The Chaos of Standing Still Review

I just finished this book and want to write this review while everything is still fresh in my mind.

I normally struggle when writing reviews, but from  the moment I started reading this book I knew I was going to review it. This is a book I’ve seen around occasionally, but it certainly isn’t popular (though it really should be). I picked this book up on a whim in the library. I have no clue what drew me to it, but I’m certainly glad that *something* did. When I got home I realized that it was written by an author I had met a few years back at an event, and that I had got her newest book, The Geography of Lost Things, at BookCon 2018. All this preface is just to let you know that I really enjoyed this book and I’m now really excited to read Jessica Brody’s newest book.

Now you might be curious what this book is about and what made it so great. Well, have no fear. I’ll be talking about it for a while.

The Chaos of Standing Still follows Ryn 364 days after her best friend’s death. She’s trapped in an airport because of a snowstorm and is trying to figure out how she’ll manage to get through the emotional havoc tomorrow will bring.

I think the synopsis tells you more, but this is really all you need to know. Because this book is really about grief and friendship and how the unexpected isn’t always a bad thing. The way it’s told is perfectly done to convey all these themes. Each chapter (which each has a title instead of just a number excitingly enough!) alternates between the past and the present and there’s usually a parallel between the two storylines. Alternating timelines can be very hit or miss for me, but here it really worked. I was never confused about whether I was in the past or present, and the switching really enhanced the storyline and helo give background and depth to Ryn. I think that since this story is mainly centered around one day, I wouldn’t have been able to empathize or see character growth had it not been written in this format.

Ryn overall was an interesting character. I don’t think I’ve ever read someone quite like her. She was a more mild character, but throughout the story you saw her quiet strength and resolve. I also found it really interesting to see how she reacted to all the different people in her life, and how each person brought out a different side of Ryn. She meets a lot of different people at the airport and each person was unique and fun to read about. I’m not even sure I can pick a favorite from Siri, Jimmy, Xander, and Troy. They each made me enjoy the story for a different reason, and added something to Ryn’s view of the terrible day she’s anticipating.

I think that this book had amazing pacing. It’s set in a 24 hour period, but you learn so much about Ryn and see so much growth and so many friendships form and it’s wonderful to watch. I was worried that I’d be skeptical about the relationships formed in such a short period of time, but for the most part, I thought it was done really well.

Overall, I had a wonderful experience reading this book. It was fun, it had depth, and it kept me captivated the entire time I read it. I highly recommend checking this one out and giving it some love.

Have you heard of this one before? Have you read it? Have you read any of Jessica Brody’s other books?

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