Amazon.com:An arresting story about starting over after a friend’s suicide, from a breakthrough new voice in YA fiction
dear caitlin, there are so many things that i want so badly to tell you but i just can’t.
Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend’s suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn’t die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid’s descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself .I was very interested in reading Hold Still when I read the premise, it's very hard to express feelings about suicide, at least I think so. So I wanted to see how LaCour handled it and how she put it into words. I was pretty impressed with how she portrayed Caitlin's grief, pain, regret and all the other feelings that someone feels when someone they know commits suicide.
I really liked how LaCour weaved all of these emotions into Caitlin's journey to heal herself and find herself a new place in her world. I mean what do you do when you best friend in the world is gone? I thought her journey was pretty believable. From Caitlin isolating herself, to trying to find someone to comfort her, to someone to befriend, to outlets to explore her feelings including art. It's a rather uplifting story especially for the subject matter.
Another part of the story I really liked was that Caitlin finds Ingrid's journal. Would she find the key to why Ingrid killed herself? hidden feelings? things her friend was thinking but not saying? It rips open the wound but also sort of heals it, having that closure. And what Caitlin decides to do with Ingrid's journal is just perfect. Especially the ending of the book, it had me in tears.
Hold Still will be released on October 20th
Genre: Young Adult
4.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by publisher
Check out this book trailer, the best I've ever seen!
I've been waiting to read this one for months. I'm glad to see that you liked it, but now I just want to read it more!
ReplyDeleteGood review. This sounds like an awesome book. I'll have to check it out. :)
ReplyDeleteTHIS LOOKS SO AMAZING!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've tried writing about suicidal feelings in the past, and it's not at all something that is easy to do. I'll be interested to see how she manages.
I enjoyed this a lot as well. Great review.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, yes. Loved your review. I just finished reading this book today and agreed with everything you said. It was an uplifting read!
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I definitely agree with the statement that for its subject matter, it's an uplifting book. Loved the book, just finished it :)
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