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funrun

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    Kelly's Reading '09

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted · Edited by Janet
    Fixed broken quote

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    Before I Die by Jenny Downham

     

    No. of pages: 346

    Rating: 4/5

     

    Synopsis: With only months left to live, 16-year-old Tessa makes a list of things she must experience: sex, petty crime, fame, drugs and true love. Downham's wrenching work features a girl desperate for a few thrilling moments before leukemia takes her away. Although Tessa remains ardently committed to her list, both she and the reader find comfort in the quiet resonance of the natural world. Although Tessa begins to see herself within the natural continuum, she still feels furious with her lot.

     

    Review: I expected this book to be very sad from start to finish, full of Tessa dying slowly, and whilst in a way that was true, it was also about living. The writing brings through the emotion of every situation, and you can feel the pain of her family, especially that of her dad as he tries to protect her. Her list of things to complete before she dies changes frequently, but each thing is deeply important to her. Even though I knew what was coming at the end, it was still sad and deeply moving and I have to admit, I did shed a tear or two.[/QUOTe]

     

     

    I loved this book enjoyed it:D

    Nightwish's Reading List 2009

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

     

     

    Synopsis from Waterstones:



    Sterling is a small, ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens -- until a student enters the local high school with an arsenal of guns and starts shooting, changing the lives of everyone inside and out. The daughter of the judge sitting on the case is the state's best witness -- but she can't remember what happened in front of her own eyes. Or can she?

     

    My Thoughts:



    Peter Houghton is a 17 year old boy that has been bullied all his life. On his very first day at kindergarten other boys threw his lunchbox out of the bus window, which ended up happening on a daily basis. Jump ahead several years later and the same boys are still bullying and humiliating him on a daily basis, that one day Peter walks into his school with guns and kills ten people.

    I am a huge fan of Jodi Picoult and this book did not disappoint. She has the power to fill you with such raw emotions and question what you would do in such dilemmas. I like the structure of the book as the alternating narratives between past and present adds depth to the story. This is the key to producing powerful emotions as at first you don't know each characters history and you find you have made up your mind based on what is happening on the present, but as the story jumps to the past and you see each event unfold you start to get a better understanding and begin to empathise with the characters, finding yourself changing your mind about each one. I changed my mind on a number of character such as Peter, Josie and Matt, but I found I did more with

    Matt as at first I felt more sorry for Josie when he got shot as they were going out, but the more I read into his past the more I changed my mind and found him to be a selfish person who would constantly emotionally blackmail Josie, such as when he was going to kill himself, he would abuse her both mentally and physically, even going to the extent of what I personally saw as rape.



    The problem I find with books by Jodi Picoult is that she is always putting in a twist at the end which I never expect, so throughout this book I was reading every event thoroughly, and found I was right in my guessed on certain events that happened that I was worried that I was going to guess the final twist. No need to worry as Picoult is a fantastic writer and I did not expect that

    it was Josie that shot Matt! :D



    Personally I found this book to be a fantastic read and would recommend this to any Jodi Picoult fans!

     

     

    Rating: 9/10

    I enjoyed this book it was good I just thought it was a bit long

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