Love Virtually/Every Seventh Wave by Daniel Glattauer

I loved this duology, it was so lovely to read such an easy contemporary. By that I mean that neither it’s plot nor characterisation was complex. I don’t mean that in a negative sense in the slightest. I find contemporary fiction difficult to read sometimes because as a reader you are expected to ‘read between the lines’ quite a bit of the time and that for me isn’t always necessary. In some ways the format of these books is challenging because it is written in email correspondence between the two main characters, if you are not used to seeing such a format it may be harder for you to read.

Both of the main characters are easily likeable and relatable in many ways. I think we can all identify a Leo and Emmi in our lives, and I think if us ladies really admit it to ourselves we all wish we had their relationship.

Leo can be easily described as dreamy because the way he is written brings him to life as the object of Emmi’s desires which endears their relationship to the reader. It is so easy for any woman reading this book to say to themselves ‘I know a Leo’ or ‘I know an Emmi’ or even cast themselves as such which is testament to the writing.

What I have loved most about these books is the sense of time you feel whilst reading. It genuinely feels as if the events of the story could be happening in real time. Sometimes I found myself wishing it were. I was pleased with how the story between our two lovable characters was drawn to a conclusion also. It would have been very easy to just leave the story open to allow for further books or greater expansion of the relationships, but very cleverly I think Glattauer realised that these characters had spent enough time dreaming of each other and it were time their story had the happy ending it deserved.

I’m never usually a fan of contemporary fiction for the simple reason other than those which I mentioned previously is that I like to be challenged as a reader. I like to pick up a book with the intention of loosing myself within its pages and unfortunately I have not read a contemporary yet that has done so. Contemporary for me is a genre that I have only ever read when I am undecided on what to read from my planned TBR (To Be Read) list. This duology however was a both welcome and enjoyable change to my usual reading styles.

P.S. check out the audiobooks for both books performed by David Tennant and Emilia Fox as Leo and Emmi. These stories were also a hugely successful BBC radio 4 dramatisation.

**Disclaimer** I in no way wish to alter or sway anyone else’s view by anything discussed in this post. these are merely my own opinion feel free to agree or disagree as you see fit.

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