Book Review: Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Title: Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares

Author: Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publishing Date: October 2010

Length: 260 pages

Genre: YA, Romance

4/5 **** Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares- A light comedy about books, holiday spirit, books, finding love and more books. A fantastic holiday read to warm your heart!  

 

~ The Authors ~

Rachel Cohn grew up in the D.C. area and graduated from Barnard College with a B.A. in Political Science. She has written many YA novels, including two that she cowrote with her friend and colleague David Levithan. She lives and writes (when she's not reading other people's books, organizing her music library or looking for the best cappuccino) in New York City.

Author profile by Goodreads 

David Levithan (born 1972) is an American children's book editor and award-winning author. He published his first book, Boy Meets Boy, in 2003. Levithan is also the founding editor of PUSH, a Young Adult imprint of Scholastic Press.

Author profile by Goodreads 

For further information visit http://www.davidlevithan.com/ and http://www.rachelcohn.com/

~ The Novel ~

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written three books together, the first books being Nick Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List. Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares was published October 2010. David wrote Dash’s chapters and Rachel wrote Lily’s chapters. Although they did not pass the chapters back and forth in a red Moleskine notebook, they did email them to each other without planning anything out beforehand. That’s the way they work.

~ The Story ~

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Summary by Goodreads 

~ The Review ~

The story switches between Dash's and Lily’s point of view. Each chapter gives entertaining and insightful excursions into both of their lives and emotions. Rachel Cohn wrote Lily’s and David Levithan Dash’s chapters and although they hadn’t worked out a storyline beforehand and just passed each new written chapter on to the other so he could continue writing, the writing style doesn’t appear incoherent or cut up.

Rachel’s and David’s individual writing style, their own ideas of a good joke or a meaningful quote fits the development of our protagonists, Dash and Lily, perfectly. Dash is a down-to-earth book lover whose best method to survive Christmas festivities is ignorance. Lily, on the other hand appears as a little angel, that can’t wait to spread Christmas spirit everywhere. The very contrary opinions about Christmas and also very different character traits contribute to a lively dialogue and cause anticipation.

Secondary characters like family members, friends or curious strangers complete the picture of a rich character ensemble.

We’ve got wonderful quotations of famous authors, hilarious dares and two profound protagonists that want to spend their Christmas holidays together with us. Some would say Dash & Lily’s story is set or begins in the Strand Bookstore, I would say in heaven. As a booklover one has to love this book even more just because of its setting and various relations to books.

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares always circles around the little red notebook and its exchange between Dash and Lily. I consider this little red notebook as a fantastic idea to create a dynamic writing style and storyline but above all it stands for so much more than having new adventures, accepting hilarious dares or getting the chance to fall in love. This little red notebook and so Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares is about writing your own story, creating your life as exciting and unique as you like it, never hesitating to write down a new so far unknown phrase.

Have you bought your little red notebook and started daring yet? If the answer is no, then Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares is the right choice to get introduced to the trendiest way of finding new companions and fellow book lovers over the holidays or any other time of the year. 

~ We love this book because… ~

1) of the miracles a certain red notebook performed

2) of a paradise illuminated by eighteen miles of heavenly words

3) Santa has never been so cosy before

4) we can vividly image being the next crimson alert victim of the WashingtonSquareMommies

5) of its delightful oxfordian excurses

~ The Verdict ~

Dash and Lily is an adorable holiday read and I fear I don’t have to dare you to put this novel up but put it down again!