is an adorableness thankfully grounded by Levithan's wit.' Publishers Weekly stated, 'Levithan attains some heartbreaking moments as well as pitches of hilarity with his concise, polished writing. In their review, Kirkus noted, 'While gimmicky and saddled with a narrator who takes himself a bit too seriously, this adult effort from one of the authors of Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist (2006) still manages to hit some universal truths about love’s perfect imperfections.' The Lover's Dictionary received a starred review from Booklist, as well as positive reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, NPR, The Guardian, and Kirkus. He chose the words in alphabetical order and let the story and characters reveal themselves as he wrote the dictionary entries. 'Could I tell the story of a relationship by just randomly picking words in alphabetical order from this book and then writing entries as if it were a dictionary?' Levithan wondered. While trying to come up with an idea for a new Valentine's Day story, the author noticed Words You Need to Know sitting on his desk and became inspired. The idea for the book was inspired by a Valentine's Day tradition in which Levithan writes a story for a group of family members and friends. The Lover's Dictionary is 'a story about love, in all its messy complicated reality,' says Levithan.

The story does not unfold in chronological order instead, it is arranged alphabetically by dictionary entries that give glimpses into the joys and struggles the characters face over the course of their relationship.

These short entries provide insight into the ups and downs of their romantic relationship, revealing the couple's problems with alcoholism and infidelity. This modern love story is told entirely through dictionary entries.Ī nameless narrator tells the story of a relationship through dictionary entries. The Lover's Dictionary is a novel by American author David Levithan, published Januby Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

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