The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily by Laura Creedle

1/29/2018

SYNOPSIS

When Lily Michaels-Ryan ditches her ADHD meds and lands in detention with Abelard, she's intrigued -- he seems thirty seconds behind, while she feels thirty seconds ahead. It doesn't hurt that he's brilliant and beautiful.

When Abelard posts a quote from The Letters of Abelard and Heloise online, their mutual affinity for ancient love letters connects them. The two fall for each other. Hard. But is it enough to bridge their differences in person?

This hilarious, heartbreaking story of human connection between two neurodivergent teens creates characters that will stay with you long after you finish reading.

Synopsis from Chapters.Indigo.ca

PERSONAL REVIEW

I started reading this book one morning...and 3.5 hours later I was done. I just couldn't put it down! I'd never heard of the word "neurodivergent" before (my computer even highlights is as not being a real word) so I wasn't sure what this actually meant for the characters, but I thought this story was brilliantly written. A big part of this is also because the author herself has ADHD, which makes the book seem that much more honest.

What I Loved:

Completely New Perspective:
This was one of the first times that I really felt like I understood what it was like to be someone with ADHD. Although authors like Rick Riordan and The Percy Jackson series have touched upon what ADHD is like, this is the first book I've read that really drops us into the real life of a contemporary teen. I loved the way that Lily sees the world; it's such a different perspective then anything that my own experiences have prepared me for. I thought Creedle did a brilliant job showing us how Lily's mind works, especially when people are talking to her:

"You should really sclur your blash," Montana Jordan/Jordan Montana said. Her voice echoed noisy against the bathroom tile. "Screeb pretty."
"Sure," I replied. Screeb pretty. That was me.

Moments like this are grounding as we're reminded that Lily simply interprets the world differently. In contrast, there's Abelard. While we don't have a POV from him (and that was a good choice by Creedle because she simply doesn't know how his mind works), we still gain understanding into how his mind interprets things. Time is incredibly important to him, while Lily can never seem to remember it. These two characters come from completely different places and teach us so much about what life is like for each of them.
Beautiful Relationship Building:
Reading about Abelard and Lily's relationship makes me smile. It's that simple. The way that their relationship grows, and reading about their interactions, was so perfectly done. Lily never judges Abelard for the things that he does, nor does he judge her. They see each other as snowflakes (you'll know this part when you get to it) and it is beautiful to read. Everything about their relationship felt organic, but the best part was definitely the texting conversations. It put both teens on equal footing, and allowed them to bond over shared interests. I loved everything about these characters are the relationship they have with each other, and the relationships they have with their family and friends!
Potential For More (?):
After reading this, I immediately went to the Goodreads website to find out if there were any sequels planned for the book. I didn't find anything, but I did email Creedle to ask her personally (don't assume "no" until you read it for yourself!). I did find out that the surgery that is discussed is not yet real, however there's a chance that something like it could be available in the future. Regardless, the ending of this book -- even while leaving us without having all the answers -- left us knowing that these characters were looking towards positive futures. I loved the optimism that they each have for what comes next, especially compared to some of the darker moments in the book. I always want more books in a series because I don't want to say good-bye to characters, but in this case, I'm just so happy for all of them, that I don't mind not have book to read about them. (That doesn't mean that I wouldn't love a short story set 5 years in the future! *hint, hint*)

This book has definitely joined my Top 10 Favourite Books list and is one that I've already recommended to many friends (and strangers in the book store). It's a lovely story and really allows the reader to step into the perspective of Lily. I adored her POV and felt that this was such an honest love story for these characters. I hope you like it as much as I did!

FINAL RATING: 5/5