Publishers Weekly
06/10/2024
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. Agent: Jenny Bent, Bent Agency. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"Thao does a beautiful job of employing magic realism in this sometimes poignant but always captivating gay love story." —Booklist
"Thao 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." —Publishers Weekly
“Devastatingly honest and achingly human, When Haru Was Here is a melodic exploration of love, loneliness, and the multitude of ways grief shapes us. No one captures the beauty in heartbreak like Dustin Thao.”
—Julian Winters, award-winning author of Right Where I Left You
"When Haru Was Here is a mind-bending, gut-punching, heart-healing portrait of grief. It's magical how Dustin Thao can make you fall in love with having your heart broken." -Adam Silvera, #1 New York Times bestselling author of They Both Die at the End
“Get your tissues ready, this is another heart-wrenching, stunning exploration of love and loss from Dustin Thao. I read Haru Was Here in a single sitting, and cried at the ending. Filled with raw emotions, relatable moments, and a touch of enchantment, prepare to have your heart broken and mended by the time the story is over.” -Alex Aster, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lightlark
Kirkus Reviews
2024-06-15
A grief-stricken Chicago teen finds solace in a meet-cute romance.
After his best friend, Daniel, passes away, Eric finds his life completely uprooted. Instead of attending his first year of college, he fills his days working to avoid his grief, first at a catering company, then in the box office of a prestigious theater. Through frequent flashbacks, Eric’s crush on Daniel plays out alongside their school trip to Japan, where he met the handsome Haru. The two spontaneously wandered together, attending a Star Festival commemorating forbidden lovers. Eric was devastated when he lost Haru’s phone number. Back in the present day, after his sister, Jasmine, announces that she’s leaving for Amsterdam, Eric spirals further. His only solace is Haru’s magical reappearance. As Eric spends time with Haru, he slowly regains his interest in life and filming the world around him. The novel unfortunately requires an immense amount of suspension of disbelief from readers. While the film references and the themes of family and love are intriguing, Haru’s presence detracts from the overarching exploration of grief, and the romance is meandering and difficult to believe in, although it does offer an intriguing commentary on the meet-cute trope. Fortunately, the major plot twist manages to be completely surprising without feeling random, and it brings Eric’s character arc full circle. Eric is Vietnamese American; Daniel is Colombian and white, and Haru is Japanese.
A genuinely shocking reveal isn’t enough to save this book.(Romance. 14-18)
