“I mean, I was all about the high road.” Meet Remy. She’s strict, smart, chic, and has her whole future planned out. That is, until she runs into Dexter. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen tells the rocky love story of Remy and Dexter, a relationship that’s full of exceptions. When Dexter, a young musician full of humor and wit, suddenly bumps his way into Remy’s life, her rules are broken into pieces. This Lullaby ties the worlds of music, romance, and teens into one beautiful and brilliantly told love story that pulls at readers’ heartstrings.
Maybe the reason why This Lullaby was awarded as a 2005 American Library Association (ALA) Best Book for Young Adults and has been chosen as a Borders Group Original Voice Finalist and a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist, is because of the characters’ voices, all of which ring clear and don’t feel forced. Remy Starr, the main character of this comedic story, has a pleasantly unique twist in character. She’s not the typical geek or the “bad girl,” but a mix of both. She gets her cynical attitude from her mother’s five failed marriages; ultimately leading Remy to believe there is no such thing as true love. She is joined by her trio of friends-Lissa, Chloe, and Jess-quite often. These simple additional characters not only bring out Remy’s personality, but also help the story progress. The main love interest is Dexter Jones, part of a band called Truth Squad. His playful voice and carefree attitude jump out the most. He’s clumsy and as Remy describes him, “like having a toddler in tow.” Dexter is not the perfect boy, yet he is my favorite character, because of his diligence and hilarious one-liners. Dexter’s fun personality and Remy’s cold attitude makes an odd, yet amazing combination.

Sarah Dessen’s style of writing attracts me, along with thousands of other readers with her descriptive sentences that make the plot seem real. She forms dialogue well; the characters don’t feel cheesy or stilted. The conversations aren’t strained or overused. Dessen does this by including a lot of sarcasm in the speech. It fits well, since our generation is practically made up of sarcasm. For example, Dexter says, “It’s an animal attraction. Totally chemical.”

Even though I am not a huge fan of romance, this book appeals to me because it is such a cute and realistic story. It is well suited for young adults because of the extra punch of comedy to loosen up the sweet talk between the two. It also includes a lot about songs and lyrics. It entices both readers and lovers of music.

This Lullaby is distinctive from other romance novels in that this story is sweet and innocent. Instead of going on dates or doing special things together, Dexter and Remy become close through everyday activities. They play games and make daring bets. They sing songs and work together. This makes their relationship seem more real.

Sarah Dessen has written a wonderful book for teenage readers to enjoy.
Her irreplaceable charcters sing a superb love story that will make you fall into a trance as This Lullaby rocks you to sleep.