Review: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn

Feb 3, 2011 by shanyn

Title: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares
Hardcover, 272 pages
Authors: David Levithan and Rachel Cohn
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 26, 2010
Source: Won
Buy: Amazon

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Book Summary:
“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

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Review:
Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares ended up being just as fun as the summary makes it sound!

Both Dash and Lily have been left nearly alone for the holiday season, and begin to have exchanges through a red notebook that Lily initially leaves on the shelf of a bookstore. When Dash finds it, we begin our adventure with clues and trips to different parts of New York City – Lily leaving a clue for Dash, and Dash leaving a clue for Lily, back and forth.

These clues were very clever – and perhaps the most fun part of this book is that it was co-written by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn – who both did not plot or outline together. They simply wrote a chapter and passed it to the other, who went from there. This makes the dares even more dare-like, because they truly were written through Dash or Lily, and not preconceived through the outline of an author.

Dash and Lily eventually start to think they may like to be friends in real life, so there is a bit of complex emotion towards the end of the book. Their interactions at the end turned this from a “fun” book to a “good” book – both Dash and Lily had some serious thought processes going on, and evolved Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares into more than just a book of dares.

I think this book would be great to read during the actual Christmas season, since it involves Santa and Christmas decorations and snow. It would make a good gift to give during the holidays to a reader looking for a fun, light romance read.

Buy: Amazon

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