Rewind by Rowan Shaw – Review by Sarah Oakes

Rewind by Rowan Shaw
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A great read about second chances. Florian’s world is turned upside down when he finds his girlfriend cheating on him with someone else. Depressed, he goes to a new nightclub and bumps into his old flame from school, Enzo. They pick up their relationship from where it ended after the accident and are deliriously happy. But when hate crime threatens their happiness. are they destined to repeat the same events as before?
A great read. Well developed plot with twists and turns that I just couldn’t put down. Well developed characters like Enzo sweet and kind but also standing up for himself or Florian going for what he wants but also haunted by the past. Great cast of supporting characters like the overprotective friend in Patrick or the supportive Heloise or the annoying Cyrille.
I loved the visual detail throughout the novel like with the park with its trees and gardens and ice cream for a homely feel. Or the inside of Enzo’s house with its pastel colours and soft furnishings for a sense of comfort. Or the trip to Paris later on full of life and people and things to see, gardens and kitchens and old bookstores. Also loved the use of sound throughout with its peaceful absence or uncomfortable yells whih were wonderfully written.
I loved the use of French culture and life and language in the novel giving it a sense of character The portrayal of the deaf community was perfectly written in Enzo and his school as people to be respected and listened to even if they are different, as equals in society. I loved the use of sign language in the novel which was a wonderful addition
The switch of perspectives worked well to display both sides of the story and were easy to follow with names in chapter titles. The flashbacks worked well to inform what happened eight years ago and didn’t disrupt from the narrative of the present. I also liked the use of suspense with these, as the accident is explained slowly, making you want to read on to find out what happened. Overall, a great read and I would give it five stars.

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