Tell Me Which Book Had Such An Emotional Impact On You, That You're Still Thinking About It Years Later

I'll never be over They Both Die At the End.

Books are powerful, and sometimes, the emotional impact of a story stays with you long after you turn the final page.

For example, in college, I picked up Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow because it reminded me of Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen, which I'd read for a class. Girl in Pieces gave me the strongest emotional reaction I think I've ever had to a book. I can still remember reading it on my friend's couch and just feeling numb.

Ember / Via bookshop.org

A few years ago, I read They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera. Even though, from the title, I knew how it was going to end, I kept hoping it was a trick, and that somehow, at the last minute, Mateo and Rufus would survive. Reading it during the pandemic compounded the feeling of hopelessness I felt after closing the book.

Quill Tree Books / Via bookshop.org

More recently, I read Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. The story itself feels pretty timely, but Kara's emotional arc pierced me right through the heart because it reminded me of one of my favorite TV shows, Humans, which absolutely destroyed me with its cliffhanger ending. I wanted to scream at the human characters to care about Klara more and to see her as a person.

Vintage / Via bookshop.org

Of all the books you've read, which one had the biggest emotional impact on you? Why? Tell me in the comments, and your answer may be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post!