Do not begin this novel unless you are prepared to be moved, willing to open your heart, and available to the possibility that life can bring you magic.
Chris Astor is a man in his early forties who is going through the toughest stretch of his life.
Becky is Chris's fourteen-year-old daughter, a girl who overcame enormous challenges to become a vibrant, vital young woman - and now faces her greatest obstacle yet. Miea is the young queen of a fantasy land that Becky and Chris created when Becky was little, a fantasy land that has developed a life of its own and now finds itself in terrible, maybe fatal trouble.
Together, Chris, Becky, and Miea need to uncover a secret. The secret to why their worlds have joined at this moment. The secret to their purpose. The secret to their future. It is a secret that, when discovered, will redefine imagination for all of them.
--Summary from back cover of Blue
I've been mulling over how to express my sentiments regarding this book for a little over a week now. The first time I picked Blue up, I read the first sentence and put it back down. I wasn't intrigued, plus I had chemistry homework to finish. The next time I picked it up, I re-read the first sentence and moved on to the next sentence, the next paragraph, the next page, and then the next chapter. While the opening sentence didn't pull me in, every subsequent word had me up late for a few nights reading. Blue was beautifully written and Lou Aronica obviously put plenty of love and effort into his book.
I'm not sure who my favorite character was. All of them were so interesting and I felt compelled to continue reading their story. Aronica was able to create people that jumped off the page into reality, people who were deep and caring, but had their own problems to contend with. They weren't perfect, but all of their imperfections made them that much stronger.
Chris is a loving father. Any girl would be lucky to have a dad like him, someone whose whole world revolves around his little girl. From the moment the book begins you know that he would do just about anything for Becky. Becky is growing up though. She isn't that same little girl who once made up stories with her father. At fourteen, she is trying to be a bit more independent, which makes it seem as if she is pulling away from Chris.
Miea is quite amazing. She is in her early twenties, but she rules an entire kingdom by herself after tragedy struck her family. She is overwhelmed and still somewhat lost. Then, she meets Becky and she sees some of herself in the younger girl. Their growing friendship is an integral part of the story.
The fantasy land that Becky and Chris created is wonderful! I loved every minute reading about it. The way the author described everything was great because I could see it all in my mind's eye. The blue of the plants, the interesting creatures, Miea's palace... all were described in exquisite detail. I'm actually kind of jealous that I don't get to visit myself. I would love to ride a wacassassa or sit in on a meeting in the palace.
Lou Aronica has definitely created an amazing piece of art in writing Blue. The book tugged at my heart, and every emotion expressed was easy to feel and understand. I feel cheated that I've had to go this long without having read something this wonderful. Sometimes there are just certain books that come into your life at the perfect time and touch you in unforeseen ways. Blue was that book for me.
Rating: 10
*The fact that I received this book from the author did not influence my opinion of it in any way. This was my honest review.
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