Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Jillian R

Review: It is not often that books take the route of having a 'mean girl' as the protagonist, instead of the typical outsider from the outside looking in. For this YA debut novel from Lauren Oliver, I thought it worked perfectly.
Before I Fall is indeed a story about a girl who dies and gets a second chance. However, it truly is so much more than that.
Yes,
the plot was original and the characters were real. The pace is fast
and the flow of words are effortless, making this 500 page novel seem
like 50 instead. Truth be told though, this book is not just about
those anymore. For me, the main purpose of this book are the messages
that it sends to its readers. They are simple really, but often times,
the simplest things are the ones that are most important -- and ignored.
Before I Fall also proves
that even the smallest of things -- good or bad -- can change
everything and make the most difference. It can either be a small
change in our everyday lifestyle or a simple act of kindness towards
others.

The main character, Samantha Kingston, speaks for
everyone of us, which I think makes her the perfect protagonist. She is
perfectly flawed. After all, she is a mean girl. Snobbish, snotty, "bitchy," selfish,
arrogant. What's there to like? But as we read on and get to know her
more, we realize the harsh truth; sometimes, we act like her too. We can be mean, selfish, and arrogant, sometimes even without knowing it.
The best thing I got from this book though, is realizing that there is still
time to change for the better, unlike Samantha, who simply ran out of
it. What can we do? We can start with the simple things. Do or say
something nice to someone today; a genuine compliment, a real apology
-- anything. We have no idea how this might change someone's way of
thinking, and how these little acts of kindness can truly heal.

This
is why I give this book 5 stars. Like I said, the writing, pace, plot
development, and character development are all perfect. But I think
aside from those, the main reason why this novel is getting so much
praise is because it has done something unique and special -- becomes
more than just pages of writing. Before I Fall teaches
us real life lessons, makes us ponder on what truly matters in life,
and has the ability to possibly change something in us for the better.
How could I not give it 5 stars??
I will not talk about the ending
or anything specific that happens in the book, as I feel as if any
information I say might spoil it, but I will say, this is one of those
books I highly recommend.; original, haunting, inspiring, and
thought-provoking. Hopefully, you'll not only be entertained by reading
it, but find it meaningful long after you finish it -- because that's
exactly what happened to me.