Monday, 17 September 2012
Published 2011 by Hodder & Stoughton
Source: purchased
Rating: 4 paws
From the blurb: What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver is set in Ridgeview,
Connecticut. Sam Kingston is seventeen years old and lives with her parents and
younger sister, Izzy. She and her best friends are the popular girls at Thomas
Jefferson High. They’re also mean and I don’t just mean a bit of a gossip here
and there, they have horrible nicknames for most people who they deem below
them, they spread lies and they will create scenes to embarrass these people in
front of the rest of the school. On Cupid’s Day the girls attend a party. On
the way home their car crashes and Sam dies only to find herself repeating that
day over and over again for the next seven days. Now she’s determined to find a
way to save her life.
I recently joined a virtual book club hosted by Julie over
at Typecraft. A bunch of us voted on the schedule and Before I Fall was voted
as our first book. I’ve had this book since April when Lauren Oliver visited
Sydney and I took a copy along to be signed. This book club was just the reason
I needed to finally read this book!
Sam is not an easy character to like and that goes for her
best friends Ally, Elody and especially Lindsay. She is mean to people because
Lindsay has decided there is something wrong with them and they still use
nicknames that were started back in fifth grade, unable to let go and allow the
people they bully to move on with their lives. I was really hoping for a change
in her character and was happy when this occurred a little bit each day. It
also felt realistic as I didn’t expect a girl like Sam to change overnight and
suddenly become kind and caring.
Lindsay was a character that I still didn’t like by the end
but I understood her more. I know it’s easy to hate people and to allow that
hate to manifest into teasing, gossiping and lies but at the end of the day, is
that really how you want to treat people? The information we find out about her
was obvious from the beginning but I didn’t mind that, I just hope that Sam’s
death might inspire some change in her behaviour – but I wouldn’t count on it.
I really felt for Juliet, I can’t imagine suffering for
years at the hands of bullies like these girls. They have never let her get
away with what supposedly happened back when they were children and I really
wanted her to stand up for herself and not allow them to have such power over
her. But I can understand that for some people, standing up for yourself is not
easy.
One character who I really liked was Kent McFuller. He and
Sam used to be friends when they were little kids but she drifted apart from
him once she became friends with Lindsay and now she thinks he’s weird and
treats him nastily. He was so sweet and I loved that he persisted with Sam,
even when she was mean to him. I feel like he probably suffered most when the
book finally ended.
Despite the fact that we know Sam is going to re-live
February 12 over and over again, the story was never boring. I liked guessing
what would happen on the next version of that day and watching how Sam changed
her reactions and behaviour. My favourite moments involved her little sister
Izzy who was just adorable and someone who Sam could have learnt a lot from.
And I also liked her interactions with Kent later in the story.
Before I Fall is a compelling tale of a girl trying to
figure out what’s important and realising that it’s never too late to try and
fix things. I’d recommend it to all fans of contemporary and suggest that you
don’t let the main characters put you off; it’s worth sticking it out until the
end. This book also reminded me a lot of When You Were Mine, so if you were a fan of that, definitely check this out.
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33 comments:
Great review, as always :). Before I Fall sounds like a thought-provoking read, and I've really started enjoying the contemporary YA novels on offer these days. Plus, I like Lauren Oliver's writing style, so I'll definitely give this one a whirl.
I'm so glad you liked this, Mandee. It's one of my favourite books and I definitely agree that it's worth sticking out until the end. It got better for me as the book went one. Beautiful review! :)
Great review. I really want to read this sometime soon. It sounds great. I'm very curious how she grows each day. My sister read it recently and really loved it too.
-lauren
I LOVED this book! Such a great message about peer pressure, popularity, friendship, love and all the difficulties of high school. Sam was hard to warm too but I was so glad she learned and changed. High school is difficult so I empathized with her even though she wasn't always a nice person. The ending left me devastated!
You're right - I hadn't thought much about how tough it would be for Kent in the end. Poor guy! I did feel my advanced age a bit at times, like when it came to all the smoking! I wanted to sit them down and talk to them about the dangers, I swear. And the drunk driving - *gasp*! I did enjoy this book. I thought the character interactions were pretty unbelievable or uninteresting most of the time, but the minor characters and some of the touching moments were so well done that it didn't matter.
I'll be reading this very soon, and after reading your review, I'm really looking forward to starting it. I enjoyed both Delirium and Pandemonium, so I'm quite curious to check out Lauren Oliver's contemporary fiction.
Oh my goodness, I love this book. ♥
I found Before I Fall to be a bit repetitve in the beginning and wasn't sure if I was going to like it after pushing myself to read through the first 100 pages but after that it got better and the days started to vary. And boy, did my eyes sure did get a good workout at the end though...
This book is thought provoking and the message it send is beautiful and I'm SO very glad you enjoyed this, Mandee! Wonderful review!
I remember when this book came out, but I don't know I guess I thought it would be boring since it was the same day over and over again. Good to know it kept things interesting!
Thanks for the review :D
I loved this book! And since you compare it to When You Were Mine it makes me want to read that one too. You're right that it is hard to like Sam, but her behavior does feel authentic. Some of her interactions with her sister were so touching. Lovely review!
From your review I can see that this is indeed a very though provoking book with great and wonderful lessons in life. I have this book for over, I think, a year now but still haven't read it. Haha! I was just a little nervous with the ending, did she not die? Lovely review, Mandee. :)
I really loved this book, but I am a total Lauren Oliver fangirl. I really loved the growth in this one. I usually have such a hard time with unlikable characters, but this is one of those rare cases where it pays off to keep reading even though you don't like the MC.
I'm so glad you enjoyed this novel, Mandee! It was such a gut-wrenching tale and like you, I kept frantically flipping the pages despite knowing that Sam was going to re-live the same day all over again anyway. It was one of those deeply thought-provoking reads and your review does it complete justice! Beautifully written, dear! :)
Amazing review Mandee!!!!!! You said everything that I loved about this book. Kent is a simply unforgettable character; i also felt devastated for him at the end. I was so glad that i was also able to enjoy the repeating days. :)
I've been dying to read this book for ages! I've heard so many good things about Lauren Oliver's books. I own Delirium but haven't gotten a chance to read it yet or pick up a copy of Before I Fall. Awesome review Mandee! Your review has made me wish I would have read this book already! Kent sounds like a really fantastic character. :)
Oh yes, Sam and Izzy's reactions were the best. That was my favorite day -- the one where she spent so much time with her family and sister. I just sobbed and sobbed over that one day.
And sigh. Kent. SIGH.
UGH I AM FEELING THE FEELS thanks a lot. ;-)
Oh, Mandee, I'm so glad you liked this! At least someone enjoyed it. This book has so many of the things I can't stand in contemporary YA, it's a wonder I finished it at all. it didn't help that I had it on audio, 14 hours of mean girls!
Nevertheless, I see your points and I understand why you liked it.
Lovely review, darling!
Great review! Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who has read this book. I want to read this one even more now. Sigh. My TBR pile is so big...
HECK YES for your book club getting you to read this (and also YAY for the new book club)! There was something about this book that just really shook me to my core. I sincerely despised the MC in the beginning, but like you, learned to love her a bit more each day. Gosh, I adore Lauren Oliver's writing. She's amazing! Lovely review! :)
Great review, Mandee! This is one of those books that I just can't decide whether or not it's for me. It seems to be a bit like If I Stay, which I did really enjoy, but at the same time I have such a hard time with really unlikable characters. Glad your book club gave you the excuse to finally read it! I have really enjoyed Oliver's MG work, but just haven't been that interested in her YA books.
I read this a while ago and I still wasn't a fan of the main character by the end. I did understand her more like you said, but I didn't really feel like she redeemed herself by the end of it for me. It was a great read either way though.
Yay, so glad that you enjoyed this one! I LOVE Lauren Oliver's work and this was no exception. Sam was, as you said, a tough character to work but there was just this way that she was written that allowed me to understand her. I loved seeing the gradual changes in her thinking and behaviour. And interesting point about the story not getting boring! :) Completely agree. For a story where you 'know' what's coming up next (at least in a broader sense) it sure keeps you on your toes.
Thanks for the great review, Mandee! <3
Sonia
HOLY CRAP. How have I not been to your blog before, because there are photos of CATS WITH BOOKS. These are my favorite things in life. This has just ensured that I will visit your blog on a regular basis to see cats with books.
And also, to read your reviews. I loved this book. LOVED. And I cried a LOT. I agree that it didnt' get boring, despite going through the motions over & over. Lauren Oliver is such a talented author.
But most importantly: CATS WITH BOOKS!
Wonderful review, Mandee, I'm glad you enjoyed this! I really need to read it soon as I've heard nothing but good things about it & I'm really enjoying contemporary lately. :)
This sounds really good! I have seen it around the blogosphere a lot but never checked it out myself! Now sounds like I will have to! Great review!!
Haha! I was totally thinking what Jen said above: Holy Crap! Cats with books! So yes, I'm new here and am loving the bookish kitty cuddling up with said awesome book. Which...I definitely need to read. I keep hearing way too many good things about Lauren Oliver's writing. So yippy skippy -- yay for new book finds!
Great review. ;0)
Sounds like Groundhog day! I have had this book in my pile for so long and I intend to read it next year and doing a anit bullying series. Glad it was a good read despite a few misgivings!
Mandee, I LOVE this review and I love you. <3 Before I Fall is one of my favourite books, ever, and you articulated your thoughts so much better than I ever did. Lauren Oliver's writing is fantastic, powerful, and so compelling... I cried at the end of this too. :)
Very pleased that you were affected by this, my dear. :)
I'm a big fan of When You Were Mine so i'm definitely picking this sooner than i thought. Thanks for your thoughts! =D
Sangita @ Whisper of Reads.
4 stars! Some people tell me I'll like it and others tell me I won't, so I'm glad to see you enjoyed this, Mandee...if "enjoyed" is the right word.
Wendy @ The Midnight Garden
Awesome review! I was pretty much already sold on this book by the time I read your review, but you also solidified my decision. :) I think this one sounds a tad bittersweet but fantastic nonetheless. It's got a groundhog's vibe which I love. I'm glad that Sam matured and grew as a character bit by bit rather than all at once. The progression in this novel seems spot on.
Great review! I'm glad to see you enjoyed it. I loved Before I Fall! The ending was so incredibly sad and made me cry.
I've been meaning to read When You were Mine and I really liked this one, so maybe I'll grab that one soon. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Lindsay was a hard character to like.
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