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megray1126's review against another edition
5.0
I feel like Before I Go accurately portrayed the feelings of a young 20-something struggle with the knowledge that she has 6 months to live. I can only imagine the frustrations one would feel knowing that they wouldn't get to have their dream job, or live a long life with their husband. In Before I Go, Daisy goes through all the stages of grief while slowly distancing herself from the people she loves the most. Seeing what the cancer is doing to their relationship is painful and frustrating. If she would just speak her mind!! The story seems realistic, which makes it all the more upsetting. However, I would definitely recommend it, especially if you like to cry. It held my interest all the way until the end!
booksmy's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. This started off as a 4 star - it kept my interest, moved quickly and I read it in a day. The story is of a young woman, dying of cancer and facing this reality. But how do two grad students with no apparent means of support afford school, and a house, and the organic kale that is mentioned over and over? Not to mention medical expenses. She gets sick and immediately goes straight in for surgery, treatment, etc without one thought about insurance, costs,etc?
A sweet story, marked down for the unrealistic financial situation.
A sweet story, marked down for the unrealistic financial situation.
elifkurumahmut's review against another edition
3.0
Bu kitabı okurken salya sümük ağlayacağımı, hayata küseceğimi falan sanıyordum ama... Konusunun güzel olup bu kadar vasat anlatılması... Kelimelerim yetersiz kaldı. Bu kitap neden beni etkilemedi ya?
rouselle's review against another edition
4.0
Like a cruel twist of fate, on the eve of what should have been her third year of being cancer-free, twenty-seven-year-old Daisy Richmond finds out that her cancer is back, and there’s lots of it. It’s not good. The cancer has spread to different parts of her body in a very rapid and aggressive manner. Doctors break the news that her stage four cancer will give her about four months. But the clinical trial can give her more, if she agrees to participate.
Having cancer, or dying of cancer, does not terrify Daisy anymore. She did everything to make sure the cancer did not come back, but still it did, so surely this must be her life’s course. It’s out of her hands now. What truly haunts her every waking moment is the thought of leaving her husband Jack behind.
Who will make sure that he’s eating right, that his dirty socks don’t pile up by the foot of the bed, that he gets the windows caulked, and that he doesn’t lose his keys? Who will hold his hand, kiss his face, and keep his bed warm? Who will make sure that he will finish his doctorate and graduate on time? These are the thoughts that keep Daisy awake at night and sick to her stomach. She cannot leave her kind and brilliant husband to his own devices. Jack will come apart at the seams when she’s gone. Daisy’s certain of it. And that’s the last thing she wants to happen.
It’s time to find him a new wife.
Daisy’s search for the perfect new wife will leave you feeling conflicted. At first, I thought it would be a cheesy drama with lots of hysterical tears in the end. There were tears, yes, but they were both happy and sad tears. Colleen Oakley’s “Before I Go” succeeded in striking a balance between heartbreak and hope, and joy and sadness. I didn’t bawl my eyes out, but I felt like there was something lodged in my throat most of the time, and I was blinking away hot tears before anybody could notice. It’s not your first choice of a book to read because of its gloomy subject, but the author had written the story in a way that is light, funny, and heartbreakingly real. More than the cancer, it focused on how this disease eats away at relationships, and how this disease can also bring people together. I loved that the book didn’t feel like a death sentence, but more of a bittersweet, melancholic, and thoughtful journey of a young and courageous woman, and it felt just right.
Having cancer, or dying of cancer, does not terrify Daisy anymore. She did everything to make sure the cancer did not come back, but still it did, so surely this must be her life’s course. It’s out of her hands now. What truly haunts her every waking moment is the thought of leaving her husband Jack behind.
Who will make sure that he’s eating right, that his dirty socks don’t pile up by the foot of the bed, that he gets the windows caulked, and that he doesn’t lose his keys? Who will hold his hand, kiss his face, and keep his bed warm? Who will make sure that he will finish his doctorate and graduate on time? These are the thoughts that keep Daisy awake at night and sick to her stomach. She cannot leave her kind and brilliant husband to his own devices. Jack will come apart at the seams when she’s gone. Daisy’s certain of it. And that’s the last thing she wants to happen.
It’s time to find him a new wife.
Daisy’s search for the perfect new wife will leave you feeling conflicted. At first, I thought it would be a cheesy drama with lots of hysterical tears in the end. There were tears, yes, but they were both happy and sad tears. Colleen Oakley’s “Before I Go” succeeded in striking a balance between heartbreak and hope, and joy and sadness. I didn’t bawl my eyes out, but I felt like there was something lodged in my throat most of the time, and I was blinking away hot tears before anybody could notice. It’s not your first choice of a book to read because of its gloomy subject, but the author had written the story in a way that is light, funny, and heartbreakingly real. More than the cancer, it focused on how this disease eats away at relationships, and how this disease can also bring people together. I loved that the book didn’t feel like a death sentence, but more of a bittersweet, melancholic, and thoughtful journey of a young and courageous woman, and it felt just right.
acraftyescape's review against another edition
5.0
This was a sad book but I loved the end. It made me think about things that perhaps I'm not ready to consider. The writing was ok but the five stars go to the story.
nightstand_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Touching story about a twenty-seven year old married student who finds her breast cancer has returned with a vengeance. Colleen Oakley reminds us to enjoy the moment, stop our busy lives and just live!!
sunset8305's review against another edition
3.0
I’m continuing my sojourn through Colleen Oakley’s books here. I found this just alright with a predictable storyline. I like to think it was a nice start for this author, whose writing has clearly improved with her more recent works
twisty's review against another edition
I saw this book on multiple mystery list and added its mind. I found the writing pretty mundane and basic. It was all the tropes and things you would expect from the cancer story. I stopped reading when the plot became about. finding her husband, a new wife, instead of reflecting on all of the life. This young woman is now missing . I found this new element gross and not a character I would want to continue reading about.
claudiabelcin's review against another edition
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This is a story about Daisy, with a diploma in psychology, married to Jack, a vet student. At 27, Daisy is cancer free for almost 4 years, but before her 4 year cancer free anniversary she finds out her cancer is back and it metastasized pretty much everywhere important (she's got "LOTS OF CANCER") and she's got months to live. So, very worried about her husband not being able to survive without her, because he lacks basic skills like cooking and omelette or making cereal without making a huge mess, she decides to go find him a new mom...I mean wife.
My thoughts at 20%:
I disliked the beginning when Daisy describes her relationship with Jack, trying to convince herself they were couple goals, telepathic and perfect for each other when more often than not Jack was absent, lazy and gaslighting her into doing chores because she's "better at this than him".
Maybe for other people Jack seems cute in his clumsiness, but I find him ignorant and I can't wrap my head around how he manages to make Daisy happy. As you can see, I don't like this guy, I hope this changes and I'll find the book more bearable.
My thoughts at 30%:
Daisy is depressed but keeps wanting to mother her boyfriend who eats cereal for dinner and she's so sad for him. Him making cereal also means that the kitchen is a complete mess. Bleah
Here a quote that pretty much sums up this whole book:
"If I die, who's going to pick up the socks?
If I die, who's going to scratch the itch just beneath Jack's shoulder blade?
When I die, who's going to caulk the windows and call the contractors and sweep the floors and pack the lunches and find the jeans and load the dishwasher and go to the store and make the bed and make sure that Jack doesn't eat goddamned cereal for every goddamned meal?
I bolt upright in bed, my ears ringing now with flat-out terror.
I have Lots of Cancer. I'm going to die. And then-then-what is going to happen to Jack?"
My thoughts at 40%:
Now I get why Daisy is acting so motherly towards Jack and it helps me connect a bit with her.
My thoughts at 60%:
If feels to me like Daisy and Jack are more roommates than married and in love; Jack seems to tolerate Daisy but he doesn't try hard enough to get as involved in her life as she's involved in his.
Jack managed to redeem himself a bit in the end, but I still didn't enjoy the book. I couldn't connect with the story or characters, I mostly felt annoyed with everything going on. The main idea of the book has potential, but in order for your husband to need a new wife he probably needs a good reason for that to happen, not simply because he's completely lazy and spoiled, my humble opinion. So you have 2 options here: you either focus on how useless this husband of hers is and you kinda hate the whole book, or you focus on how out of love for her husband and in the face of death, Daisy spends her last living days on earth trying to find him a new wife and maybe you could enjoy the book. Thank God she'd charged her mind about the new wife in the end.
I'd personally choose to spend my last days "on the Amalfi Coast and stuff my face with loads of authentic Italian pasta and wine".
My thoughts at 20%:
I disliked the beginning when Daisy describes her relationship with Jack, trying to convince herself they were couple goals, telepathic and perfect for each other when more often than not Jack was absent, lazy and gaslighting her into doing chores because she's "better at this than him".
Maybe for other people Jack seems cute in his clumsiness, but I find him ignorant and I can't wrap my head around how he manages to make Daisy happy. As you can see, I don't like this guy, I hope this changes and I'll find the book more bearable.
My thoughts at 30%:
Daisy is depressed but keeps wanting to mother her boyfriend who eats cereal for dinner and she's so sad for him. Him making cereal also means that the kitchen is a complete mess. Bleah
Here a quote that pretty much sums up this whole book:
"If I die, who's going to pick up the socks?
If I die, who's going to scratch the itch just beneath Jack's shoulder blade?
When I die, who's going to caulk the windows and call the contractors and sweep the floors and pack the lunches and find the jeans and load the dishwasher and go to the store and make the bed and make sure that Jack doesn't eat goddamned cereal for every goddamned meal?
I bolt upright in bed, my ears ringing now with flat-out terror.
I have Lots of Cancer. I'm going to die. And then-then-what is going to happen to Jack?"
My thoughts at 40%:
Now I get why Daisy is acting so motherly towards Jack and it helps me connect a bit with her.
My thoughts at 60%:
If feels to me like Daisy and Jack are more roommates than married and in love; Jack seems to tolerate Daisy but he doesn't try hard enough to get as involved in her life as she's involved in his.
Jack managed to redeem himself a bit in the end, but I still didn't enjoy the book. I couldn't connect with the story or characters, I mostly felt annoyed with everything going on. The main idea of the book has potential, but in order for your husband to need a new wife he probably needs a good reason for that to happen, not simply because he's completely lazy and spoiled, my humble opinion. So you have 2 options here: you either focus on how useless this husband of hers is and you kinda hate the whole book, or you focus on how out of love for her husband and in the face of death, Daisy spends her last living days on earth trying to find him a new wife and maybe you could enjoy the book. Thank God she'd charged her mind about the new wife in the end.
I'd personally choose to spend my last days "on the Amalfi Coast and stuff my face with loads of authentic Italian pasta and wine".