Ava Dellaira – Love Letters to the Dead.

It all starts with a literature homework. Laurel must write a letter to someone dead, she chooses Kurt Cobain because he was her sister’s, May, favorite singer. Sadly, May died, months ago, leaving Laurel feeling guilty and very alone. Laurel admired her a lot.

Instead of handing in her homework, she continues writing letters to other characters as Judy Garland, Amy Winehouse, Elizabeth Bishop, River Phoenix, Jim Morrison, Amelia Earhart, Janis Joplin and Heath Ledger. In these letters, she shares her thoughts, experiences, feelings and some secrets, as the reason why she feels so guilty about her sister’s death. Little by little she realizes that May was not the strong, free and happy girl that she thought she was.

I liked the book format. Writing those letters to people she didn’t know helped her let go everything she was  enduring, also she realized that some of her impressions were wrong and that she was a very strong girl. I liked when she chose not living in her sister’s shadow.

This book talks about difficult themes such as possible suicides, sexual abuse, intrafamily violence and low self-esteem. There were some disgusting and unfair situations.

I liked that despite everything Laurel never gave up. I think this is a good book.