In most ways protagonist, Sophie, is a normal teenager who is concerned with school, clothes, girl friends, parents, boys, smoking, drinking, drugs, and sex. However, behind her typical worries, more serious issues inhabit her mind.
Throughout the book, Sophie tries to return to her former self, but everywhere she goes she sees tragedy. The "event" is not told outright, but in bits and pieces at first, which, I found, detracted slightly from the level of empathy I felt towards Sophie for much of the story.
Readers follow Sophie through a year of transition where she experiences a roller coaster of emotions and panic attacks that she does not understand, all relating to the "event".
I liked the journal format of this story. Some days Sophie has lots to say and others only a few lines. I liked seeing her progress through her grief. While she doesn't always make the best decisions or have the answers, she is moving forward through her emotions.
This is a great read for teenage girls. It has just the right mix of serious and lighthearted content. The voice of the teenage girl is realistic and believable. I would recommend this to teenagers, teachers, and parents.
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I give this book a rating of 8/10 and here’s why:
Text: Kuipers' text is accessible to teens and adults. She created scenes through her text that, when I closed my eyes, I could clearly imagine.
Dialogue: In a journal-like style, Kuipers' dialogue is sharp and true to life. She understands the thoughts and heightened emotions of teens.
Plot: I saw Sophie change through the course of the story, facing numbness and disconnect from the world around her. It is a year of growing up, learning of the beauty and tragedies of life.
Characters: I found that I was able to slip into the life of Sophie with ease, inhabiting her world as I read. The behavior of Sophie's friends and her mother is absolutely realistic as well.
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