"History Is All You Left Me" | Adam Silvera

**Disclaimer: This is my first spoiler-free review. After reading this book, I think that what needs to be talked about can be without specific details from the plot.**

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For my first Adam Silvera novel, I have to say, History Is All You Left Me impressed me. For one, this book isn't written in purple prose, with flowery language the only thing composing this story.

Despite the inherent sadness woven into a plot founded upon the death of a dear ex-boyfriend, Silvera adds spunk to the novel. He makes it lively, and unique to Griffin, our main character.

In the unique structure of History, Silvera meshes the storylines of both the past—when Griffin and Theo met and their relationship developed—and the present—where Theo is dead and Griffin is left with nothing but their history.

Between his dorky quirks when he was younger and found love and safety in another, and his deep sadness now that he lost someone so close to him, Griffin is what drives the story. Silvera perfectly embodies what it is to lose someone you love, through all of the denial, the anger, the sadness, the strife, Silvera somehow includes it all.

This intense, raw, and realistic emotion instilled in all of the characters in the novel is exactly what makes it such an enjoyable read. 

The storyline is absolutely interesting in that I think I'll always have an attraction to the darker facets of humanity, but it's not particularly unique in the hands of the wrong writer. My hesitation to read contemporary novels is stemmed from this—they often follow clichéd plots, and are an amalgamation of sappy lines.

Silvera's failure to fall into this trap is another thing that makes this novel so wonderful—you can read about things that aren't typically mixed with the story of a dead boyfriend.

The thing I appreciated most in this was Griffin's case of OCD. The portrayal of mental illness in a realistic, yet not condescending way was absolutely refreshing, and I liked that it didn't necessarily come along because of Theo's death—it was just another factor he had to deal with, much like in real life.

Lastly, I appreciate whole-heartedly Silvera's work bringing therapy into the plot. Now, I know this is a weird thing to like, but in the majority of tragic contemporaries I've read, therapy is never a way the character deals with their problems. And granted, there are plenty of people suffering and not in therapy, for a variety of reasons, but it is still a realistic and acceptable step in learning to live with mental illness, and I appreciated Adam not shying away from it—particularly when it can still be stigmatized.

I know my thoughts were a bit of mess, but that's because this book left me in the mess. From the depth of emotion and realism, to the interesting characters and stylistic choices, History Is All You Left Me has been my favorite contemporary book in a while.

Characters: 95%

Plot: 95%

Depth: 100%

Style: 100%

Intrigue: 95%

Overall Rating: A+