Because You'll Never Meet Me

The 2015 novel by Leah Thomas follows two teenage boys, Ollie and Moritz, who correspond entirely through letters because they cannot physically meet due to their unusual medical conditions. Ollie is allergic to electricity, and Moritz has a pacemaker and no eyes. Their growing friendship explores themes of isolation, identity, and acceptance.

Yes, it is the first book in a trilogy. The sequel, Nowhere Near You, was published in 2017, and the final book, You'd Be Home Now, followed. The trilogy continues the epistolary format and expands on the boys' backstories and the mysterious circumstances surrounding their conditions.

Ollie suffers from a severe seizure-inducing allergy to electricity, meaning exposure to any electrical device or power source is dangerous for him. Moritz relies on a pacemaker, making proximity to Ollie potentially fatal. Their incompatibility forces them into an exclusively written correspondence.

It is classified as a young adult contemporary novel with elements of science fiction and magical realism. The unusual medical conditions of the protagonists give it a speculative edge, while the emotional core is firmly realistic YA. The epistolary format also connects it to a tradition of letter-based fiction.