Bel reviews: Annette Curtis Klause—"The Silver Kiss"

Bel Says:

I first read this book when I was in search of something that was the polar opposite of the books I was being asked to read for English class in high school. I found this little blue hardcover novel sitting amongst the plethora of romances that contained chapters upon chapters of nothing much. I curled myself up on a rainy Autumn day and devoured the book in record time.

This book is the reason I bothered to keep my library card. It is the reason I search for books with a conscience. It is the reason I am still reading to this day. But unlike so many people who never bothered to return the book when they fell in love with it’s characters, I did indeed return the book, and had never seen it since.

Imagine my utter surprise when I found a more recent reprint of the same book I’d spent that pivotal day with so many years ago. I had to have that book, I had to see if I was as moved by its storyline and its characters as I was when I was a teenager. I had to own it, so I would never again have to search the shelves of my local library without any luck. That day I was in luck: I am now the proud owner of the 2009 reprint of The Silver Kiss (which contains two new short stories).

I left the book on the shelf for at least a week before I found the nerve to revisit Zoë and Simon. To my astonishment, the story of the unfortunate life thrust upon Zoë holds as much, if not more, emotional resonance for me now than it did back then.

Zoë’s mother is dying of cancer, her father can barely cope with having to see the love of his life tormented by the horrible disease, and poor Zoë is left to fend for herself. Her best friend is moving away, and a mysterious boy walks into her life and sweeps her off her feet.
You are carried along on Zoë’s emotional roller coaster as she barrel rolls along between utter heartbreak and soaring high on the wings of young love.

I consumed The Silver Kiss, then turned my attentions to the two new short stories. The Summer of Love is a story of Simon’s first love, a cat that befriends him, despite his otherworldliness. The second short story, The Christmas Cat, is about Zoë, who is learning that she shouldn’t close herself off to life’s little pleasures. Now I know this is all a bunch of sentimental mumbo jumbo to pretty much all of you, but I’m sure you all have that one book out there that has holds you in the palm of its hand and inspires daydreams to rival any Hollywood love story.

I hope you’ll give Zoë and Simon a chance to embrace you as they have me.

“The Silver Kiss” — Annette Curtis Klause

August 1, 1992, by Laurel Leaf

Paperback, 224 pages

ISBN-10: 0440213460, ISBN-13: 978-0440213468