While We're Far Apart Book

While We're Far Apart by Lynn Austin will definitely be considered as a boring book by many who judge a book only after reading a couple of chapters but for those who actually invest their time and energy to it, they will find it all worthwhile in the end. This book is emotional and will leave you thinking long after you're done with it. I don't read a lot of books that have that kind of impression on me and so that's why I consider this a very good read. You know you are reading a good book when you're so drawn into the story and of the characters even when not much is really happening plot wise. I know, this sounds really weird but that's exactly how I felt when reading this book. The characters are fleshed out very nicely and you just can't help but keep reading into the next chapter even though there is no cliff hanger from the last one!

The writing for this book is superb. I really don't know how else to put it. Never once throughout reading the 400+ pages of this book did I find myself skipping any parts. If this book was turned into a movie, I'm sure it would feel and look low budget because the entire book focuses only in a couple of locations. You have Mr. Mendel's apartment, the duplex for both Esther and Peter's grandparents along with Penny's parent, the bus station where Penny works, the inside of a bus and that pretty much sums it up. Obviously some of the characters will travel to other places close to within their vicinity but for the most part, what I've listed is all there is to it. However, the author makes it clear that it's not about traveling to different places and having the characters do incredible things that makes her book so incredible. It's about the trials and tribulation one goes through during hard times.

All in all, I have nothing but high praise for this book by Lynn Austin, which is my first from her. I simply loved the characters in this book not because they are heroes or anything but for the fact that you can connect with them on an emotional level. I admit that I have shed a couple of tears while reading some of the letters written by the family members of Mr. Mendel stuck in a country so close to the war. While this book is fiction, you just can't help but think if this really didn't happen to a real family back in this war torn era. It's just amazing how many things this book teaches us and that's why I highly urge people to read it. If you know of someone who is depressed or just confused in life, I also believe this book can help in a very special way.