I wanted to give it more stars, but I just don't think I can. I loved Dara so much ... and that was about it. I mean yes I kind of cried at the end, but after

Spoiler

Otis finally decides he's going to move on, Meg is still here? I just wasn't enjoying that relationship.

Loved this book!

#2019-35

4.5 stars and another stellar debut!

Phantom Limbs is such a beautiful story. It explores more than romantically love. It explores every facet of love. And it is so brilliantly done that I found myself utterly consumed by the story.

Otis is our narrator. He's a 16 year-old swimmer who is still stuck on his old best friend, Meg. He, along with his family, is still dealing with the loss of his younger brother, Mason. And when Meg is returning to her hometown for the summer, all the issues from the past are going to come crashing into the new Otis.

First of all, I have to applaud these characters. Every one of them is fantastically fleshed out and real. And the depth with which they've been written...amazing. I don't know how Garner managed this, but there really are no cliche characters. All deal with some issues or stress. And all are fumbling along trying to just live. Even Otis, for how strong and well-managed he seems to be, has some struggles. All stem from his past. I loved him as a voice. He's partially a typical teenage boy in some ways, but he's also surprisingly (and believably) mature in others. You cannot help but love him yourself. And Dara...wow. I think she was possibly my favorite character. She was dealing with so many things in her life. It was shocking, really. And how she tried to deal made sense. But it was obvious her struggles were nearing an end. As for Meg, I liked her okay. I loved the glimpses into her past with Otis. I just wasn't sure that I felt she was enough for Otis. I think they both have to work out the kinks in life and see if they still fit together. But their past shaped their present, so of course it would be almost perfect for them to remain together.

The story was so many things meshed into one. It was very well-written. The past and present were intricately woven. I wanted to know all the things! But there are so many moments which will cause your heart to ache. Everything about the story felt like it had purpose. Some things I wanted to happen didn't. I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending. I have mixed feelings about the characters there, but I enjoyed that it was more of an open ending. For what we went through, it definitely fit.

While this isn't an easy read in the sense of material and tone, it's a quick one. The writing is flawless. I think readers will enjoy the realism and messages in Phantom Limbs. I know I did.

“We were battered and dinged, both well past the weight limit in personal baggage.”

4.75⭐️ J’ai adoré Otis et le fait que ça soit sa perspective que nous suivions! Vraiment une belle histoire

I really liked this book. I think that Otis is a great character, and I liked how the flow of the book was.

Book 4/50 (2017)

Oh my goodness, I am veritably DROWNING in tears. I loved the push and pull between Meg and Dana over Otis, despite their drastically different relationships with him. Also, can we take a moment to appreciate the endearing, earnest specimen named Otis Muller? SWOON. Otis is such a loveable protagonist. He's charming and has absolutely no idea how cute he is. The girls are going to eat him alive one day.

The supporting characters like Kiera and Abby are so well-developed, too. Huge fan hearing their perspectives and understanding their struggles. I'm sure there are going to be a thousand Kiera's out there some day.

The mystery of Mason unfolded perfectly. There was a lot of foreshadowing based on the "triggers," yet it was all so subtle. I didn't know what was going to happen until it was explained to the reader.

I also loved Otis's reactions in Michigan. Oh dear, he read situations so horribly incorrectly. But when he knew something was wrong? His gut instinct was spot on, and he did exactly the right thing. There's a chance he could've seemed crazy, but it was all just a testament to how clearly Otis KNEW Dara.

This book was immensely tragic and beautiful. I loved the hallmark moments and the deep points of introspection and pain.