Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Pages: 260
Intended Audience: Teens and mature tweens
Genre: Romance/Urban Adventure
Notes for Parents: Has some mature scenes and language

The Back Cover

Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

Author Rachel Cohn wrote Lily’s chapters, and David Levithan wrote Dash’s chapters.

What’s good?
An interesting premise, likeable characters, and good pacing make this a quick and fairly easy read. The writing is first-rate, ornamented with a sophisticated vocabulary and witty dialogue. The story has even amounts of adventure, romance, and humor, with a few philosophical discussions thrown in for good measure. The plot builds to a respectable climax and comes to a satisfying end.
Best Part: “…all the wood had the weight of card catalogs and the fabric seemed soaked in wine. Knee-high sculptures perched in corners and by the fireplace, while jacketless books crowded on shelves, peering down like old professors too tired to speak to one another.” (Dash describing Great-aunt Ida’s parlor, page 149-150)

What isn’t good?

Many of the scenarios felt gimmicky, the plot felt forced, and the teen voices were pretentious, especially Dash who was often arrogant and occasionally rude. The “dog in the park” incident was ridiculous.
Worst part: “She was far from a wee timorous beastie…” (page 217)

Recommendation þþþoo

It read like a book about teenagers written by adults. They were too witty, too clever, and the timing was all too perfect. Nevertheless, I was entertained. Marginally recommended.

Cohn, Rachel and David Levithan. Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. New York: Ember, 2010.