Review of Lilah by Ashlyn Montgomery

Genre: TEEN

Total chapters: 45

Writer: Ashlyn Montgomery

Update status: Completed

Synopsis: Lilah is a one-of-a-kind woman with the qualities of a little girl. She meets a guy who's her total opposite. He's pretty despicable and hates everything about her, but still can't manage to get her off his head. She's also irremediably attracted to him and acts with an "I can fix him" mindset.

Author Introduction | Ashlyn Montgomery (AshlynPope)

Ashlyn Montgomery is a South African author with a Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes University. She has also done some journalism work and teaches English and History in a private Catholic school. Other works penned by her include "Without You" and "Lord Beast."

Theme in "Lilah"

"Lilah" explores various main themes, among which we could highlight the following:

Unlike Poles Attract

This is a typical trope in many novels, though it doesn't necessarily translate into real-life relationships.

Enduring Trials with Joy

Psychologists insist on the influence a joyful attitude has on our physical and mental health. As the saying goes: "a cheerful heart is good medicine." Accordingly, Lilah (the protagonist) showcases exceptionally optimistic behavior even in the face of pain.

Selflessness

In the first chapter, Lilah says she cries, but never in front of anyone. The reason she does this is presumably to make those around her happy.

Evidently, the degree of selflessness on display here is admirable. This is also palpable in the scene in which she gives alms to a homeless man using money destined to purchase booze for her parents, fully acknowledging the consequences said action would carry.

Characters: Lilah and Her Crackhead BF

Lilah and Grey are, hands down, the most important characters in the story. Let's proceed to describe them in a bit more detail:

Lilah

Azalea (Lilah) is a jumpy and somewhat immature 19-year-old woman. She grew up in a dysfunctional and abusive household. Her father and mother turned to alcohol after her brother's death, and they frequently blamed her for this occurrence.

Grey

Grey is the mysterious man Lilah meets on a bench near the town square. He's overly rude and disagreeable, apart from being a crackhead. His demeanor contrasts with Lilah's exceedingly positive attitude. In other words, he'd be the "ying to her yang."

Point of View: From Lilah's and Grey's Viewpoints

The story is told from the perspective of both Lilah (Azalea) and Grey. This narrative method grants the story a bit more intimacy.

Plot: Lilah Gets Her Groove Back

Lilah's life has been far from ordinary ever since her parents took up alcohol following her brother's death.

One night, she's ordered by her father to buy moonshine. Before reaching the shop, she stumbles across a homeless man and gives him the money originally meant to buy the drinks.

That same evening, she meets Grey. He's sitting on a bench, and she decides to approach him, being the spontaneous woman she is.

She describes him as the most handsome man he's ever met. Grey, however, is terribly harsh with Lilah, insulting her and complaining that she's asking too many questions, but she wouldn't budge. Instead, she would keep insisting, saying she had handled worse insults in the past.

From Now On, You're Lilah

Even when she gives Grey her full name, he decides to call her "Lilah" (which is short for Delilah). He then disappears, and Lilah doesn't see him again for a while.

With time, he realizes he can't live without her, hating himself for this fact. For her part, she finds Grey intimidating and quite dangerous. At the same time, she's convinced she can make him "good." But will she ultimately accomplish that?

Hot Chapters in Lilah

Chapter seven (titled "Mistake") is particularly steamy, as we see Grey's first romantic advances. This particular instance makes Lilah nervous as her libido shoots up. In the end, he says, "I wish you were dead," which is an awkward turn.

Writing Style: Mostly Lilah Rambling

"Lilah's" writing style is breathtakingly rich in detail and color. Most times, it is Azalea recounting the events in her own words and, staying true to her nature, she's all over the place! She doesn't skimp on inserting random topics within the narrative, so it reads more like a diary entry.

Lilah does ramble a bit. For this reason, some people may lose patience due to the pacing, but from our viewpoint, the reading experience is rather immersive and engaging.

Is Lilah as Good as It's Touted to Be?

"Lilah" has many things in its favor. For one, the novel is written in a language that the regular working Joe can readily understand. Also, as said earlier, the writing style is very inviting.

On a more negative note: Firstly, it's a painstakingly long novel by the genre's standards, so it could overstay its welcome. Secondly, the main characters (but especially Lilah herself) are a bit divisive. Lilah can come off as intriguingly cute and, perhaps, too innocent. Grey, on the other end, is almost cartoonishly ill-mannered. Both traits could conceivably put many people off.

We happen to enjoy the way Lilah is generally outlined in this novel. She comes off as a genuinely lovely girl who's perhaps a bit too naive for her own sake.

Finally, while the novel is well-written for the most part, it's not devoid of grammar and spelling errors, but nothing that a good editor could not fix.

You can read "Lilah" in its entirety for free!

FAQs

Q: Is Lilah the name of the novel's protagonist?

A: The female lead's real name is Azalea Delilah Carson, and everyone calls her either Azalea or Azzy. Only Grey calls her "Lilah."

Q: How long does it take to read Lilah in its entirety?

A: "Lilah" takes roughly 13 hours to read from cover to cover non-stop, which is quite long in comparison to other novels of the same kind.