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mbrandmaier's review
4.0
Very very sad. A smart girl with cystic fibrosis applies to MIT. I kept thinking of a really nice girl I worked with one summer many years ago who had it and wondering if she is still alive.
mckinlay's review
3.0
apparently when i checked this out from the library i was thinking: hey, i haven't had a good cry in a while! i'm gonna check out a book about a girl with cystic fibrosis. that should do it! i lost a friend to CF a few years back so i cried a lot throughout the book but mostly at the end. my main issue with this book is the author never explains what cystic fibrosis IS. i know what it is, obviously, but i'm guessing his core audience doesn't. so that's why i only gave it 3 stars.
ckausch's review
3.0
Brianna is very aware that her time in this world is quickly running out, especially after watching her friend, Molly, die from CF. As everyone around her can focus on nothing but getting in to college, she can’t help but wonder if it is worth her effort to apply if she might not be alive in a year. I liked the character of Brianna. I liked that she could allow herself to enjoy being a teenager, but was never shallow and silly about her time in this life and was realistic about her illness. I really appreciated that she did not cling to the stereotypical teen dreams of attending prom or dating the perfect guy. Not every teenager has those types of goals and I love seeing one of those represented at such a serious point in life.
Brianna is aware of the social hierarchy in high school and the importance of appearances, but that does not stop her from embracing her love of math. At times, math is actually what can help her cope; figuring out equations in her head centers her. She develops a friendship with her math teacher, Mr. Eccles, who helps her begin to understand the importance of every number/being, no matter how small, or short their life might be. I really liked the way Halpin ties life and math together in this novel. I was never a math whiz, and I wish I had a teacher like Mr. Eccles who might have given me a different approach to math in my head. Mr. Eccles is also who helps Brianna see a reason to hope to go to college.
The other characters in the novel are less developed, but this was not much of an issue to me as they exist to support Brianna, not provide side stories or anything. I did enjoy the plot of the book, the way Brianna juggles a wide variety of issues – break-ups, divorce, college applications, while facing the knowledge that her body can only take so more. I especially appreciated the fact that I did not know where the book would end. There were several potential ending I felt were being set up by Halpin, and I always enjoy it more when I cannot exactly predict how a book will conclude. That being said, I never found myself completely absorbed into the novel.
If you liked this novel, I would also recommend Frank Deford’s Alex: The Life of a Child, a true story.
Brianna is aware of the social hierarchy in high school and the importance of appearances, but that does not stop her from embracing her love of math. At times, math is actually what can help her cope; figuring out equations in her head centers her. She develops a friendship with her math teacher, Mr. Eccles, who helps her begin to understand the importance of every number/being, no matter how small, or short their life might be. I really liked the way Halpin ties life and math together in this novel. I was never a math whiz, and I wish I had a teacher like Mr. Eccles who might have given me a different approach to math in my head. Mr. Eccles is also who helps Brianna see a reason to hope to go to college.
The other characters in the novel are less developed, but this was not much of an issue to me as they exist to support Brianna, not provide side stories or anything. I did enjoy the plot of the book, the way Brianna juggles a wide variety of issues – break-ups, divorce, college applications, while facing the knowledge that her body can only take so more. I especially appreciated the fact that I did not know where the book would end. There were several potential ending I felt were being set up by Halpin, and I always enjoy it more when I cannot exactly predict how a book will conclude. That being said, I never found myself completely absorbed into the novel.
If you liked this novel, I would also recommend Frank Deford’s Alex: The Life of a Child, a true story.
emadlma's review
2.0
As I was reading this, I thought it was an ARC due to the number of typos and errors, but I realized at the end that this was a published copy available on Amazon. The content of the story would earn 3 stars, but I had to take away a star for failing to spell check or fix these errors.
This book reminded me of The Fault in Our Stars so many times I had to compare publication dates and discovered this was published first. I have to wonder if John Green stole the idea of infinitesimals from this novel.
SPOILER ALERT
As I started reading the book, I was annoyed by the use of the third person limited narrator. I felt like the story could be told much better in first person from Brianna. This was my first clue that the author planned to kill off the main character in the end. I felt like her death was contrary to her realization that she wanted to go to college and have a future in the middle of the book. It seemed like she would have wanted to fight more for her future and not just ignore the sickness and give up everything.
I applaud the author for touching on the topic of someone with CF but I feel like he left the readers with little hope. I have friends with CF who have lived into their 30's and 40's and have had children and families. I feel like it makes the lifespan of someone with CF seem fairly bleak if two of three characters in the book die during senior year.
This book reminded me of The Fault in Our Stars so many times I had to compare publication dates and discovered this was published first. I have to wonder if John Green stole the idea of infinitesimals from this novel.
SPOILER ALERT
As I started reading the book, I was annoyed by the use of the third person limited narrator. I felt like the story could be told much better in first person from Brianna. This was my first clue that the author planned to kill off the main character in the end. I felt like her death was contrary to her realization that she wanted to go to college and have a future in the middle of the book. It seemed like she would have wanted to fight more for her future and not just ignore the sickness and give up everything.
I applaud the author for touching on the topic of someone with CF but I feel like he left the readers with little hope. I have friends with CF who have lived into their 30's and 40's and have had children and families. I feel like it makes the lifespan of someone with CF seem fairly bleak if two of three characters in the book die during senior year.
readwithpassion's review
4.0
Loved it. My only complaint is the cover-- this is an incredible book, and I am not surprised (based on the cover) that all of the reviews are by females. It is a story that would touch many young adults of all types. Brendan Halpin truly makes us appreciate life and how fortunate we are.
kaylila's review against another edition
5.0
Great quick read. Just a warning: It is sad, but also amazing! I love the quotes and view points in this book. It opened my eyes to the importance of everyone and everything. With out 0.00000000001 we would have the number 1. It is just an amazing concept of reality as well as a great author. This is a feel good, feel sad book.
abigailbat's review against another edition
4.0
Brianna's starting her senior year of high school. She's taking AP calculus and her dad really wants her to apply to MIT. Brianna thinks she could probably get in - math has always made sense to her in a way that the real world often does not. But even though her entire class is abuzz with college talk, Brianna's not sure she wants to apply. Brianna has cystic fibrosis. She's 18 years old. She knows that she probably will not live to see her college graduation. Forever Changes is about a girl coming to terms with not only her own mortality but her own infinity.
I loved this book! One of my favorite things is Brianna's great relationship with her dad. I would recommend it to fans of Before I Die by Jenny Downham.
Read more on my blog:
http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/11/book-review-forever-changes.html
I loved this book! One of my favorite things is Brianna's great relationship with her dad. I would recommend it to fans of Before I Die by Jenny Downham.
Read more on my blog:
http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/11/book-review-forever-changes.html
jessalynn_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
This sat on my shelf for ages because I suspected it would be a tough read. A teen with cystic fibrosis? But I was pleasantly surprised, because rather than taking advantage of every opportunity to wring a tear from his readers' eyes, Halpin treats the majority of the book as a smart, thoughtful YA story. Sure, Brianna spends time thinking about her own mortality and her illness, her role as a mentor to a younger girl with CF, and her own mentor who recently died - but it's also got all those classic high school moments, which serve to emphasize how Brianna's life is different without turning the whole thing into a pity party. Then there's her love of math, and the fascinating conversations she gets into with her math teacher - they don't require remembering anything you learned in high school, and my eyes didn't glaze over from the geekdom, but the story doesn't shy away from the fact that Bri is looking forward to going to MIT and being surrounded by math nerds. And this is really an important part of the story, not just a fact about Bri to make her seem unique. AND it didn't make me cry until right at the end, which I appreciated.
It's a quick, easy read without sacrificing any thoughtfulness - recommended to teens who like realistic stories.
One mild spoiler - I couldn't help but wonder what the story would've been like if it cut off before her death, leaving the reader knowing that she'll die before too long, but without actually writing the death scene. I don't think it would've made the story any less sad, and I'm not saying that a death scene is easy to write, but it would be refreshing to read an illness story that doesn't actually end with the death (or maybe I've just read too many books like this). Regardless, I think it's a great example of the genre.
It's a quick, easy read without sacrificing any thoughtfulness - recommended to teens who like realistic stories.
One mild spoiler - I couldn't help but wonder what the story would've been like if it cut off before her death, leaving the reader knowing that she'll die before too long, but without actually writing the death scene. I don't think it would've made the story any less sad, and I'm not saying that a death scene is easy to write, but it would be refreshing to read an illness story that doesn't actually end with the death (or maybe I've just read too many books like this). Regardless, I think it's a great example of the genre.
corncobwebs's review against another edition
Brianna Pelletier is gearing up to start her senior year of high school, but the customary feelings of excitement and hope are gone. Brianna is living with cystic fibrosis, and she senses she won’t last much longer. Why should she get into the drama of high school when she probably won’t even be around in a year’s time? Still, she puts up a good front, mostly for the sake of her doting single father. There are also things that she still enjoys - she’s a math genius, and she comes to love her AP calculus class with an eccentric ex-hippie named Mr. Eccles. And she has her best friends, Melissa and Stephanie, who understand how to be around Bri without coddling or pitying her. So, for the most part, Bri is able to do normal teenage things - homework, parties, and college applications.
The life expectancy for CF patients isn’t great, so even while she’s busy being a relatively normal teenage, Bri knows that she’s going to die sooner rather than later. This inspires a lot of introspection on Bri’s part, mostly about the value and meaning of a relatively short life. She shares some of her thoughts with Mr. Eccles (who is facing heart failure, thus knows what Bri is going through) and he’s able to give her some math-tinged words of comfort. Here’s my favorite:
“So, you see, it’s not what it can do that makes math beautiful. Its existence isn’t justified by the 747s or any of the big mechanical things that it makes possible. Its existence is something to be celebrated because it is a beautiful, wonderful, incredibly complicated marvel.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes. And so, Ms. Pelletier, are you.”
As an overachiever who feels like I have to do something great in order for my life to matter, I found a lot of comfort in this statement. Mr. Eccles is telling Bri that it’s enough that she IS - her existence is valuable and meaningful in and of itself. You don’t have to write a novel or find a cure for cancer (although it’s awesome if you do) - just being alive and sharing kindness with other people is enough.
As the novel progresses, Bri is steadily deteriorating, although it’s subtle - which is why it’s kind of a surprise when she ends up in the hospital, dying. She was at a keg party the night before, for Pete’s sake! But with all the wisdom she’s acquired - through her own ruminations and through her conversations with Mr. Eccles - she feels ready to die. She’s tired of the constant battle to breathe, and now she understands that it was enough that she existed. So she lets go.
Personally, I thought that Halpin didn't show her struggling enough before she died. She really seemed like a normal teenager for the most part. If she had really been struggling with the CF, her willingness to die would make more sense. But, like I said, she had just been at a party. She’d been accepting at MIT and was excited about attending. She went whale-watching with her best friends. It’s not like she was sitting at home, gasping for air - which WOULD make death seem like a relief.
Overall, I really appreciated the novel’s message of “You’re enough as you are” and I think it would be a great read-alike for anyone who loved “The Fault in Our Stars.”
rachelcoconut's review against another edition
4.0
I loved Brendan Halpin's books and blog so I had to read this one. I was surprised at the cover though- a scantily clad girl on the beach? It is a book about a math genius with CF trying to decide if she should apply to MIT despite the fact that she will probably die before she gets there.
Anyway, I normally don't go in for tragic illness stories but I really appreciated how he depicted her as a normal girl who just happened to have a chronic illness not as a selfless saint like so many "sick girl" novels tend to depict the main character. Remember all those overblown sad sack '80s young adult novels where the character dies dramatically at the end? This is much better but still a bit of a downer. I do think the main character not wanting to fight her illness any more was very realistic.
Anyway, I normally don't go in for tragic illness stories but I really appreciated how he depicted her as a normal girl who just happened to have a chronic illness not as a selfless saint like so many "sick girl" novels tend to depict the main character. Remember all those overblown sad sack '80s young adult novels where the character dies dramatically at the end? This is much better but still a bit of a downer. I do think the main character not wanting to fight her illness any more was very realistic.