To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Reviewed by Lori
To All The Boys I've Loved Before
Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Author: Jenny Han

Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 80429

Description: Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out-of-control when someone finds her cache of secret love letters and mails them to the boys to whom they are addressed.

Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It

Why I Read It: Interesting title and write up.  (Cover didn't appeal to me at all)

Lori's Notes: I have to admit this is not really a genre that attracts me.  I don't tend to read a lot of romance fiction.  The write up sounded interesting but I have to say that I was a bit disappointed in the execution.  Lara Jean writes letters to the boy's she's in love with.  They're not love letters, they're leaving letters.  She writes them to get over her crush.  She's never actually had a real boyfriend.  However, when the letters are sent out to these five boys - including her sister's ex-boyfriend (Josh), and the first boy who ever kissed her (Peter), she is surprised by their effect.  In order for Lara Jean to save face in front of Josh and to help Peter get over his ex-girlfriend, Peter and Lara Jean come up with a contract to "pretend" to be boyfriend and girlfriend.  Of course, in pretending to fall in love feelings inevitably get hurt.  This was a good novel in the writing.  I finished it in just two sittings and there were a couple of places where I snickered.  I also had a couple of moments that made me think back to my high school days and it was nice to have those memories back again.  However, I felt that there were a lot of moments of significance in this novel and not enough connection.  For example, Lara Jean attends an estate sale with Peter and buys a Christmas ornament, however, we don't see that ornament come out a Christmas when they are decorating the tree.  One of the letters is sent to a boy at school who just happens to be gay - her letter indicated a desired to get to know him.  However, after he approaches her she never takes any incentive to get to know him better.  Similarly, Lara Jean talks about a locket that she sees in a store that is owned by Peter's mother, her father indicated that he tried to buy it for her for Christmas but it was no longer on display.  I completely thought that Peter would give it to her but it didn't come up at all.  I was really hoping for more connections between some of the objects and scenes in the novel.  Some of the characters also seemed a little too superficial, including Lara Jean herself.  When her hatbox goes missing (the only gift her mother gave to her and her alone - not shared with her sisters) Lara Jean is upset but not as devastated as I imagine I might have been in that situation.  The relationship between Lara Jean and Josh next door had much of the feel of Jo and Laurie from Little Women.  For the most part, this book for me was a good read.  It's a good selection for libraries and book bins.

Recommended Readers: Grade 9 and Up

Themes: Sisters, Boyfriends, First Love, Letters, Parent/Child Relationships, High School, Friendship, Relationships, Dating.

Cross-Genre Links: 
Movie: Can't Buy Me Love (1987)
Movie: Little Women (1994)
Music: To All the Girls I've Loved Before performed by Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson
Music: To all the Boys I've Loved Before performed by Alanis Morissette

Post-Reading Discussion Questions and Activities: 

  • Why do Lara Jean and Peter create a contract for their relationship?
  • Have you ever written or received a love letter?
  • What is the difference between letter writing and emailing or texting?
  • Who starts the rumour about Lara Jean and Peter?  What makes you think so?
  • How can negative gossip affect someone's reputation?
  • How should Lara Jean handle going back to school after the Christmas Holiday?  
  • Describe the relationships between the Song Sisters (Lara Jean, Margot and Kitty).  Why does Lara Jean keep so many secrets from her sisters?



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