[My two cents on... Belzhar] « Sometimes it's more easier to tell ourselves a story. »

Good morning!

It's been a while since the last post but I finally managed to get through all the story of the book I'll talk about today, namely Belzhar. 

INFO
 
Title: Belzhar
Author: Meg Wolitzer
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 272
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Speak
Year: 2015
Price: 10,99 $

 
SYNOPSIS:

If life were fair, Jam Gallahue would still be at home in New Jersey with her sweet British boyfriend, Reeve Maxfield. She’d be watching old comedy sketches with him. She’d be kissing him in the library stacks. She certainly wouldn’t be at The Wooden Barn, a therapeutic boarding school in rural Vermont, living with a weird roommate, and signed up for an exclusive, mysterious class called Special Topics in English.But life isn’t fair, and Reeve Maxfield is dead. Until a journal-writing assignment leads Jam to Belzhar, where the untainted past is restored, and Jam can feel Reeve’s arms around her once again. But there are hidden truths on Jam’s path to reclaim her loss. 

MY RATE: ★★★★



MY TWO CENTS ON THE BOOK:

I discovered Belzhar when I was in my weekly bookstore tour here in my city and at first I wasn't too sure about it. In other words I was in the middle of an hard decision where I had to pick up only one book and take it home with me and the war was win by this guy here, currently on my living room table. 
At first it was very intriguing and I thought that I actually took a break from it because of the kitten and all the stuff that came up with his arrival; honestly though, when I actually decided to start again and reading it from where I stopped, I felt that it wasn't interely Aki's fault but, somehow, it was also the book's. 
I don't think that I can explain myself in a way that is understandable for you that you're reading this post but I think that if you're a reader, sometimes you felt the same way that I was. 

The story itself is intriguing and the mistery behind Jam's Belzhar was really something unexpected but before that, I was kinda bored and I told myself that I had to read the entirely book instead of close it and completely forget about it, and I'm feeling thankful towards that part of myself; though I can't really tell that my first experience with this writer was terrific, not at all. I enjoyed most of the book because of the story and also because it was written in a pretty simple way. But, like I said, in the middle of the book I find myself not intrigued at all: I wasn't in a rush to discover what will be happened in the next page or something, no sir. 
I also think that Belzhar could be the place that most of the people would like to have in their life. Personally, after discovering the malus of that world, I'm more than positive that it's better that Belzhar, or a world like that, exists only in fantasies or in books.  
But I think that I should tell you what bothered me so much in this book. 

First of all Jam, the main character. I think that she was the main problem here. Jam wasn't bad but she wasn't so good as I hoped for. Unfortunately I have this bad habit to hoping for the best main character that I've ever met in a book when I decide to start a new one: sometimes I'm failed and other times I discover a character that will be in my heart forever but this definitely isn't the case.  
Also I didn't understand why she had done all of that in the book, and I personally think that it doesn't have any sense, at least if you're talking about someone who's actually... well, I don't know hot to put it in a gentle way, so I'll just say what I think: you have to be insane to do something like that, sure as the sky is blue.
I know that this is a story where the lives of many teens with problems take place but, seriously, you can't really ask me to believe this and also say that was fantastic.
I also know that not too long ago I wrote something about the fact that the discover of her Belzhar's secret was something but, despite the 'shock' after that, I can't really tell that I was amazed. 

I liked the meaning behind the journals though, where the guys had to write; it was really facinating and I think that that's the real meaning behind writing on a journal: let the pain flow away. 
Luckily I'll be able to write again on my journal someday too, and probably I'll think about this story then but I can't really say that this book will remain in my memories for a long time but at least it wasn't completely garbage, at all.

Here we are. I think that it's the time for talking about the ending. *don't worry, it's a spoiler free post. Keep reading!* 
I personally didn't like it too much, because it was somehow kinda false but I can see why the writer decided to put it that way, otherwise the story would have been completely different and probably most of the readers wouldn't have enjoyed an ending like that one. It's my opinion though, so feel free to express yours in the comment section below. ;)

So, I think that I can say that my post is almost complete: there's only room for my final thoughts and then I can clearly say that it's done. 
Belzhar wasn't a bad book, not at all, in fact I think that I'll borrow it to my dear friend when she'll come again visiting me but it isn't a book that I want to have in my bookshelf because it made me feel so much emotions or that means something to me. It's just one of those books that comes into our lives for a reason that maybe we won't ever understand clearly, that when its job is done it has to go to another reader, starting all over again in its personal mission. 
I also don't feel the need to recommend it to someone because it wasn't bad but it didn't have that thing that I usually search for when I decide to read a book, if you know what I mean. 
Sure, if you want to read it, go ahed but let me tell you something: don't have too much expectations, otherwise you'll be disappointed.