Review: When We Collided

When We Collided by Emery Lord
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gosh, where to start? First up, get the tissues ready. I cried at the end. Not just shedding a tear or a tingle in the nose or a lump in the throat, but full-on messy crying. And it's not because it's sad exactly, certainly Lord doesn't leave us with a great tragedy or anything heinous like that. It was more of a bittersweet happiness that reduced me to snot and tears. A fullness, a wholesomeness and a burstfulness.
This is not an easy, quick read. I don't mean because it's hard to connect with the characters, or that it's too complex or annoying, because none of those things are true. In fact it's almost because of the opposite, because it's so big and true, that you need to just pause and savour it sometimes, to let it sink in. It's a bit John Green-esque in style - teens that sound and act like adults, big themes, a life of moments both good and bad. It's lyrical and expressive, full of so much life that it's hard to look at straight-on at times. It's even making me write in a similar vein, but this is only me so it's a bunch of vague metaphors being stuffed in your face.
Lord writes about depression with a truth born of experience, and I read about it with a knowing nod, a tear because it's a hardship I wouldn't wish on anyone, and a smile that said 'exactly!'. When We Collided is not a true story, but it might as well be, because it's full of so many truths that the fiction doesn't make any difference. It's the type of book that i recommend EVERYONE reads. Not just those who are affected by depression or know someone who is, because you don't always know. But if you read this, you might just have an inkling.

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