Sundays are for book reviews:
All the Things We Didn’t See: by D.A. Reed
☆☆☆☆ ☆ of ☆☆☆☆☆
I have to say I am a fan already of D.A. Reed even though she writes across many genres. (We both do and some other people I know do not do so as effectively) That being said D.A. does so skillfully and with an air for quality that few strive for in the art.
In her book All the Things We Didn’t See D.A. approaches a tough subject, teen suicide. The book is well written at a level that would be suitable for almost any age provided they can deal with the subject. For parents I recommend reading the book with under 12s so you can read together and perhaps discuss some of the more complex ideas in the book. (If possible)
The story is approached in a solid manner (No, I do not give spoilers, sorry) with driven characters that develop well. The main character, Astrid, has depth and complexity and is an unassuming hero in my opinion as she tries to understand and unravel the past with the help of her sisters journal.
It is a tough journey and many people do not understand the depths of what she is going through, and some do not see the complexities that people face being bullied, overlooked, or worse. In the end the characters go through many changes, and the books ties up loose ends quite nicely.
I consider this a positive read for young and old alike. The writers showed great empathy in making sure everyone understood there is a why to suicide and that people need support from friends and family. I enjoyed both the premise and the story and the message.
One last item. For parents, jump to the back when you read the book and pay attention to the questions that are posed by the author, and the author statement. We as a society do tend to ignore mental illness until it is often too late. Perhaps armed with this book many can open a door to a new era of seeing past the physical and making a difference to everyone.