How to Save a Life

I bought How to Save a Life on impulse, and I immediately regretted it. I hadn’t been a big fan of the other Zarr novel I read, Sweethearts, and I’m not in the habit of buying books from authors I don’t have a good track record with. And after spending the money, I put this away on my shelf and pretended I’d forgotten about it for a few weeks. And really, I only picked this up at the urging of people on Twitter. To make a long story short, I was a very reluctant reader.

How to Save a Life is narrated in first person from two very different girls’ perspectives. Upper middle-class Jill is angry and depressed after her dad’s death in a car accident. Really, she wasn’t particularly likable for most of the first two thirds—unlikable in a very Courtney Summers-esque style. Jill’s narration, for me, was reminiscent of Fall for Anything in many ways. On the other hand, there was Mandy, pregnant and on her own, trying to do the right thing and make a life for herself. When Jill’s mother gets it into her head that she’s going to adopt Mandy’s baby, the two girls’ lives intersect, and standoffish dislike becomes genuine friendship, maybe something more.

In my past experience with Sara Zarr, I was disappointed by the awkwardness of her characterization. I felt that Sweethearts devoted too much time on mastering a specific style of storytelling and forgot to develop the backbone of the novel. I didn’t find that to be a problem in How to Save a Life. Between the two girls and their private issues and public interaction, I forged a real emotional connection. The story was simple and unassuming, and Zarr’s prose didn’t try so hard to be edgy. As a result, it was easier for me to handle to book as a whole, even when I wanted to wring Jill’s neck for being so…herself.

I also appreciated the way Zarr dealt with real life issues in this book. Things like teen pregnancy, sexual abuse, grief, infidelity—those are big topics to tackle. But the author presented them in an understated way that was really down-to-earth and subtle. As a fan of realistic fiction, I’m more used to those issues being presented very loudly and showily, so this was a change for me. For instance, Mandy’s sexual abuse was mentioned once or twice, and though it was a part of her, it wasn’t a big part. For me there’s no right or wrong way to write realistic fiction, but Zarr’s approach wasn’t the typical method, I don’t think.

In terms of romance, there was a love triangle that I could have done without. Romance was hardly a huge topic in this book and I really appreciated that, but why the love triangle? I think it would have been okay to show Jill’s difficulties with her boyfriend Dylan without adding the external conflict of another love interest into the mix. Personal opinion, of course.

I will say that the conclusion to How to Save a Life was really, really obvious, and that perhaps it was lacking in emotional impact because I already knew what was going to happen. I think the intent was for the reader to get swept off in the wave of Mandy and Jill’s developing relationship, but my feet stayed firmly planted on the beach. However, there’s no denying that it was a strong, powerful conclusion that sent all the right messages and satisfied me immensely.

All in all, How to Save a Life is most definitely a book to pick up (especially for fans of Courtney Summers). I think that in this, her newest novel, Sara Zarr has gotten a better hold of her craft and has a firmer knowledge of how to construct a story. I found this book to be authentic and true, dealing with tough issues in a subtle way that made them seem all the more real.

How to Save a Life was an amazing novel about life and death. I love how this book doesn't have any paranormal things, its very realistic, and could possibly happen to anyone, this made the book more stunning. This book seems so real, and it captured my heart.

I enjoyed the writing style because you could see what was happening in both Jill's and Mandy's eyes. I liked the idea of the different fonts for different people, but that reminded me to much of The Knife of Never Letting Go, and I got a bit emotional over that (because that book is soooo good, and amazing). I loved how you got a feel for what was happening on two sides of the same story. If it was just in one persons view, it would be a lot harder to piece together what was happening in the story, and what the other characters were feeling, as the book two people to tell it.

How to Save a Life is a touching novel, that touched me, and I believe that it will touch anyone who reads this. This book is simply amazing, all parts of it are perfect. But you have to read it to believe it!

Sara Zarr is one of my favorite YA authors. She doesn't implore the use of paranormal or fantasy in her writing - just good ol' fashioned story telling. Stories that appeal youth and adults alike. I met her four years ago when she was doing a book tour for Sweethearts, her second novel and it was fascinating to hear her read from the text. A real live author in the high school where I teach reading aloud to teens hanging on her every word.

I enjoy her writing so much, I've even emailed her since the meeting - something I've never done before with an author - to share with her how her books have touched my life. She replied! It felt like a real conversation. Her books are stories I think of fondly all the time and ones I know I'll read again. She is the author of four novels: Story of a Girl, Sweethearts, Once was Lost and now, How to Save a Life. I loved her first three novels, so I knew I would love the latest publication.

And I did.

Sara Zarr's latest book How to Save a Life does not disappoint. This touching YA novel shows the depth of caring and love through a family experiencing a great loss. Robin, after losing her husband suddenly has decided a new baby is just what the family needs. She and "Mac" had always talked about adopting and fostering but just never got around to it. Jill, her daughter, is completely against the idea. Since her father's death, Jill has adopted a "rebel without a cause" attitude towards life. It's mostly just a ploy to cover up the immense hurt she feels from losing a parent at such a young age. Her high school graduation is fast approaching, and who she was before and after her father's death are complete strangers to one another. She's managed to isolate herself from her friends and her first love boyfriend is in an on-again-off-again status, it really just depends on the day of the week. And now - now her mom wants a new baby? Jill could not be more pleased (a sarcastic line I feel her character would think apropos).

But her mom is convinced it's what the family needs.

Enter Mandy. A young girl that's found herself in a family way before her time. Mandy has only had one love, Christopher. She's saw him once, at a Fair, and they sneaked off to the corn fields. It sounds horrible - the idea that she jumped right into the veggie stalks with this guy, but when you read the way Zarr writes this true love moment in time, your heart bleeds for Mandy. When learning she is pregnant, she panics because she doesn't know who the father is. Still sounds like you'd think poorly of her - you're wrong again. Mandy's mother is "that mom". A mom that has a string of boyfriends and the next one is going to be the one that gets them out of their situation, which of course he never is. The latest love conquest, Kent, is more interested in Mandy that her mother. Let your imagination run wild.

But, despite her poor upbringing, Mandy is not a dumb blonde - an idea her mother would prefer her to be. She decides she wants her baby to have a better life than she does and she knows one thing for certain, she never wants the baby around Kent and her mother. She goes onto an open adoption website and Robin is there - it's Kismet. Things aren't perfect and there are some bumps in the road, but in the end How to Save a Life does just that.

Zarr's use of language and writing style is what makes this story so appealing. I found myself nodding along with lines of text, quotes like, "It’s the quiet kind of crying that can go for hours, when over and over again you try to stop, try to tell yourself it’s going to be okay, but another part of yourself can’t stop thinking about the thing that’s breaking your heart." Reader's will find themselves immersed in sympathy and empathy for the characters she creates.

I don't know what's next on her writing plate, but I hope for something soon. If you'd like to check out more about Sara Zarr, visit her website at www.sarazarr.com.

First Impressions: From time to time, I like to take on a book that has a heart-wrenching story line like this one. It reminds me that every day shouldn’t be taken for granted. It is also nice to read a story that doesn’t involve the paranormal and stays true to real life. I really liked the premise of this book. It reminded me a bit like Juno, which I absolutely fell in love with. I was excited to read a book by this author since I’ve never read any of her other books before this one.

First 50 Pages: Have you ever read a story that you felt completely absorbed in? As soon as I started to read this book I felt like everything else around me was no longer there. It made me forget anything and everything except for what I was reading on the page. I was completely immersed into this story. It’s hard to even describe just how much I was sucked into the world and the writing. How to Save a Life is one of those life-changing stories. It stays with you long after you have finished reading it. I’m not sure if I can give this book a review that will do it justice. It’s just that good!

Style of Writing: I want to focus on Sara Zarr’s style of writing for a moment. She has a unique quality of heaviness and emotion. She puts an immense amount of feeling into her writing that you can’t find in too many Young Adult novels lately. Her words make her characters uncharacteristically human-like. They could walk right off the page and be human, that is how real she makes everything feel. Everyone can relate to this story, even if you have never experienced what her characters have gone through for yourself, which I never have and I hope nobody else ever has to. I love author’s who can deal with the heavier issues of life. Not every writer can or is will to try. Sara Zarr is a darn good author!

Characters: The story follows Jill and Mandy with inter-loping POV’s. These are unforgettable characters with a great supporting cast. Like the synopsis states, Jill is still grieving for her father and her mother is, I guess, trying to fill in the huge gap he had left behind by adopting a new baby. Jill is memorable character because she is completely mean, rude, and basically a huge jerk. I can honestly think of a better word to call her, but I’ll try to be nice. Jill on the other hand, is not as nice as I am. She has her own excuses for the way that she acts, but honestly, there was no good reason for her to act the way she did in the story.

Mandy is unpleasant. That is best I can describe her. She made me feel like she was hiding something and she came across as being very manipulative. It’s hard to say much about Mandy without giving away too many spoilers. Let’s just say, there is more than meets the eye with this particular character.

Final Thoughts: I was blown away by this novel! I really need to go back and read more from this author and I can’t wait to read whatever she comes out with next. The ending was predictable, but that doesn’t even matter with this story. Sara did an outstanding job pulling the story off just right with her incredible characters and her unusually talented writing skills. I definitely would recommend picking this one up the next time you are looking for an emotional read!

How to Save a Life is an emotional, character driven novel, that I found myself very much enjoying.
The two main characters, Jill and Mandy are very different, from their backgrounds, their views on life, and their attitudes toward life. This book smashes them together under the weirdest of circumstances, and I slowly learned more about them and why they act the way they do. Ms. Zarr did a wonderful job making their voices distinct, and unlike some books with dual perspective, I had no problems switching from one to another and keeping the characters individual.
I could identify pieces of myself in both characters, but I didn't fully relate with one or the other. Meaning that I didn't understand some of their trains of thought like I might if I just fully connected/related with one character. (Reading this it sounds like a negative thing, but its not... none of it is in the writing or characterization, I think that Ms. Zarr did a terrific job, I'm just trying to convey that I'm different from the characters--hope that makes sense.) I admire the strength in Mandy, and the self-realization and the courage in Jill--even if it's a very hard road for her and those around her as she comes back into herself.
This is a very neat take on teen pregnancy, adoption, and even has an interesting love triangle twist. I was very surprised at how some things turned out, happy at others, even if I did expect it, and left wanting to know more about the characters and what happens next even after the last page... And I say that in a good way, I was attached to them, and did not want to let them go! I think that the plot lines were well tied up and I was satisfied with the ending, I just wanted to know more if that makes sense.