When I found that Malorie Blackman was writing a new book, an anthology, as her final title under her term as Children's Laureate 2013-2015, I was the most excited I think I've ever been, literally counting down the days to the launch of the book. And when I managed to bag myself a copy, it made me spectacularly happy, literally inhaling it over the course of around 5 days. Quite simply, I thought it was beautiful.
This book deserves an introduction but it's so horribly difficult to write one, this is the best I can do: Love Hurts is an anthology of original short stories from people like James Dawson, David Levithan and Malorie Blackman herself, but also excerpts from huge YA novels like Grasshopper Jungle, We Were Liars and so many more brilliant titles, all with the theme of love and where love can pain you, where 'Love Hurts.'
Malorie, your time as Children's Laureate is nearly up. It's a sad truth, one that I can't accept myself so I have no idea how you're coping with it. And if this was your way of going out with a bang, you've done that and then some.
The book explores so many different types of love and the people that go through them, like James Dawson's short story covers LGBT romance, Malorie covers the topic of people falling in love with those who are disabled (main character was blind), and it presents them in such a sensitive way, which only adds to the beauty of the book.
And it's so beautifully crafted as well! Whoever designed the cover, kudos for starters. Second, the book is presented in a way that kind of pulls you into a story then kills the story to go onto another.
It's like the book is mocking you every time you finish another short story or extract. The book is also crafted so the stories trail in from where love starts to love ends, or hurts. I didn't notice this at first, it's feedback that's made me step back and have a look and realise it, so the entire book is really just one big story!
But, why so many extracts? Honestly, I got a bit disappointed that there were so many extracts. I understand compiling a 500 page book of original short stories might be a bit difficult but I would've liked to have seen some more original short stories from other authors. Somebody like E. Lockhart would have been perfect.
And, please, don't feature excerpts if they have nothing to do with love. To me, the Grasshopper Jungle excerpt didn't feature love, it featured something completely different. This kind of links in with my 'love not lust' argument that I still retain, but I still would've preferred to have something actually related to love instead of what.. that... featured.
I find it quite hard to articulate quite what I'm feeling about this book simply because of the sheer beauty of it. Please go buy it, it's worth your coins, and thank you Malorie for providing us with a grand finale to your time as Children's Laureate. And please carry on writing books. Please?
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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