The Lover's Dictionary
by David Levithan
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A modern love story told through a series of dictionary-style entries is a sequence of intimate windows into the large and small events that shape the course of a romantic relationship.Tags
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Written honestly and beautifully, though I think I was hoping for a bit more. David Levithan's style is always thoughtful and revealing, and that takes on a lovely form in this novel without chronology and without resolution.
The structure, of course, is one of the most interesting aspects of this novel. Levithan gives neither an introduction to the characters, nor a clear narrative of their relationship; instead, through his creative interpretations of dictionary words, we're afforded intimate glimpses into the quotidian, the momentous, and the passionate snapshots of the journey, all written in the present tense. It's not just a static experiment in structure, either: as fickle memory and nostalgia continually return important show more memories to us, unbidden and shaped a little differently each time, the dictionary entries in the novel revisit pivotal moments in the protagonist's life and expand upon their definitions each time. Thus, as we gain a better sense of the characters, the dictionary entries, though still punctuated by other scattered thoughts, begins to unfold and take shape as the narrative of the relationship, defined as the composite of all the history and dynamics of the relationship that matter to the protagonist.
For more of the entrancing combination of a lack of a linear narrative (see "circuitous, adj.: we do not divulge our histories chronologically") and a microscopic focus on isolated details, this reader recommends Jeanette Winterson's Written on the Body, in which the language is similarly indelible and 耐人尋味! (and the protagonist is also similarly maudlin, but, you know. ¯_(ツ)_/¯ )
Some of my favourite entries that had me lingering to re-read (there were… a lot):
p.s. guys… that sonnet!! mmmmm yes show less
The structure, of course, is one of the most interesting aspects of this novel. Levithan gives neither an introduction to the characters, nor a clear narrative of their relationship; instead, through his creative interpretations of dictionary words, we're afforded intimate glimpses into the quotidian, the momentous, and the passionate snapshots of the journey, all written in the present tense. It's not just a static experiment in structure, either: as fickle memory and nostalgia continually return important show more memories to us, unbidden and shaped a little differently each time, the dictionary entries in the novel revisit pivotal moments in the protagonist's life and expand upon their definitions each time. Thus, as we gain a better sense of the characters, the dictionary entries, though still punctuated by other scattered thoughts, begins to unfold and take shape as the narrative of the relationship, defined as the composite of all the history and dynamics of the relationship that matter to the protagonist.
For more of the entrancing combination of a lack of a linear narrative (see "circuitous, adj.: we do not divulge our histories chronologically") and a microscopic focus on isolated details, this reader recommends Jeanette Winterson's Written on the Body, in which the language is similarly indelible and 耐人尋味! (and the protagonist is also similarly maudlin, but, you know. ¯_(ツ)_/¯ )
Some of my favourite entries that had me lingering to re-read (there were… a lot):
Sometimes desire is air; sometimes desire is liquid. And every now and then, when everything else is air and liquid, desire solidifies, and the body is the magnet that draws its weight.
But the moment I shifted from a hope that needed to be proven to a certainty that would be continually challenged? There's no pinpointing that. […] There's just the steady accumulation of awhile.
But I loved the notion that the night was mine to spend, and I immediately decided to spend it on you.
celibacy, n.
n/a
I love the idea that an abuse can be negated. And that the things most often disabused are notions.
That's the dilemma, isn't it? When you're single, there's the sadness and joy of only me. And when you're paired, there's the sadness and joy of only you.
But when it seems insurmountable, I need reminders like this that you can get used to it. That it can take on the comfort of the right choice. That lasting things, do, in fact, last.
I realise: You have become the marker. This is your era. And it's only if it goes on and on that I will have to look for other ways to identify the time.
I have already spent roughly five thousand hours asleep next to you. This has to mean something.
p.s. guys… that sonnet!! mmmmm yes show less
This is a series of dictionary-style reflections on a relationship, but they're so elegantly crafted that I actually want to put them in the category of prose poems. Some are longer and could almost be called vignettes, but others are just pithy word-snapshots:
That's not even close to my favorite entry, by the way, but I'd rather let you discover the most poignant ones yourself. I love the way a whole story unfolds through these alphabetically listed words.
In other words, I'd like to have written this first.
buffoonery, n.
You were drunk, and I made the mistake of mentioning Showgirls in a near-empty subway car. The pole had no idea what it was about to endure.
That's not even close to my favorite entry, by the way, but I'd rather let you discover the most poignant ones yourself. I love the way a whole story unfolds through these alphabetically listed words.
In other words, I'd like to have written this first.
Heard about this book in a few different places, found it on the New Books shelf at public libraryAfter reading so much magic realism, I think the only way I could have enjoyed a regular old troubled love story was to find it wrapped up as a dictionary. Levithan simultaneously apologizes for the weaknesses of the form while also showing off its strengths. There is a story here but that takes second billing to the snapshots created by each "entry" - it's like reading a collection of postcards that the writer has sent to himself over a period of two years. He has shuffled the postcards so they're all out of order, and now we're sitting on the living room floor flipping through them before they go back in their box. p. 120 "Trying to write show more about love is ultimately like trying to have a dictionary represent life. No matter how many words there are, there will never be enough." (from: ineffable) show less
I read this in an hour. I love non-linear narrative, and this is one of the better ones I've read, as the story is driven by words that are relevant to a long-term relationship. The English teacher in me saw using parts of this book as a way to teach grammar, and other parts to teach connotation. If you like tidy packages for your books, this one is not for you. But if you're okay with books reflecting the messiness and sometimes unsolvable parts of life, then give this one a try. I loved it.
Lummav haikuromaan
Veider, katkendlik, haarav, hämmeldav, kurvakstegev ja naermaajav – kokkuvõttes lihtsalt lummav teos. Idee kirjutada romaan armastusest tähestiku järjekorda seatud märksõnade järgi tundub alul võimatuna, kuid sõnamaag Levithan suudab oma lummava keelakasutusega selle tõepoolest teoks teha. Kuigi mahult on “Armastuse sõnaraamatut” raske romaaniks klassifitseerida, on teose katkendlik, hingamis- ja mõtlemisruumi jättev vorm kindlasti üks põhjusi, miks see niivõrd naha vahele poeb – siin on ruumi ka lugeja jaoks, on koht sinu enda mõtetele, kogemustele ja äratundmistele, mis loo igaühe jaoks erinevalt käima panevad.
Lugu ise on tegelikult lihtne, nagu armastuse lood ikka. On kohtumine, show more armumine, pettus ja pettumine – lugu nagu miljonid armulood kogu maailmas. Mis aga eristab Levithanit neist miljonitest on tema tabamatu oskus kirjutada korraga ülimalt intiimselt ja samas justkui distantsilt. Info, mida ta jagab, on napp, aga üdini aus, ilustamata ja mahendamata. Õnn on kõikehõlmav, rõõm võtab põlvist nõrgaks, viha lööb hingetuks ja solvumine on nii mürki täis, et suhu tuleb sapi maitse. Ja selles kõiges on ikka veel nii palju ruumi, et iga lugeja jaoks tekib lugu just selsamal hetkel, kui ta seda raamatut loeb ja oma kogemuse sinna juurde lisab. Kas võib veel paremat tahta? show less
Veider, katkendlik, haarav, hämmeldav, kurvakstegev ja naermaajav – kokkuvõttes lihtsalt lummav teos. Idee kirjutada romaan armastusest tähestiku järjekorda seatud märksõnade järgi tundub alul võimatuna, kuid sõnamaag Levithan suudab oma lummava keelakasutusega selle tõepoolest teoks teha. Kuigi mahult on “Armastuse sõnaraamatut” raske romaaniks klassifitseerida, on teose katkendlik, hingamis- ja mõtlemisruumi jättev vorm kindlasti üks põhjusi, miks see niivõrd naha vahele poeb – siin on ruumi ka lugeja jaoks, on koht sinu enda mõtetele, kogemustele ja äratundmistele, mis loo igaühe jaoks erinevalt käima panevad.
Lugu ise on tegelikult lihtne, nagu armastuse lood ikka. On kohtumine, show more armumine, pettus ja pettumine – lugu nagu miljonid armulood kogu maailmas. Mis aga eristab Levithanit neist miljonitest on tema tabamatu oskus kirjutada korraga ülimalt intiimselt ja samas justkui distantsilt. Info, mida ta jagab, on napp, aga üdini aus, ilustamata ja mahendamata. Õnn on kõikehõlmav, rõõm võtab põlvist nõrgaks, viha lööb hingetuks ja solvumine on nii mürki täis, et suhu tuleb sapi maitse. Ja selles kõiges on ikka veel nii palju ruumi, et iga lugeja jaoks tekib lugu just selsamal hetkel, kui ta seda raamatut loeb ja oma kogemuse sinna juurde lisab. Kas võib veel paremat tahta? show less
The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan constructs a couple’s romance in the form of a dictionary. Each defined word relates to the narrator describing his lover and their relationship together. The definitions are fairly concise, often just a paragraph, rarely longer than a page, and yet by the end of the novel the reader has a clear mental picture of the couple.
Through the use of the definitions, the mundane elements and the transcendent moments of the couple’s relationship are highlighted. In a nonlinear fashion, it presents how the couple meet through a dating app and their eventual decision to join two separate lives into one. Ultimately, each word the narrator chooses represents the negotiations that take place to overcome show more pitfalls which all couples face. In this dictionary, love is a rocky road where living happily ever after is never a straight and easy path to follow.
This is a unique novel that wowed me from beginning to end. The narrator’s A to Z definitions present a very personal story, but one that is universal as well. It is a book short enough to be read in a single sitting. But the reader may find themselves pondering how each word invokes thoughtful consideration on their own experiences in the matter of love, so it can take days to leisurely digest. It is a novel worth savoring one definition at a time. show less
Through the use of the definitions, the mundane elements and the transcendent moments of the couple’s relationship are highlighted. In a nonlinear fashion, it presents how the couple meet through a dating app and their eventual decision to join two separate lives into one. Ultimately, each word the narrator chooses represents the negotiations that take place to overcome show more pitfalls which all couples face. In this dictionary, love is a rocky road where living happily ever after is never a straight and easy path to follow.
This is a unique novel that wowed me from beginning to end. The narrator’s A to Z definitions present a very personal story, but one that is universal as well. It is a book short enough to be read in a single sitting. But the reader may find themselves pondering how each word invokes thoughtful consideration on their own experiences in the matter of love, so it can take days to leisurely digest. It is a novel worth savoring one definition at a time. show less
“I spent all this time building a relationship. Then one night I left the window open, and it started to rust.”
Alphabetical entries line the pages of this book in an exploration of love. Heartbreak, boredom, devastation, tenderness, pure contentment; every aspect of a relationship is explored in bite sized doses. When I first glanced at this book I wasn’t sure if definitions were enough to really create a story I would enjoy, but I admit I loved it from the first page.
“You fell quiet, gestured for me to listen. The sound of the woods, the feel of the air. The wine settling in my thoughts. The sky, so present. And you, watching me take it all in. Naked to the world. The world, naked to us.”
The smallest details of relationships show more seen to be examined with care and recorded according to their correct word. Annoying habits. Sweet silent exchanges. Fighting. Families. The feeling of being lost, even when you’re in someone’s arms.
This little gem of a book is a must own for anyone who loves writing filled with beautiful imagery and eloquent moments. I am happy it has a place in my bookshelves.
“Finally, I said. Its over.” show less
Alphabetical entries line the pages of this book in an exploration of love. Heartbreak, boredom, devastation, tenderness, pure contentment; every aspect of a relationship is explored in bite sized doses. When I first glanced at this book I wasn’t sure if definitions were enough to really create a story I would enjoy, but I admit I loved it from the first page.
“You fell quiet, gestured for me to listen. The sound of the woods, the feel of the air. The wine settling in my thoughts. The sky, so present. And you, watching me take it all in. Naked to the world. The world, naked to us.”
The smallest details of relationships show more seen to be examined with care and recorded according to their correct word. Annoying habits. Sweet silent exchanges. Fighting. Families. The feeling of being lost, even when you’re in someone’s arms.
This little gem of a book is a must own for anyone who loves writing filled with beautiful imagery and eloquent moments. I am happy it has a place in my bookshelves.
“Finally, I said. Its over.” show less
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David Levithan was born in 1972. He graduated from Brown University in 1994 and is a senior editor at Scholastic. He has written numerous books including Boy Meets Boy, The Realm of Possibility, Every Day, and Another Day. (Bowker Author Biography)
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- Fiction and Literature, General Fiction, Teen
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- 813.54 — Literature & rhetoric American literature in English American fiction in English 1900-1999 1945-1999
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- PZ7 .L5798 — Language and Literature Fiction and juvenile belles lettres Fiction and juvenile belles lettres Juvenile belles lettres
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