Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver
HachetteUK
Paperback
Released 2010
Borrowed from Library
ISBN - 978-0-340-98090-3
"They say that before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that's not what happened for me."
Synopsis
For popular high school senior Samantha Kingston, February 12—"Cupid Day"—should be one big party, a day of valentines and roses and the privileges that come with being at the top of the social pyramid. And it is…until she dies in a terrible accident that night. However, she still wakes up the next morning. In fact, Sam lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she ever imagined.Thoughts
Have you ever read a book that is so unfair that you want to yell at the author? One that is so heartbreaking that you sob for an hour after you close the cover? One that is so perfect that you hug it for hours?
This is that book.
At the very beginning though, I hated it. The protagonist, Sam, and her friends were those high school queen bee bitches that we all either were, or hated.
They lived a perfect little life in a perfect little bubble. Anyone outside of that bubble was outcast, a freak. Juliet Sykes was the biggest freak of them all and they tormented her every chance that the group got.
Then Sam dies.
Before I Fall is a fresh take on the "Groundhog Day" concept. Sam dies in a horrible car accident, and wakes up the next day to find that it is actually the first day all over again. She has to relive the day until she works out how to change the outcome and break the cycle.
I can honestly say that Lauren Oliver has astounded me yet again with her writing. This time with her talent for voices.
She captures Sam and her friends as popular perfectly. At the beginning of the book Sam's monologues, and the way that she speaks directly to the reader, come across as spoilt, over confident and self-righteous.
Gradually, as she grows her voice changes and she reads as slightly more compassionate and caring.
Sam's growth is amazing in the story and Lauren's writing makes the reader really feel it. I went from hating her to really caring about her over the three hundred or so pages. Each day I loved her a little more.
I also loved how the story changed each day instead of Sam simply repeating her actions. This lead to us meeting new characters throughout the story. I enjoyed how they slipped in from the sidelines as though we were seeing them through Sam's eyes. They had always been there, but not close enough to see clearly. We got to know each of them through Sam.
This book took 5 stars without hesitation. I tried to find something to criticise or hate but I cannot. I adored it and I will re-read it until it's spine falls out. (I am buying my own Dearest Librarian. Don't worry)
Now if you don't all mind, I'm going to go and sob a little more.
I absolutely adore this book! I am making everyone I know read it!
ReplyDeleteIt's so well written and so heart breaking and it's just perfection in so many ways!
Have you ever read 'Me Before You' by Jojo Moyes?
Talk about heart-breaking!
I haven't yet! It is definitely on my TBR though Thanks for dropping by
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