Product Description

When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn’t mess around. After all, she’s learned all there is to know from her mother, who’s currently working on husband number five. But there’s something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy’s rules. He certainly doesn’t seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can’t seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy’s starting to understand what those love songs are all about? From acclaimed author Sarah Dessen, this is a captivating novel about a tough-as-nails girl and the unexpectedly charming boy who’s determined to soften her up.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10938 in Books
• Published on: 2004-03-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 345 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780142501559
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Amazon.com Review
"I had no illusions about love... It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever, regardless of what the songs say." Remy doesn't believe in love. And why should she? Her romance novelist mother is working on her fifth marriage, and her father, a '70s hippie singer, left her with only a one-hit wonder song to remember him by. Every time Remy hears "This Lullaby," it feels like "a bruise that never quite healed right." "Wherever you may go / I will let you down / But this lullaby plays on..." Never without a boyfriend, Remy is a compulsive dater, but before a guy can go all "Ken" on her (as in "ultra boyfriend behavior") she cuts him off, without ever getting close or getting hurt. That's why she's stunned when klutzy, quirky, alterna-band boy Dexter inserts himself into her life and refuses to leave. Remy's been accepted to Stanford, and she plans on having her usual summer fling before tying up the loose ends of her pre-college life and heading for the coast. Except Dexter's not following Remy's tried-and-true rules of break-up protocol. And for the first time, Remy's questioning whether or not she wants him to.

Author Sarah Dessen's ability to write novels that are both crowd pleasers and literary masterpieces of YA fiction is showcased beautifully in This Lullaby. Subtle yet completely absorbing, Lullaby is peopled with breathtakingly believable, three-dimensional characters, the very best of which is the bitter, broken Remy herself. An original love story about learning to love yourself first. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

From Publishers Weekly
This modern-day romance narrated by a cynical heroine offers a balance of wickedly funny moments and universal teen traumas. High school graduate Remy has some biting commentary about love, including her romance-writer mother's betrothal to a car dealer ("He put one hand on my shoulder, Dad-style, and I tried not to remember all the stepfathers before him that had done the same thing.... They all thought they were permanent, too") and her brother's infatuation with self-improvement guru Jennifer Anne. But when rocker Dexter "crashes" into her life, her resolve to remain unattached starts to crack. Readers will need to hold on to their hats as they accompany Remy on her whirlwind ride, avoiding, circling and finally surrendering to Cupid's arrows. Almost as memorable as her summer romance with a heartwarmingly flawed suitor is the cast of idiosyncratic characters who watch from the sidelines. There's the trio of Remy's faithful girlfriends, all addicted to "Xtra Large Zip" Diet Cokes practical-minded Jess, weepy Lissa, and Chloe, who shares Remy's dark sense of humor as well as Dexter's entourage of fellow band members, as incompetent at managing money as they are at keeping their rental house clean. Those expecting a Cinderella finale for Remy will find a twist consistent with the plot's development. Contrary to any such implication in the title, this one will keep teens up reading. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 9 & Up--Remy's parents split up before she was born, her boyfriend is cheating on her, and her ever-hopeful mother is about to tie the knot for the fifth time. The teen's wry, humorous voice is the best part of this heartfelt novel, which takes her through the summer before she starts college and, she hopes, a brand-new life; her spirited commentary will keep readers entertained. Remy's father, a musician who died shortly after her birth, left behind a popular song with lyrics that include the line, "I will let you down." It's no surprise, then, that her rules for relationships aim to keep the boys in her life at arm's length. Then she meets Dexter, a scruffy but lovable musician who seems capable of knocking down her carefully constructed defenses as their rocky romance progresses. Remy's relationships with her friends and family are realistic and believable. However, aspects of her past life-a rape followed by a period of promiscuity, drinking, and drug use-are not fleshed out and don't quite ring true. The Remy readers encounter is for the most part mature, organized, and responsible, more so than the adults in her life, and it is not clear when and why she abandoned her self-destructive behavior. On the whole, though, this is a winning story about coming to terms with the fact that loving someone requires a leap of faith, and that a soft landing is never guaranteed.
Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Dessen shines!
This Lullaby is about Remy, daughter of an eccentric, romance writer mother who has been married five times and a dead, musician father whose only legacy is a song called "This Lullaby." Remy, having seen her mother go through husbands like kleenex, is jaded about love and relationships; every time she gets close to a guy, she dumps him.

Then along comes Dexter, who not only breaks her "no musicians" rule (he's in a band that sings - among other things - "The Potato Song"), he's also everything that drives her crazy.

Sarah Dessen's talent for character development shines through in this tale of first love. Her characters are flawed, dysfunctional, and so realistic that reading this book is like visiting with old friends. The topics tackled in This Lullaby are written both believably and in an utterly unique way, so that an old problem - "What do you do when someone doesn't like you back?" - becomes a fresh, new story with an ending that will satisfy both romantics and cynics alike.

Another winner from Sarah Dessen
Sarah Dessen quickly became one of my favorite authors after I read her books "Dreamland" and "Someone Like You". I was super excited when I found her new book, "This Lullaby", and settled down to read it right away.

I was not disappointed. This book is amazing! It made me laugh out loud in some parts (Dessen has remarkable prose, and just her word choice and descriptions make for a humorous time), gave me butterflies in others, and had me feeling pretty sorry for the characters during certain scenes.

Remy has got the guy thing figured out -- once the first heady, romantic feelings start to fizzle and "cracks" begin to appear in the guy's personality, Remy's out of there. Remy has plenty of experience -- her father left before she was born, leaving her with his sappy one-hit-wonder, "This Lullaby". Not a great gift, considering the lyrics "I will let you down." Plus, Remy's mother, a romance author, is now on her fifth marriage -- "This time it will work, Remy." But Remy doesn't share her mother's hopeful outlook on love.

Then she bumps into Dexter, quite literally. She avoids him as much as she can, but he manages to pop up everywhere, and just where she needs him the most. He's the exact opposite of her usual guy -- messy, clumsy, and, of all things, a musician like her father. She runs away from him until he crashes through her bedroom window, and she finally decides to take a risk with this guy.

They're a couple from then on. But Remy's done this before -- have a fun time with a guy through the summer, move on in September. Remy wants to head to Stanford in the fall leaving nothing messy behind her -- but Dexter might make this hard.

The Dexter/Remy romance is just perfect. Dexter is far from being the perfect guy, but that enhances it. The ending is not picture-perfect, but we are left with plenty of hope for our couple's future.

Dessen has scored another winner with this book. I recommend it wholeheartedly. :)

This Lullaby- This will not disappoint you!
Remy has never been involved too long with a boyfriend, but who can blame her? Her mother is about to start her fifth marriage! Remy has actually come to believe that she has a heart of stone and that love is not real. When she�s least expecting it, she meets Dexter, her complete opposite. He�s a musician which has always been a warning sign for Remy considering her father, who is long gone, was one himself. Dexter�s clutter and vices soon make up a part of Remy she�s been missing.
This book will teach you that first impressions can either be everything or nothing. It is the ideal book for teenage girls who need a good novel to keep them interested for awhile. I found I could relate to a lot of what the characters were going through. Their antics will melt your heart and give you a good laugh. After reading This Lullaby, I was so motivated that I continued on to reading three other books by Sarah Dessen: she definitely won me over!