Spring term is well under way and as most of you know we are all stuck in side... I have gotten so bored these past few weeks that I'm making a goal to read as many books as possible.
I've started with Even If I Fall by Abigail Johnson. It's been on my to-read list for awhile and now that I've found myself with too much time on my hands it was the first book I singled out. It turned out to be an excellent choice.
Even If I Fall by Abigail Johnson
Rating: 9 out of 10
Even If I Fall is a beautifully sad book that is very thought provoking and completely different than anything I've ever read. The main character Brooke and her family have had their whole lifes turned around since her brother Jason confessed to killing his best friend Cal. Her sister has become reclusive, her dad never leaves his shop, her mom is trying to act like everythings fine, everyone either keeps their family at a distance or treats them like trash, and she just needs someone to talk to. Her only friend is new to town and has never heard of Calvin or Jason, and Brooke would like to keep it that way.
Her only outlet is ice skating. And then a broken down truck and a storm changed that. When she offers to give Calvins younger brother Heath a ride she accidentally starts a series of secret meetings. They open up to each other in a way that they haven't been able to with anyone else. But Brooke is still desparate to find out what happened the night of Calvins murder and with her growing relationship with Heath things are bound to get complicated.
I could not put this book down. First off, the characters were very well written. The author really connects the reader with Brooke. You can feel every frustration and pain that she is going through even though you haven't gone through what she is going through. And not only that but I actually liked her brother too. It's hard to understand how someone can love a murderer until you actually look through their eyes. The author does a magnificant job showing how hard it is for Brooke to reconcile the loving brother she knows with the murder he comitted, and how she still loves him despite what happened.
Heath is also a very vivid character. Even though the story isn't told from his point of view you can still see the inner struggle he's going through. The guilt he feels that he's interacting with the sister of his brother's killer and the anger he feels but the undeniable bond that's forming between them despite that. I have to say that I very much felt like yelling at him a couple of times and then felt guilty because he's going through his own stuff too. I would've liked to see things from his side a little bit and think it would've been interesting if it had been written from alternating points of view. I felt myself taking Brookes side a lot through the book and it would've been nice to see his daily struggles like we see hers.
And Brooke's best friend Maggie. OH MY GOSH. I totally love her. She has such a bubbly and vibrant personality and always tells you like it is. You also get to see a soft side to her and her insecurities as well. It's a good reminder that no matter how put together a person seems, we are all struggling with something.
The plot line is something I've never seen before. These days every book seems to be a remake of another book. Take Percy Jackson and Harry Potter for instance. Both incredibly good books but if you look at the books and start picking out similarities you'll find that they have a lot in common. (Honestly more than I'm comfortable with.) This book has to be the most original thing that I've read in a very long time. There is not another book like this, at least not that I can tell, and I'm absolutely in love with it. Not only is it original but so thought provoking. It really makes you think about things we tend to ignore.
If you are looking for a book that is going to make you laugh, cry, tear your heart apart and put it back together again, then this is definitely a must read. The things you will learn and start thinking about from this book are so so so (x100) important.
Thank you Abigail Johnson for writing this book.
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