Cartas de amor a los muertos

Por Ava Dellaira

Todo comienza con un trabajo para la clase de Literatura: escribir una carta a una persona muerta. Laurel decide escribirle a Kurt Cobain, quien murió joven como May, su hermana. Luego de la primera carta, ya no puede detenerse, y escribirá otras a  Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse,  Jim Morrison y Heath Ledger, entre otros personajes famosos. Sin embargo, no le entrega ninguna a su profesora.La tarea permanece oculta… como tantas cosas de su vida.

Laurel escribe sobre lo que le pasa: cómo se siente empezar en otra escuela, lo difícil que es forjar nuevas amistades, cómo es el primer amor o vivir con padres separados y, lo más importante, escribe sobre la muerte de May. De esta manera, comienza a relacionar las cosas que compartió con su hermana y sus experiencias personales, con las vidas y muertes de estos íconos. Cuando escriba la verdad sobre lo que le ocurrió, podrá aceptar la muerte de May y solo así logrará verla y recordarla como la persona que siempre fue: adorable, asombrosa e… imperfecta.

Crecer es doloroso. Muchas veces hay un mundo secreto que tarde o temprano hay que enfrentar. Y se enfrenta mejor con la verdad y con ayuda. Un libro para leer con el alma, para compartir con quienes de verdad amamos y queremos cuidar.

• Idioma: Español
• Editorial: VRYA
• Fecha de lanzamiento: 14 dic 2015
• ISBN: 9789876128568

Ava Dellaira

Ava Dellaira is the author of Love Letters to the Dead, which was sold in 24 foreign territories and has been optioned for film. She is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where she was a Truman Capote Fellow. She grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago. She is an associate producer of Stephen Chbosky's feature film adaptation of his bestselling novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower. She currently lives in Santa Monica.

Vista previa del libro

Querido Kurt Cobain:

Hoy la profesora Buster nos encargó el primer trabajo de Literatura: escribir una carta a una persona que ha muerto. Un poco extraño, ya que no creo que pueda enviarse al cielo ni que exista un correo para fantasmas. Probablemente quería que eligiéramos a una figura importante, como un antiguo presidente o algo parecido, pero yo necesito hablar con alguien más accesible. Por eso te escribo a ti.

Me gustaría saber dónde estás ahora y por qué te fuiste. Eras el cantante favorito de mi hermana May. Desde que ella nos abandonó, me resulta muy difícil ser yo misma, ya que no recuerdo exactamente quién soy. Pero ahora que he comenzado la escuela secundaria, debo descifrarlo cuanto antes porque, de lo contrario, podría hundirme en un abismo.

Todo lo que conozco sobre el secundario lo sé gracias a May. En mi primer día, revisé su armario y encontré las prendas que ella usó la primera vez que fue a la escuela: una falda plisada con un suéter rosa de cachemir al que le cortó el cuello y le añadió el parche de Nirvana de la cara sonriente y los ojos en forma de X.

Mi hermana tenía una belleza fuera de lo común: su cabello era perfectamente suave y su andar no parecía de este mundo, sino de uno superior. Su actitud combinaba por completo con su atuendo. En cambio, cuando yo me probé su ropa, no me sentí para nada identificada; en mí parecía un disfraz. Por eso decidí usar mi vestimenta preferida de la escuela primaria: un mono de jean, una camiseta de manga larga y unos aretes. Ni bien entré en el corredor del West Mesa High supe que mi elección no había sido la indicada.

También advertí que no tendría que haber llevado el almuerzo desde mi casa. O se compran pizza y galletas Nutter Butters en la cafetería o no se come en absoluto, no parece haber otra opción. Mi tía Amy, con la que vivo semana de por medio, me preparó unos bocados de lechuga y mayonesa, porque son los que nos gustaban a May y mí cuando éramos pequeñas. Tiempo atrás, solía tener una familia normal. No éramos perfectos, pero mamá, papá, mi hermana y yo vivíamos bajo el mismo techo. Hoy en día esos recuerdos parecen muy lejanos... Mi tía se esfuerza tanto por crear un ambiente familiar que sería injusto rechazar su almuerzo. Por eso, opto por ir al baño a comer rápidamente para evitar las miradas de reproche. Al finalizar, arrojo el envoltorio en el cesto destinado a los tampones.

Hace una semana que comenzó la escuela y todavía no he hablado con nadie. Mis antiguos compañeros concurren a Sandia High, que es donde fue May. Como no quería dar lástima ni que me preguntaran cosas imposibles de responder, decidí asistir a West Mesa, que se encuentra en el mismo distrito que la casa de mi tía Amy. Creo que es la única forma de dejar atrás el pasado y empezar de nuevo. Espero no equivocarme.

Al mediodía, para no pasar los cuarenta y tres minutos del recreo en el baño, una vez que termino mis bocados, salgo al patio y me siento en la cerca. Me encanta ese lugar porque desde allí puedo observar sin ser vista. Las hojas han comenzado a caer de los árboles, pero el aire cálido aún domina el ambiente. Disfruto de la naturaleza mientras miro a un chico cuyo nombre es Sky. Siempre lleva una chaqueta de cuero. Aunque se encuentre lejos de mí, alcanzo a sentir su respiración. Me hace pensar en el aire que inspiramos a cada instante, el aire que nos mantiene vivos. No sé por qué, pero en este sitio repleto de desconocidos advierto que ambos respiramos el mismo aire; idéntico al que inhalaban tú y May.

Por momentos percibo que tu música encierra demasiado de tu ser interior, como si no hubieras podido expresar todo lo que deseabas. Quizás esa fue la causa de tu muerte: una explosión interna. Me parece que no estoy cumpliendo correctamente con mi tarea. Lo intentaré más tarde.

Sinceramente tuya,

Laurel

Querido Kurt Cobain:

Cuando la profesora Buster pidió que al final de la clase le entregáramos nuestras cartas, tomé mi cuaderno donde estaba escrita la mía y lo abracé muy fuerte. Ni bien tocó el timbre, salí apresuradamente del aula. Hay algunas cosas que no puedo contarle a nadie, excepto a personas que ya no están aquí.

La primera vez que May me hizo oír tu música, yo estaba en octavo curso y ella en décimo. Desde que había comenzado el secundario, un abismo se había interpuesto entre las dos. Yo la extrañaba mucho y, sobre todo, echaba de menos las palabras que solíamos inventar juntas. Pero esa noche, en el auto, estábamos solo las dos una vez más. Ella puso Heart-Shaped Box y para mí fue una revelación: nunca había escuchado algo así.

Recuerdo que May me miró a los ojos y me preguntó si me gustaba la canción. Con sus palabras me invitó a formar parte de su mundo. Entusiasmada, acepté.

Últimamente he vuelto a acercarme a tu música. Pongo In Utero, mi álbum preferido, cierro la puerta de mi habitación, luego mis ojos, y lo escucho una y otra vez. Cuando oigo tu voz siento que todo comienza a cobrar sentido. Me resulta difícil explicar esta sensación tan fuerte.

Después de la muerte de May, el pasado mes de abril, mi cerebro se había apagado. Mis padres me bombardeaban con preguntas que no podía responder, razón por la cual dejé de hablar por un tiempo. Todos se contagiaron de mi silencio y nadie volvió a mencionar ese tema. Es un mito la frase que afirma que el dolor une a las familias, porque a nosotros nos ha separado. Cada uno creó su propia isla: mi padre, en nuestra casa, mi madre, en el apartamento al que se había mudado algunos años antes y yo, en mi mundo hermético lejos de todo contacto con los seres humanos.

Finalmente, papá se dedicó a ver partidos de béisbol y regresó a su trabajo en Rhodes Construction, mientras que mamá, dos meses después, partió a un rancho en California. Tal vez estaba enfadada conmigo porque no le relaté lo que había ocurrido. Pero el problema es que no puedo hablar con nadie sobre lo que sucedió.

Durante el verano, me consagré a la exhaustiva búsqueda de artículos e imágenes on-line que pudieran reemplazar la historia que tanto me atormentaba. El obituario presentaba a May como a una hermosa joven y excelente estudiante que, lamentablemente, había fallecido. Por otro lado, un pequeño artículo del periódico se titulaba Muerte trágica de una adolescente y estaba acompañado de una fotografía de flores y recuerdos que sus compañeros habían depositado cerca del puente, junto a su imagen.

Quizá tú logres ayudarme a encontrar las puertas a un mundo nuevo. Todavía no he hecho amigos aquí. De hecho, no he pronunciado palabra alguna, con excepción de presente al inicio de cada asignatura. En mi clase de Literatura hay una chica llamada Natalie que me llamó mucho la atención porque se dibuja en los brazos prados con criaturas, mujeres y árboles muy reales. Tiene piel morena y usa dos largas trenzas que le llegan hasta la cintura. Sus ojos son de diferentes colores: uno casi negro y el otro, verdoso. Ayer me pasó una nota con una carita sonriente. Quiero encontrar la manera de sentarme junto a ella en el almuerzo.

Percibo un fuerte vínculo de fraternidad entre los estudiantes que forman fila para comprar comida. Alguna vez, me encantaría estar entre ellos. Sin embargo, no quiero molestar a mi padre pidiéndole dinero porque se estresa cada vez que lo hago, y tampoco puedo recurrir a mi tía Amy, ya que cree que estoy muy satisfecha con sus bocados. Por eso junto monedas que encuentro perdidas en los rincones. Ayer tomé cincuenta centavos del vestidor de mi tía. Me sentí mal, pero gracias a eso compré una bolsa de Nutter Butters.

Disfruté cada instante de mi nueva experiencia: la prolongada espera en la fila, observar a la joven de rizos que estaba delante de mí e, incluso, el crujido del envase al abrirlo.

Minutos más tarde ocurrió algo inesperado: estaba mordisqueando una Nutter Butter y observando a Sky cuando de pronto nuestros ojos se cruzaron. Sentí mariposas en mi interior, pero esquivé rápidamente su mirada. Luego volví a echarle un vistazo y noté que continuaba mirándome. Sus ojos, al igual que tu voz, provocaron un gran impacto en mí. Tal vez sean la llave que necesito para poder expresarme.

Sinceramente tuya,

Laurel

Querida Judy Garland:

Elegí escribirte porque El mago de Oz continúa siendo mi película favorita. La veíamos con mi madre cada vez que me enfermaba y no podía asistir a la escuela. Nos gustaba beber ginger ale con cubos de hielo de plástico color rosa y acompañarlo con panecillos de canela, mientras disfrutábamos de Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Estoy segura de que todo el mundo conoce tu rostro o, por lo menos, tu voz. Sin embargo, creo que muy poca gente sabe acerca de tu vida real, más allá de la ficción.

Te imagino de pequeña, en el pueblo cercano al desierto de Mojave, donde creciste bailando tap y cantando villancicos en el cine de tu padre. Desde niña aprendiste que los aplausos reflejaban amor.

También te imagino a lo largo de las calurosas noches de verano, en las que la gente solía acudir para disfrutar del aire acondicionado. Tu fuerte presencia sobre el escenario entretenía a la audiencia, de tal manera que olvidaban sus miedos y preocupaciones. Tu inigualable voz era una fuente de alegría, sobre todo, para tus padres.

Luego, se proyectaba una película en blanco y negro, durante la cual te dormías. Cuando finalizaba, tu padre te cargaba en sus brazos hasta su enorme coche. El viaje de regreso a casa era comparable al de un bote navegando en alta mar, pero en este caso sobre la superficie negra del pavimento.

No soportabas la tristeza ajena; por eso, nunca dejabas de cantar. Lo hacías cuando tus padres discutían y, a su vez, cuando necesitaban sonreír. Utilizabas tu voz como un pegamento capaz de mantener a tu familia unida. Pero también cantabas para ti, para evitar perder el control.

Mi madre solía cantarnos, sobre todo canciones de cuna. Su voz suave entonaba All bound for morning town..., mientras me acariciaba el cabello hasta que me dormía. Los días en que me desvelaba, ella me invitaba a cerrar los ojos e imaginarme dentro de una burbuja que flotaba sobre el mar, a la deriva. Cuando la pompa de jabón se pinchaba, las palabras pronunciadas por mi madre venían en mi rescate formando una nueva.

Ahora todo ha cambiado. Al verme navegando en el mar, las burbujas se deshacen rápidamente. Para no hundirme, debo abrir los ojos de inmediato. Mamá no puede salvarme, está demasiado triste. Ella y papá se separaron justo antes de que May comenzara la secundaria y, dos años más tarde, luego de la muerte de mi hermana, ella decidió mudarse a California.

Desde entonces, la casa se llenó de ecos. Solamente vivimos mi padre y yo. A menudo recuerdo las épocas en las que estábamos todos juntos. Todavía puedo sentir el aroma característico de las comidas de mamá; también puedo vernos a través de la ventana a mi hermana y a mí recolectando ingredientes para nuestros hechizos de magia.

Actualmente vivo algunas semanas en la casa de mi tía Amy en lugar de quedarme en lo de mi madre, como solíamos hacer May y yo luego del divorcio. Es un hogar tranquilo y excesivamente ordenado, libre de fantasmas pero carente de calidez; solo muebles y muñecas de origen chino dominan el espacio. A su vez, los jabones de rosas abundan por toda la casa. Supongo que mi tía los reserva para ocasiones especiales, ya que en el baño usamos jabón de marca Ivory.

En este preciso instante estoy aquí, sentada junto a la ventana a la espera de la primera estrella de la noche.

Desearía saber dónde te encuentras. Sé que has muerto, pero creo firmemente que los seres humanos no pueden desaparecer por completo. Afuera está muy oscuro y estoy convencida de que estás por allí... En algún lugar, en algún lugar. Me gustaría dejarte entrar.

Sinceramente tuya,

Laurel

Querida Elizabeth Bishop:

Quiero compartir contigo dos cosas que ocurrieron hoy en la clase de Literatura. Leímos un poema tuyo y hablé frente a mis compañeros por primera vez. Hace dos semanas que comencé la secundaria y, durante las lecciones, me he dedicado a observar las aves que vuelan entre los cables telefónicos y los álamos del jardín. Estaba pensando en un joven llamado Sky y en cuáles serían sus sueños más anhelados cuando, de pronto, escuché mi nombre. De inmediato, alcé la vista y noté que la profesora Buster me miraba fijamente.

–Laurel, ¿podrías leer?

Los latidos de mi corazón se aceleraron. Ni siquiera sabía por qué página íbamos y, por un instante, sentí mi mente en blanco. Pero Natalie se acercó y ubicó el poema correcto en mi Xerox. Comenzaba de esta manera:

El arte de perder no es difícil de dominar;

tantas cosas parecen decididas a extraviarse

que, cuando ocurre la pérdida, no es tan terrible.

Al principio me puse muy nerviosa. Pero a medida que avanzaba en la lectura, me identificaba cada vez más con tus palabras, porque comprendía perfectamente a qué te referías.

Pierde algo cada día. Acepta la frustración

de las llaves perdidas, de las horas malgastadas.

El arte de perder no es difícil de dominar.

Practica, entonces, perder más cosas en menos tiempo:

lugares, nombres y destinos a los que deseabas viajar.

Nada de esto será tan terrible.

Perdí el reloj de mi madre. Y, más aún, la última

o anteúltima de las tres casas que amaba.

El arte de perder no es difícil de dominar.

Perdí dos hermosas ciudades, algunos reinos

que poseía, dos ríos, un continente.

Los extraño, sí, pero no fue tan terrible.

Incluso al perderte a ti (esa voz risueña, ese gesto que

amaba) no estaré mintiendo. Es evidente

que el arte de perder no es difícil de dominar,

aunque por momentos parezca (¡escríbelo!) desastroso.

Mi voz tembló demasiado, como si el poema hubiera generado un terremoto en mi interior y, cuando terminé de leer, un silencio sepulcral inundó la sala.

Como siempre, la profesora Buster abrió sus grandes ojos de insecto y nos preguntó:

–¿Qué opinan sobre el poema?

Inmediatamente Natalie giró en dirección hacia donde yo estaba. No le debe haber gustado que todos los estudiantes estuvieran mirándome, razón por la cual levantó su mano y dijo:

–Es evidente que Elizabeth miente. No es nada fácil perder cosas.

En ese momento, mis compañeros se olvidaron de mí y fijaron sus miradas en Natalie.

–¿Por qué creen que es más difícil renunciar a algunas cosas que a otras? –continuó la profesora Buster.

–Porque el amor está presente en ellas, por supuesto. A medida que aumenta el amor que tenemos por una cosa, más arduo se tornará perderla –respondió Natalie con seguridad.

Minutos después alcé mi mano casi sin darme cuenta.

–Yo creo que perder algo muy cercano equivale a perder una gran parte de uno mismo. Es por eso que, al final del poema, siente dificultad a la hora de escribir, ya que no recuerda cómo debe hacerlo. Ha olvidado incluso quién es ella misma.

Los ojos de mis compañeros volvieron a centrarse en mí pero, gracias a Dios, sonó el timbre. Ordené mis pertenencias lo más rápido posible y advertí que Natalie me observaba como lo hacen los amigos cuando se esperan para retirarse juntos. Tal vez había llegado el momento en que dejaría de almorzar sola junto a la cerca.

Sin embargo, la profesora Buster desmoronó mi ilusión cuando dijo:

–Laurel, ¿puedo hablar un momento contigo?

En ese preciso instante, la odié muchísimo porque Natalie salió del aula. Me acerqué a su escritorio y ella continuó:

–¿Cómo estás?

–Mm... bien –respondí con las manos aún sudorosas por haber hablado en clase.

–Noté que no has entregado el primer trabajo que les asigné. La escritura de la carta, ¿recuerdas?

Bajé la mirada hacia el suelo, en el que se reflejaba una luz intensa y murmuré:

–Ah, sí, ¡lo siento! Todavía no la he terminado.

–Está bien. Esta vez te daré más tiempo. Pero me gustaría que la entregaras la semana próxima.

Asentí.

–Laurel, si en algún momento necesitas hablar con alguien...

Desconcertada, alcé la vista.

–Antiguamente enseñaba en Sandia –comentó con cautela–. May estaba en mi clase de Literatura.

Me quedé sin aliento y comencé a sentir un terrible mareo. Confiaba en que en esta escuela nadie sabría acerca de lo ocurrido o, por lo menos, nadie hablaría del tema. Sin embargo, ahora, la profesora Buster me observaba fijamente, esperando a que le develara el misterio. Pero para mí era imposible hacerlo.

–May era una joven muy especial –comentó finalmente.

–Así es –respondí nerviosa y, de inmediato, salí de la clase.

El ruido de los corredores se tornó más ensordecedor que de costumbre. Sentí la necesidad de cerrar los ojos y que las voces me empujaran fuera de la escuela.

Sinceramente tuya,

Laurel

Querido River Phoenix:

En la casa de mi padre, el dormitorio de May está como siempre. Exactamente igual, pero ahora la puerta permanece cerrada y ningún ruido sale de su interior. A veces me despierto repentinamente y creo escuchar sus pasos furtivos, como cuando volvía de las escapadas nocturnas. Mi corazón comienza a latir con velocidad y entusiasmo, hasta que recuerdo la triste realidad.

Si no logro volver a dormirme, me levanto y camino a hurtadillas hacia su habitación. Al llegar, abro sigilosamente la puerta y entro. Todo está en su lugar, como aquella noche en la que fuimos al cine. May continúa presente en cada uno de sus objetos. Tomo dos de sus broches y los acomodo en mi cabello. Luego los devuelvo a la posición exacta en la que estaban, sobre la cómoda formando una cruz. Descubro un perfume Sunflowers casi vacío junto al lápiz labial que siempre llevaba puesto cuando regresaba a casa de sus salidas. La parte superior de la biblioteca se encuentra cubierta de gafas en forma de corazones, velas consumidas, caracolas y geodas que exhiben sus cristales internos. Me acuesto en la cama para observar todas sus pertenencias y trato de imaginarla allí, conmigo. Miro con detenimiento la pizarra colmada de flores disecadas, fragmentos de horóscopos y fotografías. Una de ellas es de un verano de nuestra niñez en la que estamos con mamá junto a una camioneta. En otra aparece May antes de su baile de graduación con un vestido largo que había conseguido en Thrift Town y una rosa en su cabello, que ahora se encuentra disecada, prendida a la pizarra.

Abro su armario y veo camisetas vistosas, faldas cortas, suéteres con cuellos arrancados y pantalones rotos en los muslos. Atuendos osados y valientes, al igual que su personalidad.

Encima de la cama, sobre la pared, hay un poster de Nirvana y, junto a él, una imagen tuya de Cuenta conmigo. Tienes un cigarrillo en la boca y tus rasgos característicos: pómulos perfectos y cabello rubio. Mi hermana te amaba. Recuerdo la primera vez que miramos esa película. Fue justo antes de que nuestros padres se divorciaran y de que ella comenzara el secundario. Era muy tarde; estábamos las dos solas envueltas en mantas, comiendo palomitas de maíz y mirando televisión. Apareciste en la pantalla y ambas quedamos asombradas por tu belleza. Sentimos que eras alguien cercano a nosotras. En la película, protegías a Gordon, que había perdido a su hermano mayor. Pero también tenías una herida propia: los profesores y los padres de tus amigos te juzgaban a causa de la mala reputación de tu familia. Por eso solías exclamar: Desearía vivir en un lugar en el que nadie me conociera. Al escuchar por primera vez aquellas palabras, May exclamó: Yo desearía sacarlo de la televisión y traerlo a nuestra casa. ¿No crees que encajaría perfectamente aquí?. Asentí con convicción.

Una vez finalizada la película, mi hermana confesó que estaba enamorada de ti. Buscó información en la computadora de papá; quería averiguar todo sobre tu vida. Encontramos muchas fotografías de Cuenta conmigo y de cuando eras mayor. Expresabas vulnerabilidad y firmeza al mismo tiempo. De pronto, hallamos un artículo en el que decía que habías muerto a causa de una sobredosis de drogas. Tenías tan solo veintitrés años. Minutos antes habías estado con nosotras, muy cerca. Sin embargo, ya no formabas parte de este mundo.

Aquella noche marcó el comienzo de una nueva era en nuestras vidas. Aunque no lo hayamos advertido en el momento, ahora puedo comprenderlo con claridad. La noticia de tu muerte simbolizó, para nosotras, la pérdida de la inocencia. May apagó rápidamente la computadora y derramó algunas lágrimas mientras afirmaba que, para ella, siempre estarías vivo.

De ahí en más, cada vez que mirábamos Cuenta conmigo (compramos el DVD y la vimos muy seguido a lo largo de aquel verano), silenciábamos la escena final en la que Gordon decía que habían matado a Chris, tu personaje. No podíamos escucharlo. Queríamos guardar para siempre en nuestra memoria al niño inmortal y perfecto.

Yo sé que May ha muerto. Lo comprendo racionalmente, pero me parece irreal. Todavía siento que se encuentra aquí, conmigo. Imagino que entra por la ventana, luego de una escapada nocturna, y me relata sus aventuras. Creo que si lograra aprender a ser como ella, podría encontrar la manera de sobrevivir a su ausencia.

Sinceramente tuya,

Laurel

Querida Amelia Earhart:

La primera vez que escuché tu historia en la clase de Estudios Sociales sentí muchos celos. Sé que tuviste una muerte trágica, pero envidié desde un principio tu valentía y audacia. Te animaste a volar para observar el mundo desde otra perspectiva y no sentiste miedo frente a los posibles peligros.

Comentarios para Cartas de amor a los muertos

[Danna Sofia Guzman Monroy · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

me gusto por los temas,los personajes y las cartas q lei en este libro

[winterdragon-1 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

I wanted to love this book so much and I thought I would love this book. I was hugely disappointed. I expected the book to be amazing, and maybe that was why it was such a disappointment. I enjoyed the idea of the story, and the flow of the story. But the characters were slightly annoying and sort of 2 dimensional.

Laurel's character was my favorite character out of the whole novel. I enjoyed her character development, and how she handled what happened to her as a child. I think the author was trying to put too much into one novel, though. The other characters all were going through issues. One of Laurel's best friends, Heather, was a girl struggling with her sexuality and dealing with abuse from her brother. I do know that there are a lot of people who go through these issues, but trying to have all of these issues into one novel (that isn't very long) didn't work out and made it too busy.

The flow of the story was fine, but the writing style wasn't too impressive. A little too many metaphors and similes for my taste. Also, I wasn't expecting the entire novel to be in journal entry format. I did enjoy the book, but I had too many expectations for it that no matter what it was going to be a disappointment. This book is not a light book by any means, and deals with some sensitive topics. I am looking forward to what else Ava Dellaira writes but I'm not going to have as many expectations.

[theindigoquill · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

See full review at The Indigo Quill

Love Letters to the Dead is the story of Laurel, learning to deal after her sister's death and getting mixed in all sorts of teenagery shenanigans. I've had my eye on this book for a while, and finally decided to bring it home from the library. The premise sounded like it could be hit or miss...but it ended up landing somewhere in the middle. If you're looking for a realistic young adult fiction, you will probably love it or you'll hate it.

The book itself is written in a compilation of Laurel's letters. What I liked was traveling through the process of Laurel's grief and the realistic family dysfunction to go with it. I liked the tragedy, the messy romance, the dramatic friendships, and the almost hopeful tone near the end. The events that moved the plot were entertaining, and I found myself sympathizing with Laurel. I liked how the author left the reader to ask questions throughout the book: How did Sky know May? How did May die? Was it suicide or an accident? What happened to Laurel that made her feel so guilty? All of these elements allowed me to enjoy a great deal of this book.

However, there were a lot of things I thought were really weak. Like the fact that Laurel was in High School, yet she talked like she was 10...but then would suddenly be talking about every single detail of everything around her; the smells, texture, lighting, feeling, memories, etc. etc. etc. It was inconsistent and way too fluffy. I ended up skipping over some of the paragraphs dripping with detail because I just didn't really care. The picture was being overpainted.

I'm not sure if it's because my copy of the book may have had some misprints, but I felt like she repeated the same Judy Garland letter at least 3 times. Also, if she turned all those letters into her teacher she probably would have gotten herself and her classmates in a lot of trouble. And her teacher would have seen what she wrote about her, too. So giving ALL of the letters to her is a fairly huge inconsistency that kind of shattered the enchantment of the book.

Sadly, this book fell short of my expectations. The conflicting impression it has left makes it difficult to rate, so I've decided to keep it right in the middle. I liked it, I'm glad I read it, but it could definitely be better. I would recommend reading the book and deciding for yourself whether you like it or not.

[howifeelaboutbooks · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I thought this book would be emo because of the title and because Laurel chooses to write to Kurt Cobain. But the first letter is beautiful and mysterious and pulled me in. As Laurel writes to more dead people, she shares her story, but also tidbits about these famous people that I never knew. I loved learning something “real” while reading this story. Warning: you will tear up and/or cry. A lot. It’s beautiful.

[heatherlinc · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

I am having a shocking run of books at the moment and this one just added to the list. The premise was okay but what I didn't like was that near the middle of the book the letters became a bit repetitive. Nor did I like the way the author had to explain the lives of the dead celebrities Laurel wrote to so that the reader knew who they were. Can't see this book appealing to many teens.

[everybookisawsome · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

This is a good book, but it is also very frustrating to read, because you just want to know more about the story, but she doesn't tell you. This book deals with some deep stuff, so if it might trigger something, I wouldn't recommend reading it. If not, it is a good read.

[debnance_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Laurel’s English teacher assigns it---write a letter to a dead person---but Laurel takes the assignment and runs with it. For Laurel is a girl with troubles: her sister is dead, her mother has taken off, and her father won’t talk much. It’s the letter writing assignment that helps Laurel come to terms with her sister’s death and helps bring her family back to life.

[morgantaylor-1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I did like this book but I didn't think it was absolutely extraordinary. The concept of writing letters to dead celebrities sounded so interesting and that's what initially drew me in. I think in some ways it worked well but in others it didn't. I did like how we gradually found out more and more about Laurel's experiences and more about her sister's death but found a lot of the inbetween pretty boring and hard to get through. I think it's gotten a lot of hype for the concept and overall was just a decent book.

[titania86_1 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

It's Laurel's first year in high school and the first school year without her sister, May, or her mother, who moved to California after May's death. She transferred to a different school so that she wouldn't be pitied and known as the girl whose sister died. Her English teacher assigns a project to write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because he is May's favorite singer and also because she relates to his emotional lyrics.This first letter leads her to write to other dead celebrities, such as Amy Winehouse, Heath Ledger, Judy Garland, and John Keats. Laurel relates her lonely existence, her first friends at her new school, their antics, and her first boyfriend. Unfortunately, her refusal to talk about her issues and her penchant for doing dangerous things drives the people she loves away. Can she work through her issues before she permanently loses her friends or causes sever injury to herself?Love Letters to the Dead is a very emotional book. Laurel goes through a lot in a very short amount of time and uses her letters to a variety of famous dead people to cope with it. She relates to their lives, their feelings, and their tragedies. I'm surprised that she researched more than what is common knowledge about their lives so that I learned something about them as well. Her letters also describe her new life and how she tries to transform herself. High school has much different expectations than middle school and she wears her sister's cool clothes and changes her habits to fit in. I generally liked Laurel and I felt for her. She's trying to work through her grief and the deep pain she feels while making mistakes along the way. Ava Dellaira employs beautiful, poetic prose that made me relate to Laurel and also made the book easy and enjoyable to read. Unfortunately, I had quite a few issues with the book. Dellaira's lyrical prose isn't consistent. At times, Laurel writes in short and very simple declarative sentences that are a stark contrast to the lyrical prose that ventures into deep territory. It felt a bit disjointed and weird to me. She befriends Hannah and Natalie who basically peer pressure her into drinking, ditching classes, going to college parties, etc. She doesn't seem to want to actually do these things, but only wants to appear cool to her friends. This is never seen as negative, is never really addressed, and left a bad taste in my mouth. These are also very similar to May's destructive behaviors, but they magically didn't negatively effect Laurel's grades or behavior during school or at home even though she was getting drunk a lot, partying late, etc. I also didn't like her relationship with Sky. The chemistry was forced and the double standards were glaring. Sky expected Laurel to tell him everything while he kept up this mysterious guy facade and kept things from her late into their relationship. It was a bit awkward and the double standard bothered me. I was also shocked that her mother just decided to move out of state and leave her grieving family very soon after such a traumatic event. I felt it was incredibly selfish and pretty much unforgivable, especially when she calls weekly and expects Laurel to be ok with it.Love Letters to the Dead is a mostly beautifully written novel. I enjoyed Laurel, her journey, and how she related to these dead people. Her story pulled at my heartstrings and took me on an emotional rollercoaster. The book addresses these mostly tragic figures lives well and informs the reader about their lives and their feelings. I did have some significant issues with parts of the story, but I overall enjoyed it.

[nycke137 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This was an excellent book and what would have made it better for me is if I wasn't reading it while someone was sitting across from me. I couldn't give a good cry like I wanted to at the end.

[cherylk_44 · Calificación: 2 de 5 estrellas]

I have seen this book around the world wide web for a bit now. Like others I was intrigued with the concept of this book. So I had to read this book for myself. Well I have to agree with some of the other fellow readers. That is that while this book has a cool concept it was not as cool. Laurel did sound like she was more like 10 years old than the high school student she was. Secondly what was with the whole romance angle with Sky? Because it was not working for me at all. I felt no chemistry between Laurel and Sky. It was more like a school girl crush, which grew old quickly. Sky is awesome, Sky is wonderful, Sky is a God, I am over the moon for Sky. This really does sound more like a crush than love. Lastly even with all of the diary entries to all of the famous dead people, I never really felt like I knew who May was as a person. There was no connection that binded me to Laurel or anyone else in the book.

[mommy.reads.what · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

***copy provided via netgalley in exchange for a honest review***
This is the first book I have read written in letter form. I have to admit I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed it. For a English assignment Laurel is told to write a letter to someone famous and dead. This assignment changes everything for her. She continues to write to different famous people almost like it's her diary. I thought that I wouldn't find a story through the letters but I did. She pours her heart out in these letters. dealing with her grief from losing her sister, to growing up, finding out who she is and falling in love,having her heart break. The thing I loved the most is how through her letters I could connect with her. I think this is one of the most realistic story I have ever read for the most part. I loved this book.

[amandacb_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

“I thought she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I wondered if anyone could ever think that about me.”“Beauty is truth, truth beauty,--that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”Laurel has a secret. Only she knows the entire truth of the night her sister, May, fell to her death from an abandoned bridge. When Laurel’s English teacher asks her to write a letter to a dead person as an assignment, it feels cruel—but Laurel cannot stop writing. Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Amelia Earhart, Jim Morrison, and John Keats are just some of the recipients of her epistolary musings.You see, Laurel has a lot to discuss. Her older sister’s death hangs over her like a shroud; Laurel is living but not alive. Her mother has fled to California (from Arizona) and Laurel knows her mother blames her for May’s death. Laurel’s father grapples with his newfound status as a single father. And Laurel herself is falling in love with Sky.Sky presents a kind of salvation to Laurel—she can be her whole person with him, which unfortunately ends up presenting itself as sobbing into the night air. They are each other’s first loves, and the depth of their love will surprise even the most jaded thoughts about young love. When Sky breaks up with Laurel, she relies on her two friends, Hannah and Natalie, to support her through the pain. Hannah and Natalie, though, are working through their own issues, namely their love for each other, Hannah’s abusive older brother, and Natalie’s disenchantment with Hannah’s promiscuity. When I got the end of the book, I felt entirely wrung out—emotionally, this book takes you through the gamut and sparks memories of first loves and the pain that springs from them. Written entirely in epistolary style, the author does a tremendous job of paralleling the dead person’s life with Laurel’s. Be warned, however, that this book contains sexual situations, underage drinking (a LOT; they drink alcohol every opportunity they get), and some language. I would recommend it for 15+ depending on the maturity of the reader.

[susan.macura · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

As an English assignment in her new school, Laurel must write a letter to someone who has died. While she does not complete this assignment in the time frame for her class, she does use it to discover herself and examine her life, especially regarding the untimely death of her older sister. This is a wonderful look at what it means to love others and to forgive them for not being perfect

[baileymm-1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I think this is the type of book that you have to relate to one of the characters to fully love. Just by seeing the mixed reviews of this book it seems like the people who loved this book felt like they related to the characters. The first thing I want to mention is that there are some serious triggers in this book. Suicide, rape, abuse, drinking. So this is a pretty emotionally difficult book to read.One thing I loved about this book is the way it was written. I have read some complainants about the style but it does fit with the fact that a high school freshman is just writing letters. I think that the style of the writing fit who was supposed to be writing the letters. This book is a depressing and was difficult for me to get through (mainly because some personal issues I am currently dealing with.) because this isn't supposed to be a happy story. This isn't a happy-go-lucky book. It's not a feel-good story. It's a story about healing and about accepting yourself, and learning to heal yourself.I really enjoyed reading about Laurel and getting to see how she coped with everything. I think this was a beautiful story.

[karconner · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This one took a while to get going. In the beginning, I almost quit reading. However, it did eventually pick up and about halfway through I knew I would finish it. It is a good YA read.

[mtlkch-1 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

I couldn't relate to any of the characters.

[ecataldi-1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

It started off a little soon, but I pushed on and then boy, was I hooked. Laurel receives a writing assignment on her first day of high school to write a letter to a dead person so she writes to Kurt Cobain. She enjoys it so much that it turns into a journal of sorts and she keeps writing to other dead people (River Pheonix, Janis Joplin, Heath Ledger, Elizabeth Browning, etc.), never turning in her initial assignment. She pours out her fears, frustrations, loneliness, and developing friendships. It's heartbreaking as she laments for her sister (who died tragically young), the divorce of her parents and the fear of being too broken. It is very reminiscent of Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" in that it is a coming of age story that will stick with you long after you finish it. Wonderful, achingly sad, and beautiful. I may have shed a tear or two at the end, a wonderful debut!

[bookishthings · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Love Letters to the Dead for me was okay. I didn’t love it, or hate it. It was just middle of the road for me.

Laurel is a girl having to deal with death. After she’s given the assignment to write a letter to a dead person she feels comfortable sharing her thoughts. I was glad that she was able to deal with her feelings that way. I didn’t care for all the information they gave about the recipient’s life. Those should have been written in a way that made the reader want to learn more about them.

I think the thing that got me was that the relationships felt forced, and awkward. I’m glad she found the friends she did, but I didn’t care for her doing things she wasn’t comfortable with to impress them. I also liked the side characters much more. They had more depth, and faced their problems as best they could.

While I didn’t love this book, I think others would enjoy it. I liked the influential people that Laurel wrote to, and how they made her feel safe.

[wickedwowestwood · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

High school freshman Laurel is given an English assignment in which she is to write a letter to a famous deceased person. She chooses Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain because he was her sister May's favorite singer. Laurel does not turn in that assignment but rather continues writing not only to Kurt but to other famous people who died tragically, such as River Phoenix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Amy Winehouse. Laurel writes to them about the struggles of starting high school in the wake of May's tragic death six months before. While this book can be difficult to read through due to its depressing nature, Laurel, who has difficulty opening up to people (which affects the relationships around her), does find writing the letters a catharsis as she sorts through the events leading up to her sister's death.

[bookswithbite · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I finally picked up the book that everyone is raving about. And yes, it is good.Plot: This story is told through letters written to dead people. I love the way these letters reveal a small part Laurel life’s. She writes to each person differently, capturing the reader with great imagination. The way she wrote her feelings, the way she questions actions, helps the reader become more in-tune with Laurel.Friendship/Loss: Laurel goes through a lot. With each letter Laurel becomes better and learns to deal. Each letter is significant to the person she is writing to. For me, it felt like Laurel’s connection to each dead person makes it real. Towards the end, I adored Laurel and the way she dealt with grief.Ending: I think this story deals with grief that any teen can connect to. It has music and it has soul. It touches the reader right in the heart.Love Letters To The Dead is an effective tale of grief and lost. The elegant use of letters, steals the reader away. Love Letters To The Dead is awesome.

[kellywoodward · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I really wasn't sure about this one. I mean, I'll read almost any YA that sounds interesting and has a pretty cover. I was drawn in even more by the fact that I was seeing this one everywhere; I figured it had potential. But I still wasn't sure, for no reason that I can put my finger on. But this book was stunning. It's a coming of age tale that is destined to be a classic in the vein of The Perks of Being a Wallflower -- which, by the way, is the book I'll be giving out on World Book Night. (My first year as a giver! I'm a little nervous.)In each letter, Laurel writes a bit about the celebrity's life, struggles, etc. and why she can relate to them. That might make this book sound like it deals solely with trivial, superficial things, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Laurel is dealing with more than meets the eye, more even than the recent loss of her sister. I can't say more without giving too much away.I know I mentioned Perks earlier, but I'm bringing it up again. You see, Laurel is sort of a long-lost sister to Charlie: they both make new friends, deal with the loss of a beloved family member, experience a musical education, and write letter after letter as they strive to figure out who they are. And what does Laurel learn in the end?...maybe what growing up really means is knowing that you don't have to just be a character, going whichever way the story says. It's knowing that you could be the author instead.Laurel is simultaneously tentative and wise beyond her years. I wanted to hug her and tell her everything would be okay. And when the final letter was written to May, as I knew it would be, man, did the tears flow!All in all: Worth reading if you like coming of age stories and don't mind a bit of sadness. The cover is perfect for a book that feels like a beautiful sunset: breathtaking and a little sad.

[kmartin802_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

This book was lyrical, poetic, heart-wrenching and heart-breaking. Every page was filled with quotable lines. The language was so wonderful. The whole story is revealed to us in a series of letters to dead people.Laurel takes her first high school English assignment - to write a letter to a dead person - and uses that to resolve some very difficult issues in her life. She is trying to come to terms with the sudden accidental death of her beloved older sister May. Laurel has always adored and admired her older sister and her sense of loss in incredible. May's loss follows the breakup of her parents' marriage and her mother's move to California. She spends one week with her father who is grieving himself and doesn't seem to know how to talk to Laurel and she spends alternate week's with her mother's older sister who is very religious. Laurel's letters to Kurt Cobain, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Bishop, River Phoenix, Amelia Earhart, and others gives her the opportunity to look at her perceptions of them and apply them to her own life. We see her at a new school tentatively making friends and trying to find out who she is. Her new friends have issues and problems of their own. Hannah and Natalie are best friends who are also attracted to each other but Hannah is also dating at least two guys at a time and sometimes doing things that are not very wise. Laurel's other friends are seniors Tristan and Kristen who are in love but whose lives are bound for different paths after high school with Kristen heading off to college on the East Coast and Tristan going to community college at home and pursuing his music. Laurel also finds, loses, and finds her first boyfriend again. Sky is also a newcomer at the school. Rumor has it that he was kicked out of his previous school for fighting. He is popular without being part of any crowd. He's everyone's friend but no one really knows him. The two of them make a great connection but they break up when Laurel can't open up to him and he feels bad that he can't know her. This book was amazing. I loved savoring the words and I loved watching Laurel begin to heal and become her own person. I can't wait to share this one with my high school readers.

[a.happy.booker · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Loved this so much. Review soon.

[zzshupinga · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

ARC provided by NetGalleyLaurel is your typical average teenage girl...well mostly. Her parent's are divorced, her mother is now living in California for some reason, her old sister--May--died young and tragically, and she's a new kid at the school. So...yeah typical. And for English class she has to write a letter to a dead person. Just one. And Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister May loved him and he died young...like May did. And Laurel begins to share pieces of herself in the letter. And she keeps writing and soon has a notebook full of letters to those that have died--Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more. She shares with them what its like starting high school, of finding new friends, of trying to emulate May and at the same time be herself, and of falling in love for the very first time. And as the year progresses Laurel is able to begin to share the truth that she has kept hidden for so long and to discover her own path in life.Every generation seems to have, and to need, this type of book: "Dear Mr. Henshaw," "Catcher in the Rye," and "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." And "Love Letters to the Dead" most definitely falls into this category. It's that book that you read, and whether you admit it out loud or not, you can recognize aspects of yourself in it. That struggle between being a kid and an adult, of fighting parents, of friends that don't quite get you, of some secret...of some thing that is just beyond the edge of your grasp that you want to share, but you don't know how. It's that book that years latter will still be on reading lists and you might make fun of the words, of the strange things that they do for fun, but you recognize the people in them and can relate to them. They aren't the cool popular kids or the stars of the sports, they are the common person. Like you. And that's what this book is. Told entirely through letters to the dead, Laurel begins to share with us what its like to begin anew, to be in high school, to be lost and not know what the heck your doing and of trying to figure it all out. Its that feeling, that sense, that we can all recognize, no matter what our gender maybe. We know what its like to start over and to wonder where we fit in and that first time, that very first time that we figure out what love is. You can't help but laugh and weep as you progress through the letters. Ava has captured the very essence of humanity, not only in the letters but the characters as well. So often when you read a book like this everything is solved by the end or there's that one perfect character that can do no wrong and is completely awesome and makes everything seem right. But that's not the case here. Here, here you have the parents that admit they don't no what they're doing, that they thought about themselves over their own kid, that are just as lost as their kid. If you knew a parent like this in real life you'd want to question their sanity upon saying things like that, but be honest...what would you do in that situation? Unless you've been through it, you can't say. I can't say because I have no idea. Laurel's friends are just as flawed as she is. Her two best female friends, in love with each other. But they don't always show it out of fear of what their families will think, of what other friends will think, of what might happen or could happen. It's something that is real and recognizable because you know there are kids going through this exact same thing right this very minute. The emotions, the way these two characters express themselves, aren't the polished perfect pitches that we hear in the movies, or those long speeches that we tell ourselves in our head, they express themselves just as we might. Fear, trepidation, honesty, stumbling over our words, but getting it out there. And Laurel's first love, isn't this perfect guy. Nor is he that quite guy that seems so cool and mysterious that everyone falls for that says "Hey" and girls swoon. Yes he's quiet. Yes he seems to have his shit pulled together a little bit better than everyone else, but he isn't perfect. He does things, he says things that he later regrets, his mom is weird...in other words he is someone you could meet outside. Even better than that...the romance isn't the main focus of the book, nor is it perfect. Neither of them knows quite what the heck they're doing, they're figuring it out as they go. It's an imperfect, awkward, teenage relationship. This...this is one of those books that when you try to explain and when I started to review, I stumbled over my words because I want to recommend it that much. Because I want people to read this book and to understand it and cherish it as much as I have. This will be one of those books that makes "best of" lists at the end of the year, that will hopefully be nominated for awards, but more importantly it will be one of those books that 15 years from now teachers are making students read and write about, because it is that powerful.This is one of those books that you should read, no mater your age, your gender, your sexual orientation, whatever...the characters are genuine, real, and three dimensional. I give the book 5 out of 5 stars.

[mvthebookbabe · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.I know I wrote letters to people with no address on this earth, I know that you are dead. But I hear you. I hear all of you. We were here. Our lives matter.I really have no idea what to say about Love Letters to the Dead. It was amazing, that's for sure. It touched me - I guess that's just one way to put it.I loved the letter format that it was written in. It was kind of magical - the idea of writing letter after letter to dead people is great to me - I always kind of wondered if they could hear/see us, you know? The letters were very conversational, but they still had a distinct "this-is-a-letter" feel to them. It was all very surreal.The entire book had a very depressed lilt to it - a kind of feeling that something very bad had happened. I liked that. I liked it a lot! I also liked that Laurel gave us a bit of background information on everyone that she wrote to - by just kind of slipping it in there, by saying that she understood why they did something. That was great. I didn't know some of the people that Laurel wrote to, but the ones that I knew far outnumbered the ones that I didn't. Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin and Heath Ledger were just a few of the best ones. It was cool, some of the things that she wrote to the people that she thought would understand.Let's get to the best part, though. Laurel. She was an amazing, true to life, fleshed out character. She's depressed and it's obvious, she's innocent and naive, but she's also self-conscious and sort of funny. She is who she is, and even if she's not exactly comfortable with herself - she was a real person. I loved that about her.She dealt with grief in such a real and unique way, and even though she sometimes made bad decisions, I found that her growth throughout Love Letters to the Dead was absolutely fantastic.I enjoyed the happy moments in this book. They're few and far between, but they're there none the less, and they make the book just a little bit lighter. Love Letters to the Dead really handles a lot of subjects, from depression to molestation to drug use, and I think that it handled them all well.The writing was beautiful. I don't think that the prose could have been any better. All in all, Love Letters to the Dead really is a good book. I'd recommend it to people who like issue books.

[vonze-1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

If you liked "Perks of Being A Wallflower," this book could definitely be labeled as "what-to-read-next" on the bookstore shelf. So much so, that I would be very shocked to learn that the author wasn't a personal fan of "Perks of Being A Wallflower," both novels share so many of the same elements. Whereas, "Perks" is a retro coming-of-age story, "Love Letters to the Dead" follows a teen girl as she writes to dead celebrities to work out her issues with her boyfriend and her sister's suicide.

I was initially drawn to the book because I thought writing to Kurt Cobain, Judy Garland, etc., was a unique concept. I'm an average Nirvana fan, but I know several obsessed fans. I thought, perhaps, the character would be a huge fan, have OCD, or Asperger's Syndrome. However, the people she writes to were mainly her sister's favorites. Throughout the book it's as though the character is trying to take on her sister's personality. While writing to these dead celebrities, in a way, she's indirectly writing to her sister. She gets mad at them because she's mad at her sister. It's one of the ways she works through her grief.

Because of the subject matter, it was difficult read at times. It's heartbreaking enough to be taken into the mind of someone who misses their sister and hero. Yet, there was added pain with a back-and-forth immature teen relationship, friends with problems, family trouble, and abuse (emotional and physical). Not for the faint-of-heart or impatient. Probably would be helpful to teens in similar situations.

[Fabian Galaviz · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Una historia muy hermosa,
me encanta como la protagonista se siente como una persona real,
es como si una amiga me estuviera contando una historia,
es increíble la cantidad de emociones que este libro me causo, la forma de laurel de ver el mundo cuando se siente debil, indefensa, y con miedo.
me hizo sentir que la entendía por completo
y al mismo tiempo me hizo entender ciertas cosas en mi.

[Jarahí world domination · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

"Tengo un problema y no puedo expresarlo."

Esa frase resume a Cartas de Amor a los Muertos, el cual es narrado de forma epístolar por nuestra protagonista, Laurel, a quien se le murió su hermana mayor, May, hace poco.

La forma en la que este libro está desarrollado es magnifico, podemos ver a lo largo de las cartas que Laurel no puede superar la muerte de su hermana porque piensa que es su culpa. Siempre fue una niña callada, que dependía de su hermana mayor; y cuando Laurel le menciona algo a May, esta muere, haciendo que Laurel se quede con ese peso encima.

Laurel intenta usurpar la personalidad de May para llenar ese vacío, poniendose su ropa, actuando como ella diciendo que "May siempre hacía eso", "May era muy valiente", consideraba a su hermana mayor perfecta, y cuando empieza una relación con Sky (un chico de su preparatoria) ella dice que "quería que Sky me considerara perfecta y hermosa, como yo solía ver a May", el problema es que May luchaba sus propias batallas en vida.

Laurel recuenta que May era el pegamento de su familia: cuando sus padres peleaban ella empezaba a cantar o a bailar y sus padres le aplaudían y, además, tenía que cuidar de su hermana menor. Conforme May crece, la separación de sus padres ebulle dentro de ella, y se empieza a escapar por la noches, Laurel siempre le pide que la lleve, se sentía recluida de la vida de May ya que casi no pasaban tiempo juntas porque May hace cosas más de "adultos", y cuando por fin May la lleva a algún lugar, Laurel no se da cuenta que sólo es la coartada de su hermana, quien se va con su novio que la dobla en edad, Laurel no se siente cómoda, pero cómo no quiere sentirse recluida de nuevo, decide callarse.

A lo largo del libro podemos ver como Laurel crece, madura y acepta la muerte de su hermana, todo esto siendo un full circle al terminar el año escolar.

Algo que no me gustó de este libro, fue el hecho de que tenía diálogos, al ser escrito por Laurel en cartas, pensaría que sólo narra los hechos, ya que personalmente así hago yo cuando recuento algo por escrito, pero eso es mi opinión personal. Aún así, fue un muy buen libro que recomiendo mucho.

[aranza corona · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Mi favorito por años, cada vez que preguntaban "¿Cual fue el ultimo libro que leiste?" o "¿Cual es tu libro favorito?" Siempre contestaba "Cartas de amor a los muertos" Sin duda un maravilloso libro.