Colorblind by Siera Maley – Book Review

Have you ever considered the fact that maybe the goal of life isn’t to get through it as painlessly as possible?

This is one the sweetest books I’ve ever read that features two girls falling in love.

I was intrigued by this book when I read the premise. Colorblind follows a teenager named Harper who knows the age that everyone is going to die. She sees a number on people’s foreheads, and as far as she knows, there is nothing she can do to change these numbers. Harper couldn’t prevent her mom’s death, so she doesn’t allow herself to make friends since getting attached can be painful. She has a best friend,  Robbie, an older guy who has the same ability as her. They know each other’s death ages, but they won’t share it because they know no one truly wants to know when they’re going to die.

The book I co-wrote with Nicole features a character with a similar ability. I was drawn to the story immediately. Harper was such an interesting character. She was miserable with her life, super bummed out, and Robbie only bummed her out more. I found both of them so relatable with their grim views of life.

One day, everything changes for Harper. As she’s driving, a girl runs into the street following her dog who escaped from their leash. Chloe is a bubbly, happy, lovely person, and there’s an instant connection. Except, her number is 16, meaning she will die before the end of the summer. Harper tries to keep her distance, but Chloe is determined to be in her life. The two of them openly admit they like each other as more than friends, but Harper refuses to let anything happen between them to prevent getting hurt. But of course, things are never that easy.

Harper and Chloe spend the summer together, every day growing closer. And Harper leans to see the world with different eyes. She realizes her entire life she’s seen her life in black and white, but Chloe is allowing her to see it in color. I get where the title ties in, but I feel like it can be easily misinterpreted.

Colorblind is a stunning novel. I loved the ups and down. I loved the way Harper and Chloe connected despite being so different. I liked how well they complemented each other. This is a memorable story that I will remember for a long time.