The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

Guys.

This book.

Well, I highlighted over half of it. And I read about a third of it out loud to my husband as he diligently tried to focus on his tissue biology homework. I didn't cry, but I think I connected with it on a deeper level than tears.

There is a passage in John Steinbeck's The Winter of Our Discontent where the main voice, Ethan, despairs because no matter how much he loves his wife, no matter how well he knows her habits and cadences and mannerisms, he cannot be inside her head. No matter what, he can't understand completely because he is separate. There is another book I read like this too, and I can't remember what it was but I think it was Madeleine L'Engle, and she says something along the same lines - we can't perfectly understand each other because we have bodies, and they separate our souls from each other so that we can't know each other perfectly.

The reason why I love books is because they transcend this barrier and let us right into the author's head. Or the character's head. Some authors are better at this than others, and in this book, David Levithan is the best. It always surprises me to find emotions that I thought were my private property echoed in someone else's voice. This book brings you right into the raw, conflicting, alternatingly beautiful and tragic facets of love.

I should back up. The Lover's Dictionary is a love story told in definitions. Each page has a word on it, and a little anecdote follows the word. Slowly and un-chronologically, the love story unfolds.

I loved both of these people so much. I was so sad when the book ended because I wanted to spend more time with them. They are at times cruel and petty, but also witty and passionate. In them I saw represented the faults that we all have - of getting annoyed over small interruptions to our routine, of being selfish, of refusing to admit that we are wrong - but also the greatness of the human soul when it is transformed by love. Which, thank goodness, is a capability we all have.

This book was also hilarious. Case in point:

anachronism, n.
"I'll go get the horse and buggy," you'll say.
And I'll say, "But I thought we were taking the hovercraft!"

Or try

scapegoat, n.
I think our top two are:
1. Not enough coffee.
2. Too much coffee.

And then there are those things that I thought were only hallmarks of how I acted in relationships: "I was still scared by every gap in our conversation, fearing that this was it, the point where we had nothing left to say." Or "I'm careful what songs I play. I try to speak to you with my selections." Or when the lovers trace back their random conversation to its roots.

I loved this book because it spoke to me. It touched my emotions, it made me laugh, and the only bad thing I can say about it is that it ended. The format was amazingly creative, the writing was beautiful and poignant, and I read it in one day, tossing aside all responsibilities to devour the pages.

Please read this book.

Love, me.

5 out of 5 stars. No further qualifications needed.

PS: 'Twas my February Just For Fun Challenge pick.