Sam has everything, but can she keep it? Her story begins at her death-- on Cupid day, of all days. She is certain that she has died, but she wakes up in the morning, without a scratch. Then she discovers that today is Cupid Day. Again. Seven times she is allowed to relive her last day, each time trying to discover the importance of February 12. Fights with her best friends, crazy parties, and uncertain romances plague Sam every day for a week, and she is all alone this time.
What I heard about this book before I decided to read it was "yeah, it was okay." Not really a high recommendation. I wasn't overly excited, to be honest, but the premise of the book was so intriguing I decided to pick it up for some light vacation reading.
I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked Oliver's writing, which I didn't notice when I read Delirium. It bordered on stream-of-consciousness, which I usually hate, but it was relatable and useful stuff, not just random babbling. She has the very rare talent of subtle writing. She lets the reader feel for themselves and solve the puzzle along with the main character. She hardly ever straight-up tells you anything, but drops enough clues that you figure it out yourself. The tone changes are subtle enough to feel real, and you can feel so many things along with Sam. Foreboding, regret, anger, to name a few. It really sucked me in, and every once in awhile I had to pull myself away and go back to reality.
Sam was a love/hate character. I was on her side, but I knew she was doing the wrong things sometimes. Deep down, you know she's not a good person. Not in her actions, anyway, but at the same time you have enough insight to know that she isn't as terrible as you think. She was funny and strong and stood up for herself, especially toward the end.
The other characters are great, too. She really developed them, especially Lindsay, who is my favorite, although like Sam she is not exactly a moral paragon. Kent is adorable. :)
My only qualm was with the language. There was a lot of cursing, especially at the start of the novel. It calmed down later. Also, there was a LOT of drinking. My high school experience wasn't like that at all, but that's probably because I wasn't involved in it. It probably happens, which is sad.
I was rooting for Sam the whole time! The book really kept me involved, and I still keep thinking about it. It was sassy and fun, but touching too! I was pleasantly surprised by Lauren Oliver's debut novel, and would recommend it to anyone who likes the Mean Girls genre, but I think it would appeal to an even wider audience.
4/5
Shay-la
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