Love Is The Higher Law by David Levithan

Title: Love Is The Higher Law
Author: David Levithan
Pages: 176

First there is a Before, and then there is an After. . . .

The lives of three teens—Claire, Jasper, and Peter—are altered forever on September 11, 2001. Claire, a high school junior, has to get to her younger brother in his classroom. Jasper, a college sophomore from Brooklyn, wakes to his parents’ frantic calls from Korea, wondering if he’s okay. Peter, a classmate of Claire’s, has to make his way back to school as everything happens around him.

Here are three teens whose intertwining lives are reshaped by this catastrophic event. As each gets to know the other, their moments become wound around each other’s in a way that leads to new understandings, new friendships, and new levels of awareness for the world around them and the people close by.

My Rating:✰✰✰1/2

I was intrigued with the synopsis of the book and was expecting something different from the book. Although this book was very short, it was not a quick read because of the subject matter. Overall, the book was very different from anything I've ever read and I did enjoy how accurate it all was. I was too young to remember when 9/11 happened, but I do know that it was a very tragic, emotional crisis that will be in history forever.

I did like the different perspectives and how they intertwined. There were many quote-able parts in the book that I did like, but it kind of felt like a lot to take in at once and it to think about.

The friendship the main three characters were in was good. I really liked Claire as a character but I felt like she said a lot of deep things that most normal teenagers wouldn't say. Jasper and Peter were good characters as well and I liked how they got together and David did a good job showing a realistic gay relationship. They all were pretty different from each other and it was clear in the writing.

The plot wasn't anything amazing, but it made sense for why it wasn't since it was this topic. This book was definitely character driven which I didn't expect. It was a slight let down, but didn't stop me from liking the book.

David Levithan was in New York when 9/11 happen and it shows in the writing that he was actually there. There was a lot of detail on what happened right after the event and how New York was changed.

This book did provoke my thoughts about and I did feel a deep sorrow for it. It was a little hard deciding on a rating for this book since I felt different about many things. But reading this book made me feel more connected to the event and understand it more.