Bismillah.

Haritu ada PBAKL, tapi aku tak pergi. Aku sebenarnya nak sangatttt pergi tapi duit tak mengizinkan (crying as a broque gurl). So I spent my weekend watching live tiktoks and scrolling em PBAKL tiktok videos. Besides finishing up my assignments, of course.

Tapi Yumna (one of my gals) pergi, and she bought a total of 14 books! I was like, GURL YOU HAD MONEY?? Never knew her daddy's rich as heck so now I promise myself I am gon be a better friend to her (^^ yumna if you're reading this, can i know if ur bro's single?) 

Aku pergi lah kat bilik dia, lepak-lepak jap, sambil-sambil browsing through her book haul. Dan ada satu buku yang menarik perhatian aku, iaitu buku Letters to the Lost.

Buku ni menceritakan tentang dua remaja, Juliet dan Declan who each lost their family member. Untuk mengatasi kesedihan, Juliet meninggalkan surat demi surat di kubur ibunya. Declan pula sedang menjalani hukuman community service atas kesalahan juvana membersihkan kawasan perkuburan. Suatu hari, dia terjumpa surat yang ditinggalkan Juliet. Bermula daripada situ, mereka saling berbalas surat secara anonymous. 

It is indeed a beautiful story about grieving. How people cope with sadness after being left by their loved ones. How to deal with the trauma. 

It is a good book for people who got left.

Relating to coping with death, I also lost my grandmother, but she is not like my direct grandmother. She is my grandmother's sister in law. I was practically raised by her because my parents sometimes too busy putting food on the table. If you ask me, she would be the number one person I love the most in this world.

That's why I totally can relate to both Declan and Juliet. The self-blaming, guilt, regret and all waves of negative emotions keep washing over you and there's nothing you can do. Declan thought he contributed to killing his sister. He keeps thinking on "what if" and "if only i had done that". And he thought his mother hated him because of that. Due to his self-blaming, he wanted to kill himself. He shut himself off from the rest of the world, even including his best friend, Rev. He put up a brave face, pretends he doesn't give a shit about people.

Meanwhile Juliet is different in some way. She also thinks she plays a part in her mother's death. Her mother works as a photographer. After her death, Juliet couldn't even touch a camera anymore. She even drops out of photography class, which is her favourite. That is her way of grieving.

I understood Declan, but I somehow cannot seem to find a common ground with Juliet. I don't understand why she couldn't take pictures. WHY CANNOT YOU TOUCH YOUR MOTHER'S FAVOURITE THINGS? Cause if it was me, I'd sleep and bathe and eat with a Nikon camera by my side. And even if I cried, I'll be sure to cry while hugging the camera. 

But yup, that is the thing about empathy. Even if there are times when you couldn't wrap your head around it, you have to nod and walk it off.

I love how the whole process of grieving and letting go of a person's death and moving on from the past is beautifully captured in this book. Both Juliet and Declan struggle with this, and unintentionally hurt themselves and people around them. Their friends, their families. They all care for them and wanting to help them, but what much help can be if they don't want any help?

Declan was never described as handsome in the book. But Juliet thinks he is a confrontational person, and his features are perfect. (Welp, that's what happens when you're in love^^)

Overall, I truly recommend this for everyone. A great 4 stars book from me :)) [no-sidebar]