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
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Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope.
Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past.
When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Letters to the Lost and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
Letters to the Lost features in the following genres: Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Recommendations, Featured Books for Young Adults, Romance / Relationship Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Recommended Children's eBooks, Featured Books for 13+ readers
Letters to the Lost is available in Paperback, Hardback
Letters to the Lost was written by Brigid Kemmerer and published by Bloomsbury Childrens an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Letters to the Lost has 393 pages
£8.09
