The Realm of You by Amanda Richardson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Dreaming Stars

What a beautiful book!! This book is filled with so much emotion. I could feel everything from sadness, despair, hope, and all the love. The concept of the book is not a new one; although different, it does remind me of the movie Family Man or the book Maybe in Another Life. Marlin gets a glimpse of an alternate life. It’s a happy life and Marlin finds the courage to seek out this new life. When she finds Sebastian, he is in dark place. Her love gives him hope and peace; seeing their souls connect was just a flawless and beautiful process. While the book addresses some very hard subjects, suicide and depression, the overall tone is uplifting. There were definitely times when I felt so much despair…watching Marlin and Sebastian suffer from depression and self-harm was tough. It made watching them find the strength and courage to allow love and hope overcome their illness so much more beautiful. Sebastian was just perfect in the alternate universe and it was hard to see what a hard man he was in reality. Marlin was strong and had such a beautiful soul. I could feel their deep connection. As Marlin breaks through Sebastian’s barriers, they both become better and stronger people.
The book touches on many themes, one of them being fate and soul mates.
“When we met at the river, and you looked at me for the first time…I got this feeling of …homesickness. I couldn’t explain it at the time, and even though you were a stranger to me, something about you captivated me, like I was finally coming home.”
“Your soul knew about us.”
I’m somewhat sceptic about the concepts of fate, destiny, and soul mates. This book really made me want to believe that there is such a thing as fate and soul mates. The idea of an alternate universe always intrigues me as well. I wish I could get a glimpse of my life in an alternate universe. This book makes you wonder and think.
I really wished the book had alternated POVs. You only get a very small glimpse of Sebastian’s POV in the very beginning and then it is all Marlin’s POV. Overall, I loved this book and it is a must read!!
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