Oops I stayed up until 4 in the morning reading, effectively finishing this in one "day"...

Nina LaCour writes the kind of YA fiction that I want to read and wish I had in highschool. This book was a tremendous exploration of grief and what follows. The exploration of the tension between moving on and keeping a memory alive was astounding.

Hold Still reminded me of Speak, one of my favourite favourite books, in both tone and emotional impact. It's a similarly constructed novel narrated in a voice not unlike Melinda's and the tree and seasonal imageries also echo one another. While an emotionally intense read, I'm so happy this book exists and I think it will resonate with anyone who's dealt with (read: experienced or witnessed) self harm, suicide, or loss.

More thoughts here: https://youtu.be/nmjUwPk8f04