Books › Hold Still
Hold Still
272 pages
A tender, aching exploration of the quiet spaces left behind by loss, and the slow, messy art of learning to breathe again.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting in a quiet, sunlit room after a long, dark winter. It is a deeply intimate, steady-paced exploration of profound grief that never rushes the healing process. The narrative wraps you in an aching, melancholic atmosphere, grounded by prose that is both lyrical and emotionally precise. Through the integration of journal entries and a focus on photography and art, the story captures the messy, non-linear texture of mourning a best friend. It is devastating but ultimately hopeful, offering a compassionate look at how we rebuild ourselves. This is a perfect read for those who gravitate toward quiet, character-driven stories that treat teenage pain with immense respect, tenderness, and a gentle push toward the light.
- Mood
- quiet
- bittersweet
- aching
- hopeful
- Tone
- earnest
- tender
- melancholic
- compassionate
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- navigating profound grief · the aftermath of suicide · healing through art · tentative new beginnings · the enduring nature of friendship
- The writing
- Lyrical, intimate, and emotionally precise, blending sparse narrative with raw journal entries.
- The arc
- Moves from numb, isolating devastation through a messy, painful reckoning, toward a fragile but genuine sense of hope and connection.
- Who it's for
- Readers who appreciate quiet, character-driven YA about heavy emotional topics, art, and the slow, non-linear process of healing.
Content notes
- suicide
- severe depression
- self-harm
- profound grief
About the book
An arresting story about starting over after a friend's suicide, froma breakthrough new voice in YA fictiondear caitlin, there are so many things that i want so badly to tell you but i just can't.Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful...in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend's suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn't die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid's descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself
Description from Open Library.
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