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Before I Die

Before I Die
by Jenny Downham
Hardcover: Sep 2007,
336 pages.
Paperback: May 2009,
336 pages.

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First book/First Novel


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Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Michelle
Before I Die
After getting used to the somewhat disjointed thought patterns of the main character, I couldn't put this book down. It was an extremely realistic account of a young woman with a terminal disease & the author captures the myriad of emotions that the teen goes through as she slowly comes to terms with her illness. You can really feel her pain, anger, depression, and even wild joy at times & my heart truly ached for her. I think this story would appeal to all ages, it is a very realistic account of what it is like to die from a terminal disease, from both sides, the family and the patient. Grab a box of tissues!!

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Michelle
Before I Die
After getting used to the somewhat disjointed thought patterns of the main character, I couldn't put this book down. It was an extremely realistic account of a young woman with a terminal disease & the author captures the myriad of emotions that the teen goes through as she slowly comes to terms with her illness. You can really feel her pain, anger, depression, and even wild joy at times & my heart truly ached for her. I think this story would appeal to all ages, it is a very realistic account of what it is like to die from a terminal disease, from both sides, the family and the patient. Grab a box of tissues!!

Rated 3 of 5 of 5 by Susan
Before I Die
I had a hard time getting into this book.It took several attempts for me to finish the book as I found it disjointed and didn't flow well.

.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Lori
Poignant
Before I Die by Jenny Downham is a poignant "coming of age" story told from the perspective of Tessa, a sixteen year old girl dying of leukemia. Tessa often speaks with the voice of a typical self-absorbed teen, but her thoughts seem crystallized in their clarity as her time grows more brief. As she sets out to accomplish what takes most people a whole lifetime -- determining what makes for a well-lived life -- she comes to the life-affirming realization that the simple things -- the cycle of nature, the love of family and friends, human touch-- are the ones that mean the most. This book will appeal to young adult and adult readers and book clubs, and fans of The Lovely Bones.

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Glory
my thoughts
I really liked this book. I was able to finish this book in about 5 hours and could not put it down. I felt the characters were well developed and believable. It was all I could do to keep from crying. I am not sure I would let my 14 year old read it though. I think it is more appropriate for an older teenager (16+) or adult. Would highly reccomend this book.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Jayne
very good book
I read the book in a couple of days and really enjoyed the writing. The story was haunting and made me think. I will recommend this book to a teenager who is interested in something more than the normal teenage books out there.
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