Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
by Jenners • 11/29/2010 • 4 Stars, B Titles, Fiction, O Authors, Young Adult • 60 Comments
Before I Fall by Lauren OliverPublisher: Harper Collins, March 2010
Pages: 480
Genre: Young Adult
My Rating: 4 stars
I’ve dipped my toe into Young Adult books before and haven’t always been satisfied. Either the plotting felt too contrived or the emotions didn’t relate to me (being a very very old woman in my 40s). But when a blogger you respect gushes about a Young Adult book, you think “Well, I have to give it a try.” So, after Jill from Rhapsody in Books (in case you were too lazy to click on the link to “a blogger I respect”) went nutso about Before I Fall, I dutifully requested it from the library. But before I tell you what I thought of the book (I know you’re wondering, Jill … be patient), let me tell you what the book is about.
The Basic Story
Samantha (Sam) Kingston is one of the four most popular girls at Thomas Jefferson High in affluent Ridgeview, Connecticut. As seniors, she and her friends Lindsay (the Queen Bee), Elody (the Cheerful Drunk), and Ally (Rich but Dumb) are at the top of the social food chain. And in the dog-eat-dog world of high school, being at the top of the food chain is everything.
The day our story begins is February 12—also known as Cupid Day. It is the day when popularity is demonstrated for everyone to see in the form of roses, which are delivered throughout the day. (A side note: Can you really imagine a high school that would let this type of thing take place? Am I naive? It seemed like such an invitation to pain and heartbreak.) Aside from Cupid Day, the day is also a big one for Sam because she’s decided to lose her virginity to her boyfriend Rob that night.
As the day goes along, we see Sam’s day unfold—her flirtation with her math teacher, her teasing of Juliet Sykes (the school “psycho”), her casual dismissal of a childhood friend who is having a party later that night, her pre-party drinking with her friends. That night, Sam finds herself at the big party—nervous and anxious about having sex for the first time. But things don’t quite go as expected, and Sam finds herself leaving the party with the girls instead. However as they careen down the rain-soaked roads, something happens and the car barrels off the side of the road and then…
… Sam wakes up, in her bed, on February 12. Cupid Day. The day she just lived … and seemed to have died on. In what becomes a teen version of Groundhog Day, Sam relives February 12th over and over for an entire week— making changes in a frantic attempt to alter the outcome of her story. But as February 12 replays again and again, Sam begins to see her life, her friends, and the people around her differently. Can she make the changes she needs to save herself ?
My Thoughts
OK, Jill, I’ll put you out of your misery: I really liked the book. I stayed up way later than I should have reading it, but I have so many thoughts spinning around so bear with me while I ramble.
First off, the writing feels very natural for a teenage narrator. It was easy to get into Sam’s world because Lauren Oliver makes it come alive. Even though I felt that I probably would have disliked a girl like Sam if I went to school with her, Oliver gives her enough uncertainty and awareness about herself that she is a sympathetic character—becoming even more so as the “scales fall from her eyes” and she begins to see the truth and complexity of the people around her.
Unlike so many Young Adult books, this one actually did take me back to those awful teenage years. I wasn’t a girl like Sam by a long shot (I would have dreaded an event like Cupid Day), but I do believe that every high school has the same basic social structure. I remember the Sams and Lindsays of my own high school, as well as the feeling of being on the periphery of things. There is such a need to feel like you fit in and are popular—even when the cost of doing so is do things you don’t feel good about inside.
Yet Sam is relatable because she wasn’t always one of the popular girls. She tells of being plucked from social obscurity by Lindsay for reasons she still isn’t clear about. The dynamic between Sam and Lindsay is one of the most interesting in the book, and I found myself feeling conflicted about how I felt about Lindsay. Oliver did a wonderful job of shedding light on her character … of showing you how the monster that we see in the book evolved and how, deep down, she is really a hurt little girl inside. Yet it is hard to accept the casual cruelty that Linsday, Sam, Elody and Ally dish out to all those around them.
One aspect of the book that gave me pause was when Sam starts having doubts about her boyfriend Rob and begins seeing an old childhood friend in a new light. It made me wonder if my own Little One would some day freeze out a child he plays with so happily today—forgetting all the happy moments they shared when they were little and kid society was kinder and more forgiving. It made me wonder how all these little kids that happily dig holes in our back yard together will be behaving in a few short years.
Another thing that kind of freaked me out was realizing how much “bad” stuff teenagers do. From the drinking to the smoking to the sex, I realized I’m not ready to send my Little One out into this world now … or ever. I was always a bit of a Ms. Goody Two Shoes in school (surprise! surprise!), but even I knew that teens drank and did drugs and had sex. Yet the grown-up me is so horrified by the behavior in this book that I feel about 1,000 years old. I imagine that reading this book with a tween or teenage could open up a floodgate of topics for discussion.
Well, I’m losing my way here and starting to wander down memory lane but this is the kind of book this is; it puts you right there, smack dab, in the mind of a teenager … and what a confusing, angsty place that can be. It was fascinating to follow Sam on her journey and I, for one, was rooting for her to find a way out of her nightmare. The way Lauren Oliver guides Sam through it was so well done and the ending so fitting and right that I felt like standing up and clapping when I finished the book.
My Final Recommendation
With a gripping premise that lives up to its promise, Before I Fall is one of the few Young Adult books that I thought got it right. If you’re an older reader, this book will take you back to your own teenage years and you’ll find yourself hoping and praying that Sam figures things out. If you are a young adult (or have one in your life), my guess is you will find a lot of food for thought as Sam struggles to make sense of her world. It isn’t a journey you’ll soon forget. Make time for this one!
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Oh Jenners your review is spot on! This book still resonates with me as I have a teenager who is the same age as Sam. And she’s popular – but not in the same sense as Sam. And yes, some high schools still do those horrible cupid day things that isolate and point out who is popular and who is NOT. Goes right back to all of those bullying posts I keep putting up! I am so glad you liked this book. This is one of those I think every teenager and parent should read. It does open your eyes to what is going on in high school – and yes, it IS happening. The stories my kids tell me are shocking.
here’s my review of before i fall – does not even come close to being as amazing as yours but you can tell i loved this book
http://www.anovelsource.com/2010/03/book-review-before-i-fall-by-lauren.html
Oh I so need to read your review … even though it terrifies me that you have real live proof about the realities of high school. It rang true to me but I always think “Well, you’ve been out of high school for awhile so maybe you’re off.” I dread the teenage years!
This is a test
I loved the movie Groundhog Day, but was hesitant to read this book because I figured I knew the premise and the probable outcome. But your comments about the authenticity of the book make me want to give it a try.
It is worth reading and not all that similar to Groundhog Day except for the living a day over and over again.
Especially since I have two kids in high school, this sounds like one I shouldn’t miss.
It would probably a good (albeit possibly disturbing) one to read … I’m sure it would get some conversations going too.
I was wondering about this one, so I appreciate your review.
Every review I’ve seen has been positive so far.
based on the same review, I also requested it from the library and it arrived yesterday. I am feeling confident I will like it…
When Jill goes nutso about a book, we all listen!! I know Sandy at You’ve Gotta Read This and Alyce at At Home With Books also read it because of that review. We are all minions of Jill!
I am not a minion!!
…ok, maybe I am
thanks for the review! I’d better start writing down some of your recommendations…
Yes … get right on that! HAHA!
Jenners, the rose giving in school actually does happen, and every year it just breaks my daughter apart. It makes me really mad that they let this kind of thing go on, but I apparently, have no say in the matter. That being said, I think I would love this book and am going to have to check it out. I do really like well crafted YA, but sometimes it’s hard to find. It sounds like this book really hits the mark. Wonderfully thoughtful and interesting review on this one.
Oh My … I can’t imagine how painful it must be for you … and your daughter … to have to experience that rose giving. It seems so wrong to me to have this at such a vulnerable time in life. I’ve not found a lot of YA books that I thought were fantastic but this one was definitely a cut above the others I’ve read.
You already know that I loved this book. I’m glad you really liked it too! She really did get it right (although I was a band geek, so I have no idea what it was like in the popular crowds I did get to see it from afar).
I was a yearbook nerd … but I think we all watched from a distance and knew enough to know she got it right.
I downloaded this for my Kindle before I left for Hawaii but haven’t had a chance to read it yet. After reading your review I can’t wait!
Sounds like you’ll have some interesting vacation reading! Have so much fun!
HEY!!! i just wrote a review for this for tomorrow’s posting! i’m going to link to your review–have to dash and update it before it posts!!! hope you had a nice thanksgiving.
Cool!! It has been a popular book in the book blogging world lately. Can’t wait to read your review!
I tried a Young Adult book recently from a famous trilogy and did not like it much. BUT, having read this review I think I might try this book – although reading it I am sure will terrify me thinking of the teenage years that lie ahead of my daughter
Oh it will scare you alright!! But prepare you too.
And can I guess the trilogy? Was the first book’s initials HG?
I certainly appreciated your review, but I don’t think this book is for me.
My youngest is 21 and I’m still a little shell-shocked from raising three kids! (don’t get me wrong…I love them beyond description, but they wore me out!!) I don’t think I would enjoy the teenage drama. Also…I wasn’t a big fan of Groundhog Day. I don’t know if it was the premise of the movie or just that I’m not much of a Bill Murray fan.
Oh…and it seems like I remember my school doing some kind of “grams” for Valentine’s Day. Maybe Hershey Kiss-grams? That was so many years ago…..
Hershey Kiss grams? I would send myself so many people would think I was popular!!!
And the only way this is anything like the movie Groundhog Day (which I loved by the way) was that she lives the same day over and over and learns from it. Darn … kind of just like the movie. But it is way different in tone. : )
I too can’t believe there is such a day as Cupid Day. How awful for kids that aren’t popular. (like me). Isn’t it amazing what being a mom does to your view on things? Thanks for your review.
It is funny how becoming a mom changes how you view things (and read books). And I would have suffered horribly at Cupid Day. It just seems like such a sadistic thing to do at such an awkward time in life.
Crap. Another book I have to add to the wish list.
Sorry.
I do enjoy YA and don’t get to read them as much as I’d like to. This sounds fantastic, great review
p.s. youre NOT a very very old woman! lol
Thanks for the pep talk … but seriously, reading these YA books, I sometimes feel ANCIENT! : )
I was actually nervous about how you were going to like this book. You were teasing us, you vixen! I loved this book too, very very much. I think it may end up being one of my favorite YA books of the year. I actually had a friend that was very much like Lindsay growing up. It was tough to nail her down…she was a bully but would have your back, yet at times would just suck all the energy out of me. She died recently and suddenly, which really gave me a weird feeling when I was reading this book. And yes, the scary truth is, this is how it is in high school right now. It was with a very heavy heart (and scared heart) that I turned this book over to my nearly 13 year old. She already knows about all this stuff, even though she is yet to be immersed in it. Better that I be here to talk her through it I guess, because it is coming whether I like it or not.
I imagine reading this book and thinking about your friend would stir up some interesting and strange feelings. I think we’ve probably all had a “Lindsay” type in our lives at one point.
And you are so so close to these scary scary years … it seems to me that you have a pretty open relationship with your daughter. I imagine that this book might open up some real avenues of discussion between you two … even though they might freak you out a bit.
I enjoy reading YA books every now and again, but I also always get mortified by how casual it is nowadays, and how much more “experienced” kids are. It truly frightens me — I know I enjoyed my more “sheltered” teen years even in the ’80s!
I’m glad I’m not the only one!!! The stuff that seemed “scandalous” in my day now seems just “run of the mill.” Scary.
And what really worries me is the things that seem scandalous today, will be old news in ten years! I think I might stick with just having dogs and cats!
We had Tag Day, where a boy could ‘tag’ a girl and she would have to wear a costume of his choosing for a day, carry his books, and overall, be his junior high shadow/slave for a day.
In 7th grade, I had to wear a volunteer fireman’s coat – it reeked of smoke, and man, was it hot and heavy – the polar opposite of the typical junior high boy-girl relationship!
This book reminds me of “Choose Your Own Adventure” books, where you would make a decision mid-book, and go to the correct page to see how it all turned out.
It was fun to pick the other options, and see how the ending of the book would change based on that single decision.
It does have a certain similarity to the Choose Your Own Adventure books! Each day, she makes some changes to see if it fixes things and different things happen as a result. It is fun to see her work to “get it right.”
The book sounds wonderful!!
It is!
It sounds like a pretty good book. At the very least it seems thought-provoking. Sometimes there are days when nothing goes right and you would like to re-do it, but I’m not sure if I would want to live it each day for a week. Also, I received Middlesex in the mail and I am really looking forward to reading it! Thanks again.
Glad you got Middlesex .. I think you’ll love it. It is one crazy mash-up of a book!
Yay! I’m glad you liked it. I didn’t think I would like this one before I started it but I ended up loving it!
I so enjoyed seeing how each day was going to go and what approach she was going to try … and how it was all going to turn out.
I have trouble with a lot of YA books, so it is refreshing to read that this one is good. I almost picked it up at my library last week (after reading Sandy’s review) but decided I didn’t have the time to fit it in at the moment. I’ll ensure I pick it up in the New Year
I’m not always the biggest fan of YA books … too often, they leave me a bit cold or “ho hum.” This one was definitely a cut above the others I’ve read.
Those teenage years are painful! I’ll have to see if I can find this book. I think I could relate to the protagonist quite a bit. I’m so scared for my kids. I’m not ready for them to have to deal with being teenagers.
I hear you!! It is such a difficult and confusing time in life. As hard as things get when you’re a a grown-up, I still feel happier and more “in control” now than I ever did then.
I need to read this one soon!
High school is worse now than when we went. Trust me on this.
I do trust you on that … and that is what scares me.
Actually a lot of high schools in fact have Cupid Day, as awful as it sounds. And I thought the clique cruelty was right on. ..which is one reason I’d never want to go back to that age – ugh! But what is totally interesting to me is that you related the book so much to being a mom which therefore caused understandable parental-type angst. And I know it’s awful out there, at younger and younger ages! One of my sisters removed her daughter from school and they even moved so she could go to another because the boys in her class were always talking about having sex with the girls. This was in Montessori when she was six. Very frightening! But Lauren has learned how to deal with it now and even though the world outside the house can be awful, if the world inside the house has good parenting: not to worry! TLO will be a good person, because he has great parents!
I’m aghast that there really are Cupid Days!!! What a nightmare that must be for so many kids.
And your story about your sister’s child is HORRIFYING!!! But I do appreciate your encouragement that a happy and stable home life will help counteract all the bad stuff that is out there. There is a girl who is just a year older than TLO but she seems 5 or 6 years older than him. I truly think it is because her parents are very very permissive (almost “absent” in fact) and she has an older brother. Seeing her with TLO, I do realize how your home life can make you mature before your time. I get sad when I see her sometimes, but I like when she comes over and can “just be a kid” for a few moments.
And I did view this much more through a parent’s eyes than I realized … I guess that is inevitable now!
Thanks for the great suggestion.
I so enjoyed this book too! I found it had a wonderful message in it about friendships and judging others. I am happy to see you likes it as well.
It did have a good message about friendship … and learning to accept your friends with all their faults and good features.
I must admit that spending even a moment of time recollecting those horrible teenage years is not appealing, but as long as it’s not me really having to repeat it…. the book truly does sound good.
I just loved the idea of living the same day over and over again trying to make things right. And yeah … it takes you back to days we’d probably like to forget but at least it isn’t real!
Iam pleased to make your aquaintence. I love finding new book blogs to read.
Glad to meet you too! : )