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Love, Creekwood by Becky Albertalli

  • lucysbookishbabble
  • Jul 3, 2020
  • 3 min read

Updated: Jul 6, 2020

Becky Albertalli has finally given us an ending to the Simonverse!! Her latest book Love, Creekwood was released on July 30th and is approximately 128 pages long. Love, Creekwood takes place after the gang splits up to go to different colleges. While it is an actual book, it is not the length of the other installments of the series, as it is an epilogue novella. A novella is longer than a short story, but not as long as a novel. Personally, I think that a novella is the perfect way to tie up the series.


Not only did Becky Albertalli give us more of our favorite Creekwood teens, she is also donating 100% of proceeds from the English version to the Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is the leading and only accredited national organization offering crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ youths under the age of 25. In a tweet Albertalli said, “[The Trevor Project] do the work I can’t, and they do it with such thoughtfulness, care, and commitment to research-based best practices.” Which goes to say she really is an MVP LGBTQ+ ally.


Now that we’ve covered the facts, here are some of my thoughts…


The email form of this book really just didn’t do it for me. I understand why Albertalli decided to go with the format, as it is meant to be a novella. I appreciate how it pays homage to Simon and Bram’s Jaques and Blue days, but I think maybe having some of the big moments in text would have been nice. For example, I would have loved to see Simon and Bram on the ferris wheel at the winter carnival, but of course their was no email documented what happened in real life.


The email format also left a lot of holes in the plot that you had to infer, which again was probably due to length, but it really bothered me. As a reader I wanted to know Leah’s response when Abby dropped the “four lettered L” word, but there was no email response. Or any explanations about what was going on with Garrett, Taylor, or Nick.


Although I was not a huge fan of the email format, it did not stop me from cuddling up in bed and binge reading this book. Albertalli has a wonderful talent of writing books that feel like a warm blanket, and I think it has to do with the familiarity of the characters and the story. Simon is always innocent and anxious, Leah is always sarcastic and blunt, and Bram is always intelligent and sweet. I really do love these characters.


I also liked how the book addresses long distance relationships, because I actually thought it was handled well. It doesn’t make it look easy, but it also shows a long distance relationship that worked and it didn’t end up with someone cheating (such a cliché). I also think the struggle between missing each other and needing to live their own college lives was well written and very real.


Lastly, can we please talk about the fact that this book completely revolves around to homosexual couples? I AM SO HERE FOR IT!! Being centered around LGBTQ+ relationships, and focused on LGBTQ+ characters without making being gay their defining feature is so rare but so necessary. Leah, Bram, Simon, and Abby all being out to their parents is wonderful but the book almost pretends that homophobia doesn’t exist, with the exception of Marjorie. I think it would have been beneficial to show one of the characters struggling with acceptance after coming out, because that is, unfortunately, the reality for a lot of people.


So in conclusion, although I had some issues with Love, Creekwood it was definitely worth the read and I would recommend it to fans of YA and other Becky Albertalli books. Until next time!






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