Loss of connection and finding it again..............

People are different but yet some things are the same, the basic needs for love, connection, affirmation, warmth are the same. Maybe the outward expressions are different but the core remains the same.

Coussement surrounds her story with nature, it's beauty and how we can loose this beauty if the wall we erect around us is to high, to thick, to cold. The walls we create when we feel hurt can help us in the moment but if we keep them there long term than we loose out on that connection that we crave. These walls cut us off from the world around us and we do need this world to flourish and continue.

I loved this book! I love books about supernatural beings and this one explores the subject very well. Beautifully written and captivating, would recommend!

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If you want a book about war, loss, grief, existential dread and the fear of stagnation Contrast by Linda Coussement is the book for it. With beautiful fairy tale-esque prose Contrast is a whimsical exploration of two neighbours whose lives are extraordinarily different, and the ghost that haunts them both. With talking animals, beautiful settings and magical descriptions of nature Contrast was an enjoyable and whimsical story that underlined the concepts of love and grief. This book truly asks the question- what is grief if not love persevering?

Despite my enjoyment of Coussement's writing style, the dialogue felt jarring and unnatural and often posed with the intention of sounding philosophical. This fell short for me, however, and instead came off as superficial. There were also several times where I felt the book leant a little too hard on the telling aspect rather than the showing. Despite this, I ultimately rated Contrast 3/5 stars as it was a whimsical, quick read that I absorbed in less than a day.