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A review by kaylawhata
What Remains by Helene Dunbar
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Flux books for the advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Cal, Spencer, and Lizzie have always been friends. The three juniors have their own interests (baseball, drama, and art) but look out for and support one another. Lizzie’s home life isn’t that great, with an apathetic mom and her creeper boyfriends, so Cal and Spencer are always available for late night rescues. After taking their SATs, the trio set out on a weekend getaway with Cal at the wheel. A distracted driver crashes into Cal’s car, throwing an unbuckled Lizzie from the backseat and damaging Cal’s heart.
Cal wakes up days later to discover he’s had a heart transplant and that Lizzie died from the accident. The weeks that follow are hard for Cal as he adjusts to medication that is supposed to prevent his body from rejecting the heart and is forced to limit his physical activity---aka, give up what he loves most: baseball. However, nothing compares to the guilt he feels for losing Lizzie.
"But I guess, what remains after someone you love dies aren’t things you can reach out and touch. When you love someone, that love changes you for better or worse. So in a way, maybe they’re never truly gone."
This was a poignant story that had its heartwarming moments and believable characters. Spencer in particular was my favorite. he was a great friend to Cal, encouraging him to seek therapy after the accident and helping him get over his fear of driving. The plot touches on cellular memory, the theory that transplant receivers sometimes remember tastes/feelings/thoughts from their donor. I thought this was an interesting concept and it was well done within the context of the story.
Cal, Spencer, and Lizzie have always been friends. The three juniors have their own interests (baseball, drama, and art) but look out for and support one another. Lizzie’s home life isn’t that great, with an apathetic mom and her creeper boyfriends, so Cal and Spencer are always available for late night rescues. After taking their SATs, the trio set out on a weekend getaway with Cal at the wheel. A distracted driver crashes into Cal’s car, throwing an unbuckled Lizzie from the backseat and damaging Cal’s heart.
Cal wakes up days later to discover he’s had a heart transplant and that Lizzie died from the accident. The weeks that follow are hard for Cal as he adjusts to medication that is supposed to prevent his body from rejecting the heart and is forced to limit his physical activity---aka, give up what he loves most: baseball. However, nothing compares to the guilt he feels for losing Lizzie.
"But I guess, what remains after someone you love dies aren’t things you can reach out and touch. When you love someone, that love changes you for better or worse. So in a way, maybe they’re never truly gone."
This was a poignant story that had its heartwarming moments and believable characters. Spencer in particular was my favorite. he was a great friend to Cal, encouraging him to seek therapy after the accident and helping him get over his fear of driving. The plot touches on cellular memory, the theory that transplant receivers sometimes remember tastes/feelings/thoughts from their donor. I thought this was an interesting concept and it was well done within the context of the story.