I was all up in my emotions reading this book and if I need to talk about it, I’ll say it has one of the most beautiful and emotional beginnings any reader would ask for.
“Swear On This Life” by Renee Carlino is definitely not the kind of book you come across very often. Asides from the fact that the book was fiction, it wasn’t a cliché. It was very unconventional and very unique, and I was forced to think at some point, that the author conceived this plot from her own personal experience.
What totally blew my mind, is that it is a book about another book, with another book inside of it, and the author intertwined the lives of the characters in each of the books, in a way that leaves you both completely stunned and in awe, of how she could think outside of the box to create this story.
This novel is emotional and breathtaking. It is about Emiline who is captivated with the story of Emerson and Jackson, two childhood friends, each raised with an alcoholic violent father and a drug addicted prostituting mother.
Emerson and Jackson are everything to each other, and manage to take care of themselves with food stamps and sometimes food handouts from their deadbeat parents.
They fall in love as teenagers, and their love is all consuming, fierce and very protective.
Emiline is caught up and in her emotions about Emerson and Jackson’s story, until she realizes that it is a story about her.
She is literally Emerson, and the author is Jackson, who now goes by the name J. Colby.
Apparently, Jackson wrote the book, to help Emiline heal from her traumatic and dark experiences from when they were kids.
Isn’t that the most romantic, emotional and loving gesture?
As a reader who hasn’t made this author’s acquaintance literally, this will definitely be my most favorite book by her.
One thing I loved in this book, was how innocent and protective Emerson and Jackson’s love was as children, how they found a way to be happy and keep each other sane in spite of the impoverishment they grew up in.
I also deeply admired how the author almost made me see myself in Emerson, I mean the whole point of a good novel, is to make the readers see themselves in some of the characters, and this author, not only did that, but also made me pause the book a few times, and ponder on how beautiful this work of fiction is.
Character wise, my favorite character was definitely Jackson or ‘Jax’ as he was nicknamed in the novel. Asides the fact that he was intelligent, even at a young age, he saw life for what it was, and the way he loved Emerson, even when they were kids, was definitely more than puppy teenage love.
And to think, that he overcame his own trauma, and was strong enough to write a book to help his childhood love overcome hers, had me sobbing and screaming aloud. What kind of love was that? Definitely something that transcended mere, fickle childhood infatuation.
Did I dislike anything about this novel? Yes, I did. I hated how long the author made them wait before they could reconnect with each other.
I was also torn to shreds when Jackson, had to turn himself to the police and let Emerson go when they were kids because he knew both of them could do absolutely nothing about their love and their situation then.
Talking about how the author drew me into the story, I was absolutely enraged with both Jackson and Emerson’s parents, I almost felt like getting into the story and protecting them from such awful parents.
I was also very scared that they both won’t have a chance at getting a second chance, until the author totally blew my expectations towards the end, and she did it with just “one line”, and you’ll have to read the novel to discover that one line.
The end was somewhat fulfilling, and I gave the author a silent applaud for giving an innocent, emotional and heart-wrenching, childhood love a second chance.
There have been criticisms that Jackson, ‘Jax’ became arrogant, and pompous at the ending of the novel, but when someone overcomes the kind of trauma he did, and even becomes successful enough for himself, then his arrogance was earned.
Do I recommend this novel? Yes, I one-hundred percent do. This is the kind of novel that you should read at least once in your reading journey.
