When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn’t mess around. After all, she’s learned all there is to know from her mother, who’s currently working on husband number five. But there’s something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy’s rules. He certainly doesn’t seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can’t seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy’s starting to understand what those love songs are all about?
SPOILERS INCLUDED!
Review by Cindi
First of all, This Lullaby is not the first Sarah Dessen book I’ve ever read. It’s because I’ve read many of her other works that led me to reading this one. It’s funny; every time I head over to my local library, the first section I would check is the teen fiction area. I slowly creep upon the books that contain the label “D” – “D” for Dessen. I have never been disappointed with reading one of Sarah Dessen’s books before, and luckily for me, This Lullaby further establishes the fact that Dessen’s works are phenomenal.
To start off, I’m going to say that I truly enjoyed this book. The main character, Remy, is unlike any of the characters Dessen forged in her other novels. Remy is much more daring than Auden from Along for the Ride and Macy from The Truth about Forever. Due to Remy’s persona, this novel contains more room for somewhat explicit content. For example, if Remy was shy and lacked confidence, she would’ve never slept with nearly all the guys she’s been with. Heck, she probably wouldn’t have been in a relationship with any guy at all.
Also, Remy can be seen as kind of the “perfect girl.” She’s smart (going to Stanford), she has game, and she’s the type of girl that can handle almost every situation. Who the heck plans an entire wedding for their mother? That’s why I personally like this novel. Remy’s character is just different, and it’s refreshing to experience a divergent character.
The male protagonist is also a reason why I enjoyed this book so much. Dexter, the boy who Remy falls in love with, is a very entertaining yet significant character. Dexter shows that though people have expectations for what they want their partner to be like, destiny can ruin that entire list of expectations. Remy had no intentions to become involved with Dexter; she tried to avoid him since the very beginning.
The relationship that Remy and Dexter establishes is just adorable and unique in its own way. It’s obvious that Dexter is so not Remy’s type, but somehow, they fit together like two puzzle pieces. Of course, it took Remy a while to realize that Dexter is her perfect match. However, during that period when she thought that Dexter was just a summer fling, she realizes and learns many things that eventually makes everything work out just fine.
Besides the characters and the plot, I think the novel teaches readers a very important point about life. To me, the main “lesson” of the book is that everyone has expectations, but sometimes, love can overpower those expectations. Here’s a quote from the book that I fell in love with:
This is a book I encourage everyone to read. It can relate to the lives of many people because let’s face it, everyone has expectations. Sometimes, we’re too caught up in finding or trying to achieve those expectations that we overlook the good things that are already in our grasps.
All in all, I had am amazing time reading This Lullaby. It was unique and it definitely tugged at my heartstrings (though my heartstrings can be easily tugged at).
Grade: 4.5 out of 5. I feel like this novel can be a summer blockbuster for some reason. It’s cute, it’s funny, and in a way, it’s touching. The book also has a right amount of the “scandalous” element. Overall, This Lullaby is a great and fun book to peruse.
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