Love and Other Words

Macy is the main protagonist of Love and Other Words. The story is told from her perspective, allowing readers to experience both the memories of her teen years and the contemporary story through her eyes. Macy lost her mother at age 10 and was raised by her father, Duncan. Macy loves to read and meets Elliot, who shares this love of reading. The two develop a strong bond, but Macy is reluctant to disclose too much of her grief, even with him because she wants to be a normal person and not just a girl who lost a parent. In the past timeline, labeled “then” she learns to open up to Elliot and to form a romance with him, though she is constantly afraid she will lose him. After a betrayal by Elliot and the loss of her father, Macy shuts down again. In the “now” portion of the story, Macy realizes she has stifled herself emotionally, and as she and Elliot reignite their bond, she begins to accept her feelings and cry. Finally, she can move in with Elliot, accept his love, and begin a real life with him.