Letters to the Lost

LoveReading4Kids Says

In a Nutshell: Grappling with grief | Facing the truth | Forging new paths | Intensely moving, uniquely premised story of two strangers torn apart - and brought together – by deep loss.

Juliet’s mother was killed in a car crash on her way home from a photojournalism assignment in Syria. She tries to deal with her grief by writing letters to her mum, and leaving them on her grave. Then there’s Declan. Everyone has him down as a no-hoper bad boy from a messed-up family. He’s been in juvenile detention and is now doing community service maintaining a cemetery, which is how he comes to read and reply to one of Juliet’s letters. The path of their relationship - and the gripping plot - takes many heart-stopping turns as new revelations threaten to pull them under. Ultimately, though, both teenagers realise that the key to survival is finding the strength to make your own path.

I was especially moved by Declan’s personal journey. He’s intelligent, sensitive, and his astute comments about free will and fate help set Juliet back on track. The novel also imparts an important message about the perils of making assumptions; people aren’t necessarily the person you think they are. Powerfully raw, and written with great clarity and a whole lot of heart, this is highly recommended for fans of stories with emotional grit. ~ Joanne Owen

LoveReading4Kids

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