Review - Split by Swati Avasthi

Split by Swati Avasthi
4.5 out of 5 stars

Sixteen-Year-Old Jace Witherspoon arrives at the doorstep of his estranged brother Christian with a re-landscaped face (courtesy of his father’s fist), $3.84, and a secret.

He tries to move on, going for new friends, a new school, and a new job, but all his changes can’t make him forget what he left behind—his mother, who is still trapped with his dad, and his ex-girlfriend, who is keeping his secret.
At least so far.

Worst of all, Jace realizes that if he really wants to move forward, he may first have to do what scares him most: He may have to go back. First-time novelist Swati Avasthi has created a riveting and remarkably nuanced portrait of what happens after. After you’ve said enough, after you’ve run, after you’ve made the split — how do you begin to live again? Readers won’t be able to put this intense page-turner down.


While I wouldn't exactly call this an "intense page-turner", I really liked this book. Jace's voice is very authentic and so are the situations he finds himself in.

This book doesn't sugarcoat and I love that. There's no guarantee that everything is going to turn out perfectly after the book ends, but you have hope for all the characters.

My heart broke for Jace and his efforts to work through his issues on his own, while learning to trust other people. That his experiences have built up anger and fear to the point that he needs real help, just makes me like him more. I think it's a testament to Swati Avasthi's skill as a writer that when Jace's "secret" is revealed I still care about him without feeling manipulated to do so.

This book is honest and sometimes painful to read without ever being over the top. I was still thinking about Jace a couple days after I finished which to me, means it's a great book!

Cover: The cover is just eh, to me. The colors are dull and I don't think the keys really convey the depth and emotion of the book. It's kind of a cool looking image, but I don't think it would make me stop and pick up the book in the store. It might work well at getting boys to read it though, since there's nothing girly about it at all, which is a good thing.

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5