Review of Lit

[Stephanie Runyon]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Lit" by Lindy LaValley.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Would you change your entire life to be with the person of your dreams? Would you follow love blindly? In Lit, Elsie does both. Elsie lived in a small town in Georgia. The same day her current husband asks for a divorce, Elsie meets Coyote. She is impressed with Coyote owning his own business. Several days later, Elsie is surprised when Coyote shows up at a local pub. They spent the evening talking. After several weeks, Elsie falls in love with Coyote. She knew he was the man she would love for the rest of her life.

Elsie’s love for Coyote made her vulnerable. In less than two years, Elsie gave up her job as a nurse, moved across the country, and depended upon Coyote for everything. Elsie did everything he asked her to, even if it made her feel uncomfortable. She wanted to contribute to their relationship by being his personal assistant. To her dismay, Coyote’s entire business is a mess. Coyote’s long trips become a problem as Elsie’s insecurities rise.

Lit’s narration is seen through the eyes of an emotional woman who falls for a self-absorbed man. I noted several signs Elsie overlooked because of her love. On one occasion, Coyote begged Elsie to take the blame for his employees not receiving their paychecks. Coyote’s words were always twisted to avoid responsibility for his actions. “I wasn’t thinking about us at the time. My trip allowed me to escape reality and create a new image of myself.” Coyote may have been a part of Elsie’s dreams, but his true nature made him her nightmare.

I rate Lit five out of five stars. There were no errors in the entire book. Extraordinary detail was given to Elsie’s thoughts, making it easy to envision her feelings. I felt empathy for Elsie when she realized Coyote isolated her from everyone she knew. The timeline was easy to follow. Elsie’s progress towards acknowledging the toxicity of her relationship adds a realistic quality to the story. Elsie’s pain was clear in her words because the conversations felt natural. Coyote's continuous reminders of Elsie's insecurities could lead anyone to doubt their sanity.

I think this could be an excellent book for helping young adults to recognize that abuse is not always physical. Lit shows how people should never sacrifice their happiness to stroke another person’s ego. The explicit scenes, profanity, drug experimentation, and alcohol abuse may offend some people. The book consistently reinforced lessons on coping skills and accountability. Does Elsie ever break free from the hold that Coyote has on her? Is love so blind as to overlook another person’s indiscretions? Most readers may find the ending shocking.

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Lit
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[Kibet Hillary]

It appears the author was able to describe Elsie's thoughts so vividly such that a reader is able to identify with and imagine her feelings. I am wondering how her relationship with Coyote eventually turns out, as it appears there is lots of manipulation. Many thanks for the review, @Stephanie Runyon.

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

Elsie’s love for Coyote made her vulnerable. In less than two years, Elsie gave up her job as a nurse, moved across the country, and depended upon Coyote for everything. Elsie did everything he asked her to, even if it made her feel uncomfortable. She wanted to contribute to their relationship by being his personal assistant. To her dismay, Coyote’s entire business is a mess. Coyote’s long trips become a problem as Elsie’s insecurities rise.

With your opening question, I went instantly “yes!,” but real love respects each other's boundaries. So no, you really shouldn't do things that make you uncomfortable out of “love.” I agree with you, books like this one are essential to help people recognize emotional abuse and probably avoid an awful fate.
Great review!