Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Review: Hold Still by Nina LaCour


Title: Hold Still 

Author: Nina LaCour

Rating: 4 Stars

If the breathtaking cover of Hold Still hasn’t already captured your attention, the beautiful writing inside certainly will. LaCour’s debut is an ambitious piece, taking on grief, confusion, and the swirling unknown of despair that leads to teenage suicide. While I can’t say that this is an easy read, because the sadness in it is practically overwhelming, it is a very well-written and powerful novel, one that every lover of moving prose, three-dimensional characters, and realistic approaches should invest their time in.

When our novel begins, Ingrid, Caitlin’s best friend, has just committed suicide. Needless to say, the entirety of this novel is Caitlin’s journey as she learns to move on and continue living, despite the gaping hole in her heart. Now, I’ve read my fair share of grief novels and, from my experience, they usually involve road trips, hot guys, or just escaping. As much as I enjoy and simply love those books, Hold Still is a far more real experience because, admit it, as a teen, what are the chances of you taking off in a truck across the country with a ridiculously hot guy, too? Zero. Thus, I found Caitlin’s journey, although far more depressing than I originally anticipated, being a much more realistic portrayal of teen grief.

In my eyes, the strength of this novel lies in Caitlin. LaCour gives Caitlin many tools; she allows her to find Ingrid’s journal, full of her deepest thoughts; she allows her to make a new friend in school, one who has also experienced loss; she gives her understanding parents who only want to see their daughter emerge from her numb stasis; and she even gives her a concerned classmate, one who wants the best for her. Yet, despite all these people willing to help Caitlin and the objects of Ingrid’s that she finds to help her understand her friend, they all somehow play a very minimal role in the novel. Instead, this book is all Caitlin, all her interpretations of Ingrid’s short journal entries, all her confused feelings and bad moods, all her slowly coping with this unexplainable grief.

Caitlin isn’t an easy character to like. For one, she’s closed off from others, her narration is deeply saddening, and she pushes away others. Yet, her growth throughout the novel is gradual and evident, which I loved. Perhaps best of all, for the reader at least, is that the grief that Caitlin feels, the same grief that seems to be pressing down upon us as we flip the pages, choking our words and enveloping us in darkness, recedes. LaCour is such a brilliant author that, truly, I was so very numb while reading the first half of this, but, like Caitlin herself, I slowly began to thaw. Even more than her prose, LaCour’s depiction of teens, the conversations Caitlin carries with her parents and her photography teacher, her blooming romance with the school’s most popular guy…it’s all so very believable.

Ultimately, I cannot recommend this novel enough. I am still blown away by the depth of some of the relationships in this story, the truly individual arc of growth, and just Caitlin herself. I feel like I’ve crawled into her skin since I know her so well, her passion for photography and to make a tree house, her parents, her friends, her worries, her aspirations, her heart… Hold Still is a contemporary that just cannot be missed. It is deep, lovely, and moving in all the right ways and will undoubtedly change your expectations about teenage contemporary novels for sure. 

19 comments:

  1. I read this one AGES ago and barely remember it at all but your review brought it back some. I remember thinking it was powerful. It was also one of the first YA contemp books I had read so my expectations were different then they are today. But your review has me thinking I really should do a reread one of these days.

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  2. That cover is gorgeous, Keertana. I would have to be in a certain mood to read this because it sounds like a heartbreaking story. It does sound like a more realistic story dealing with the after effects of suicide, because you're right, who really has the opportunity to go on a road trip with a hot guy? Darn it! Brilliant review. :)

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  3. Beautiful review! I loved this one too. I put off reading it for a long time because I knew it was going to be quite sad.. but I just fell in love with the story as I read it. I really think LaCour did a fabulous job with the themes and characters, it never feels gratuitous or overwrought.

    Love this cover too - the photographer is Rosie Hardy - her work is incredible.

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  4. The cover really is beautiful and this sounds like a sad but wonderful book, Keertana! I am planning on reading this and I am thrilled that Caitlin, while not so loveable, shows growth in her character

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  5. This sounds like one of those books that sticks with you for a long time! Caitlin sounds like one of those characters I would have a love/hate relationship with, but that those feelings would ultimately make this book utterly fantastic!

    I'm going to check and see if my library has a copy! Thanks for the fabulous review :)

    -Jac @ For Love and Books

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  6. Yup, this sounds so wonderful (and the cover is stunning). I too would appreciate three-dimensional characters and the realistic approach, but my mind reads 'suicide' and my inner 'issue book' alarm goes off.
    Seriously, the believable romance almost made me pick this up right away, but I'm adding it to my tbr and will definitely read it next time the mood for contemporary strikes. It does happen occasionally. :)
    A fabulous review, Keertana!

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  7. The cover is certainly eye catching. I would love to read this as the topic is of course fascinating to my inner pyschologist, but I just can't bring myself to do it right now in the winter. I have learned to stick with lighter and cheerier books during the winter months. I will though be adding this to my wish list as I want to check it out. Thanks for the brilliant and informative review!

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  8. Oh I have wanted to read this for a while now. Although my first instinct is to shy away from things like this (you know what I'm like with weighty contemporary books), I can't help but feel the need to give this author's writing a try. I can tell it really impressed you. Brilliant review, Keertana!

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  9. You are right, this book sounds so sad. I'm not sure if I can deal with sad right now. However, I have to say it does sound truly stunning, I like to stray away from sad books because of how sad they are. Real life is something that doesn't interest me all that much in a book.

    However, I'm glad you could find this one more gritty and realistic compared to some contemporaries that deal with these issues to. I think it's always refreshing when something in contemporary is more realistic because this is what you expect, rather than fantasy.

    Great review, Keertana as always! :D

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  10. I have not actually heard of that book, so thanks for bringing it to my attention, Keertana! I have nothing against issue novels, but I do want them to be done well and convincingly, and it sounds like Hold Still accomplishes that and more. I think character development should always be the most important aspect of a book, so I'm glad to hear you felt that was the case with Hold Still. I have to look into reading this novel now!

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  11. I've had this book for over a year, and I'm still gearing myself up to read it--it sounds like such a heartbreaker! Love your review, Keertana.

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  12. Wonderful review, Keertana! I absolutely loved this book when I read it a few years ago, for all the reasons you listed. I was completely drawn into Caitlin's world, and it was a painfully realistic portrayal of grief, loss and working through inexplicable tragedy. I really want to re-read this now that Nina is doing a film version. I just need to get in the right mood.

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  13. Beautifully written Keertana! There seems to be a lot of YA books dealing with teenage suicide lately, and it's a heavy topic. But the best books are able to deal with that topic and write a wonderful book that may upset the reader but still leave them loving every page. I'm glad you enjoyed this!

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  14. What a beautifully written review! I remember reading this a few years back, and I know I loved it. I also loved LaCour's other novel, The Disenchantments, which I can't recommend enough.

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  15. Clearly I need to get my hands on this Keertana, it sound unbelievable. I love what you said about sharing Caitlin's numbness and then as the story progresses, slowly starting to thaw as she does. Sounds like a book you can't help but be emotionally involved in and those are the best types of books in my opinion! Definitely need to add this one to my list:) Stunning review as always!

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  16. Oh Keertana, this is another book that I've been meaning to pick up for ages, I too like my grief books where they take road trips etc, but I'm liking the sound of this as I like to get a realistic feel of what the mc's going through. And how come you guys get all the best covers? I'm tempted to order a US version just on the basis of that beautiful cover, you should see the one were stuck with it looks so morbid! A beautiful review as always hun! :)

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  17. Well this sounds like the type of book I tend to push away because I CAN'T HANDLE FEELINGS, but it also sounds utterly beautiful, in a sad but real way. I DO like that it's a more realistic portrayal of how a teen has to deal with grief, rather than a convenient escape. Lovely review, Keertana!

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  18. I loved this one too. Her character growth was amazing.
    Happy reading,
    Brandi @ Blkosiner’s Book Blog

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  19. I only recently read The Disenchantments so I'm a newcomer to Nina LaCour's writing. But I really enjoyed what I have read by her and would like to try more. this sounds like one of those emotionally draining books and I can handle those if a) I gear myself up for them and b) they are written really, really well w/ positive growth in the characters. It sounds like this book does just that. Adding it to my TBR list:)

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