Ketchup Clouds, My Thoughts.

At the start of the year I set myself the goal to read at least twenty books this year, so far I've managed to read four (not as good as I'd hoped but I'm working on it) and thought I'd start writing some reviews of them, from the four I've finished I have absolutely loved three of them, and so where better to start but with the most recent loved book?

not my image-source

I think that Ketchup Clouds is aimed at a young audience, but not too young, think 15-20/21. I don't know what first made me pick it up but once I'd read the blurb I knew I wanted to read it, I actually read it on my iPad which I'm glad I did as I often found myself getting it out in work breaks and on the bus-it quickly turned into one of those books that I found myself needing to read more of, a very good sign.

Ketchup Clouds is an epistolary novel, told in the form of letters from a 15 year old girl called Zoe (though this is just a name she uses, not her actual name) to a prisoner on deaths row in America, from the beginning the reader is aware that Zoe has a huge secret, and one that haunts her every moment of the day. As the letters progress Zoe feeds us snippets of both present day life as well as the events of the past, leading up to the big secret and she does so in such a way that I couldn't not carry on reading, it was addictive and at times infuriating-which is what caused me to do something I usually try to avoid doing..I skipped to the last few pages..kind of.

not my image-source

You see, the thing is, it becomes incredibly clear from the beginning that a characters death is at the heart of the story, and that that character is going to be one of two, and me being me, got attached to one of the characters and had to know who died..I'm not going to say who but I will say that throughout the rest of the book I was dreading reading those pages and making that death happen as well as hoping that somehow while I was reading the ending would magically change...is it just me that does that?

I love how Pitcher has created such a good tone and voice in this book, since studying English at A level and being forced to pay attention to voices in stories I tend to love books that create it, and this book does it so well as while the theme and events of the book are rather serious, Zoe's voice and style is more childish, that and the little illustrations that are littered in the letters gives the book depth. I also like how while the characters are at that age where they are trying to grow up ahead of time and be older, they still have little traits and moments that remind you that they are only 15, offering slight relief moments to the story, my favourite being when Zoe and Max are in his bedroom and she finds his jigsaw and they sit and  finish it together, it sounds silly buy it was a lovely moment. The character of Dot also helps with this and I found myself smiling at most things she 'says'/does. (she's deaf so doesn't speak, she signs-something I would love to be able to do!)

Now this review is getting rather long and I think you can tell that I liked the book, however there are a few points I feel I should make:

-it does involve a bit of a love triangle, if you don't like them then be warned but I actually liked this on

-it made me cry, but I cry at everything

-a lot of reviews online seem to  complain that the title has nothing to do with the book, I personally like it as it's one of those titles that crops up in a seemingly unimportant conversation in the book which I love, I love it when you're watching a film and someone says the title and you think "oooooh" 

-the story also contains smaller plots, belonging to both Stuart and Dot

-I struggled to like Zoe, but loved Max, Dot and Aaron

-While I loved the book I did find the ending was rushed and I would have liked some closure on the book, though as it doesn't have that I can't get it out of my head, irritating but somehow nice at the same time?

I don't really know what more to say about the book and I'm not entirely sure that this review was any good but if you enjoyed it please let me know, or just let me know if you've read the book and what you think about it

thanks for reading, Yazmine :) xx