Title: A Season of Eden
Author: J.M. Warwick / Jennifer Laurens
Classification: YA Fiction, Contemporary
Source: ARC from the publisher
Overall Grade:
C
Would I read it again?
No.
Would I recommend it?
Depends!
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Summary (from Goodreads):
He's my teacher. I shouldn't be alone with him. But I can't help that he's irresistible. I let the door silently close at my back. He stared at me, and a taut quiet stretched between us.
"I like hearing you play," I said, moving toward him.
He turned, in sync with my slow approach. He looked up at me but didn't say anything. I rested my clammy hand on the cold, slick body of the baby grand. "May I?" The muscles in his throat shifted, then he swallowed.
"Eden."
My knees weakened, like a soft tickling kiss had just been blown against the backs of them.
"Is it okay?" I asked. His gaze held mine like two hands joined. He understood what I was really asking. "Let me stay," I said. "Please."
"You're going to get me in trouble," he said.
"I like hearing you play," I said, moving toward him.
He turned, in sync with my slow approach. He looked up at me but didn't say anything. I rested my clammy hand on the cold, slick body of the baby grand. "May I?" The muscles in his throat shifted, then he swallowed.
"Eden."
My knees weakened, like a soft tickling kiss had just been blown against the backs of them.
"Is it okay?" I asked. His gaze held mine like two hands joined. He understood what I was really asking. "Let me stay," I said. "Please."
"You're going to get me in trouble," he said.
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My Thoughts:
I have a few problems with this book.
First off, the whole teacher/student thing is not that big a deal in A Season of Eden. Eden, the protagonist, is 18, and the teacher, James Christian, is 22. Their close ages make the story much more believable, that a romance could actually form between these two people.
I can definitely see where Laurens is coming from with writing a story like this. As a teenager, I had plenty of teachers, coaches, friend's older brothers that seemed just out of reach. But, that didn't stop me from wishing... ;)
However, I have to say that I do not think that Laurens took full advantage of this concept. I felt that the relationship between Eden and James was well-developed, with Eden's take charge character overwhelming James' shyness. Their relationship was the strong point of the novel.
First off, the whole teacher/student thing is not that big a deal in A Season of Eden. Eden, the protagonist, is 18, and the teacher, James Christian, is 22. Their close ages make the story much more believable, that a romance could actually form between these two people.
I can definitely see where Laurens is coming from with writing a story like this. As a teenager, I had plenty of teachers, coaches, friend's older brothers that seemed just out of reach. But, that didn't stop me from wishing... ;)
However, I have to say that I do not think that Laurens took full advantage of this concept. I felt that the relationship between Eden and James was well-developed, with Eden's take charge character overwhelming James' shyness. Their relationship was the strong point of the novel.
Eden's character, however, was the weak point. I felt like her entire world revolved around whether or not she would actually "get" James. As a girl from a very wealthy background, little familial support, and mostly vapid relationships with friends and boyfriends, I guess this probably rings true. However, if Eden really was trying to grow and change to become more mature and win James' heart, wouldn't she try and control her drama reflex?!
Also, from the cover of this novel, with the cover model holding the "forbidden fruit," I expected there to be more similarities between this book and the Adam and Eve narrative. I once took a class that studied only Adam and Eve narratives from fiction, movies, and poetry from all genres and time periods, and I found it fascinating! However, I was definitely misled: there is almost no relation to the Adam and Eve narrative whatsoever!
However, there was an interesting discussion on personal worth, sin, and guilt in the novel, as Eden tries to deal with the fact that she is much more... experienced in many walks of life than dear James.
All in all, a refreshing contemporary that, while being a fun, fresh read, does not earn top notch marks from me. It was probably that lazy ending.... :)
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Overall Grade:
C
Would I read it again?
No.
Would I recommend it?
Depends!
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