#128 Book Review: Everything Left Unsaid [ARC]

Everything Left Unsaid
Release Date: August 1st 2012
Author: Jessica Davidson
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Source: Publisher for Review
Format: Paperback
Where to Buy: Fishpond | Booktopia
More Info: Goodreads
Summary from Goodreads:

Tai and Juliet have been best friends forever – since they met at kindy and decided to get married in first grade.

They understand each other in the way that only best friends can.

They love music, beach walks, energy drinks and, they are slowly discovering, each other.

As they dream of adventures beyond the HSC – a future free of homework, curfews and parents, a life together – their plans are suddenly and dramatically derailed.

For Tai is sick.

And not everything you wish for can come true.

A poignant story of first love, hope, grief, family, and the twistedness of life.

Cover:
It's interesting how the title font's colour is white and how some of the letters are traced since the background is white too. There is that feeling that something is hanging between the girl and the guy in the cover. I think it suits the story quite well!


Story:


What happens when everything in your life changes the moment you find out your love is sick?


Juliet and Tai are best friends since they were both young. As they grow up together, Juliet finds herself falling for Tai. And when she finally confesses her feeling to Tai, Tai also tells Juliet that he likes her. Just when Juliet thought everything will be perfect, she finds out that Tai is sick, and that everything she wishes for will not come true...


It's been a while since I read a book that made me teary and completely broke my heart and Everything Left Unsaid gave me a mixture of different emotions. The book was written from both Juliet and Tai's POV. Davidson's writing was really beautiful and felt so real. She voiced her characters really well. Reading from Tai's POV particularly broke my heart. I couldn't imagine what life was like for Tai when he found out he was sick. And what was even more painful was the fact that he was leaving all his loved ones behind, including Juliet. The book explored Juliet and Tai's relationship and their bittersweet story as they spend time together until the end of Tai's life. The ending was really sad although it ended the story beautifully. It made me feel that no matter what happens in our lives, we must go on.


Characters:
One thing I loved the most about Davidson's writing was her characterization of Juliet and Tai. They felt so real to me and I connected to them although sometimes I was a bit frustrated with Juliet and Tai's relationship. Tai and Juliet's relationship was beautiful, built since they were both young with lovely childhood memories. When Juliet discovered that Tai was sick, she always spent most of her time with him and despite the fact that she cried countless times, she knew that tears won't help Tai in any ways. What frustrated me a little was the way Tai sometimes distanced himself from Juliet, even though he clearly loved her. I understood how Tai felt that his life was useless since he was dying, but Juliet was always there for him and he should have told her if he needed time alone instead of not telling her anything. There was one moment when I'm a bit frustrated with Juliet as well when her relationship with Tai was not going so well. But it all worked out in the end. I also really liked Tai's parents. They were very supportive of Tai and made me really sad. Tai's brothers, oh goodness, I really could not imagine how they felt knowing that their brother, who accompanied them through their nightmares was dying. Juliet's friend, Gen, was also a very supportive friend to Juliet.


Overall:
Everything Left Unsaid is a poignant story about life. How sometimes life does not got the way we want to. How life can drastically change in one second. Beautifully written and heart-breaking, Everything Left Unsaid was a beautiful and unforgettable read.

4 Forget-Me-Not flowers for Everything Left Unsaid!

Thank you Pan Macmillan Australia for the review copy!