Name: Above All Else
ISBN: 9781623541408

Dana Alison Levy

"Eighteen-year-olds Rose and Tate are best friends and climbing buddies, and now they are embarking on the greatest climb of all--Mount Everest; but as the climbers encounter physical and emotional challenges the higher they go, the expedition starts to slide toward disaster, testing the teens' courage, determination, and their feelings for each other."--Provided by publisher.

Above All Else

laura

* I got this book for review from the publisher*

I really loved the concept of this novel and loved learning more about climbing mount everest. I really loved how this was focused on the adventure to get to the top. I really did like the Duel POV. This book did handle harder topics like anxiety and depression and had some nail bitting moments. I really loved rose has a characters and sometimes struggled to be in tate head. I struggled a bit with the focus on the romance in the first half of the novel but really loved how this book wrapped up! Def check out this book this fall!

Andrada D

"Walking away from the summit of Everest was like letting go of a rope I'd been clinging to and realizing I'll float instead of fall." 




Ah, this was such an intense book!

I have been passionate for a long time about the idea of climbing the Everest. Not for myself! I find it so hard climbing out of my bed during a regular working day. But just the general concept, that someone would be so driven to attempt the seemingly impossible. I have let my mind wander and imagine how could their minds work, of those people who risk their life and health, spending so much time and energy in their pursuit of reaching the pinnacle of Earth. So in my search, I found this book and I picked it hoping it would help me experience it and so it did, almost flawlessly.

The book began pretty tamely- everyone seemed to be carefreely chasing the adventure of a lifetime. They're excited and ecstatic, with not a worry in the world. I can't quite say the mood is turning dark as the book progresses, but as we get to know the characters and their motivations better one is prone to discover this apparently flimsy story is so much more than it initially meets the eye.

I can't go into much detail without spoiling the action (and it's so worth it, finding all for yourself) but I can definitely say this book is tackling some major themes with immense gentleness. The author is threading with care when discussing incurable disease, PTSD, a conflict between generations, all of which may sound so cliche when discussed by me in such a sweeping manner but, when it comes to them being the major dramatic problem of each character, they are deeply touching. 

There is also a bit of romance, between our main characters. They had enough chemistry to come together but faced enough obstacles to keep them apart. Without going too much into details, I quite like the dynamics between them, as both have different reasons for wanting to attempt the climb and seeing them clash over them while trying to handle their budding feelings was quite the feat.

This is how I found myself rooting for each and every character. They all come from different backgrounds and have so many different motivations for wanting to conquer the Everest and yet they are all equal in front of the unknown. And the mountain is dangerous and lethal and the ascent along with its effects gave the book a bittersweet quality I quite resented. I wanted it to be a happily ever after for literally everyone. This thing is obviously not possible and I understand how the book would feel less realistic. And yet, the description of loss struck a chord inside me and I even wept a bit along the way.

However, at its basic core, this is a book about survival and how going through such a strenuous endeavour is always transformative, mostly for the best. Meeting the mountain is, for many of the characters, facing oneself at its most primitive self, seeing one's character laid bare in front of both the majesty and the cruelty of the mountain and conquering limitations one never believed one could overcome. Our main characters emerge as better individuals, more self-aware and in control of selves and, if for nothing else, at least this is a huge triumph.

I started the book with high expectations and it mostly rose to the challenge. It was a satisfying- albeit at times bleak - read about one of the biggest trials humans can attempt. The characters do this so gracefully and lifelike, one is bound to feel part of that world which is gleaming bright white and concealing immense danger and potentialities for success, convincing both climbing aficionados and their more reluctant counterparts they are transposed in this world attempting themselves to reach the top of the world.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Janne Janssens

E-book provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

ABOVE ALL ELSE is a coming-of-age romance with a variety of topics like health, mental health, adventure, friendship and love.
I enjoyed this book, but I did expect more. I requested it on Netgalley because the synopsis sounded really promising. Two teenagers who want to attempt to climb the Mount Everest, a challenge that requires a lot of bravery and trust? Count me in.
The story was well plotted and I felt a connection to both protagonists, Rose and Tate. However, it was like they told me their story instead of me experiencing it with them. Next to that, the secondary character have experienced live threatening situations, but the protagonist never were in real danger. For these two reasons, the story lost valuable tension that should have been there.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed this story and the author did a great job with character development. I had never read a contemporary novel where teenagers take on such a big challenge, both physically and mentally, and I am glad I read one now.