Between The Lines
Book by Sarah Chapman (2024)
Note: This is an older review to introduce Substackers to our house style (TCTIN). A majority of the books we review will be advanced review copies (ARCs) given to our parent companies, everafterbooks.uk and theubergroup.org.
The coolest thing I noticed about the romance novel Between the Lines is how the main character (Rory) learns to live her life from characters in the books she reads — books that she started reading to escape that same life (moderate spoilers follow).
Nobody loves Rory. And not in a stereotypical, “Rory seems unapproachable, so people don’t approach her”-kinda way. Rory’s parents were sad, angry people that genuinely didn’t love her. And, thanks to Rory’s childhood-onset diabetes, it’s almost like her own body didn’t, either. So Rory never learned how normal relationships are supposed to work, and never expected to be cared for. Rory’s a good person, however, so she always tries to do the right thing.
When Rory was still a little girl, this basic decency leads her to rescue a boy, Sam, from a playground bully. Rory and Sam become friends and, while their relationship isn’t perfect, they learn to rely on each other. Sam’s parents notice Rory’s good qualities, too, and are so impressed that they take her in when her illness reveals itself. As Rory and Sam grow up, they grow closer, and it seems for a while that there might be a happy ending for them.
But then, in the last year of high school, Rory and Sam make some bad decisions, the way teenagers often do, and Rory ends up on her own. Both spend the next ten years apart, learning the hard way why they should’ve stuck together. Most of Between the Lines is about Rory and Sam undoing all this damage, but what really stood out for me were the stories within the story — books that Rory grew up with, written by the fictional author J. Edward Michael (aka, “JEM”).
Rory reads JEM’s first book as a child, while she’s recovering from a diabetic episode. She’s sick and lonely and desperate for escape, so she gives the book a try. It’s a dark-but-sweet children’s story about a vampire that works in a hospital — a vampire with a knack for helping little children get over their fear of needles. Just like Rory needs to, now that she’s checking her blood sugar all the time. Rory loves the book, identifies with its characters, and gradually loses her fear of needles.
Then JEM releases the first volume in a Harry Potter-like fantasy series led by a heroine named Rhiannon, set in a far-off, magical land with strange creatures. The first book is popular, so JEM releases new volumes every year or so, from Rory’s childhood through her twenties. After Rory’s relationship with Sam falls apart, the next volume includes a breakup for Rhiannon, and reveals how she deals with it. As Rory struggles with work and living in new places, so does Rhiannon.
These coincidences happen over and over until Rory stops trying to understand them. JEM never gives interviews, so Rory can’t find out more about him or his writing. Rory becomes JEM’s biggest fan, however, and gradually learns from Rhiannon’s mistakes, if not her own. For many people, relying on fictional characters in this way might seem tragic or even like mental illness. For Rory, however, I think this makes perfect sense.
Rory lacks the emotional tools that many of us get from a safe, loving childhood. She has to learn how to navigate her feelings and relationships later in life than her peers, while facing the same challenges plus a chronic illness that makes it harder to keep up. This is a big ask for any young person on their own, so I don’t fault Rory for taking pointers from Rhiannon and her imaginary friends.
There's a reason Rory and Rhiannon have so much in common, of course. This is revealed in JEM's final volume, sent to Rory (and only her) before its publication. From this, Rory finally learns why her parents never loved her and gains her freedom. Freedom from the deep-seated belief that she’s broken and destined to be miserable. And freedom from Rhiannon, but in a good way — because Rory doesn’t need her anymore.
This newfound freedom also enables Rory to choose love, which she most certainly does. And, much like Rhiannon, Rory lives happily ever after.
This is really beautiful and as someone who had abusive parents, I can relate. I learned so much from watching strangers, reading books, and from TV.