m just saying that there are better books out there.

[Aj the Ravenous Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was a fun, quick and adorable read for youngsters as if straight from a Disney movie and I won’t be surprised if it does make it to the big screen. It’s imaginative and entertaining and the premise of the novel is indeed a curious thought- that characters of the books we read could be alive and could be living a life of their own, could jump from page to page when the reader isn’t reading the story written in the book. I already knew my 12 year old niece would love it and when I passed her the book, she devoured it in two days. She said it’s the best book she has read just yet with dreamy eyes and satisfied sighs. Lol.

Want to know more, do check out Pinky's review.^^

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure if the fact that I've read a few books by Jodi Picoult in the past affected my enjoyment of this novel, and even though I knew not to expect her usual story-type since it's written with her daughter, this was a lot different than what I had envisioned. It's a good book. It is. But I think it's aimed at a younger YA audience and this is where I was left a little underwhelmed.

It's a fairy tale in all it's classic glory. This is a story about princes, love, friends, overcoming the impossible to get to your ever afters. Delilah, loner, social pariah, loves to lose herself in a story. This takes a whole new meaning when a character from a child's illustrated book - sweet and charming Oliver - starts talking to her! Like all Jodi Picoult novels, the story is told from several perspectives. This case is a bit unique in that we have Delilah, we have Oliver, but also, we have Oliver's story - the actual fairy tale in his book. I thought this gave it an extra kick, without disrupting the flow as they are generally kept short. Being a fan of multiple perspectives to begin with, I really enjoyed getting to know both Delilah and Oliver individually. Delilah is in the "real world" with real problems: a pretty average teenage life. I liked her character; the outcast who's trying to escape by reading. She's kept fairly plain Jane and I think a lot of readers will be able to relate to her. However, I found myself easily favoring Oliver's POV. Oliver has been stuck in his fairy tale since it was written, with a "book" family of his own that makes his chapters vibrate with life. Oliver himself is a very likeable character with imperfections and an enchanting demeanor, but I especially adored every single one of the unusual people - and creatures - that we got to meet alongside him. I did notice some inconsistencies in his character, though, particularly in his knowledge of the real world - or Otherworld as he calls it - by mentioning things that would not have been possible for him to recognize or perceive. Maybe it simply needed to tell us more about how they acquired what they do know. Like I said, as I felt this was aimed at a younger YA audience, these small discrepancies are most likely expected to be overlooked, which is certainly manageable.

The story is, in one word, pleasant. For someone so young as a co-author, the writing is especially fluid with beautiful, almost cinematic, descriptions. Cute humor and adorable passages makes it a lighthearted novel. To spice things up a bit - my favorite part of the book - are the sketches and illustrations that are scattered throughout to give us a very fun reading experience:

 
-These are from the uncorrected proof and the finished copy may differ (it stated that the final book would have full colored illustrations)

After everything is said and done, a fairy tale is what you get. It's cute, it's fun, and it's refreshing; what you expect from this story will factor in your enjoyment of it. I was effortlessly and quite easily kept entertained by its imaginative plot, but as I was expecting something a bit less fluffy, it failed to completely dazzle me. With that said, readers who are fascinated by fairy tales and have a weakness for happily-ever-afters will surely eat this one up!

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For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[cazzy · Rating 1 out of 5]

(This review will contain major spoilers)

I really wanted to like this book. The idea of it was good- what book-loving girl hasn't wanted a fictional character? I've always been a sucker for fairy tales, and that's why the book appealed to me.
But oh, was this book terrible. I could go on for hours talking about why I didn't like it, but I'm just going to talk about a few major points.

1.) The High School/Delilah
Cliche, cliche cliche. In the introduction, Jodi mentioned how her daughter was a junior in high school. As a junior myself, I thought that maybe we'd get a good look into what high school and being a teenager is really all about. I was so, so wrong. The main character is the stereotypical outcast, hated by everyone and constantly talking about "the most popular girls in school". Her only friend is a emo/punk/whatever girl who hates Justin Bieber and has absolutely no point in the story.

2.) The format
There is a reason most books are typed in black Times New Roman 12. What's with all the colors and stupid fonts? They don't add anything to the plot and make readers feel like they're reading a children's book. I thought this was YA? I get that it's supposed to give a fairy tale feel... but no.

3.) The ending.
This ending was terrible. Oh my god it was bad. The characters spend the entire second half of the book trying to find a way to get Oliver out of the book, and when they do it's incredibly anticlimactic and sudden. It feels rushed- as if the writer realized the train wreck she was writing and decided to end it as soon as possible. But that's not even the real problem I have with the ending.
Through the book, there's a big emphasis on the importance of family. Oliver's father is killed by the dragon and his mother is so protective she insists that he doesn't fight, Delilah's father left her when she was a child, Delilah's mother is constantly worried about her. The entire reason why Delilah is drawn to the book in the first place is because she and Oliver both don't have fathers. Written by a mother/daughter duo, you'd expect that family takes a big role in the book.
That's why the ending was so unexpected and inconsistent.
The writer of the fairy tale, Jessamyn, has a son named Edgar identical to Oliver. Magically (we are given no more explanation), Oliver and Edgar switch places. Edgar is placed into the story and Oliver is expected to act as Jessamyn's new son.
WHAT?
SERIOUSLY?
DOES NO ONE FIND THIS MORALLY WRONG?
Despite Edgar not being the best son for Jessamyn, that does not change the fact that EDGAR IS JESSAMYN'S SON. Jessamyn clearly loves Edgar a lot. Why is trapping Edgar in a fairy tale, away from his loving mother, a happy ending?
Yes- Edgar's happy. He makes the fairy tale his own. But seriously? Anyone who thinks this is a good ending for him or Jessamyn is either deluded or 9 years old.
And after the book has this consistent theme of family- they present that it's alright for a mother and son to be separated forever like this?
Jessamyn is completely unaware of this at the end of the novel- she didn't even get a say in her son's fate.
This is how she is repaid for making Delilah's dream guy?
Sigh. I'm so done with this book.

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine this. The characters in the book you are reading have a life of their own, beyond what is written for their characters. And they do what they want to every time you close the book, only to be pulled back in their roles when you reopen the book. Unbelievable, right? Goes without saying then that I've never read a story like this before! That doesn't necessarily mean that I loved it. But the concept is mind-blowing for sure.

Delilah, a fifteen year old introverted bookworm, is shocked to discover something new appear in the illustrations of her latest favourite read, a fairy tale about a cowardly prince who uses his wits rather than his valour to fulfill his royal duties. Soon, she realises that the protagonist, Prince Oliver, can actually talk to her, that he dreams of getting out of his routine and predictable "plotlife", and that the book world has a life of its own. Can Delilah help Oliver escape his two-dimensional fairy tale?

Jodi Picoult fans need to keep in mind that this is unlike her typical work, which is much darker thematically. As she has co-authored this with her teenage daughter, the plot is distinctly YA in flow and content. So you need to realign your expectations accordingly. You will find Jodi's usual twists and turns, and you will also find her favourite style of writing from multiple perspectives (which works wonderfully in this book.) What you won't get is emotional or moral dilemmas, something that is omnipresent in her books.

I found the plot quite intriguing, though not foolproof. There are a few loopholes in the book character's breaking of the fourth wall. I tried hard to keep the logical side of my brain turned off but sadly, it turned out to be stronger than my romantic side, which is long past its expiry date! 🥴 Then again, for such a storyline, I imagine writing something without a single gap in the plot would be impossible. As a YA Fantasy-Romance, it does its job pretty well. And for the sheer idea itself, of getting a book character to fantasize about the reader and about escaping from the restriction of the pages, the book deserves a try! Teenagers will certainly enjoy it more than us rational kooks.

My teenaged daughter relished this book and wanted me to give it 4.75 stars.("I didn't like the way the plot dragged in between, so I can't give 5 stars, Mamma." 🤭🙄) I was bordering more towards a 3.5 - I liked it enough without loving it. So a happy compromise is to rate it 4 stars.

Give it a try if you want to read a storyline that is quite unique, even if the execution could have been better. But remember, it's a YA book. Don't think too hard about the solidity of the plot. It serves its target readers well, and that's what matters.

I'm off to read the sequel.



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[April (Aprilius Maximus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have been OBSESSED with this when I was a tween!! Adorbs.

Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge Notes:
- 7. A book about books

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone familiar with Picoult’s solo adult books will know they usually involve moral issues and can be very confrontational. The first thing you need to do when you pick up this book: forget about her solo work and remember this is a joint effort. Trust me when I say it is something completely different from any of her previous works. And, boy, is it wonderful.

Delilah is a teenager who doesn’t really ‘fit in’ to any of the groups at school and she *gasp* spends her lunchtime in the library. She loves books, but lately there is one book in particular which she has been reading over and over. Between the Lines is an illustrated fairy tale which Delilah found by accident one day in the library. If anyone found out how much she reads it, she’d have no chance of ever being considered anywhere close to normal, but she’s willing to risk it because there is something, someone, making this book more than just your average fairy tale.

Prince Oliver is the main character of the fairy tale and lately he’s noticed someone older reading the book. Yes, Oliver, along with all the other characters, is alive inside the book. Each time the book is opened they perform their required roles and act out the story to the reader. However, Oliver is sick of this constant performance and longs for a life where he can do what he wants freely. And that’s where Delilah comes in. So far, no one has ever been so attached to this story, if she loves it so much perhaps she’ll be the one who is willing to hear Oliver’s cry for help.

Firstly, let me just say how completely amazing I found this premise. As someone who has always loved reading, I have sometimes wondered what it would be like if the characters in a book were real, if they lived in our world. However, I love the idea that characters in books have their own lives when the book is closed and that they are completely different people from those they play in the book. The idea for the novel was proposed by Van Leer to her mother and I think it is wonderful to see a successful adult author embracing such a magical concept.

In terms of the audience for this book, it is wonderful in that it will appeal to a broad age range. I know I would have enjoyed this when I was nine just as much as I do now and I’m sure that re-reading this in a few years I will have the same reaction. That said, I’m sure a lot of adults will not be willing to give it a go because of the fact it is mostly aimed at children and teens. However, I’d love to see parents buying this for their children and sneaking it away to read themselves (as my dad did with Harry Potter) because imagination is a wonderful thing and it’s not something which is just for children. We need more books like this.

In terms of the writing, I found it engaging and fast-paced. I thought it would be difficult not to make comparisons with Picoult’s solo work before I started reading, but actually it was simple because this is so radically different from all her other work. I loved the fact that the actual fairy tale Delilah reads in the book is a character in its own right. Although we, as readers, are not able to read the fairy tale in it’s entirety, I really enjoyed reading the sections interspersed throughout the novel. I also loved that I was able to read the fairy tale and then find out from Oliver what happens after that scene when the book is closed. It was like seeing an actor playing their role and then seeing what happens when the director yells ‘Cut!’. I found the writing style to be thoroughly engaging and was struggling to put it down.

Delilah was a character who blew me away because, just like Monica Geller and Hermione Granger, I could see so many elements of myself in her. Firstly, she spends her lunchtimes in the library. Finally, a heroine who loves the library! And I love that she does, because I was totally that girl. I mean, it’s not like I didn’t have wonderful friends, but I just loved the library (and still do). Also: it had air-conditioning. Ok, I’m kidding*. I was head of the library committee at school and my main job was shelving books and making displays and the like. And you were wondering how I ended up with a book blog? So, anyway, back on topic. I LOVE Delilah. I mean, who has not fallen in love/lust with a character from a novel? Looking at the illustrations of Oliver in the book I can totally see the attraction. Her voice as a character was also authentic, and I have no doubt that Van Leer’s input was crucial to this.

The cast of storybook characters was fascinating and I really enjoyed seeing their in and out of character personalities. They didn’t just blend into the background behind Oliver and Delilah, but were a crucial part of what made this book so delightful to read.

Although the book didn’t end on a cliffhanger and could quite reasonably remain as a stand-alone, there is room for a sequel. This is something Picoult and Van Leer discussed during their promotional even in Brisbane earlier this year. I for one would love to see a sequel, I loved the characters and am interested to see how they deal with some of the issues raised at the conclusion of the novel.

“He understood, in that crystalline instant, that courage wasn’t something you were bequeathed at birth, and it wasn’t a lack of fright. It was overcoming you fear, because the ones you loved mattered more.”

“At that moment Oliver realized that home is not a place, but rather, the people who love you.”

“The act of reading is a partnership. The author builds a house, but the reader makes it a home.”

Between the Lines is a truly magical tale for all ages with wonderful characters, an intriguing premise and a witty, engaging writing style. This is the best kind of book: the kind where you can let your imagination run wild and be taken on a journey as the pages turn.

This review and many more can be found at Maree's Musings.
*Well, only a little bit because where I come from our seasons tend to blend together and it’s hot and humid about 75% of the year meaning lunchtime outside was always torturous. Although, I loved the library before it had air-conditioning. Oops, rambling now. I’ll stop. I promise.

[Carrie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Written by Jodi Picoult and her daughter Samantha van Leer, and it's evident from the very first line that the only writing Jodi did in this was adding her name to the cover.
The book is targeted YA, but it is a very young YA.
It lacked any of the punch, depth and insight that Jodi's work usually has. The story concept could have been interesting if it had been better written. But it was full of plot holes and continuity issues, and everything really only seemed to be addressed on a superficial level. Same goes for the characters, who were not particularly interesting, nor were they fleshed out at all. I would normally say that a lot of this comes down to the fact that Samantha is clearly very young and not an eperienced writer, but I don't think that's particularly fair as there have been some amazing books written by writers as young as Samantha.
At the risk of being scathing, I'm doubtful that Jodi would have put her name to this book if it had been written by anyone other than her daughter. And even then, I'm surprised that she did, considering the standard of the work. Obviously it was to grant Samantha not only publication, but an immediate audience, which no doubt worked, but at the same time I feel was manipulative and somewhat deceitful.

[Kim Benouski · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the concept was cute and the illustrations fun, I can't help but wonder if this would have made it onto the shelves had Jodi's name not been attached. Don't get me wrong, for a first book written by a teen, it's good, and I am sure Jodi is proud of her daughter, but she has a long way to go before reaching her mom's ability. The characters were very flat, and the ending was unbelievable. It actually started out pretty well and had mysterious build up, only to fall short. I'm glad I didn't invest any money in it.

I think perhaps the middle school population would like this. I would not recommend it to my high school students. The whole idea of a teen being obsessed with a fairy tale prince is just too preposterous.

[Booknut 101 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what happens when you close a book?

Do the characters stay frozen?
Do they play chess on the beach?
Do they rehearse their lines and try on outfits?
Do they gossip about characters and munch on snacks?
Or do they long to escape their 'happily ever after'?

A mesmerising tale of a young girl and a fictional prince who enlist the help of the other to escape their worlds and to discover how their own stories end.

[Pinky · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if your fictional crush spoke to you? Think about it... Imagine Will Herondale started talking to you and asked you to rescue him and take him out of a book. Wouldn't it be a dream come true?

Well that's what happened to fifteen year old Delilah, a miserable teenager who wants nothing more but for her fictional crush, Prince Oliver to come to life. Between the Lines is one of the books made by the author and it's one of a kind, and Delilah found it in her library. Between the Lines is one of Delilah's favorite fairy tales and she cannot stop reading it over and over again. She loves the book but since it is a book for kids, she keeps the fact that it is her favorite book a secret. One day, while she was reading, Prince Oliver spoke to Delilah. He explained that he wanted nothing more but to get out of the book. Delilah is trying to find a way to get Prince Oliver out of the book. Is this real, or is this a dream?

I fell in love with this book it was just such a sweet and simple read. I finished it in 2 hours and in one sitting. It was just so addicting to read. The way this book was formatted was just amazing, I love how it switched from the actual story, to Prince Oliver's POV, and to Delilah's POV. It was nice to see what both characters were thinking and see how the story was supposed to end.

One of the main reasons why I loved this book was because of the characters. Prince Oliver is charming and Delilah is AMAZING!!! There are so many things that I can relate to in this book and it felt so real. Delilah and I have so much in common and I really wish that the events that happened in the book were real. Whenever Delilah opened her book and her mom would tell her to stop reading, it felt like my mom was telling me to stop reading. (It happens to me all the time because she thinks I read too much...)

The plot was unique and although we all know how the story ends, it's still worth reading. Sometimes I am too lost into the story that I feel like I'm Delilah and it's just too good to be true. I didn't expect the plot twists, but that was amazing too. The writing style is different in the story, Prince Oliver's POV and Delilah's POV and I really like that. It makes the story more realistic, if the writing style were the same for all three parts it would feel unrealistic.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I should have read this book sooner. I'm gonna dive into the next book ASAP! I RECOMMEND THIS TO EVERYONE AND I MEAN EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Reading!

[Rachel Maniacup · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book of Jodi Picoult,and I must say she's got quite a talent for fiction and fairy tales. And just reading the author's introduction made me admire her already,even her daughter Samantha van Leer,for teaming up with her,to do this kind of unique tale.Their joint imagination and ideas made the writing beautiful.

I like the concept of this book because it was really a fun read! Who wouldn't want to read a book where their favorite characters seems to be talking to you,or seems to be staring back at you? This book kinda remind me of my favorite fantasy movie back in my teenage years,The Never Ending Story,where Sebastian was the reader.

In here,the reader was Delilah,a 15 year old girl who loves to read books,and there's this one particular fairy tale book that she reads over and over,because she felt she's got a great connection to this book,especially to Prince Oliver,the main character on this book she's reading.And to Delilah's surprise,she heard the prince talk to her..and this is where the fun begins.

This book is entertaining and interesting,especially to the youngsters,and to those who love fairy tales like me..I also love the illustrations that's been added to the book,they're beautiful.And the ending was hilarious!

Many thanks to my 12 year old daughter,HANNAH,who enthusiastically recommended this to me,and who kept saying "this is the best book,ever!" while she was reading this.
I just want my daughter to know how proud I am of her,for being not just the TOP STUDENT in her class section,this first quarter,but also the NO.1 STUDENT in the whole grade 7 of their school! My God,my daughter's a genius!Lol! I love you so much,Hannah! Keep it up,sweetheart!^^

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wavered between two and three stars for this one story-wise, and four and five stars for the artwork. I've settled on three overall, though it's the illustrations that mostly scored that. They are beautiful and made the reading experience so fun. As well the lovely and detailed full-page images that fit in with the fairytale within the book, by Yvonne Gilbert, there are wonderful smaller illustrations, typically silhouettes that often play off the text -- in one for example the character is climbing the words of the story. These are by Scott M. Fischer and I loved them. Both art styles worked well together as well. The book itself was decent, with a few moments that I really loved, but more that I didn't click with. At times the 'old-fashioned' fairytale characters spoke in sentences that felt jarringly modern. The book was very romance focused, which I don't always mind, but here I was interested in all the things that weren't the romance. The love story felt overly-familiar and kind of like a missed opportunity to do something unexpected. To balance that out though, the book never felt like a chore to read and I will be borrowing the follow up.

There was an inconsistency that bothered me, particularly because when I first noticed it I thought it had been done deliberately as a plot point. Having finished the book now, I can only assume it was missed in editing. On page 28 there is this: Last year when we were playing softball in gym, I swung the bat and broke the left knee of Allie McAndrews. She also says that her friend Jules moved there a week after it happened. On page 155 Jules says this: When you accidentally tripped Allie McAndrews last year during the hundred-meter dash at Field Day and she broke her knee, I was the first one to know. So did she break the poor girls knee on two separate occasions or was it during softball or track? And just when did Jules arrive? She also breaks this same girls nose during swim practice. Delilah's reaction the injuries she causes are one of the reasons she I struggled to like her. Yes, Allie is a mean girl, but breaking someone's bones is a big deal, accidental or not. I would be horrified if it was me and full of concern for the person it happened to, regardless of whether I liked them. Instead it felt like Delilah saw herself as the victim because people wouldn't talk to her, which seemed incredibly insensitive. It felt like causing these injuries was supposed to make her clumsy and relatable, but I really just thought she should promptly be banned from group sports.

Another thing that confused me was that Delilah and Oliver converse easily and Delilah even reads words that Oliver has carved into a cliff, and in Oliver's world there are books by Shakespeare and a copy of War and Peace all of which he can read, but on more than one occasion he observes that words in Delilah's world as being in a foreign language he cannot read. But if they speak the same language, and he was written by a woman who speaks English, and he can apparently read and write, shouldn't he be able to read the words on the computer screen? Maybe I'm missing something there, but it felt odd each time he thought/said it.

As I said, I am interested in the next one because this felt like it wrapped up too easily and predictably. But a sequel could make good use of the more original parts of the story, including the interesting aspects of the world Oliver is from and the way the 'reality' of it differs so wildly from the way it is written. That was the part that intrigued me the most and I hope they expand on that. Also more about Edgar would be good!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one and her follow-up, “Off the Page” a few years back. I am now bringing these two YA novel reviews to Goodreads.

Have you ever wondered if fairy tales could come true?

Better yet…

Have you ever wondered if you could step out of a fairy tale into the “real” world in which readers exist?

Of course you haven’t, because we are supposedly the ones living in the real world in which readers exist, already!

Afterall…

We are the readers!

So…

What happens when a fairy tale character wants to become “real?”

And…

The one reading the fairy tale, falls in love with that character?

Well…

They write a story in which he can leave the book and become “real.”

Are you following me?

If you are a fan of fantasy, romance and fairy tales, then you may enjoy this one.

And…

It has a strong message…

“Home is not a place but rather, the people who love you.”

Which…

Allows the main characters to move in the direction to be together and eventually help others to find their homes, too.

And…

How can we not appreciate a story about a girl who believes she is “going to save the prince?” Isn’t it usually the other way around?

This is…

A fun tale that originally came from Picoult’s daughter’s imagination (Samantha Van Leer), and had her serving as co-writer.

It…

Also provides simple learning lessons along the way which parents will come to appreciate.

And…

Some lovely, artful and colorful illustrations by Yvonne Gilbert & Scott M. Fischer that give you a sense of an old-fashioned fairy tale setting.

Reading level: Ages 12+

Off the Page – Review Here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[~Tina~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Delilah has never felt like she belonged to the real world. Sure, she has her best friend, Jules and her mom, but her life at school is miserable and she never grew up with a dad. So it's no wonder that she clings to her books so desperately. They can never disappoint her and it's where happily ever after exists, if only for a short while.
But what if the characters in your stories don't end after you close the book for the night? What happens if the characters go about their business in the world written for them? And what happens when one of those characters doesn't want to live in a fairy tale, but wants to be able to feel and think and really live? This is a story about Delilah McPhee and Prince Oliver.
One who wants help escaping his existence while the other just wants to belong.

Aww, this was such a sweet and fun concept! Between the Lines is one of those reads where I could curl up on the couch and totally lose myself in this world.
I've never read anything by Jodi Picoult before (something that I'll have to fix) and while this would be Samantha Van Leer's debut, I can't wait to see more from her in the future.
This book was chalked filled with vivid and rich imagination and cunning creativity. It's absorbed with magic and love and wonderment right down to the different color fonts pages to the gorgeous art illustrations to the captivating story inside. This was such a wonderful experience fit for fans who devour happily ever after.

This book is told in Delilah and Oliver's point of view. But we also get the actual fairy tale that Prince Oliver belongs to. A story within a story. It may sound confusing or overwhelming but it was actually quite easy to follow and understand everything that was going on. I was also pretty grateful since I was equally curious about how both stories end.

Every character created was very detailed and developed very well. They each had a very unique role and I was fascinated by who they were inside and outside the story.
Delilah is such a treasure. I was really able to connect with her right away and loved her passion and dedication. I also loved the ridiculously charming way that she felt about a character in a book. I mean books aren't real, you and me both know this, and yet I still think and dream and wonder what would happen if they were. In an odd sort of way, Delilah represents that side to readers who still believe in make-believe, in magic and true love. Even if it's a character from a story come to life.
Oliver was just to adorable for words and I loved the sweet and tender and even amusing way that these two felt about one another. Understanding and wanting what the other wants.

I'm thinking this may not be a story for every reader. I'll admit, it is a little far fetched, but I for one really enjoyed this story for what it was. A beautifully told fairy tale with inspiring characters and a mesmerizing world. It ignited that passion I have for the written world and took it one step further. It made me fantasize what it would be like to fall in love and achieve happily ever after with a character written in one of my favorite stories.
This is the stuff that makes reading what it is. It takes you away from your own reality and dares you to believe.
If only, for just a short while.

Bravo!

This review and more can be seen at; WinterHaven Books.

[Jessica J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never read anything by Jodi Picoult before. Partly because I was a bit too snobby when she first started publishing, but then I also noticed that any time she wrote a blurb for a book I inevitably haaaated it. Didn't give me a lot of confidence in her as a writer, y'know?

I bought Off the Page, the sequel to this book, years ago, thinking that I should get past my snobbery and that it sounded like kind of a cute premise, but it sat on my shelf for forever. I've decided that 2023 is going to be the year that I read more of the "books I bought years ago and let sit on my shelf for forever" and finally picked it up. I was six pages in before I realized that it was actually a sequel, so I grabbed Between the Lines from Libby instead.

Unfortunately, Off the Page is now going into my to-be-donated pile without being read. Because this was...fine? I guess?

If you're twelve.

Couple more things I didn't know about this book: Samantha Van Leer is actually Jodi Picoult's daughter; the story is one she suggested to her mother, and Jodi basically said, "okay but you have to write it." I don't know how this compares to her other books, but I suspect they put the Picoult name on the cover just to drive sales. According to her author bio, Samantha was a sophomore in college at the time and it shows. This book is tagged as YA but it reads much more like it was written for pre-teens. It's a clever enough story about a lonely teen who discovers that the heroic prince in the fairy tale that she's grown obsessed with can actually hear her from inside the pages of the book. They decide they like each other and devise a plan to get him out of the book so that they can be together.

The problem here is that there's just no character development. Not once do Delilah, Oliver, or any of the supporting characters display any personality traits. There's nothing to inform their decisions, nothing that gives me any reason to root for them as a romantic couple other than the two of them just saying that they like each other.

The fantasy elements had their charms - the idea that book characters continue to live their lives when the covers are shut definitely holds a lot of appeal to someone who firmly believed that her stuffed animals lived their own lives while she was at school. If you think about them too hard, they don't really make a lot of sense (doesn't this presume that there is only one copy of the book to have ever been in existence?), but I was fine with it. I can imagine that I would have adored this book when I was in middle school. As an adult, it just did nothing for me and I have no desire at all to continue following the story.

I also did not know that this was apparently turned into a musical? And that the cast album was released just a week or so before I picked up the book?

[Giselle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A finished unsolicited copy was provided by the publisher for review.

Not many books have the white paper with colored ink, but I’m so glad this one does because the illustrations are gorgeous. There are also little silhouettes scattered through out the pages to identify important characters, scenes and plot. I love how the colours and typeface are different when it changes from Oliver’s viewpoint to Delilah’s viewpoint.

I love how Oliver wants to be something more than just an actor in a book. He wants to make a difference. To be extraordinary, not ordinary were his words. I love Delilah’s character too. She is a little bit of a loner and doesn’t seems to fit in anywhere, except in her world of books. Most bookworms can relate. I also laughed out loud whenever she would hurt the most popular girl in school, not on purpose, but by accident. Not that the mean girl didn’t deserve it lol.

What an imaginative plot. I love the idea of a characters coming to life and wanting to live in reality. It’s easy to devour this book in one sitting. You want to know if Oliver gets out in the end! And if their love is true as well. Will Delilah do everything in her power to help him? Find out in the mother/daughter duo of Jodi Picoult and Samanta Van Leer.

I really hope they write more books together because it’s such a cute book.

[Tatevik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dear Jodi Picoult,
I have a short letter for you.
Oh, God. The idea of the book was so good. And you killed it. A note at the beginning of the book says that you wrote the whole book with your daughter. Actually it seems she wrote the first 200 pages and you wrote the last 150. The first part was 1 ⭐ and the second part was 3⭐.

You are a good writer. What happened here? The characters were so undeveloped and weak. I know your characters. Your story is always an interesting one to follow. Just go and write you adult fiction, please. You're good at that!

P.S. By the way, are you aware that you took this from Chocolat and used it several times?
"There’s a place in the curve of his left shoulder that matches my forehead perfectly."

[Becca · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate not finishing books. It kills me not to finish a book, no matter how many issues I may have with it. That said, I could not stomach sitting through all of Between the Lines. I did not have it in me. I was so eager to read it, too. I love any take on fairytales. I love retellings, re-workings, anything. I love the television show Once Upon a Time. I. Love. Fairytales. When I saw that this was about fairytales, I was excited to read this book. A few chapters in, however, I knew it was going to be a daunting task to finish.

First of all, the different fonts that they use for different POV chapters is ridiculous. I've seen soup cans with better font choices. I hope it was changed to different fonts for the final product because it was terrible. It seemed like a third grader choose the different fonts that were used.

Then there is Oliver, our hero, our protagonist, our love-interest. He quite literally only has one flaw. One. He has no courage but apparently he is 100% perfect in every other way. I get it, Delilah, you think Oliver here is perfect. Wonderful. A-ma-zing. Handome. Hot. Etc. I lost track at how many times she described how attractive Oliver is. It was nauseating. He also had no depth. For a hero, he felt very flat. Everyone in this novel felt very flat and underwhelming to me. Though, a younger audience might not mind that he lacks depth and only has one flaw.

The story had potential. Really, it did. However, everything just felt so flat. If I had to pick one word to describe this book it would be that. Or fluffy. Despite all of that, it was still nicely written. Sometimes I thought that maybe this book wouldn't have been published at all if it wasn't for Jodi's name attached but for her first novel, Samantha did a decent job.

Maybe I'm too old for this book. That's something I never thought I would say. Especially since I love YA books. This book might be more suited for middle school children as opposed to the young adults it's aimed at. It's cute, it's fluffy, it's entertaining if you're not looking for much else and it's a fun, fast read; just what middle schoolers are probably looking for.

[Natalie (Never trust a duck) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really really REALLY cute book. Enjoyed it immensely. I only wish it would actually happen. To me. I want an Oliver. Specifically one named William Herondale or Daemon Black.

[alittlelifeofmel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say, my rating for this one surprised me. It's no secret that Jodi Picoult is one of, if not my favorite author. I now own 21 of her books and my collection is only growing from here. But this one was not cutting it for me. 60% through the book this was still only a 2.5/5 star book for me. But it got so much better near the end and improved and I really enjoyed it to the point where it became a 4 star book.

This book had a GREAT concept. It follows a character named Oliver and a character named Delilah. Delilah is reading a fairy tale book when one day the character inside her book reaches out to her for help. What we don't know is that characters in books have actual lives whey the book is closed and Oliver has spent his entire existence wanting to be outside the book. The novel follows them and also there are chapters of the actual fairy tale in the book (which were my favorite chapters)

I will say, as much as I loved the plot, I DO think that this concept could have been done better by someone else. Jodi Picoult is mainly an adult fiction writer. That's not to say she can't write young adult/middle grade books, I mean I know her daughter worked with her, but I just don't think this is the genre I would tell her to stick with. There were a lot of really cheesy and unbelievable moments that I just felt like the book could have done without. As well, I realize fairy tales ALWAYS have insta love and this book is meant to be read like a fairy tale, but the insta love was just not well done in my opinion in this one.

Oliver is a really great character. Actually Oliver's world inside the book with Frump and stuff were just the best parts. I loved all the characters. But Delilah was where the characters fell flat for me. She was really juvenile for a teenager. Just immature and young and extremely annoying. She gets mad at her mom because her mom is worried about her, but girl you're talking to a novel, of course she's going to worry. She also gets mad that other people can't hear Oliver but like again no one really expects a novel to talk to them so of course they can't hear him. She was just senseless for a character and I was never rooting for her.
Also the fact that she just dumps everyone in her life for a boy really disgusts me but that's just something that bothers me in general in life so I just gravitated towards anger when she did this.

Overall enjoyable. Best book ever? Definitely not. But cute, fun and easy to read. I can definitely see the appeal for little kids (and adults) who like fairy tales and they'd probably really enjoy this.

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, ALL OF THE STARS FOR THIS BOOK!! Honestly, this is one of my new all-time favorite books, I wouldn't change anything about it. It was so perfect!! <3
I'm not going to write a long review, but... just read it. Please. It's seriously perfect, and I am now going to be telling everybody that I know to just buy it and read it, because it will truly touch your life. So so soo good. :')
I'm so excited to start the sequel/companion novel, Off The Page! I will be starting it... probably right now.

[Lexy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought between the lines was a cute romance between reader and character

[Indah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. Hell, I wanted to adore it. It has gorgeous pictures and silhouettes and just the entire lay-out is incredible. Also Jodi Picoult's name is quite a known one, and not for the worst. The fact that she had written it with her daughter only made me more interested, as well as an interesting premise: what happens to the characters when you close a book.

BUT GUESS WHAT: IT WAS POORLY EXECUTED!

The Plot:

At the beginning, I was interested in how the story was going, as you get two POV's as well as the original fairy tale that they talk about in the book. But that ends. The entire plot focuses on the 15 year old Delilah who is a loner (but not totally, I'll get to that) on her high school and obsessed with this fairy tale she found in the library. Then all of a sudden, she finds out that she can talk to the prince in the fairy tale: Oliver, and he to her. And he wants to lead a real life, not the one forced upon him, kinda like an actor. Then we've got two main plot points: 1 "OMG WE'RE IN LOVE" and 2 "OMG WE NEED TO GET OLIVER OUT OF THE BOOK.

O, that's not true: POINT TWO IS REPEATED ONLY TWO BILLION TIMES! So many plans are tried out all with the same basic premise, so that at the end you don't even get them anymore and you don't even give a shit anymore when it almost goes right, AND THEN IT DOESN'T. AGAIN. And the end solution you don't even get to see. Like, why? It's just too weird .
Basic Problem: too much repetition, nobody gives a shit.

The Characters:

Delilah is a terrible person with no personality aside from having an absent dad and a crush on a fictional character. No personality. No anything. She has the 'obliged best friend, also a weirdo' of whom I've already forgotten the name (and I finished the book this afternoon), WHO SHE TREATS LIKE SHIT. Delilah's school situation is such a Mean Girls situation, that it's not even realistic. Just stereotypes that are so stereotypical that they just make you laugh. She only cares for herself and when the aforementioned best friend comes to Delilah because she had problems herself, DELILAH DOES NOTHING, BECAUSE SHE ONLY WANTS TO TALK WITH THE PRINCE. And after that ridiculous fight, the BFF FORGIVES HER IN 2 SECONDS, after which Delilah asks her for A 4 HOUR RIDE WHILE THE BFF HASN'T GOT A LICENCE. AND THE BFF DOES IT ANYWAY. Delilah also doesn't give a shit that her mom worries that she suddenly leaves while her mom thinks she's got a concussion and just leaves a damn 'don't worry' note. The selfish, insta-love-struck bitch.

Oliver is the perfect prince, insta-love love interest with again NO PERSONALITY. The 'character' he plays in the book has more personality. He wants a real life, but doesn't know WHAT A SANDWICH IS AND HE DOES KNOW WHAT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER IS!

Then we got the rest of the characters in 'the real world' that are all stereotypical, plain stupid and just there when they are necessary. The fairy tale characters are just the result of random brainstorming. We've got a dog that is a guy that's a dog, who is Oliver's sidekick. The dumb damsel in distress that crushes on the prince, but is just an idiot. The forced love triangle that isn't ever a threat to the insta-love. AND THEN WE GOT THE DOG THAT CRUSHES ON THE PRINCESS! I don't even have words for the idiocy of that whatsoever.

I'm not even going to talk about some of the other characters, except the vain horse that only worries if his butt is too big. I'm not kidding, he talks... about his butt...



The writing is simple, juvenile, not pretty or unique at all. I really can't see how such a praised author as Jodi Picoult can write so poorly, so I presume that is the work of her daughter, who's a junior in high school or Picoult's feeling of 'needing to write easily for a YA audience'. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to explain it.

I am let down. I want to love such a beautifully designed book, but the actual book was just a poorly written, for younger audiences than YA written, story, with too disastrous to be true events and solutions, useless characters and a romance that is unbelievable, insta-love-y between two characters severely lacking in any form of personality.

1,5 out of 5 stars for being terrible but easy to read.

[Mafi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conceito muito bom mas a execução deixou a desejar. Mesmo assim foi bom ter lido algo desta autora tão diferente do que costuma escrever.

(...)

Como disse acima, achei a premissa mesmo engraçada mas a execução deixou um pouco a desejar e por vezes o livro revelou-se mesmo parvinho, tanto pela historia como pelas acções das personagens. Eu sei que isto é ficção mas é suposto eu acreditar que a Delilah apaixona-se por uma personagem de um livro e já quer ficar com ele para sempre sem o nunca ter visto na realidade? É um bocado parvo sim, isto pode ser um conto de fadas mas até aí há alguma lógica nas coisas.
O desespero da Delilah é tão grande que afasta-se da melhor amiga e da mãe, porque tudo o que ela consegue pensar é em como tirar o Oliver do livro e repito que o Oliver é uma personagem fictícia com a qual ela nunca conviveu na realidade e apenas falou com ele no livro algumas vezes.

http://algodaodoceparaocerebro.blogsp...

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book! I was first planning to purchase this book as a NOOKbook, but when I opened it up at the store, I just had to buy the physical copy. The full-paged colored illustrations, the pictures placed beautifully around the pages, and different fonts and colors made this book so pretty. Normally you see books with amazing covers, but this was just all-around gorgeous!

I read this in about three hours. I wasn't sure what to expect, because I hadn't ever read the synopsis on it before. I was surprised when I found that it had lots of humor as well as romance and fantasy. The writing style was one of the things that I loved most. At first it starts with a small part of the actual fairytale. Then it jumps perspectives to Oliver, who is in the fairytale as an actor. After his section is done it jumps to Delilah, the reader of Oliver's story. Sorry if that sounds confusing, it really isn't that confusing if you're reading it. This book has many parallels to the middle-grade book Inkheart by Cornilia Funke, but I found that I enjoyed this one more. It involves the same type of plot, where fairytale characters enter the real world, as well as the way they both ended were really similar. This was a bit more moderized and a little more YA.

My favorite character had to be Oliver. He was always being funny and made the book a light, enjoyable read. (The illustrations of him are really pretty, too!) He was my favorite both in and out of the fairytale world.

Overall, I loved it. It was a great fresh read for YA fantasy. A cute romance!

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved how the story was told, with a mixture of the actual fairy tale, 'Between the Lines' and then from both Oliver and Delilah's perspective. It was immersive and I definitely found myself invested in their romance. The moral we can get from this is try, try, try again, because the lovers try at least six different ways to get Oliver out of the book, and nothing seems to work until it does.
I may have liked it more than I normally would've, because of all the 'Inkheart' feels it was giving me.

Yeah, this book definitely could have done with Capricorn and Dustfinger. Excuse me, I'll just be reading 'Inkheart' for the seventeenth time.

[Suzzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good story but not the typical Jodi Picoult novel and understandably so since she co-wrote it with her daughter. I love takes on fairytales and fairytales in general (so much so that my doctoral dissertation is on the use of fairytales in therapy) so I was pretty happy reading this book. I will read the second book of the series for sure as I have a 2018 goal of reading all of Jodi’s novels. However, I do not think some will enjoy this one because they may be use to her novels because a bit more intense and well, not fantasy for one.

My quick and simple overall: I liked it. It was rather entertaining and quick with enjoyable characters.