Landline by Rainbow Rowell
Published: July 8,2014
Summary: “Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble; it has been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems beside the point now.
Maybe that was always beside the point.
Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect him to pack up the kids and go home without her.
When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.
That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts…
Is that what she’s supposed to do?
Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?”
So, I’ve only read Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell before reading this. And I feel like I have a greater anticipation of Fangirl more than anything in her collection but Landline wasn’t bad at all. I loved the character development, and how Georgie grew as a person (kinda). She was still pretty “complain-y” rather than maturing in her relationship but then again, she was working with a jerk husband. If I ever had a husband like Neal I would’ve probably ended up just leaving him, like three months into the marriage, so you go Georgie!
But I have to say my favorite character was Heather. I think the way she gave her perspective and kind of brought a bit of respect for herself in Georgie’s eyes was awesome. I loved the way the two of them worked and actually the whole dynamic between Georgie and her mom and sister and Kendrick. I think the ending was kind of abrupt and anti-climactic, but this whole book was definitely a smooth read.
I found myself just breezing through a good chunk of this book at a time, so reading Landline was no trouble at all. I didn’t struggle through reading any of it. And seeing as how I think most of the people reading Landline, haven’t been married (bringing in the fan base between Eleanor & Park and Fangirl) I don’t think a lot of people can truly relate to Georgie. So I think we all should tip our hats to Rainbow Rowell for being able to write a book, where a lot of people can’t relate, and still make it an great story with great characters and make it something enjoyable with fluidity and have it being a piece that is just an overall good read.
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