As the 23rd anniversary of 9/11 is approaching, I believe it is important for this generation to understand the profound impact of this incident in the United States. Here is a review of the historical fiction novel All We Have Left by Wendy Mills. This book covers the perspectives of two teenage girls and how the 9/11 terror attack impacted them.
In September 2001, 16-year-old Alia Susanto is a proud Indonesian-American Muslim teenager living in New York. On September 11 2001, she visits the World Trade Center to confront her father who works there, due to a serious family matter. As she makes her way up the South Tower, she gets caught in the destruction of the building. In the process of evacuating, Alia meets a brave and witty 19-year-old Travis McLaurin who helps many people in the dangerous situation. Unfortunately, Travis loses his life while helping others trying to escape from the burning South Tower. As this story progresses, Alia shares her experience as a witness and survivor of the tragedy. She also highlights how the terror attack of the Twin Towers had changed her life as a Muslim American in the United States.
In the present day, 16-year-old Jesse McLaurin feels distraught, having lost her brother Travis on 9/11 while also dealing with her other brother Hank being estranged from the family. Out of her anger and hatred, Jesse vandalizes the local Islamic Peace Center leading to her arrest by the police followed by a community service sentence at the Islamic Peace Center. As the story unfolds, Jesse learns that people are so much more than the stereotypes you hear on the news or what you overhear from others.
If you are into books that cover the topics of family, grief, forgiveness and personal growth, this book is just for you. All We Have Left is an absolutely wonderful, multifaceted and gut-wrenching novel that offers readers a deep dive into a critical period in American History. Happy Reading!
Lit Lounge Reads 