Love Is the Higher Law

by David Levithan

Bestselling author David Levithan (Every Day; Boy Meets Boy; Will Grayson, Will Grayson with John Green) treats the tragic events of September 11th with care and compassion in this novel of loss and grief, but also of hope and redemption.
 
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.

David Levithan has written a novel of loss and grief, but also one of hope and redemption aAs histhe characters slowly learn to move forward in their lives, despite being changed forever, one rule remains: love is indeed the higher law.
 
A MARGARET A. EDWARDS AWARD WINNER

• ISBN10: 0375893601
• ISBN13: 9780375893605
• Publish Date: 25 August 2009 (first published 1 January 2009)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 94
• Language: English

Reviews

[Kelly]

Rather than review the actual storyline, I think the premise of Love is the Higher Law is to incite readers to discuss the horror, humanity and healing that was left in the wake of that truly horrific day.

Being oceans away in Australia, the first attack that hit the world trade centre was during the live late news. Typically, I was sleeping, but woke up at 8:00am on September the 12th and couldn't believe what I was seeing. I was 21 years old, in the middle of blow drying my hair and I have never been more horrified than at that exact moment, and that still holds true to this very day.

Like most people around the world that was morbidly glued to the stream of coverage containing those terrifying images, I was frozen. I sat down on the couch, hairbrush in hand and couldn't believe what I was witnessing. As a citizen of the world's population, I was devastated, angry and like most people, that was the day that, like many others, I lost faith in humanity.

As we follow the story of Claire, Jasper and Peter, three young adults affected by the attacks in New York, we see glimpses of the beauty that is people. People who have lost themselves, family members, loved ones and hope, coming together to make a difference. A place known as the city that never sleeps, time stood still and the sense of community and to help their fellow New Yorkers was so emotionally draining. Whether handing out free water to those escaping the towers collapsing, giving city women trainers, to replace their high heels, or simply lighting a candle and praying for those that were taken from their loved ones far too soon by those who breed hatred and took it upon themselves to kill innocent men, women and children... Simply because of their way of life.

This book will take you through the emotional struggle of reliving that truly horrific set of events. It's heartbreaking, but I'm thankful I had the opportunity to be able to reflect on how Americans and the world pulled together to remember those that were lost.