Well, that was cute.

This book follows the typical YA romance structure: Emilie starts at a new school and develops a crush on the first boy she sees, Chatham. They end up working together on a school project about Emily Dickinson and Emilie ends up connecting to Emily on a deep level and learns great lessons about herself and the world.

…but…

Emilie has epilepsy, and the driving force of this book is her own desire to completely forget that fact and live (what she perceives to be) a “normal” life. Also, she’s still grieving the loss of her father (it’s been three years) and trying to come to terms with the fact that her mother wants to start dating again.

What I love most about this novel is that it takes the “typical set-up” and manages to make it feel new and fresh. For example:

“My first tutoring session with Chatham was both amazing and horrifying – the way I imagine parasailing world be if I ever had the nerve to try it.”

Emilie’s voice is spot-on, and we struggle alongside her to step outside our comfort zones and trust in others.

Also, I’ve never known anyone with epilepsy, but this book gives me better insight into what it must be like to run constant risk assessment. Emilie’s concerns are among those of any teenager’s: looking foolish in front of one’s peers, but intensified by the possibility of losing physical control during a seizure.

And of course, I am an English teacher with a love of Emily Dickinson and I knew I'd adore this aspect of the book. Definite recommendation for middle and high school classroom libraries.