Letters to Leonardo

Now, I finished this book a while back now, but it really stuck with me for ages and it is such a powerful read. I felt like cheering in some parts, but in some parts I felt angry and sad. It's such a mixed feeling of emotion.
Okay, I admit that starting off with someones birthday is a bit cliche'. I mean, how many books and stories begin with it being someone's birthday? But, I realised in this case, it was the perfect beginning, because it introduced everything.
This book is about fifteen year old Matt. He lives with his father, who tries his best to be a prefect parent. Matt believes that his mother is deceased, but he mysteriously receives a letter from her. Matt gets angry at his father, who lied. This is when all the trouble begins.
One of Matt's assignments for school is to write a letter to a deceased famous person (I think this is the task, from memory). He chooses to write to Leonardo da Vinci. Matt soon finds that writing to Leonardo is quite comforting, and when he faces his mother who he learns has severe mental illness, Leonardo is someone he can confide in. He also finds the similarities between himself and the famous artist, inventor and mathematician good too, because Matt can relate to him.

In the end, Matt has experienced a glimpse into mental illness, what it is like to have a house go up in flames and heart breaking loss, among other things.
Such a unique and powerful story that I am sure everybody would enjoy (providing they are mature readers, of course.)

For more information about this fantastic book, go to deescribewriting.wordpress.com.