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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
Only now realizing that I haven't left some gushing Goodreads praise for this book--one of my favorites I've ever worked on. Travesty! So here we go: If you love a book that will make you laugh AND make you cry--sometimes all on one page--then this is a sure bet, my friends. Don't miss it!
Déçue par ce livre.
A la lecture du résumé, je pensais tomber sur une lecture touchante, la fois remplie de doute, de tristesse, d'espoir, je m'attendais à une lecture qui me ferait réfléchir, m'interroger sur certains choses, avoir, au moins l'espace de quelques pages, une vision différente de la vie.
Malheureusement le livre n'a pas suivie mes attentes : on retrouve Sammie, un personnage qui est à la fin de son année de terminale, qui se découvre une maladie rare, qui lui fera perdre la mémoire et la vie.
Dès le début le constat sur la maladie est sans appel, elle est incurable et pourtant, pendant une partie du livre, on a eu une Sammie assez insupportable, qui n'écoutait personne, qui prenait des décisions incompréhensible, une héroine somme toute assez immature (alors qu'elle est censée avoir 17-18, être la première de son lycée, je n'ai pas trouvé ça crédible pour un sous), qui se fait des illusions assez incroyables et qui se concentre sur des choses assez secondaires à mon sens (se moquant bien des sentiments des personnes autour d'elle), qui ne sait pas ce qu'elle veut mais qui à la fois le sait bien trop. autant le dire : impossible de m'attacher à un personnage comme ça.
Le soucis, c'est que l'immaturité n'est pas que dans ce personnage, mais je l'ai ressenti dans tous le livre et pratiquement chez tous les personnages (que ce soit la conseillère d'orientation, les parents de Sammie, son copain,..), ça suintait de partout. Dans le même temps, j'ai également trouvé l'histoire trop lisse, trop enfantine, trop "niaise" surtout sur la fin (notamment les passages avec Stuart.. honnêtement, je suis peut être cynique, mais je roulais des yeux davantage que je ne lisais)
En résumé : Un livre trop jeunesse pour moi, où le principal sujet n'est pas assez traité, l'histoire n'est pas touchante pour moi, trop lisse, trop facile, l'auteur n'a pas chercher à aller plus loin que son idée ce qui est fort dommage.
Petit mention honorable cependant pour le seul personnage que j'ai vraiment aimé dans ce livre : Cooper.
A la lecture du résumé, je pensais tomber sur une lecture touchante, la fois remplie de doute, de tristesse, d'espoir, je m'attendais à une lecture qui me ferait réfléchir, m'interroger sur certains choses, avoir, au moins l'espace de quelques pages, une vision différente de la vie.
Malheureusement le livre n'a pas suivie mes attentes : on retrouve Sammie, un personnage qui est à la fin de son année de terminale, qui se découvre une maladie rare, qui lui fera perdre la mémoire et la vie.
Dès le début le constat sur la maladie est sans appel, elle est incurable et pourtant, pendant une partie du livre, on a eu une Sammie assez insupportable, qui n'écoutait personne, qui prenait des décisions incompréhensible, une héroine somme toute assez immature (alors qu'elle est censée avoir 17-18, être la première de son lycée, je n'ai pas trouvé ça crédible pour un sous), qui se fait des illusions assez incroyables et qui se concentre sur des choses assez secondaires à mon sens (se moquant bien des sentiments des personnes autour d'elle), qui ne sait pas ce qu'elle veut mais qui à la fois le sait bien trop. autant le dire : impossible de m'attacher à un personnage comme ça.
Le soucis, c'est que l'immaturité n'est pas que dans ce personnage, mais je l'ai ressenti dans tous le livre et pratiquement chez tous les personnages (que ce soit la conseillère d'orientation, les parents de Sammie, son copain,..), ça suintait de partout. Dans le même temps, j'ai également trouvé l'histoire trop lisse, trop enfantine, trop "niaise" surtout sur la fin (notamment les passages avec Stuart.. honnêtement, je suis peut être cynique, mais je roulais des yeux davantage que je ne lisais)
En résumé : Un livre trop jeunesse pour moi, où le principal sujet n'est pas assez traité, l'histoire n'est pas touchante pour moi, trop lisse, trop facile, l'auteur n'a pas chercher à aller plus loin que son idée ce qui est fort dommage.
Petit mention honorable cependant pour le seul personnage que j'ai vraiment aimé dans ce livre : Cooper.
emotional
sad
fast-paced
This is an excellent book. As I reflect on the story tears are still dripping from my eyes and my heart still hurts.
The story follows protagonist Sammie a high school senior, valedictorian of her class, a high achieving academic and debater with an acceptance letter from NYU and plans to become a lawyer. Her memory is her pride. Sammie has recently been diagnosed with Nieman-Pick type c (NPC) which is a disease that causes both physical and mental degradation similar to that of dementia. This disease is highly unusual in people her age as most kids get it at a very young age. With this knowledge of her impending illness and eventual death Sammie must decide what to prioritize, whether to live slowly and soak up her life or to try to fit in what she can with the time she has left. During these moments Sammie finally has the opportunity to go on a date with her long time crush Stuart and explore their connection as well as the strain the her illness has in their relationship. She also rekindles a friendship with her neighbour and ex-best friend cooper, cherishing memories of her past as her future shrinks. This is a beautiful story of relationships, new and refurbished and the journey of losing ones self and a future to an illness attacking both the body and the brain, strung together as entries in a “memory book” kept by Sammie to remind herself of who she is and has been.
This story hit close to home for me on so many levels.
Firstly Sammie’s stage of life, graduating high school and realizing the life she has in front of her and it’s malleability is so similar to mine, it’s interesting to be at the same “spring before grad” stage. It certainly makes me thankful to have a future in front of me.
Sammies journey through NPC also bears a striking resemblance to that of losing my Oma to dementia. As Sammies eloquently says “Words cannot express (the) grief at watching you fall away little by little. But I suppose in losing layers, your golden core came out”. I feel this reflection is common in the gradual loss of a loved one. In reflecting on the loss of my Oma my thoughts were this: “We didn’t need to interact and know her in her prime years to understand that Christa Laser was kind and compassionate, that she cared deeply and wholly about her family and friends, that she was entirely and endlessly devoted to her saviour and Lord Jesus Christ and that she went through life with a piercing feel good spirit. ... These are the things we know about our Oma, we heard them to be true in the fond memories of her family and friends and we watched stay true even when almost everything else was changing. This is the core of who our Oma was and although we didn’t get to experience this when she was healthy, the most important pieces of her were lovingly translated into her life with her illness and were graciously shared with us. I feel privileged to have experienced Oma in this way.”
This fictional story brought such a beautiful story to life in my mind and I have adored spending some time in this world. Thank you, Laura Avery.
The story follows protagonist Sammie a high school senior, valedictorian of her class, a high achieving academic and debater with an acceptance letter from NYU and plans to become a lawyer. Her memory is her pride. Sammie has recently been diagnosed with Nieman-Pick type c (NPC) which is a disease that causes both physical and mental degradation similar to that of dementia. This disease is highly unusual in people her age as most kids get it at a very young age. With this knowledge of her impending illness and eventual death Sammie must decide what to prioritize, whether to live slowly and soak up her life or to try to fit in what she can with the time she has left. During these moments Sammie finally has the opportunity to go on a date with her long time crush Stuart and explore their connection as well as the strain the her illness has in their relationship. She also rekindles a friendship with her neighbour and ex-best friend cooper, cherishing memories of her past as her future shrinks. This is a beautiful story of relationships, new and refurbished and the journey of losing ones self and a future to an illness attacking both the body and the brain, strung together as entries in a “memory book” kept by Sammie to remind herself of who she is and has been.
This story hit close to home for me on so many levels.
Firstly Sammie’s stage of life, graduating high school and realizing the life she has in front of her and it’s malleability is so similar to mine, it’s interesting to be at the same “spring before grad” stage. It certainly makes me thankful to have a future in front of me.
Sammies journey through NPC also bears a striking resemblance to that of losing my Oma to dementia. As Sammies eloquently says “Words cannot express (the) grief at watching you fall away little by little. But I suppose in losing layers, your golden core came out”. I feel this reflection is common in the gradual loss of a loved one. In reflecting on the loss of my Oma my thoughts were this: “We didn’t need to interact and know her in her prime years to understand that Christa Laser was kind and compassionate, that she cared deeply and wholly about her family and friends, that she was entirely and endlessly devoted to her saviour and Lord Jesus Christ and that she went through life with a piercing feel good spirit. ... These are the things we know about our Oma, we heard them to be true in the fond memories of her family and friends and we watched stay true even when almost everything else was changing. This is the core of who our Oma was and although we didn’t get to experience this when she was healthy, the most important pieces of her were lovingly translated into her life with her illness and were graciously shared with us. I feel privileged to have experienced Oma in this way.”
This fictional story brought such a beautiful story to life in my mind and I have adored spending some time in this world. Thank you, Laura Avery.
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-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
I enjoyed the writing style and the main character, but I think I’ve grown out of this type of book. Would recommend this to someone who was interested, but I don’t feel the need to continue.
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Alcohol
Minor: Bullying, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content