Review Detail

Hattie’s friend, Mason, has just passed away and she isn’t ready to let him go. There was a lot left unsaid between them and now Hattie realizes that she can see something no one else can, Mason’s ghost. Things seem to be just how they used to be, as long as Mason is around Hattie can pretend nothing has changed. Along with this secret, Hattie is also keeping a bigger secret from people. She has the same genetic eye disease that her dad has and is going blind just like him. Hattie is not just mourning the loss of Mason but also the life she wanted. She isn’t sure if moving on is the answer for her, because what if this means that Mason is gone from her life forever?
What I Liked: This book manages to grab your attention along with your heartstrings the minute that you start reading this book. It opens with Hattie’s thoughts about attending her friend, Mason’s funeral, and leaves things a bit blurry as to what happened to Mason. This blurriness only leads to highlight how everything in Hattie’s life is a bit confusing right now and how her vision is also starting to fade.

This book captures the reality of grief and how complex grief can be for various individuals. This book also does a great job of highlighting how layers of grief develop and the negative consequences of not addressing grief and allowing yourself to struggle through the different stages and emotions that come with those stages. Her response to grief causes her to make irresponsible decisions, and decisions that ultimately hurt her because she can’t be bothered to care about anyone else including herself.

The relationships throughout this book are well developed and essential to Hattie’s growth and development. These relationships are shown throughout the book and you can see how Hattie’s relationship with her family informs her other relationships. It really isn’t until Mason points things out to her that she realizes her errors in keeping to herself and the importance of letting others help her.

Final Verdict: Never Seen the Stars is a beautifully written story that is perfect for fans of The Ghosts we Keep and You’ve Reached Sam. This book is ideal for young adults ages 14 and up who may be struggling with various types of grief, including the grief of high school ending and having to decide what is next.