The Story of Us

The Story of Us is far from being an easy read. I was not even halfway through when I had already gone from sadness to anger to happiness a few times and in different orders. Without any kind of exaggeration I despised both Zed's and Capsian's families (to varying degrees). They were so awful. Zed and Caspian both deserved so much better.

A bit of a warning if you haven't seen it already, there are some really difficult scenes to read regarding abuse. While I read those I kept wanting something to happen, something to set things right. This book gave me so much anxiety! Every time I saw a glimmer of hope, it was taken and stomped on. There was nothing I wanted more than everyone to let Zed and Caspian be.

The book stretched over a very long period of time, ten summers to be more precise, and I am glad I could go on this journey with Zed and Caspian. These two are so different, they come from two very different—yet similar—worlds and they want the same things: to be loved, to be praised for once, to love each other. They are both working so hard, they are trying so hard and it's crushing when no one sees it.

This is my first Barbara Elsborg novel, but I don't think it will be the last. I loved the writing, I always like angst when I read something, and this book had been just so good. I instantly feel for Zed and Caspian, I can't even think of them separately, they are so right for each other.