Review: Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist

Title: Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Published: Mary 23^rd, 2006 by Knopf Books

Source: Purchased

Format: Paperback

Group age: Young adult

Genre: Contemporary romance

Challenge(s):

Grade rate: B-

It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who’s just walked in to his band’s show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City—and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date.This he said/she said romance told by YA stars Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a sexy, funny roller coaster of a story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be—and where the next great band is playing.Told in alternating chapters, teeming with music references, humor, angst, and endearing side characters, this is a love story you’ll wish were your very own. Working together for the first time, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have combined forces to create a book that is sure to grab readers of all ages and never let them go.

My Review

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book, but it wasn’t what I got, that’s for sure!  I’m not saying that Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist was bad,  not at all, but I was expecting  a story similar to Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares, one of my favorite book and a collaboration of Cohn and Levithan.

Nick and Norah are very different and come from very different social backgrounds as well.  They seem to have two things in common though; they both know Tris, Nick’s ex-girlfriend, and they just finished very dysfunctional relationships.  The story is about a chance meeting that turns into an epic night of music, heartache, confusion, and lastly, understanding.

The story is short; my edition of the book is 183 pages long.  As it is their style, the story is told in the first person, from alternating points of view, with some overlapping sections.  This is a style that I really enjoy because I feel that it gives me a better understanding and insight of the characters.  The plot gets a bit complicated because of how fast everything happens.  It is definitely a night of adventures and the whole story happens in about 12 hours or less; maybe a little too fast for me :)

My biggest issue was the ending, or lack thereof.  This is probably my issue, as I really dislike when the endings are to open and leave a lot to the imagination.  Also, let me warn you that the amount of cursing in this book is incredible, and it also contains sexual references.  I haven’t seen the movie based in the book.  I saw the previews and it look so different from the book that I was a bit discouraged by it.

Have you read Nick and Nora?  Did you see the movie?  What did you think about it?