The Distance Between Us was quick, but good. Caymen’s dry humor had me smiling and laughing throughout the book. There was also a great twist at the end.
Caymen and her mother live above a doll shop her mother owns. Most of Caymen’s life revolves around the shop; she even leaves school early every day to work in it. The doll shop isn’t really hopping, so bills are always overdue. Caymen doesn’t always get paid for the work she puts in either. When describing herself, Caymen often uses the term “poor”.
On a regular day while Caymen is manning the store, a guy walks in, talking on his cell phone. He’s good looking, sure, with expensive clothes, but Caymen, judging him (Xander) pegs him as an arrogant rich-y. Through coincidental and purposeful meetings, Caymen begins falling for Xander. She realizes he’s sweet and thoughtful, but regardless, she still throws up her shields. Xander is the type of guy her mother always warned her about; the risky ones, the kind that could leave you high and dry like Caymen’s deadbeat dad, at least, that’s what Caymen is afraid of.
The Distance Between Us follows Caymen and Xander’s slow-budding romance with the issue of money “coming between” them. Caymen is set in her belief that “poor” and “rich” people are so different that they shouldn’t be together. I can’t really relate to Caymen’s situation because I’ve always been in a sort of middle class and around other middle class-types, but I still grew frustrated with her at times. She was very insecure and judge-y when it came to Xander. She was quick to think the worst of him and his family, constantly being surprised when Xander’s father and mother treated her kindly and with warmth. Honestly, throughout the novel I felt like the “distance” between these two teenagers was plainly Caymen and her skewed viewpoint.
Towards the end of the story the plot really sped up. There’s a couple matters that were never really resolved and left me confused. I liked that there wasn’t a big cheesy ending but I think we should have been given a little more clarity and resolution.
