The Words We Keep PDF is a realistic and relatable story about mental health, anxiety, perfectionism, depression, and the healing power of art. Following Lily, a high school junior, struggling to keep her life together after her sister’s suicide attempt.
Lily’s anxiety is diagnosed, and she starts therapy, learning better ways to cope, and embarks on an art project with a new student, Micah. This book explores themes of mental health, family love, and finding one’s voice in a tender and heartfelt manner.
Little About Author: Erin Stewart
Erin Stewart is a writer and editor. She graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and has a degree from Brigham Young University. Erin is also a weekly columnist in Salt Lake City. She lives in Utah with her husband and three children and is represented by literary agent Rebecca Sherman of Writers House.
The Words We Keep Main Characters
Lily Larkin
A high school junior who is struggling to keep her family together after her older sister, Alice, attempted suicide. Lily is trying to outrun her own mental health issues and compulsions.
Alice Larkin
Lily’s older sister who attempted suicide and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She has just returned from a treatment program.
Micah Mendez
A new student at Lily’s school who was in treatment with Alice. Micah is Mexican American and has his own past struggles with mental health.
Margot Larkin
Lily’s younger sister who is also struggling to cope with Alice’s absence and mental health issues.
Other secondary characters in the book include Lily and Alice’s father and step-mother, Lily’s friends and classmates, and Micah’s mother
The Words We Keep Summary Read Online
The Words We Keep by Erin Stewart is a realistic and relatable novel that touches on themes of mental health, anxiety, perfectionism, and depression. The story follows Lily Larkin, a high school junior, who has been desperately trying to keep things together for herself and her family since the Night on the Bathroom Floor when she found her older sister Alice hurting herself.
Alice has been away in a treatment program, and now that she is coming back, it is becoming harder for Lily to ignore all of the feelings she has been trying to outrun.
When Lily is partnered with a new student named Micah, who knows all about the Night on the Bathroom Floor, she is worried that he will reveal her family’s secrets. However, Micah turns out to be the one person who can help Lily find her way back to herself.
They embark on an art project for school, which involves finding poetry in unexpected places, and Lily realizes that it is the words she has been swallowing that desperately want to break through.
Our Review
The Words We Keep by Erin Stewart’s story follows high school junior Lily Larkin, who is desperately trying to hold things together for her family three months after her older sister Alice’s traumatic suicide attempt. Lily is partnered with Micah Mendez, a new student at school who knows all about Alice’s experience, and together they embark on an art project for school
. Lily realizes that it’s the words she’s been swallowing that desperately want to break through. The novel explores mental illness, familial love, and finding your voice in a tender and heartfelt way that is sure to resonate with readers.
However, there are some problematic elements in the book, and the portrayal of mental illness might be outdated. The story takes place in a modern school setting, but there is no aspect of counseling or therapy for the family, not even for Lily, who found her sister before their father rushed Alice to the hospital.
The book also touches on intense stigmas attached to mental illness, and Lily and her classmates refer to Micah as “Manic Micah,” and wonder if he will “lose it” and freak out on classmates. Despite these issues, The Words We Keep is a powerful and important book that encourages readers to realize that whatever they struggle with, they are not alone and are already enough.
Books Like The Words We Keep
The words we keep genre is Young adult fiction. Below are some similar books.
- ” You’d Be Home Now ” by Kathleen Glasgow
- ” Every Last Word ” by Tamara Ireland Stone
- ” The Silence that Binds Us ” by Joanna Ho
- ” Now Is Everything ” by Amy Giles
The Words We Keep PDF Read Online
Both PDF and Reading it online isn’t complicated; you just need to purchase it. As of now, the free version isn’t available. However you can download and read preview of the novel by clicking on download button.
- Go to any platform from where you wish to purchase it.
- Pay the amount and start reading.
Note – you can also compare the prices of the novel on different platforms before purchasing it.