Not If I See You First was actually a total cover-buy for me.
I don't usually buy a book based on its cover but this one is just so striking, so noticeable and looked so interesting, that I decided to pick it up.
I knew nothing about this story except it's about a blind girl.
Now I've actually read it, I can see that Wow, it is so so much more than a story about a blind girl.
It went so deep into so many subjects. It covered grief and what it means to lose a loved one. And how a disability does not make a person stupid and they should never be treated that way. And what it means to be a friend.
Its true that parts of the story seemed a little silly, and the language wasn't fantastic, but other than those things I really enjoyed this book.
I've read books with blind main characters before which haven't been written great. However (although I obviously don't know what it is like to be blind personally) I felt that the portrayal in this novel was really realistic and nice. It wasn't depressing or constantly mentioning the disadvantages of being blind, in fact blindness seemed to be only a meager part of this story. Parker Grant was a delightfully realistic main character. Her train of thought was easy to follow and made for a great read.
I've also read books before where the main character is a runner. And I've found those other books to be incredibly boring, since I myself certainly don't run and am not too interested in all the technique and science that goes into it. So when I started this book and realised that our MC was into running, I was immediately wary. Yet somehow, Lindstrom tells us just the right amount about Parker's running routine. He keeps it fresh and light and easy going but also tells us enough so that we can actually learn a little about Parker through her hobby.
☆
This book really has opened up my mind to the world in a whole new way. I thoroughly enjoyed it, from beginning to end.