Love Is The Higher Law by David Levithan

Published: August 25, 2009
Publisher: Random House

Summary: First there is a Before, and then there is an After. . . .

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.

My Review: First off, I just want to say that what happened in New York on 9/11 was such a tragedy. And writing a book about it like David Levithan did was a very courageous thing to do.
I live in Canada so the events didn't quite affect me the way that it did for the actual New Yorkers involved, but I still remember the day that this happened. I was at school, 13 years old and to be honest, I had no idea what The World Trade Towers were. I heard the news from my sister and her friend at the time, and I probably shrugged my shoulders, thought "that's really awful" and went on with my day. It was just a short while after that than the school turned on the news and I saw the whole thing play out on tv. It was shocking and so unbelivable! When I got home that day, my mom had the news on, and we just sat and cried and watched the news wishing that we could do something right then and there. I will never forget that day - and I think that Levithan wrote a great book for those who were around when this happened and for those who weren't. Obviously a book of any kind will never compare to the actual event and severity of it all, but it lets readers understand and remember a little more.
David Levithan has exceptional writing. From the first page of this book, I was hooked. Love Is The Higher Law is so intense and powerful. The characters come to life while reading. Claire, Jasper and Peter are so different, yet they come together because of the events of 9/11. The 3 characters are equally strong and well written. I can't really say much about the 'storyline'  - whether it was believable, far-fetched, etc - because I think this wasn't so much a 'story' as it was a look back into the events of 9/11 and the things people did to help one another on this very tragic day, and the friendships/closeness that begun as a result.
Overall, the characters, the writing and the book as a whole was flawless. Devid Levithan outdid himself with Love Is The Higher Law. I think that this book will be read by many in the years to come. Everyone should read this novel, you will cry, you will get emotional and most importantly, you will remember.