Author: Jessica Brody
Series? No, it's a standalone!
Pages: 320
Publication Date: November 28, 2017
Publisher: Simon Pulse (imprint of Simon & Schuster)
Source: I received a e-galley of The Chaos of Standing Still via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own. :)
Over the course of one chaotic night stranded at the Denver airport, Ryn confronts her shattered past thanks to the charm of romance, the uniqueness of strangers, and the magic of ordinary places in this stunning novel from the author of Boys of Summer.
Ryn has one unread text message on her phone. And it’s been there for almost a year.
She hasn’t tried to read it. She can’t. She won’t. Because that one message is the last thing her best friend ever said to her before she died.
But as Ryn finds herself trapped in the Denver International Airport on New Year’s Eve thanks to a never-ending blizzard on the one-year anniversary of her best friend’s death, fate literally runs into her.
And his name is Xander.
When the two accidentally swap phones, Ryn and Xander are thrust into the chaos of an unforgettable all-night adventure, filled with charming and mysterious strangers, a secret New Year’s Eve bash, and a possible Illuminati conspiracy hidden within the Denver airport. But as the bizarre night continues, all Ryn can think about is that one unread text message. It follows her wherever she goes, because Ryn can’t get her brialliantly wild and free-spirited best friend out of her head.
Ryn can’t move on.
But tonight, for the first time ever, she’s trying. And maybe that’s a start.
As moving as it is funny, The Chaos of Standing Still is a heartwarming story about the earth-shattering challenges life throws at us—and the unexpected strangers who help us along the way.
The Chaos of Standing Still was one of the last books I read in 2017, and I immensely enjoyed it! While I did not *love* the book, I was pretty close to it!
The Chaos of Standing Still follows Ryn, a teenage girl stranded in Denver International Airport due to a massive snow storm (sound familiar, anyone?) while the anniversary of her best friend's death looms. At the airport, she meets Xander. A potential romance ensues, but so does the uncovering of a monumental force of grief.
Maybe it's just me, but sometimes I need a good cry, and The Chaos of Standing Still hit the spot. I thought the grief was well done - Ryn is angry; she is in denial, but at the end of it all, she's hurting. I can't imagine what it would be like to have one of my best friends die, let alone feel guilt about their death also. Brody completely immersed me in the story; Ryn was written so well, the feelings were authentic, and the setting was a character unto itself.
The whole entire book is set in the Denver International Airport, and I loved reading about it! While it can be miserable to be stuck at an airport, I loved how this one setting allowed for some unique situations. One of my favorite scenes was when Ryn and Xander were riding the airport train. Antics ensue, and it was so fun to read.
The only thing that I didn't like all the time was Ryn, but I think that might have been the point. Overall, she was a fine protagonist, but sometimes she got on my nerves. She is dealing with a lot of unresolved grief, but she was incredibly rude sometimes. Also, there were some pretty cringe-y scenes. There was one specific scene at a party where I felt just so embarrassed for Ryn that it was hard to read. While this does show how Brody wrote Ryn so well that I was able to empathize with her so much, it also made me get easily fed up with her as well.
If you are ever in the need of a book to make you cry, this is the one for you! Though Ryn would at times get on my nerves, I appreciated the story overall. The romance was heartening, and the ending was done so well. This is my first time reading something by Jessica Brody, and I'm definitely going to be reading more of her, hopefully this year!
With that, I give this book
4.5 out of 5 Stars!
I loved the setting too, and thought Brody used it well. The grief poured off the page. Ryn was dripping with pain. I appreciated her growth and I really liked the ending. I struggled with Lottie, but do believe that Ryn got to some truths regarding their friendship over the course of the book as well.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you! Reading the beginning was really hard for me, simply because her pain was so raw. Lottie wasn't my favorite person in the whole world, but I did think their friendship was believable!
DeleteGlad to see you enjoyed it! Great review! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Lauren! Are you planning on reading it?
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