The Distance Between Us
The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she's pretty sure they're only good for one thing – spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother's shop.
So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.
So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.
Review:
"Note to self: Caymen is very good at sarcasm."
"If you're recording notes for an official record, I'd like the word 'very' stricken and replaced with 'exceptionally'."
I didn't plan on reading The Distance Between Us this quickly or in these circumstances (I wanted to finish The Memory of Light before I started this one) but I borrowed the book a while ago (I was way busier than I expected, thus, I haven't come round to reading it sooner) and it's due to be returned today so, naturally, I had to hurry up and read it already. That being said, did it feel stressful in any way to read this book? No, of course not. We're talking about a Kasie West book, they are the pinnacle of calm and sweet.
Just as with On the Fence, I already new the story of The Distance Between Us and it (Also) doesn't matter. I have a pretty good book memory so I basically remembered everything that was going to happen (sometimes almost down to specific dialogue) but, when it comes to Kasie West, I'm totally fine with that because, as I've explained before, West somehow manages to make me feel over and over again, no matter how well I know her stories.
Admittedly, I like the plot of the story less than On the Fence but I consider this one the "objectively better book" mostly because of the sense of humour (the sarcasm is great and genuinely funny – most of the time). What I do like about the plot is the underlying fear of bankruptcy, which makes for a lot of tension and the "distress of poverty", what I don't like is the easy way out. Which, I guess, brings me to the fundamental problem with every novel by West: There is a great built-up with the right amount of angst increasing in the right time at the right place but then the story get's hurried along and is tied up neatly within ten pages or so. (I've said all of this before but it is what has to be said about pretty much all of West's books.)
Still, I did enjoy myself a lot reading this book. I read it right before I went to bed and right after I woke up and sometimes during study breaks (when I allowed myself study breaks) but it never felt like I was "cramming" it into my schedule. Every time I continued reading the real time stopped and I was absorbed. Which is what I always want from West's books. Luckily, my library's Overdrive catalogue has a few of her books and I might finally be able to proceed beyond the couple of books of hers I already know.
"Wait," Xander says. "A tractor is going to come dig the rest of this hole?"
"Yeah, they haven't hand dug graves in years. I just thought it would be fun."
"I'm going to kill you."
"This would be the perfect place."
Rating:
Again, I'll stick to my previous rating: 3/5 stars.
Details:
