Before I Fall

Before I Fall Reading Response

            Over the summer I read the incredible Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver. This book is about a teenager, Samantha Kingston who has the perfect life. She has popular friends, and her dream boyfriend. But a tragic car accident leads to her death. Samantha then has the chance to relive the same day over and over again until she finally finds the reason that she is stuck in a time loop. At the beginning of the book, I found it hard to believe that so many people were crazy about this novel. It seemed shallow and I even thought the whole idea of reliving the same day wasn't pulled off very well. What I began to appreciate was the strength of the main character as she goes from terrified and rebellious to finally being able to grasp what was going on and make the most of the time she has left. 

            One thing I admire about this book is that it reads almost like any other teen fiction book, with the high school drama and romance, while really, underneath it all, there is a different idea taking place. It faces the issue of bullying head on, even from the perspective of the bully. Samantha herself takes part in the bullying, though she is not the main antagonist. Before I Fall also gives a good perspective of how easy it is to be pulled into something so bad when showing how Samantha's friends can be terrible to the people around them. It also shows this issue lead to suicidal consequences in which Samantha eventually comes to terms with her and her friend's faults, and takes responsibility. 

         The book toys with the idea of fate when Samantha fixes the mistakes which led her to relive the day, and that puts an end to the day once and for all . Overall Samantha has a chance to see where she's gone wrong in her life and appreciate what she still has. She also sees some of the things and people she's been blind to for so long. These realizations lead to a great change in Samantha in which she matures a lot and becomes a better person. By the end of the book, though her friends are obviously flawed, she still  loves them for who they are, and because of that you, the reader, do too.