We are born mortal and we spend the entirety of our lives trying to forget this fact. But adolescents--ah, adolescents. They think of themselves as immortal. Their bodies are tight and firm and does exactly what they want it to do. They're filled with vim and vigor. Death? That's for old people!
So when Hilary dies in a seemingly avoidable car accident, it wrecks the life of her best friend, the survivor--who was driving the car. Ella becomes a shadow of herself, lacking desire for her old interests, shrinking from her former friends (who were really Hilary's friends) and succumbing to panic attacks whenever she sees Sawyer, Hilary's boyfriend.
The novel takes us right to the edge of Ella's grief, self-blame and inner writhing whenever anybody asks her how she is. She's been torn apart by the loss of her best friend and she's riddled with guilt. How do they expect her to feel?
It's clear she needs therapy and equally clear that crippling guilt will prevent her from seeking it. The writing is spot-on in its detail, its revelation of Ella's inner turmoil and the varying reactions of people around her. It's a stark before-and-after look at what happens when a young girl is forced to confront her own mortality through the lens of someone else's.
So when Hilary dies in a seemingly avoidable car accident, it wrecks the life of her best friend, the survivor--who was driving the car. Ella becomes a shadow of herself, lacking desire for her old interests, shrinking from her former friends (who were really Hilary's friends) and succumbing to panic attacks whenever she sees Sawyer, Hilary's boyfriend.
The novel takes us right to the edge of Ella's grief, self-blame and inner writhing whenever anybody asks her how she is. She's been torn apart by the loss of her best friend and she's riddled with guilt. How do they expect her to feel?
It's clear she needs therapy and equally clear that crippling guilt will prevent her from seeking it. The writing is spot-on in its detail, its revelation of Ella's inner turmoil and the varying reactions of people around her. It's a stark before-and-after look at what happens when a young girl is forced to confront her own mortality through the lens of someone else's.