Provocative, insightful and stimulating, this is a surprisingly simple yet captivating story featuring a deep and harrowing subject that is often avoided. It initially feels as though a story about suicide shouldn't work, yet it emphatically does and on so many different levels. Aysel and Roman are authentically real, you feel their connection, their fear, their seclusion; they could easily be your children, or your siblings, or friends. The author skilfully introduces the suicide pact and it prowls in the background as you grow to love Ansel’s sharp wit and Roman’s kindness. Leading you on a path towards the unknown, this is thought provoking, sharp yet subtle and a strangely beautiful read.
A message from the author...
'As I state in the Author’s Note in the back of My Heart and Other Black Holes, I began to write the book in January 2013, a few days after the death of one of my very closest friends. I found myself in a place of deep grief and working almost compulsively on the manuscript was one of the ways in which I dealt with those feelings. Click here to read more.
I'm getting higher and higher and I feel the swing set creak. 'Be careful,' he says. 'Why?' I'm not thinking about being careful. I'm thinking about one last push, of letting go, of flying, and of falling. 'You aren't allowed to die without me,' he whispers. Aysel and Roman are practically strangers, but they've been drawn into an unthinkable partnership. In a month's time, they plan to commit suicide - together. Aysel knows why she wants to die: being the daughter of a murderer doesn't equal normal, well-adjusted teenager. But she can't figure out why handsome, popular Roman wants to end it all...and why he's even more determined than she is. With the deadline getting closer, something starts to grow between Aysel and Roman - a feeling she never thought she would experience. It seems there might be something to live for, after all - but is Aysel in so deep she can't turn back?
'A striking new voice in YA fiction' Nova Ren Suma, author of Imaginary Girls
'Kinetic and beautiful and unexpectedly life-affirming' Chris Lynch, author of Inexcusable
'Earnest and heartfelt ... any teen who's ever felt like an outsider will be able to relate to Aysel's and Roman's fully realized characters' Kirkus Reviews
'A stunning and haunting depiction of depression - you really feel Aysel's numbness. I had to take 'emotional recovery' breaks while reading it. My Heart And Other Black Holes handles the sensitive topic of suicide expertly, with absolutely no patronizing or glamorization. And yet, the book leaves you with such a warm feeling of hope. It 's a remarkable achievement' Holly Bourne, author of Soulmates
'Powerful...sucked me right in' The Book Bag
'This book proved hard to put down - both characters had my heart aching for them' Book Club Forum
Author
About Jasmine Warga
Jasmine Warga lives in Mariemont, Ohio with her husband, Greg, a cat named Salvador Dali, and a puppy named Scout. She was born and raised just outside of Cincinnati, and spent her days making up stories, listening to emotive music, staring up at the night sky, and reading. She graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A. in History and Art History, and went on to teach 6th grade science at a school in Houston, Texas. In June 2013, she received a Master's in Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Lesley University. My Heart and Other Black Holes is her first novel.
