Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver is a Young Adult novel that blends a realistic high school life with a bizarre, unique element of a time loop. Samantha Kingston is a popular high school senior known for being a cruel bully to many, such as the social outcast Juliet Sykes. On February 12th, something tragic happens: Sam drunkenly crashes her car and dies. For the rest of the novel, Sam relives the same day repeatedly, reevaluating her life and reflecting on her decisions that significantly impacted others. By uncovering truths and hidden struggles about others’ lives, Sam has a second chance to redeem herself while exploring new themes of identity, friendship, regret, and a reminder to notice the small things in life. This novel is emotional, reflective, and heavily focused on viewing life from a different perspective, encouraging readers to rethink their own decisions and impact on others in their lives.
I definitely recommend Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, especially for readers who enjoy emotional, thought-provoking stories with strong character development. Having a story with a time loop is always interesting and something that I, and I’m sure many others, also have thought about. The power to redo a part of your life you greatly regret would be amazing, given the chance to fix your past faults. Knowing that, in reality, this is not truly possible, this novel reminds readers to truly reflect on the impact of their actions on others and to never take anything for granted. To live a meaningful life is to live one with no regrets. I like that the characters feel real and flawed because it reflects much about human nature. A downside of the novel may be the characters’ slow or frustrating cruel nature in the beginning. However, it’s important to note that this is intentional, serving as a basis for their astonishing growth and development. Overall, this story (also adapted into a film in 2017) is moving and memorable, leaving many lessons you could take throughout your lifespan. The impact of these lessons is profound, offering a new perspective on life and its complexities.
-Anonymous
