Review: The Art of Feeling

The Art of Feeling by Laura Tims
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book breaks your heart and mends it up again. Samantha Herring has been in constant pain, emotionally and physically, since the unfortunate passing of her mother. Being in the car crash alongside her mother, she is just beginning to piece together who is to blame. After shutting herself out from any social life or friends she previously had, Sam has receded into a fog of depression.

One day, Sam meets Eliot, a loner with a carefree attitude with a secret: he cannot feel any pain. Sam is initially jealous of Eliot's capability, but she soon realizes more about his medical condition and his self-inflicting injuries as a result. In fact, Eliot seems to be careless about everything- except maybe, just maybe, Sam.

"It'd be so easy to dislike him. Liking him has to be against the rules"

As Sam and Eliot grow closer, Sam begins to confront her most painful memories- but memories nonetheless that can help to discover the truth of her mother's passing. Awkward at first, Sam and Eliot are a contrast of personalities that ultimately help in understanding one another. It is not until Eliot meets Sam that he realizes how pain can affect an individual, and because of this, he becomes an endearing and empathetic character in the novel that dramatically aids in Sam's recovery.

"'m noticing how pieces of Eliot's hair curl over his ears, how his face is both sharp and soft, and I'm happy, I'm ecstatic, because neither of us is on the wrong side of normal anymore We didn't fit in by ourselves, but we fit together..."

I was somewhat disappointed by the fact of using drugs as a coping mechanism on Sam's brother's behalf, and the constant making light of drugs and alcohol, but I enjoyed the contrasts of Eliot and Sam and the blossoming of their romance. I thought the ending was a wonderful send-off for the characters with happiness and a new sense of clarity for Sam and Eliot. I would definitely recommend this novel!! :)


(Me at the end of the book!! :))

View all my reviews