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mavski's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
hajir's review against another edition
4.0
I think that was brilliant. Or maybe I'm just exaggerating. Anyway, I love books that make me think, and that's exactly what this book did.
It made me think about my friends, my family, and even the random people around me, and what it'd be if one day, I lost everything.
It makes me want to be a better person, academic and personality-wise.
It holds a brilliant message that basically tells you to enjoy everyday, because you'll never know when it'd be your last day.
Yet again, I may just be blowing it out of proportion.
It made me think about my friends, my family, and even the random people around me, and what it'd be if one day, I lost everything.
It makes me want to be a better person, academic and personality-wise.
It holds a brilliant message that basically tells you to enjoy everyday, because you'll never know when it'd be your last day.
Yet again, I may just be blowing it out of proportion.
cjyu's review against another edition
4.0
Well, there is no doubt Lauren Oliver deserves every bit of praise she receives. Before I Fall was deep meaningful story combined with beautiful writing to let us see that truly, to appreciate life, to live things before it's too late, and to make the right choices as much as possible, because that one choice can change everything.
After being swept up in Delirium, Lauren Oliver continues to amaze me with her strong yet beautiful writing, and Before I Fall is definitely a good book for thought. Deep, at the same time, showing us the mistakes we sometimes go through. This book isn't boring- but nor is it like fantasy/paranormal/ dystopian or other types of action novels out there, where the rising action is built to make the climax explode. This was meant to be something thoughtful, something deep, and it's a good book for slow days, when you need to simply relax. This is a four star thing for me-simply because I'm not an extreme contemporary fan, but I'm sure Lauren Oliver will continue to amaze me with her awesomeness.
After being swept up in Delirium, Lauren Oliver continues to amaze me with her strong yet beautiful writing, and Before I Fall is definitely a good book for thought. Deep, at the same time, showing us the mistakes we sometimes go through. This book isn't boring- but nor is it like fantasy/paranormal/ dystopian or other types of action novels out there, where the rising action is built to make the climax explode. This was meant to be something thoughtful, something deep, and it's a good book for slow days, when you need to simply relax. This is a four star thing for me-simply because I'm not an extreme contemporary fan, but I'm sure Lauren Oliver will continue to amaze me with her awesomeness.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
5.0
oh...my...what a beautiful book. an incredible coming-of-age book about a girl who realizes she got it all wrong.
it's an amazing reminder that no one is a nobody ~ and that we are all connected by strings, even if we don't see them or realize it, we are. And that if one of us in that string is hurting, it sends a ripple through them all and effects us all ~ even if we don't even know each other.
and a reminder to be careful with each day, cherish it. You never know when it could be your last.
it's an amazing reminder that no one is a nobody ~ and that we are all connected by strings, even if we don't see them or realize it, we are. And that if one of us in that string is hurting, it sends a ripple through them all and effects us all ~ even if we don't even know each other.
and a reminder to be careful with each day, cherish it. You never know when it could be your last.
krystaaal's review against another edition
4.0
Before I Fall has an interesting premise that caught my attention right away. I’ve always wanted to read it so when my friend found it in my school’s library one day, I took that chance to check it out and ended up reading the book within 3 days. I was hooked!
Ok, so Samantha Kingston and her friends are the people I would absolutely hate in high school. They are like the girls from the movie Mean Girls. We know that they love to party and drink and smoke. Samantha also has the typical dodo-brain boyfriend who was rather annoying through out the whole book. As for the “reliving the same day for 7 days” style, it got pretty repetitive. I felt 7 days was too much because in Sam’s first, second, third, and probably fourth day (I don’t remember), she didn’t make big changes, although she was getting there. Her fifth day I believe was her rebellious reliving day. There was a shocking scene that occurred between her teacher, Mr. Daimler, and she gets to know more about “white trash” Anna Cartullo, like how she admires M. C. Escher and would like to put up a piece of his work in the restroom.
Sam’s friends, especially Lindsay, were quite irritating. I thought Sam’s friends were going to change, but one can only guess if they will change considering the ending of the book. I understood that Sam’s friends were all she had and that they had tons of fun memories together, but she could have at least tried harder in trying to change them to be better people. It felt wrong that Sam began to be good and do good deeds her 6th-7th day and yet her friends were not. I don’t know, I guess it’s just me!
Ok, so Samantha Kingston and her friends are the people I would absolutely hate in high school. They are like the girls from the movie Mean Girls. We know that they love to party and drink and smoke. Samantha also has the typical dodo-brain boyfriend who was rather annoying through out the whole book. As for the “reliving the same day for 7 days” style, it got pretty repetitive. I felt 7 days was too much because in Sam’s first, second, third, and probably fourth day (I don’t remember), she didn’t make big changes, although she was getting there. Her fifth day I believe was her rebellious reliving day. There was a shocking scene that occurred between her teacher, Mr. Daimler, and she gets to know more about “white trash” Anna Cartullo, like how she admires M. C. Escher and would like to put up a piece of his work in the restroom.
Sam’s friends, especially Lindsay, were quite irritating. I thought Sam’s friends were going to change, but one can only guess if they will change considering the ending of the book. I understood that Sam’s friends were all she had and that they had tons of fun memories together, but she could have at least tried harder in trying to change them to be better people. It felt wrong that Sam began to be good and do good deeds her 6th-7th day and yet her friends were not. I don’t know, I guess it’s just me!
michreadsmanybooks's review against another edition
5.0
Every once and a while, as a reader, you have the pleasure of opening up a book that you are able to take so much away from. Before I Fall is one of those books. It will make you look at your own life differently and evaluate it as well. It will make you realize that life really is precious, and that it can change drastically at any given moment. It will make you grateful for all the small little things that you take for granted on a regular basis and often overlook. It will also make you examine your multiple relationships with people and how great of an affect you can have on a human life, even if you don't realize it.
Books like Before I Fall remind me of why I love to read. As a reader, you're able to take away so much from a life that isn't your own, from experiences that are not yours. You can learn and grown in the course of a few hundred pages. This novel is like a journey that's worth every second and that you don't want to end.
I will start off with the characters. I've read a handful of reviews on Before I Fall and many highlighted the fact that they disliked Samantha. Many actually loathed her, especially in the beginning. I never felt this way about Sam. She was just trying to fit in, to belong. She'd lead a fairly simple and egocentric life and didn't really pay much attention to anything else which so many of us are guilty of doing on multiple occasions. I couldn't blame her for wanting to hold onto acceptance after having achieved it. I didn't like the way she behaved at times, a few occurrences even made me cringe, yet it's difficult for me to truly hate a protagonist. There are always two sides to every story and I always do my best to take both of those sides in, to try and understand the character and why they're acting the way they are. I also got the sense that deep down, there was a kindness to Sam that she may not have necessarily always outwardly portrayed. She was flawed which to me, only added to her depth. After all, none of us are perfect and we've all done things we're not proud of.
One of my favourite parts of this novel was the friendship between Sam and her three best friends Lindsay, Ally, and Elody. Each friend was different and brought something interesting and dynamic to the plot and to Sam's life as well. The bond between these four was so authentic and realistic. I don't think I've ever come across a friendship that's been portrayed so honestly and so truthfully. If anything, it reminded me a lot of the friendship I share with my closest friends. The moments where you just laugh for minutes at a time, forgetting what was so funny in the first place, the silly things you say, the inside jokes that make no sense to anyone but you and them, the sad and difficult moments where they're the only ones that can make you feel better. All of this was present in Before I Fall.
Even though Sam's friends weren't always the nicest, and I didn't agree with how they felt and treated others, I still really enjoyed them which I think can largely be attributed to the fact that they brought out the best in one another. Like Sam, Lindsay, Elody, and Ally had their flaws but they also had positive qualities as well. It is impossible to like everything about a person and I feel that's true about characters in novels as well.
The originality of the plot is another aspect I greatly enjoyed. We've seen this whole waking up to the same day premise before (umm Groundhog Day anyone?) but that's where the similarities end. The rest of this novel is authentic and so much fun to read. February twelfth varies so greatly in the novel from one day to another. Sometimes, it made me feel as if I were reading a different novel. I loved the contrasting days a lot and I enjoyed as Sam grew and developed over the course of those days. Best of all, I really had no idea where the story was taking me or how it would end which only made me more eager to read on. The plot also showcased to the reader just how different a day can turn out based on simple choices that we make all the time, most without even realizing it.
In conclusion, I think everyone should read this book. I really could go on for days about the aspects in this novel that I enjoyed. I've highlighted only a few because there were just so many of them present in Before I Fall. It is a truly fantastic read.
Books like Before I Fall remind me of why I love to read. As a reader, you're able to take away so much from a life that isn't your own, from experiences that are not yours. You can learn and grown in the course of a few hundred pages. This novel is like a journey that's worth every second and that you don't want to end.
I will start off with the characters. I've read a handful of reviews on Before I Fall and many highlighted the fact that they disliked Samantha. Many actually loathed her, especially in the beginning. I never felt this way about Sam. She was just trying to fit in, to belong. She'd lead a fairly simple and egocentric life and didn't really pay much attention to anything else which so many of us are guilty of doing on multiple occasions. I couldn't blame her for wanting to hold onto acceptance after having achieved it. I didn't like the way she behaved at times, a few occurrences even made me cringe, yet it's difficult for me to truly hate a protagonist. There are always two sides to every story and I always do my best to take both of those sides in, to try and understand the character and why they're acting the way they are. I also got the sense that deep down, there was a kindness to Sam that she may not have necessarily always outwardly portrayed. She was flawed which to me, only added to her depth. After all, none of us are perfect and we've all done things we're not proud of.
One of my favourite parts of this novel was the friendship between Sam and her three best friends Lindsay, Ally, and Elody. Each friend was different and brought something interesting and dynamic to the plot and to Sam's life as well. The bond between these four was so authentic and realistic. I don't think I've ever come across a friendship that's been portrayed so honestly and so truthfully. If anything, it reminded me a lot of the friendship I share with my closest friends. The moments where you just laugh for minutes at a time, forgetting what was so funny in the first place, the silly things you say, the inside jokes that make no sense to anyone but you and them, the sad and difficult moments where they're the only ones that can make you feel better. All of this was present in Before I Fall.
Even though Sam's friends weren't always the nicest, and I didn't agree with how they felt and treated others, I still really enjoyed them which I think can largely be attributed to the fact that they brought out the best in one another. Like Sam, Lindsay, Elody, and Ally had their flaws but they also had positive qualities as well. It is impossible to like everything about a person and I feel that's true about characters in novels as well.
The originality of the plot is another aspect I greatly enjoyed. We've seen this whole waking up to the same day premise before (umm Groundhog Day anyone?) but that's where the similarities end. The rest of this novel is authentic and so much fun to read. February twelfth varies so greatly in the novel from one day to another. Sometimes, it made me feel as if I were reading a different novel. I loved the contrasting days a lot and I enjoyed as Sam grew and developed over the course of those days. Best of all, I really had no idea where the story was taking me or how it would end which only made me more eager to read on. The plot also showcased to the reader just how different a day can turn out based on simple choices that we make all the time, most without even realizing it.
In conclusion, I think everyone should read this book. I really could go on for days about the aspects in this novel that I enjoyed. I've highlighted only a few because there were just so many of them present in Before I Fall. It is a truly fantastic read.
cristalya's review against another edition
4.0
Nous découvrons Samantha Kingston, surnommée Sam, à son réveil de la Saint-Valentin. La journée se déroule parfaitement jusqu'au moment où tout bascule : elle meurt dans un accident de voiture et elle va comprendre qu'elle va revivre plusieurs fois le dernier jour de sa vie, dans l'espoir de peut-être changer le destin.
L'histoire est découpée selon les différents jours que vit Sam. Chaque jour est le même, celui du 14 février, et certains se ressembleront, tandis que d'autres seront totalement différents. Sam cherche à réparer ce qu'il s'est passé, elle veut à tout prix vivre, et ce, en essayant d'éviter l'accident.
On la suit alors dans ce but premier, au fil de ces jours qu'elle revit. On se demande à chaque fois qu'elle sera son comportement lors de chaque nouvelle journée, ce que cette dernière lui réserve en fonction des choix qu'elle fera. Des questionnements qui nous mène au fil de l'histoire de cette jeune fille.
Au départ, Sam est un personnage plutôt détestable, tout comme ses amies. Elles se moquent et humilient souvent des gens, se comportent comme des pestes, et j'avais vraiment du mal à apprécier les personnages, faisant que je n'accrochais pas au début du roman. Néanmoins, au fil des pages, on découvre plus la personnalité de Sam, et surtout, on suit son évolution par rapport à ce qu'elle vit et comprend. Une évolution importante et touchante dans ce roman, qui nous permet de comprendre de nombreuses choses sur la vie qui nous entourent.
Chaque personnage, plus ou moins attachants le long du récit, ont tous leurs failles et leurs forces, et ce qui permettait à chacun d'être unique et de prendre part à l'intrigue que nous suivions au côté de Sam. Que cela soit Kent, Lindsay, Elody ou encore Ally, on comprend les différents choses qui les construisent, l'importance que certains événements ont sur la construction de notre personnalité, sur ce que nous sommes en grandissant. De même, avec le personnage de Juliet, dont l'on ressent la détresse à chaque instant, on comprend les conséquences parfois dévastatrices de certains de nos actes ou paroles, sans même que nous nous en rendions compte. Juliet est le personnage qui le reflète le plus, mais ce n'est pas la seule à le montrer, l'autrice montre que cela peut arriver pour tous le monde, même pour les personnes que nous soupçonnons le moins d'être victimes des autres.
L'histoire change peu dans la première moitié du roman, il faut attendre la deuxième partie pour enfin sentir les changements arriver. A partir de là, on ne lâche plus le roman, on veut savoir ce que fera Sam, ses pensées, ses chois mais surtout leurs conséquences, qui sont le point essentiel de l'histoire.
Cette dernière nous livre un message et une conclusion touchante et nous fait réfléchir à nos propres vies : que ferions-nous à la place de Sam ? Que voudrions-nous faire de notre dernière journée de vie ? On se pose des questions sur notre propre comportement et sur les conséquences qu'il peut avoir, notamment à travers le personnage de Juliet. Les bonus ajoutés suite à l'adaptation cinématographique du roman nous permettent d'autant plus cette remise en question sur nous-même et sur les autres. La fin m'a particulièrement touchée, les paroles de Sam étaient justes, et à vrai dire, je ne m'y attendais pas. Et pourtant, elle me semble finalement être la seule possible comme conclusion de cette histoire.
En conclusion, après une première partie du roman qui ne m'a pas convaincue, la seconde a su me transporter dans l'évolution du personnage de Sam, que j'ai trouvé touchante et pleine de signification. L'autrice a su retranscrire l'importance de chaque instant et sur nos choix quotidiens, sur notre façon de se comporter avec autrui et sur encore bien d'autres choses. Les personnages, particulièrement Sam, ont su me transmettre leurs émotions, que cela soit la joie, la détresse, le bonheur, le doute. Les dernières pages du roman m'ont particulièrement emportées dans le récit que je ne voulais alors plus lâcher pour découvrir la conclusion du récit. Cette dernière remplie d'émotions a su clore parfaitement l'histoire que nous avons vécu durant quelques instants et nous laisse avec plusieurs réflexions et un message simple mais pas moindre : La vie est importante, et ce dans toutes ces facettes et mérite d'être vécue.
L'histoire est découpée selon les différents jours que vit Sam. Chaque jour est le même, celui du 14 février, et certains se ressembleront, tandis que d'autres seront totalement différents. Sam cherche à réparer ce qu'il s'est passé, elle veut à tout prix vivre, et ce, en essayant d'éviter l'accident.
On la suit alors dans ce but premier, au fil de ces jours qu'elle revit. On se demande à chaque fois qu'elle sera son comportement lors de chaque nouvelle journée, ce que cette dernière lui réserve en fonction des choix qu'elle fera. Des questionnements qui nous mène au fil de l'histoire de cette jeune fille.
Au départ, Sam est un personnage plutôt détestable, tout comme ses amies. Elles se moquent et humilient souvent des gens, se comportent comme des pestes, et j'avais vraiment du mal à apprécier les personnages, faisant que je n'accrochais pas au début du roman. Néanmoins, au fil des pages, on découvre plus la personnalité de Sam, et surtout, on suit son évolution par rapport à ce qu'elle vit et comprend. Une évolution importante et touchante dans ce roman, qui nous permet de comprendre de nombreuses choses sur la vie qui nous entourent.
Chaque personnage, plus ou moins attachants le long du récit, ont tous leurs failles et leurs forces, et ce qui permettait à chacun d'être unique et de prendre part à l'intrigue que nous suivions au côté de Sam. Que cela soit Kent, Lindsay, Elody ou encore Ally, on comprend les différents choses qui les construisent, l'importance que certains événements ont sur la construction de notre personnalité, sur ce que nous sommes en grandissant. De même, avec le personnage de Juliet, dont l'on ressent la détresse à chaque instant, on comprend les conséquences parfois dévastatrices de certains de nos actes ou paroles, sans même que nous nous en rendions compte. Juliet est le personnage qui le reflète le plus, mais ce n'est pas la seule à le montrer, l'autrice montre que cela peut arriver pour tous le monde, même pour les personnes que nous soupçonnons le moins d'être victimes des autres.
L'histoire change peu dans la première moitié du roman, il faut attendre la deuxième partie pour enfin sentir les changements arriver. A partir de là, on ne lâche plus le roman, on veut savoir ce que fera Sam, ses pensées, ses chois mais surtout leurs conséquences, qui sont le point essentiel de l'histoire.
Cette dernière nous livre un message et une conclusion touchante et nous fait réfléchir à nos propres vies : que ferions-nous à la place de Sam ? Que voudrions-nous faire de notre dernière journée de vie ? On se pose des questions sur notre propre comportement et sur les conséquences qu'il peut avoir, notamment à travers le personnage de Juliet. Les bonus ajoutés suite à l'adaptation cinématographique du roman nous permettent d'autant plus cette remise en question sur nous-même et sur les autres. La fin m'a particulièrement touchée, les paroles de Sam étaient justes, et à vrai dire, je ne m'y attendais pas. Et pourtant, elle me semble finalement être la seule possible comme conclusion de cette histoire.
En conclusion, après une première partie du roman qui ne m'a pas convaincue, la seconde a su me transporter dans l'évolution du personnage de Sam, que j'ai trouvé touchante et pleine de signification. L'autrice a su retranscrire l'importance de chaque instant et sur nos choix quotidiens, sur notre façon de se comporter avec autrui et sur encore bien d'autres choses. Les personnages, particulièrement Sam, ont su me transmettre leurs émotions, que cela soit la joie, la détresse, le bonheur, le doute. Les dernières pages du roman m'ont particulièrement emportées dans le récit que je ne voulais alors plus lâcher pour découvrir la conclusion du récit. Cette dernière remplie d'émotions a su clore parfaitement l'histoire que nous avons vécu durant quelques instants et nous laisse avec plusieurs réflexions et un message simple mais pas moindre : La vie est importante, et ce dans toutes ces facettes et mérite d'être vécue.
cristalya's review against another edition
4.0
Nous découvrons Samantha Kingston, surnommée Sam, à son réveil de la Saint-Valentin. La journée se déroule parfaitement jusqu'au moment où tout bascule : elle meurt dans un accident de voiture et elle va comprendre qu'elle va revivre plusieurs fois le dernier jour de sa vie, dans l'espoir de peut-être changer le destin.
L'histoire est découpée selon les différents jours que vit Sam. Chaque jour est le même, celui du 14 février, et certains se ressembleront, tandis que d'autres seront totalement différents. Sam cherche à réparer ce qu'il s'est passé, elle veut à tout prix vivre, et ce, en essayant d'éviter l'accident.
On la suit alors dans ce but premier, au fil de ces jours qu'elle revit. On se demande à chaque fois qu'elle sera son comportement lors de chaque nouvelle journée, ce que cette dernière lui réserve en fonction des choix qu'elle fera. Des questionnements qui nous mène au fil de l'histoire de cette jeune fille.
Au départ, Sam est un personnage plutôt détestable, tout comme ses amies. Elles se moquent et humilient souvent des gens, se comportent comme des pestes, et j'avais vraiment du mal à apprécier les personnages, faisant que je n'accrochais pas au début du roman. Néanmoins, au fil des pages, on découvre plus la personnalité de Sam, et surtout, on suit son évolution par rapport à ce qu'elle vit et comprend. Une évolution importante et touchante dans ce roman, qui nous permet de comprendre de nombreuses choses sur la vie qui nous entourent.
Chaque personnage, plus ou moins attachants le long du récit, ont tous leurs failles et leurs forces, et ce qui permettait à chacun d'être unique et de prendre part à l'intrigue que nous suivions au côté de Sam. Que cela soit Kent, Lindsay, Elody ou encore Ally, on comprend les différents choses qui les construisent, l'importance que certains événements ont sur la construction de notre personnalité, sur ce que nous sommes en grandissant. De même, avec le personnage de Juliet, dont l'on ressent la détresse à chaque instant, on comprend les conséquences parfois dévastatrices de certains de nos actes ou paroles, sans même que nous nous en rendions compte. Juliet est le personnage qui le reflète le plus, mais ce n'est pas la seule à le montrer, l'autrice montre que cela peut arriver pour tous le monde, même pour les personnes que nous soupçonnons le moins d'être victimes des autres.
L'histoire change peu dans la première moitié du roman, il faut attendre la deuxième partie pour enfin sentir les changements arriver. A partir de là, on ne lâche plus le roman, on veut savoir ce que fera Sam, ses pensées, ses chois mais surtout leurs conséquences, qui sont le point essentiel de l'histoire.
Cette dernière nous livre un message et une conclusion touchante et nous fait réfléchir à nos propres vies : que ferions-nous à la place de Sam ? Que voudrions-nous faire de notre dernière journée de vie ? On se pose des questions sur notre propre comportement et sur les conséquences qu'il peut avoir, notamment à travers le personnage de Juliet. Les bonus ajoutés suite à l'adaptation cinématographique du roman nous permettent d'autant plus cette remise en question sur nous-même et sur les autres. La fin m'a particulièrement touchée, les paroles de Sam étaient justes, et à vrai dire, je ne m'y attendais pas. Et pourtant, elle me semble finalement être la seule possible comme conclusion de cette histoire.
En conclusion, après une première partie du roman qui ne m'a pas convaincue, la seconde a su me transporter dans l'évolution du personnage de Sam, que j'ai trouvé touchante et pleine de signification. L'autrice a su retranscrire l'importance de chaque instant et sur nos choix quotidiens, sur notre façon de se comporter avec autrui et sur encore bien d'autres choses. Les personnages, particulièrement Sam, ont su me transmettre leurs émotions, que cela soit la joie, la détresse, le bonheur, le doute. Les dernières pages du roman m'ont particulièrement emportées dans le récit que je ne voulais alors plus lâcher pour découvrir la conclusion du récit. Cette dernière remplie d'émotions a su clore parfaitement l'histoire que nous avons vécu durant quelques instants et nous laisse avec plusieurs réflexions et un message simple mais pas moindre : La vie est importante, et ce dans toutes ces facettes et mérite d'être vécue.
L'histoire est découpée selon les différents jours que vit Sam. Chaque jour est le même, celui du 14 février, et certains se ressembleront, tandis que d'autres seront totalement différents. Sam cherche à réparer ce qu'il s'est passé, elle veut à tout prix vivre, et ce, en essayant d'éviter l'accident.
On la suit alors dans ce but premier, au fil de ces jours qu'elle revit. On se demande à chaque fois qu'elle sera son comportement lors de chaque nouvelle journée, ce que cette dernière lui réserve en fonction des choix qu'elle fera. Des questionnements qui nous mène au fil de l'histoire de cette jeune fille.
Au départ, Sam est un personnage plutôt détestable, tout comme ses amies. Elles se moquent et humilient souvent des gens, se comportent comme des pestes, et j'avais vraiment du mal à apprécier les personnages, faisant que je n'accrochais pas au début du roman. Néanmoins, au fil des pages, on découvre plus la personnalité de Sam, et surtout, on suit son évolution par rapport à ce qu'elle vit et comprend. Une évolution importante et touchante dans ce roman, qui nous permet de comprendre de nombreuses choses sur la vie qui nous entourent.
Chaque personnage, plus ou moins attachants le long du récit, ont tous leurs failles et leurs forces, et ce qui permettait à chacun d'être unique et de prendre part à l'intrigue que nous suivions au côté de Sam. Que cela soit Kent, Lindsay, Elody ou encore Ally, on comprend les différents choses qui les construisent, l'importance que certains événements ont sur la construction de notre personnalité, sur ce que nous sommes en grandissant. De même, avec le personnage de Juliet, dont l'on ressent la détresse à chaque instant, on comprend les conséquences parfois dévastatrices de certains de nos actes ou paroles, sans même que nous nous en rendions compte. Juliet est le personnage qui le reflète le plus, mais ce n'est pas la seule à le montrer, l'autrice montre que cela peut arriver pour tous le monde, même pour les personnes que nous soupçonnons le moins d'être victimes des autres.
L'histoire change peu dans la première moitié du roman, il faut attendre la deuxième partie pour enfin sentir les changements arriver. A partir de là, on ne lâche plus le roman, on veut savoir ce que fera Sam, ses pensées, ses chois mais surtout leurs conséquences, qui sont le point essentiel de l'histoire.
Cette dernière nous livre un message et une conclusion touchante et nous fait réfléchir à nos propres vies : que ferions-nous à la place de Sam ? Que voudrions-nous faire de notre dernière journée de vie ? On se pose des questions sur notre propre comportement et sur les conséquences qu'il peut avoir, notamment à travers le personnage de Juliet. Les bonus ajoutés suite à l'adaptation cinématographique du roman nous permettent d'autant plus cette remise en question sur nous-même et sur les autres. La fin m'a particulièrement touchée, les paroles de Sam étaient justes, et à vrai dire, je ne m'y attendais pas. Et pourtant, elle me semble finalement être la seule possible comme conclusion de cette histoire.
En conclusion, après une première partie du roman qui ne m'a pas convaincue, la seconde a su me transporter dans l'évolution du personnage de Sam, que j'ai trouvé touchante et pleine de signification. L'autrice a su retranscrire l'importance de chaque instant et sur nos choix quotidiens, sur notre façon de se comporter avec autrui et sur encore bien d'autres choses. Les personnages, particulièrement Sam, ont su me transmettre leurs émotions, que cela soit la joie, la détresse, le bonheur, le doute. Les dernières pages du roman m'ont particulièrement emportées dans le récit que je ne voulais alors plus lâcher pour découvrir la conclusion du récit. Cette dernière remplie d'émotions a su clore parfaitement l'histoire que nous avons vécu durant quelques instants et nous laisse avec plusieurs réflexions et un message simple mais pas moindre : La vie est importante, et ce dans toutes ces facettes et mérite d'être vécue.
ayyelle's review against another edition
5.0
I think only Lauren Oliver could do that, what she made me do with the book "Before I Fall". I just had to blog about it right away, I just finished it a few seconds ago. I'm thinking Lauren Oliver is the only author right now who seems to be able to turn something frustrating and irritating into something so heart-wrenchingly amazing.
Sam Kingston, your typical popular girl with 3 popular friends, the Senior Queen Bees of the high school, is every girl's dream and envy. Her and her friends drink, party, argue with their parents, scare off the other students, get away with horrendous things, the works. I admit, I was annoyed with Sam and her friends, Lindsay, Ally and Elody during the first few parts of the book, I kept on thinking "These girls are freaking nasty, I hate them, they're so rude to everyone". But one day, something changes, Sam's ex-bestfriend, Kent, decides to throw a party as his parents are out of time, and seeing at "it's the place to be," Sam and her friends attend, as does the rest of the senior and junior classes. This day, is suppose to be like any other day, aside from the fact that it's "Cupid Day", Sam is worrying about getting enough roses on this Cupid Day they have at school, going on a tangent about how the number of roses you get determine your popularity, and how getting under 10 is upsetting and if you get under 5, you shouldn't even show your face in the hallways (What the heck, seriously??? When I was in high school, even getting one rose was a big deal...). The other thing on Sam's mind is that fact that it's suppose to be "The night" where she and her boyfriend, Rob, are to take it to the next level. She doesn't care about cheating on that Chem quiz she has and sneering at Kent for giving her a rose, because she's a Queen Bee, and doesn't have to worry about it. At this point in the book, I was really irritated, UGH!
But then, something happens, say what you want, but when Sam and her friends get into a car accident when they leave Kent's party, I scoffed. I thought "Hah, damn witches, you deserved that for not paying attention to the road". However, the next page, Sam is waking up to her alarm clock, confused and feeling hungover as she can't remember how she got home after the accident. Mom tells her to get up, to go to school, it's Cupid Day, says mom. What?? Sam checks her phone, and mom is right. Okay, wow, so it was a dream? Sam goes to school, and repeats EVERYTHING, every event from the past day is exactly the same except for a few changes where Sam says something else and the conversations change a bit. And this happens for 7 days.
However, as these repeated days progress, Sam changes, she starts to see life with a new light, she does things she would never have had the nerve to do before and discovers all these little links. She often mentions the butterfly effect. and it seems that way, she sees how one seemingly insignificant action she performed in a different manner can greatly change the outcome of the next event.
In the end, the book left me in tears as Sam makes a drastic decision, I won't say what it is, but I'm not joking about my tears. I ended up loving the book, and I hope you will too!
Sam Kingston, your typical popular girl with 3 popular friends, the Senior Queen Bees of the high school, is every girl's dream and envy. Her and her friends drink, party, argue with their parents, scare off the other students, get away with horrendous things, the works. I admit, I was annoyed with Sam and her friends, Lindsay, Ally and Elody during the first few parts of the book, I kept on thinking "These girls are freaking nasty, I hate them, they're so rude to everyone". But one day, something changes, Sam's ex-bestfriend, Kent, decides to throw a party as his parents are out of time, and seeing at "it's the place to be," Sam and her friends attend, as does the rest of the senior and junior classes. This day, is suppose to be like any other day, aside from the fact that it's "Cupid Day", Sam is worrying about getting enough roses on this Cupid Day they have at school, going on a tangent about how the number of roses you get determine your popularity, and how getting under 10 is upsetting and if you get under 5, you shouldn't even show your face in the hallways (What the heck, seriously??? When I was in high school, even getting one rose was a big deal...). The other thing on Sam's mind is that fact that it's suppose to be "The night" where she and her boyfriend, Rob, are to take it to the next level. She doesn't care about cheating on that Chem quiz she has and sneering at Kent for giving her a rose, because she's a Queen Bee, and doesn't have to worry about it. At this point in the book, I was really irritated, UGH!
But then, something happens, say what you want, but when Sam and her friends get into a car accident when they leave Kent's party, I scoffed. I thought "Hah, damn witches, you deserved that for not paying attention to the road". However, the next page, Sam is waking up to her alarm clock, confused and feeling hungover as she can't remember how she got home after the accident. Mom tells her to get up, to go to school, it's Cupid Day, says mom. What?? Sam checks her phone, and mom is right. Okay, wow, so it was a dream? Sam goes to school, and repeats EVERYTHING, every event from the past day is exactly the same except for a few changes where Sam says something else and the conversations change a bit. And this happens for 7 days.
However, as these repeated days progress, Sam changes, she starts to see life with a new light, she does things she would never have had the nerve to do before and discovers all these little links. She often mentions the butterfly effect. and it seems that way, she sees how one seemingly insignificant action she performed in a different manner can greatly change the outcome of the next event.
In the end, the book left me in tears as Sam makes a drastic decision, I won't say what it is, but I'm not joking about my tears. I ended up loving the book, and I hope you will too!
elisabeth888's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0