I Loved You in Another Life
Haunted by recent losses, battling addiction and anxiety, facing nothing but problems and increasingly unstable futures, Shosh and Evan are not doing well. To make things worse, they’ve been hearing strange music, an ethereal sound it seems like only they can hear. As this slow-burn romance unfolds in alternating vignettes from their difficult lives – with the occasional detour to other lifetimes – we watch these teenagers muddle through their days and investigate the spectral songs that seem to draw them together. All the while we wonder, will they find their way toward a better life?
This book is about love. The romantic kind that stretches supernaturally across lifetimes, and the powerful love we hold for family and friends. Our philosophical narrators think deeply about, and experience firsthand, the power love has to both help and harm us. The plot is largely driven by conversation, supported both by vividly descriptive scene-setting and a rich cast of characters whose distinct personalities and voices keep the reader hooked.
Poetic, meditative, filled with striking observations, this YA book is densely packed. Though it’s a deeply emotional story where the narration occasionally veers toward the melodramatic, it often manages to be as funny as it is sad. It’s best enjoyed slowly and invites a re-read, perhaps one soundtracked by the accompanying playlist of original music. It’s also best saved for older teens, and readers should note that the plot revolves around difficult themes including alcoholism, anxiety, illness, death, and difficult familial and economic situations.
