*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I gave it to my fourteen year old son and made him read it instead.
This is his review. :)
Author: Ava DellairaPublication: April 1, 2014
By: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Amazon | Goodreads
4 Stars
It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May did. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to people like Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more; though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about starting high school, navigating new friendships, falling in love for the first time, learning to live with her splintering family. And, finally, about the abuse she suffered while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May. And only when Laurel has begun to see her sister as the person she was; lovely and amazing and deeply flawed; can she begin to discover her own path.
What I Liked:
I liked
that while the people Laurel writes to are completely unrelated, each
person influences Laurel's life in some way. I also liked the book's
writing style (letter-based), and the fact that not all the
relationships are perfect, which creates a more realistic environment.
The story itself was entertaining and witty. The style is different (in a
good way), the characters are well developed and the plot is
interesting.
What Left Me Wanting More:
The fact that the story was letter-based took some getting used to. The lack of chapters threw me off for the first 15 minutes or so. (HOW LONG IS THIS
CHAPTER!?!) I wasn't used to the style but I'm also not a huge contemporary
reader.
Final Verdict:
It is unique, witty and entertaining, but it has a good mix of seriousness, heartbreak and grief.
Would I Recommend This Book?
Yes, to any fan of contemporary or anyone who wants to get into this genre.
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