When Haru Was Here
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
From the New York Times bestselling author Dustin Thao, We Are Okay meets Wandavision in this novel about loss, and learning to let go.
After the death of his best friend, Eric Ly creates imaginary scenarios in his head to deal with his grief. Until one of them becomes real when a boy he met last summer in Japan finds his way back into his life. When he least expects it, Haru Tanaka walks into the coffee shop and sits down next to him. The only thing is, nobody else can see him.
In a magical turn of events, Eric suddenly has someone to connect with, making him feel less alone in the world. But as they spend more and more time together, he begins to question what is real. When he starts losing control of the very thing that is holding him together, Eric must finally confront his reality. Even if it means losing Haru forever.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
When Vietnamese American Eric Ly, an aspiring filmmaker, met enigmatic Haru during his high school's international club's annual trip to Japan, they became fast friends, spending the day together but separating before they can share contact information. Fourteen months later, 19-year-old Eric is reeling following the death of his best friend and crush, Daniel. With his sister dropping out of college to go on tour with a band and his parents disengaged from his life, Eric feels abandoned. To cope with his grief, he takes refuge in imagined scenarios, until he's unexpectedly reunited with Haru. It soon becomes clear to Eric, however, that he's the only one who can see Haru, who accompanies Eric on his adventures around Chicago to help break the monotony and isolation of his life. But Eric's new job at a theater box office and the opportunities it presents to interact with the world around him strains the boys' relationship. Though some plot threads are wrapped up too neatly, Thao (You've Reached Sam) casts an intelligent look into the harm and benefits of one teen's coping mechanisms in this sharply depicted exploration of grief and moving on. Ages 12–up.
