Why We Broke Up

Book 12 of my 2014 Reading Challenge.

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Summary (via the book jacket)

This is the box, Ed.

Inside is everything.

Two bottle caps,

a movie ticket from Greta in the Wild,

a note from you,

a box of matches,

a protractor,

Joan's book,

the stolen sugar,

a toy truck,

those ugly earrings,

a comb from the motel,

and the rest of it.

This is it, Ed.

The whole story of why we broke up.

My Opinion

Fun fact about Daniel Handler: he also writes under the name Lemony Snicket.  I didn't know that until reading the author blurb and found it interesting.  This is the first book I've read of his under either name.

This book snuck up on me.  I picked it up on a whim and planned to read a chapter before bed; instead I was sucked in and 200 pages had passed before I knew it.
Min is the kind of character I find compelling in a story but would be exhausted by in real life; she looks for deep meaning in everything.  I admired her bravery as she laid out all her thoughts but cringed at the same time as I saw what was happening just a few moments before she did.  
This may not be a life-changing book but its readability makes it perfect if you want to lose yourself or focus on a life that's not your own for a bit.  I was disappointed with the ending though - it felt a little flat and cliched. 
If possible, I would read the actual book.  The illustrations are lovely and the book has some heft that adds to the experience of having an entire relationship in your hands.  I'm not sure how that would translate on an e-reader.

Quote from the Book

"Take [the bottle caps] back, Ed.  Here they are.  Take back the smile and the night, take it all back.  I wish I could."