Book Review: Slow Dancing with the Stars // Najaha Nauf

Hello!

I read and reviewed this book on my bookstagram last year and when Najaha announced that she was releasing a 2nd edition e-book version I realised that I hadn't posted the review on my blog. So since today's the release day of the e-book (which also has illustrations by the wonderful cover artist @half.moon_studio) I decided to post the review on my blog as well. Do check it out on amazon/kindle! 

Slow Dancing With The Stars

Author: Najaha Nauf

Stand alone

Format: Paperback (1st edition)

Genre: Young Adult | Mental Health | Contemporary

Synopsis: 

"How do you console someone who doesn't want to be consoled?"

Victoria has a hard time coming to terms with the idea that everyone around her will eventually die. Except she doesn't really know when her worries began. She begins writing letters to the only other occupant of her ward, in order to piece her story together. But the more letters Victoria writes, the more she feels uncertain about: when did her worries begin and how will she overcome them?

Rate: 5 / 5 ⭐

"life is only a borrowing of bones. thank you for taking care of mine. i'll return yours when i am steady again, thank you for keeping me upright. my bones have known your comfort and i hope yours have known mine."

Review: 

This is Najaha Nauf's debut novella, a story about grief and recovery. It is written in part journal entries/letters and a part story about the main character, Tori. There is something quiet about this book, I mean the story is so loud but it's written so quietly that it's so achingly beautiful.

It is more character-driven than plot-driven, like I said it is centered around tori and what happens to her. it delves into who tori is in her core and what experiences have fed into her being who she is now. Nauf uses tori's family and friends to explore the intricacies of the relationships when the truth of it all remains unspoken.

Another one of my favourites of this book is the questions that tori asks, her depiction of being alive, of change, and death all wrapped in those beautiful metaphors that were easy to understand, easy to hold and..... easy to crush; the sound of her heart crackling, meeting the biggest star in her constellation, slow dancing with the stars.

There were times where I wished that certain parts were a bit more elaborated on, or at least the latter part of the story was a bit longer. whether this is because of the story feeling incomplete or this is because I didn't want it to end, I don't know.

I mean I was emotionally invested in this book that when I was done I felt so strange. I was left with this lingering feeling of 'i don't know what' and a need to read more of her books. until then I will be reading and rereading this book.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧