The Seven Year Slip

“My aunt used to say, if you don’t fit in, fool everyone until you do.

She also said to keep your passport renewed, to pair red wines with meat and whites with everything else, to find work that is fulfilling to your heart as well as your head, to never forget to fall in love whenever you can find it because love is nothing if not a matter of timing, and to chase the moon. Always, always chase the moon.”

Poston, A. (2023). The Seven Year slip. Berkley Romance.

Following her aunt’s death, Clementine inherits her magic apartment, which grants her the ability to travel back in time and enter either the past or the future by seven years. Since Clementine’s aunt only left her with memories and the two rules regarding the apartment, living in her aunt’s past home serves as a constant reminder of her loss:

Rule One: Always take your shoes off by the door and..
Two: Never fall in love.

Isn’t that simple? That is, until Clementine comes home one day and realizes she has been transported back seven years, discovering a complete stranger named Iwan standing in her aunt’s kitchen.

“I loved how a book, a story, a set of words in a sentence organized in the exact right order, made you miss places you’ve never visited, and people you’ve never met.”

Poston, A. (2023). The Seven Year slip. Berkley Romance.

Consider me a bookworm, but out of the 113 books I have read this year, ‘The Seven Year Slip‘ may hold the title of my favourite story.

This book was utterly enchanting. I loved every element of it: the characters, the plot, the messages, the storyline- all of it was exceptionally well-crafted. I felt as though I could pick apart specific elements of the book and still visualize how the story’s spine developed into this whimsical journey. Ashley Poston truly struck the mark and perfectly embodied what creating a good story is all about.

That being said…

What exactly made me fall completely in love with this book?

1. Relatability

Relatability is one of the first things I take note of when I open up a novel. A book’s tendency of relatability allows readers to gain a deeper connection towards the plot, theme and characters of the story- allowing the audience to feel a strong connection and exhibit stronger emotions throughout.

The main character of ‘The Seven Year Slip,’ Clementine West, did just that. Honestly, I was surprised that I could relate to a character as much as I did while I was reading this book. Reading about Clementine’s journey made me feel as though I was dreaming about an adventure that I wish I had the courage to take. This story beautifully and deeply tackled themes of loss and grief; I felt as though I was sharing Clementine’s emotions as she told stories about her aunt, making me- the reader- feel as though I was an old friend of hers.

2. Visualizing Words On Paper

This story not only captivated me on an emotional level, but it also gave me the feeling that I was watching a movie play inside my mind. I believe one of the more important principles of creating a good story is the ability to take words on paper and mentally create pictures in your mind, feeling as though you’re living alongside the characters. This book perfectly embodied this principle through the descriptive and persuasive writing of Ashley Poston.

3. The Why Was The Heart Of The Story

Corresponding to “The 22 rules of storytelling, according to Pixar“, one of the rules that was mentioned includes the idea that there should be a why in a story that revolves around a burning belief. It also underlined how crucial a theme is and how we don’t fully understand it until the very end of a story.

In ‘The Seven Year Slip,’ the why was constantly changing. For me, this book captures the honesty of heart break and loss, but highlights the acceptance of moving on even when we don’t think we should. For half of the book- mostly focusing on Clementine’s aunt- it illustrated the idea that because our loved ones are always present in the little things we do every day, we never truly say goodbye to them. While on the contrary- relating to the romance aspect of the story- it emphasized that we can fall in love with a person for who they were in the past, accept that people change, and that we can continue to love them every day as they become a little more themselves.

“Because the things that mattered the most never really left. The love stays. The love always stays, and so do we.”

Poston, A. (2023). The Seven Year slip. Berkley Romance.

This is now my new favourite book

Comforting, whimsical, touching and sweet. ‘The Seven Year Slip’ is not just some silly romcom, it’s a story about finding yourself and pursuing happiness in a world full of change, loss and grief. This book has touched me like no other story has before. Not only was it emotionally relatable, but it also made it possible for me to visualize this story as though I was stood in Clementine’s apartment, seeing everything from a firsthand perspective. It had deep and emotional themes that would inspire anyone who comes across this story, including me. Now, like Clementine, I’ll always be chasing the moon.