Review: Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan

Love is the Higher Law-David Levithan
Publisher: Knopf
Publication Date: 2009
Source: Library
Author website

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 as his characters slowly learn to move forward in their lives, despite being changed forever.
(Amazon)

Like most people, I can recall exactly what I was doing on September 11th. Now, looking back ten years, a lot of good things have blossomed from that horrible day. The friendships, good works and messages of love that came from that day are often swept aside in favor of the bad things that I won't mention here.

I don't think I could have read a novel about the horrible things that happened on that day, and thankfully this book isn't about that. Only a small part of this book actually takes place on 9/11, the main focus is after, and how a huge event can change your life forever. The protagonists don't know each other well before 9/11, but in the days and months afterward, their lives move on, and their stories intertwine.

This book felt very 2001 to me, reminding me of what it was like to watch the news in the days following, but also for simpler reasons. I loved the mention of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which is probably my favorite musicals of all time. Music is also a big part of Peter's life, and him making mixes for his friends reminded me a lot of myself. Mild spoiler: The scene where Peter sees Travis in concert brought tears to my eyes, because I was also listening to their music a lot in the aftermath of 9/11. End spoiler.

As I finished this book, Iron & Wine's "The Trapeze Swinger" came on my iPod, and it was the absolutely perfect song to listen to while finishing this book.



If you haven't already read this remarkable novel, I can't recommend it enough.