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Book Review: Be

Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆ 4/5

Title: Be

Author: Ellie Lieberman

Publication Date: June 28, 2021

Genre: Coming of Age Fiction

Cover:

I like the cover of Be with its blue bottle, rosemary, knife, and slightly scorched paper. These elements are relevant to the story and are best appreciated after reading the book.

Premise

Anyone can experience tragedy in life. Heartbreak does not care for status or wealth. Ari and Henry know this all too well. While their lives begin in drastically different circumstances, their hearts experience pain that will either break them or make them stronger as they fight for freedom.

Why I chose this book:

Author Ellie Lieberman requested a review. After reading her summary and viewing her book cover, I was intrigued. To my surprise, I discovered Liberman’s diverse body of work as both a children’s author and illustrator.

First Impression:

Lieberman has a descriptive writing style, and I quickly felt as if I knew what it would be like to step into the scene. I saw what the characters saw. I felt what the characters felt. Also, from the beginning of the book, she set the stage with a bit of mystery to keep the reader engaged. This made me want to keep reading in order to uncover the secrets of certain characters.

What I loved:

One of Lieberman’s strengths lies in her ability to develop characters. By the end of the book, I felt as if I knew these characters inside and out. I understood their strengths and weaknesses, their hopes and fears. In Ari, we find a girl with a hard exterior and a tender heart that loves and cares deeply for those she values. In Henry, we see a boy living with pain and trauma, who still puts the needs of others before his own. Their stories intertwine to tell a tale that demonstrates how families can be torn apart and still be healed.

Lieberman also weaves various valuable life lessons through the story that might be especially helpful for a young adult reader. For example, she explores how a person’s past shapes who they are in the present and even how they might be in the future. This ties in nicely with whether a person can change who they are at their core or if they even want to. She also explores thoughts about the cost of freedom and what it means to love others so much that you are willing to sacrifice everything for them.

Additional Thoughts:

Be is set in a time with kings and castles, so I expected the dialogue to be a bit more formal. At times, I noticed more modern words and phrases being used, and, for me, this seemed to clash somewhat with the story’s setting. There were also times when I wish the action scenes had lasted longer and had more detail. I believe this would have helped propel the story forward in an even more exciting way.

Quotable Quotes:

• He wore the story of his life in his eyes. (Page 34)
• For someone who worked so close to the flames, Mr. Thomas was not a particularly warm man. (Page 66)
• “Information is just as sharp a weapon as a sword when wielded correctly.” (Page 159)
• Her wrath was dangerous, even without a sword in her hands. (Page 164)
• Disappointment tasted bitter in her mouth, but the fire in her stomach would have her swinging her dagger with her final breath. (Page 257)

Who might enjoy this book:

Be is ideal for readers who enjoy books that highlight family dynamics, both good and bad, and enjoy a slow build to a faster-paced ending.

Overall Impression:

Four stars. Be is a thoughtful story that shares the ebb and flow of two families as they attempt to move forward from the tragedy and heartache that life has dealt them. One is poor, and one rules the land, but their struggles are shockingly similar, demonstrating that money and power are not markers of happiness. Be explores themes such as loyalty to friends and family, the cost of freedom, and dealing with painful pasts in order to embrace a person’s destiny. This is an entertaining, easy read that moves quickly. I am thrilled that Lieberman chose to expand her target audience to include young adult and adult readers and I look forward to reading her future work.

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