A review by cynsworkshop
A Year to the Day by Robin Benway
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
A Year to The Day goes backward to tell the tale of grief and loss, building up to this momentous and emotional moment.
An emotional novel, A Year to The Day tells the story in reverse, following Leo from the anniversary of her sister’s death to the moment of the accident.
Compelling Storytelling
I love the way this story played out. The way A Year to the Day moves backward is unique, unlike anything I’ve ever read.
The story starts on the one-year anniversary of Nina’s death, Leo’s older sister. She is at the wake with East and her mother, and once she gives her mother Nina’s phone after keeping it to herself, we begin the journey back in time toward the accident.
The way the story came alive gave a different outlook on grief while also feeling cinematic. It was like one of the scenes in a movie where the character thinks about redoing something, and you’re watching it play backward. But instead of it being a silent scene, we’re seeing the emotional toll Nina’s death took on Leo.
There is an emotional connection formed between the reader and the story. Grief has no end, and that is the point of the story. She feels her loss as much at the end as she does at the beginning, a year later.
What she has found, however, is a way to live on despite not remembering the events of the accident.
Leo constantly struggles to remember the night of the accident, and East, her sister’s boyfriend, can only tell her about the night’s events. Yet he refuses.
And when we learn why, I can say my heart broke a little.
I will say the relationship between East and Leo was a little confusing. There were times early on when their friendship seemed more romantic, even as we approach the accident. Clearly, these two characters have a bond formed from their love for Nina and the night of the accident.
The story starts on the one-year anniversary of Nina’s death, Leo’s older sister. She is at the wake with East and her mother, and once she gives her mother Nina’s phone after keeping it to herself, we begin the journey back in time toward the accident.
The way the story came alive gave a different outlook on grief while also feeling cinematic. It was like one of the scenes in a movie where the character thinks about redoing something, and you’re watching it play backward. But instead of it being a silent scene, we’re seeing the emotional toll Nina’s death took on Leo.
There is an emotional connection formed between the reader and the story. Grief has no end, and that is the point of the story. She feels her loss as much at the end as she does at the beginning, a year later.
What she has found, however, is a way to live on despite not remembering the events of the accident.
Leo constantly struggles to remember the night of the accident, and East, her sister’s boyfriend, can only tell her about the night’s events. Yet he refuses.
And when we learn why, I can say my heart broke a little.
I will say the relationship between East and Leo was a little confusing. There were times early on when their friendship seemed more romantic, even as we approach the accident. Clearly, these two characters have a bond formed from their love for Nina and the night of the accident.
Final Thoughts
A Year to The Day is a thoughtful, emotional, and unique novel that moves backward, making it worth the read.