Once Upon a Bookcase: death and bereavement in teen lit week

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Sunday, 18 September 2011

Death and Bereavement in Teen Lit Week: The End

Today is the last day of Death and Bereavement in Teen Lit Month! That's it! Finished!

I have a lot of people to thank. First of all, thanks to Clover of Fluttering Butterflies, Emma of Book Angel Booktopia, Sammee of I Want to Read That and Vivienne of Serendipity Reviews for being so understanding when things didn't go as plnned. These three ladies were going to be taking part in D&B with me when it was first going to be a month event, and prepared really well for it, only for my computer to die. Thsi not only caused problems for me, but for the others who couldn't post any other time because of their own blogging commitments and other reasons. So thank you to you three, and I'm sorry!

I also want to thank Annabel Pitcher, Lauren Oliver, Jenny Downham and Denise Deegan for allowing me to interview them or writing guest posts. It's so lovely of you all to take time out of your bust schedules to get involved in the week, and I really appreciate it!

I also need to thank the various publishers who were kind enough to respond to emails on suggestions for books I could cover for this themed event. It really was lovely of you to go through your backlists for me and help me out, I appreciate it!

Although not a lot of books were covered for this week, unfortunately, I loved every one of them! I may have reviewed books by some of these authors previously, like those by Lauren Oliver and Jenny Downham, but these were read first, so this week has helped me discover some fantastically brilliant authors who just completely blew me away. At the time of reading the books reviewed for this week, they were all knew to me, and I had such a great time getting lost in their pages.

I really enjoyed seeing how these authors dealt with the topic of death and bereavement. No two books are at all similar, each one taking a different route - be it that the teen narrator was dying, or was dead, or was almost dead, or whether the narrators were dealing with recent grief, or grief that's been there for a while - and each and everyone made an impact on me. I may not have managed to cover as many books as I had wanted, but the ones I did were just so incredible, I find I don't mind so much. It's been emotionally wrenching, but it's been amazing.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you've enjoyed D&B Week too. :)

Saturday, 17 September 2011

death and bereavement in teen lit week

Other Bloggers' D&B Posts

15:00 Jo No comments

Originally , D&B was going to be a month long event, but due to the death of my computer, problems arose. This meant that some of those who were going to take part with me no longer could, and posted their reviews back in July anyway. So here are their posts for D&B.

From Michelle of Fluttering Butterflies:

Review: Hate List by Jennifer Brown
Jennifer Brown's Guest Post on Death and Bereavement in Hate List
Review: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Review: Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Review: One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones
Review: Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers
Review: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Review: Chanda's Secrets by Allan Stratton
Allan Stratton's Guest Post on Chanda's Secrets

From Vivienne of Serendipity Reviews:

Review: Rockaholic by C.J. Sckuse

angela morrison, death and bereavement in teen lit week, jandy nelson, reviews, taken by storm, the sky is everywhere

Previously Reviewed

12:00 Jo 2 comments

For this post, I'm going to highlight two books I've read previously that work so well for D&B Week, books I absolutely adored!

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson - Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to centre stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, with a nearly magical grin. One boy takes Lennie out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But the two can't collide without Lennie's world exploding... From Amazon UK

Taken from my Review:
This book is chock full of emotion. To compare it to a rollercoaster ride, like I would normally do, wouldn't work for this book. It just seems silly to do so in light of the depth of feeling running through this book - it would be like comparing the heat of the sun to a radiator. As weird as this may sound, Lennie's grief over Bailey's death is beautiful; it's sharp, it's overwhelming, it's heavy, and it's endless. Lennie compares it to a building, but I'd compare it to the sea; it washes over her - and you - and drags her down, away from the surface, leaving her unable to breath.

Read my complete review here.

Taken By Storm by Angela Morrison - Sometimes only love can save you.
Leesie Hunt's Unbreakable Rules: No Kissing (at least not of the French variety)...No Sex (hah! Not even close to happening anyway)...No Dating Outside the Mormon Faith (what would be the point?)...ABSOLUTELY No Falling in Love with the Wrong Boy (would ruin everything).
Leesie thinks she has her whole life planned out: get into the school of her dreams, write her poems, meet the perfect guy, and settle down. Then she meets Michael--a boy whose parents were killed in a diving accident during a terrible storm.
Michael is drowning in tragedy. And all Leesie wants is to save him. With each day, her heart hurts more. Could it be, perfect Leesie is falling from grace? Or is she just falling in love?
But if Leesie gives in to temptation, who is going to save her? From Amazon US

Taken from my review:
The plot is just awesome. Michael is grieving over the death of his parents, and isn't coping too well, suffering from nightmares and visions, and Leesie is the only one who can seem to keep it all at bay. However, Michael isn't used to having to control himself, so finds it really difficult to stick to Leesie's rules as a Mormon. Having been passionately in love twice before, Michael doesn't see how you can get close enough to someone to fall in love without actually loving them, like he feels so much he's unable to express it well in any other way.

Read my complete review.

a little wanting song, cath crowley, contemporary, death and bereavement in teen lit week, review, YA

Review: A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley

09:00 Jo 6 comments

A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley - A summer of friendship, romance, and songs in major chords...

CHARLIE DUSKIN loves music, and she knows she's good at it. But she only sings when she's alone, on the moonlit porch or in the back room at Old Gus's Secondhand Record and CD Store. Charlie's mom and grandmother have both died, and this summer she's visiting her grandpa in the country, surrounded by ghosts and grieving family, and serving burgers to the local kids at the milk bar. She's got her iPod, her guitar, and all her recording equipment, but she wants more: A friend. A dad who notices her. The chance to show Dave Robbie that she's not entirely unspectacular.

ROSE BUTLER lives next door to Charlie's grandfather and spends her days watching cars pass on the freeway and hanging out with her troublemaker boyfriend. She loves Luke but can't wait to leave their small country town. And she's figured out a way: she's won a scholarship to a science school in the city, and now she has to convince her parents to let her go. This is where Charlie comes in. Charlie, who lives in the city, and whom Rose has ignored for years. Charlie, who just might be Rose's ticket out.

Told in alternating voices and filled with music, friendship, and romance, Charlie and Rose's "little wanting song" is about the kind of longing that begins as a heavy ache but ultimately makes us feel hopeful and wonderfully alive. From Amazon US

Friday, 16 September 2011

and by the way, death and bereavement in teen lit week, denise deegan

Guest Post from: Denise Deegan: Bereavement in And By the Way...

12:00 Jo 1 comment

Joining us today for Death and Bereavement Week to talk about her debut YA novel, And By the Way..., is author Denise Deegan.

Every story starts somewhere, sometimes with the tiniest idea that just takes on life and grows. And By The Way did not start as a story of loss. It began as a voice that entered my head, one afternoon, in a coffee shop. It was the angry, sarcastic but also vulnerable voice of Alex (16), who was talking at her rock-star father. Alex was coming from a place of hurt. I didn’t, at the time, know what that hurt was. I let that come, the same way I let Alex’s voice come, to see where it would take me.

As the story formed, it became clear that Alex’s turmoil was caused by the loss of her mother to cancer, (six months before the story opens), and the loss of her father to work. And By The Way explores, not just how two people can react so differently to loss, but how one person’s reaction can impact so strongly on another.

Alex’s circumstances highlight how influenced children are by their parents’ response to grief. Alex lost, not just her mother, but her father, as, unable to cope, he turned to his music, unaware how his actions might be misinterpreted by his lost and vulnerable daughter. Yes, he hired ‘the experts’. It was he Alex needed.

When the book opens, Alex is beginning to adopt a coping strategy. She is hardening, pulling back emotionally, so she doesn’t leave herself open to that kind of loss again. Alex doesn’t see that she is sabotaging herself, that if unchecked, her actions will lead to the loss of people who genuinely care. Two of those people are determined not to let that happen.

I did not want to write a sad book, just an honest one. I wanted it to be warm and human and infused with humour and ultimately love. I have published four other novels and have never received the response I have from And By The Way. People’s reaction has blown me away.

Thank you, Denise, for a great guest post! Don't forget to check out Denise's website. What did you think about what Denise had to say?

and by the way, contemporary, death and bereavement in teen lit week, denise deegan, review, romance, YA

Review: And By the Way... by Denise Deegan

09:00 Jo 8 comments

And By the Way... by Denise Deegan - At Strandbrook College, we are Kids Of. Kids of diplomats, media stars, musicians, artists, actors, oh, and wealthy people who aspire to all of that. I'm the kid of a rock star. Means nothing to me.

When Mum died, six months ago, I didn't just lose her, I lost my dad, 'The Rockstar'. To work.

But now I don't trust anyone or rely on anyone. That way, I won't get hurt.

My best friend Rachel won't let me pull back though. And that's a problem.

Another one is David McFadden, a guy in my class (who calls me the Ice Queen). He says he wants to help. Six months ago, he could have - but he didn't. Now, it's too late. The very last person in the world I'm going to listen to is David McFadden. I'll show him who's Ice Queen.

Thursday, 15 September 2011

before i die, death and bereavement in teen lit week, interview, jenny downham

Interview with Jenny Downham

12:00 Jo 2 comments

Today, I have the delight of sharing with you an interview with Jenny Downham, author of Before I Die.

The plot for Before I Die is such an incredible idea. How did you come up with the idea for it?

I didn’t know Tessa was dying when I began writing. I just had this idea about two friends who were very different from each other and I started with their voices. Tessa was angry and sad and Zoey didn’t seem able to comfort her. It became apparent after only a few weeks writing that Tessa was ill. I knew if she was terminally ill that it would increase the narrative drive.

As a story-teller, your characters need boundaries to push against, and there’s no bigger boundary than death. Putting this kind of ticking clock into the story increased the narrative drive, but also risked losing tension because the end of the story was determined. The challenge became how to make a journey towards the inevitable interesting. That’s where the ‘before I die’ list came in.

What research did you have to do for this book?

I read a lot of books about terminal illness as well as fiction and poetry about dying. Susan Sontag’s ‘Illness as a Metaphor,’ was very inspirational, as was Anatole Broyard’s ‘Intoxicated by my Illness’ and Gillian Rose’s ‘Love’s Work.’ I read a lot of poetry about bereavement and loss, finding particular inspiration in Raymond Carver’s collected poems, ‘All of Us.’

Two nurses helped me with medical detail over many months. One of them was a palliative care nurse who worked with terminally ill teens. It felt really important not to get too embroiled in the medical stuff though. I wanted it to be accurate, but it was never supposed to be a medical or hospital-based story.

Why did you decide to write a story about death for your debut?

I never plan structures for novels, instead I do thousands of words of ‘freewriting’ and eventually I find a story in the pages I turn out. I revise as I go along, working on several chapters at once.
I started Before I Die with two characters (Tess and Zoey) and the idea of a friendship. I had their voices but not much else. I didn’t know what it was about, but I couldn’t let go of them.

Sometimes the way forward was obvious – if it were film-making, it would be like a take in ‘one.’ But there were also points where the way ahead was murky and unknown, and then I found myself thinking consciously about structure and pace.
Funnily enough, I don’t actually think of the book as being ‘about death.’ Tessa attempts to live as if there was only ‘this’ moment, right now. I think this is something people relate to, but find extremely hard to do. Most of us save up for the future, looking forward to tomorrow when things might be better or different somehow. But Tessa is forced to value things in a different way, to seek out the things that truly matter.

Life becomes concentrated when it’s boundaried. Death is the biggest boundary of all. When you can’t look deeply into the future, then all you have is the present, and in the present, small ordinary things become rich. By looking so closely at death I was actually hoping to write about life.

Before I Die by Jenny Downham

Before I Die is such a terribly moving and heart wrenching novel. Why did you choose to write the novel from Tessa’s point of view, that of the dying?

I wanted the reader to inhabit Tessa’s body in the hope that they would have both a visceral and an emotional response. If Tessa’s body does the talking - if the reader experiences a lumbar puncture or a haemorrhage with her - then it inevitably pushes the reader closer to the physical self. I wanted to achieve an immediacy between the body’s decline and the words Tess uses to describe what’s happening to her. Using first person, present tense meant that she had to narrate her own death, and that was a great challenge.

Your novel is very life affirming. Did you write Before I Die with the intention of making people think about the longevity of their lives and to get out there and do things?

I was attempting to write a good story, one that moved readers emotionally, but also made them think. So, something as random as illness happens and Tess has to make sense of it. Why me? Did I do something wrong? What choices do I have left? What actually am I in charge of in my life? There are no ‘lessons’ though. I think storytellers should give other world’s, other lives, so that reader’s can empathise, can think ‘what would I do if that were me?’

What is your opinion on how YA novels deal with death and bereavement?

Books can address difficult situations and confront social issues and help readers deal with real-life challenges. They can transport you, make you think, move you…. the list is endless. I think good YA novels should be beautifully written, shouldn’t patronise and shouldn’t make assumptions that teens are not interested in difficult or complex issues.

Young adults are experiencing so much for the first time and are drawn, I think, to stories that reflect that intensity, or which evoke feelings that match the emotional rollercoasters they're riding in their own lives.

There are some wonderful books out there that deal with very difficult subjects extremely sensitively.

Were there any books you found dealt well with this topic when you were a teen?

I was always attracted to books that could transport me from the rather boring town I grew up in to somewhere ‘other.’ For me, it was the story - with all its complexities, with the emotional truths it uncovered, the experiences beyond the everyday that it gave – that was the reason I read.

I didn’t experience the death of a loved one until my late teens, but I did know the more general feelings of pain and isolation that came with teen territory and I found it so cathartic reading about someone else’s troubles!

I had a fantastic teacher who used to hand me books in the corridor – D.H.Lawrence, Gunter Grass, Jane Austen. He introduced me to poets – Dylan Thomas, John Donne, Keats, R.S.Thomas, Auden. He also spoke to the librarian and I was allowed to take out books that were clearly marked as being for older children. On my first visit, I chose Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and D.H.Lawrence’s ‘The Rainbow,’ both of which have a very special place in my heart. I also loved Ann Holm (I Am David) and Robert C.O’Brien (Z for Zachariah).

Thank you, Jenny, for such a great interview! What do you think about what Jenny has to say?

before i die, contemporary, death and bereavement in teen lit week, jenny downham, review, YA

Review: Before I Die by Jenny Downham

09:00 Jo 10 comments

Before I Die by Jenny Downham - Tessa has just a few months to live. Fighting back against hospital visits, endless tests, drugs with excruciating side-effects, Tessa compiles a list. It's her To Do Before I Die list. And number one is sex. Released from the constraints of 'normal' life, Tessa tastes new experiences to make her feel alive while her failing body struggles to keep up. Tessa's feelings, her relationships with her father and brother, her estranged mother, her best friend, her new boyfriend, all are painfully crystallized in the precious weeks before Tessa's time finally runs out. "Before I Die" is a brilliantly-crafted novel, heartbreaking yet astonishingly life-affirming. It will take you to the very edge. From Amazon UK

I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing this book is. It's absolutely wonderful, simply heartbreaking, and just brilliant. Such a beautiful story!

Tessa is a character I am unbelievably in awe for. How someone so young is able to cope so well with being told they only have so long left to live is just beyond me. She's strong, she's brave, and she's just incredible. And she has a plan. A plan to live before she dies. She makes a mist of things she wants to do before she no longer can, and it makes me want to list.

The first few things on her list I weren't the biggest fan of. Either because they're things I disagree with or Tessa doesn't actually want to do, but feels like she should just so she can say she has. Where was the sky diving? Where was the swimming with dolphins? Drugs, casual sex and breaking the law... not really the first things I would have thought of. But she does them, and her story as she goes along is just so sad.

A lot of the things she wants to she does with her best friend Zoey. I really didn't like her. She seemed unsupportive, a bad influence, and quite selfish. She got a little better towards the end, but she was always criticising Tessa and what/how she did things. I really wanted Tessa to just give her the elbow and try doing things on her own. I think she may have enjoyed things a little more if she did.

I cannot tell you how awful it was to read about Tessa's family trying to deal with Tessa's imminent death. Her Dad was in denial, yet wanted Tessa to be careful. Her younger brother was a typical younger brother, but also really scared and upset. Her Mum didn't know what to do with herself. No-one really coped too well. It was difficult to read the arguments between Tessa and her Dad, because you cn understand Tessa wanting to get out there and live, but you can also understand her Dad not wanting her to do anything that will bring her death date closer. And there really wasn't anything her Dad could do, and he knew it. So, so sad.

Adam, the love interest of the story, is just amazing. He is just so sweet, and he does all these little things to try and help Tessa tick items off her list. He's such a sweetheart, and he tries so hard. But I kind of almost didn't want Tessa to end up with someone. It just didn't seem fair; you know how this story is going to end, and sure, Tessa is allowed some happiness, but it just felt a little selfish of her, he would be left behind. I was almost crying when they got it together. And this quote really got me:

'I know I look like a pile of bones covered in cling film. I see the shock of it in Adam's eyes.
"Not quite how you remembered me, eh?"
He leans down and kisses me on the cheek. "You're gorgeous."
(p279)

I cried like a baby over the last few chapters. So much I could hardly see what I was reading. It was just excruciating, and the way Downham wrote those chapters was just so well done. In the end, it felt like Tessa was someone I knew, and I mourned when she died. At some points, I was so wrapped up in the story, it felt like I was the one who was dying, and wanted less to complete my own bucket list, the things that I had thought of that I wanted to do, but to relish every small thing. I received a text from a mate while I was reading saying he was just saying on the sofa, and I just so wanted to do the same myself, like I hadn't done it in years. Just something small that would be so good. That was pretty much what Tessa was doing. It made me so happy to be alive, and want to notice things more, take less for granted.

Before I Die may just be the most amazing book I've ever read. Simply brilliant. Cannot wait to read more by Downham.

Published: 5th July 2007
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Buy on Amazon US

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

contemporary, death and bereavement in teen lit week, gayle forman, if i stay, review, YA

Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

12:00 Jo 8 comments

If I Stay by Gayle Forman - Everybody has to make choices.
Some might break you.
For seventeen-year-old Mia, surrounded by a wonderful family, friends and a gorgeous boyfriend decisions might seem tough, but they’re all about a future full of music and love, a future that’s brimming with hope.
But life can change in an instant.
A cold February morning... a snowy road... and suddenly all of Mia’s choices are gone. Except one.
As alone as she’ll ever be, Mia must make the most difficult choice of all.
Gripping, heartrending and ultimately life-affirming, If I Stay will make you appreciate all that you have, all that you’ve lost - and all that might be. From Amazon UK

I bought this book a while back before I even knew I would be doing Death and Bereavement Week at the behest of a fellow blogger. I had read on several blogs that this book was brilliant, so I did indeed buy it. Considering its subject matter, it was a no brainer that I would read it for the week. Now I wish I had read it much sooner.

When schools have announced a snow day, Mia's family decide to go out for the day and visit some friends. But then there is an accident, a car crash. Mia ends up in hospital, but is somehow separated from herself; her spirit sees and hears and walks. While her body is lying in a hospital bed, she is roaming the hospital with a decision to make; should she stay, live and deal with the tragedy, or should she go and die?

To be honest, when I started reading it, I had trouble with it. The very first pages were great, as it was painted as being just an ordinary morning. But when it comes to the accident, I couldn't deal with how graphic the crash scene is. So much so, you don't realise actually what's happening until it hits you. That along with all the blood was just too much for me at the time. I had to put it down. I read four other books before I could pick it up again, after some encouragement from another blogger. I picked it up again, and worked past the squeamishness to get to the heart of the story. Once I was there... wow.

The story takes place just over 24 hours, but is interspaced with flashbacks of beautiful, happy, joyous moments of Mia's life. The important things in her life; her family, her boyfriend, her best friend, her music. And it's just wonderful. Some of these moments are so crazy yet normal, they caused flashbacks of my own, moments of my life that are ridiculous and crazy and normal. It was just brilliant.

The main crux of the story is Mia's choice, and which way she will go. Throughout the novel, you're never entirely sure which she will choose. Watching her deal with the her time in hospital and remember all those moments, struggling with the decision of whether to live or die is just... mind blowing. If you think of the gravity of that decision, that there is a possibility she may choose to die, it's just amazing, the whole idea. And seeing both sides of the coin, reasons for living and dying, and undersanding, just makes it even more hard yet beautiful to read, and her ultimate decision so powerful.

What was also really lovely was getting to see Mia's family and friends visit Mia at her bedside, them not knowing about Mia's presence. Seeing them talk to her while they're in this limbo of not knowing whether she'll make it or not is just heartbreaking but lovely.

This is a fantastic, beautiful book that everyone should read. I absolutely adored it, and it makes me so, so happy that I don't have to make Mia's choice.

Published: 13th May 2010
Publisher: Definitions - Random House
Buy on Amazon US
Gayle Forman's Website
If I Stay's Website

death and bereavement in teen lit week, discussion

Discussion: Reasons for Reading Books About Death

09:00 Jo 2 comments

"By the end of high school, 20 percent of today's students will have lost one of their parents; 90 percent will have experienced the death of a close relative or loved one. Add to this the fact that one in every 1,500 secondary school students dies each year, and we can see that death and the resulting grief is a part of everyday life for many teenagers." From Bereavement Poems and Articles.

People die all the time, I know this. However, due to being lucky enough that I haven't had that many major people in my life die - and I believe those that did died while I was an adult, I found the above quote really shocking. From looking at those statistics, it looks like probably most people I know had a loved one who died while they were a teenager, it's a lot larger than I expected, simply because it never happened to me as a teenager.

During my googling for various things for this week, I came across a lot of websites and nonfiction books that deal with teen bereavement, how to get through it, but I think novels that deal with the subject also have their place, because through reading a story about someone who is going through the same thing, they find someone who understands. This could be said for any topic, but when you're feeling as lost as you are when you lose someone, I think novels can really help.

Yet, there's also the entertainment value of such books. Despite the fact that most teenagers might actually have known someone who died could have very little to do with them coming across such books. An article that come out on the Guardian website back in February 2010, when The Lovely Bones movie came out, Teenage Fiction's Death Wishes by Alison Flood, gives two sides to the entertainment argument.

The popularity of these books, believes [Gayle] Forman, [author of If I Stay] isn't necessarily because teenagers are drawn to the morbid – more that they are attracted to dramatic stories with stark moral choices. "When you're at this age, you tend to be experiencing so much for the first time – first love, first time away from home, first heartbreak – so life is imbued with extra intensity," she says. "I think teens are drawn to books that reflect that drama, or which evoke feelings that match the emotional rollercoasters they're riding in their own lives. So, while I don't think a story necessarily has to be all sturm und drang, it needs to stir something up."

Cate Tiernan [author of Immortal Beloved] isn't so sure: she does perceive a certain yearning towards the macabre among teen readers. "Traditionally, teenagers tend to be fascinated by morbid topics," she says. "The Lovely Bones probably spurred an interest in a dead teenager narrating a compelling story – you know it will be dramatic, because she's already dead. The storyline and impetus are in-built."...

Teenagers, Tiernan points out, are going through an enormous growth period – the greatest they've experienced since they left infancy for toddlerhood. "I see 'morbid' topics as a way to safely explore extreme, even threatening emotions, to vicariously experience hard, even shocking events from the safety of one's own room," she says. "I remember being intrigued by death, as a teenager. Some of my friends died in high school, either by suicide or from stupidity, and while it was horribly final, it was also surreal. There was definitely a feeling of 'it couldn't happen to me.' Even dangerous situations didn't seem that bad. I look back on dumb stuff I did and wince."

The article is really interesting and does have a lot lot more to say, so you really should check it out. But what do you think? Can such novels help those who are grieving? And what would you say is the reason such books are so popular?

Tuesday, 13 September 2011

before i fall, death and bereavement in teen lit week, interview, lauren oliver

Interview with Lauren Oliver

12:00 Jo 3 comments

Joining us today for Death and Bereavement Week to talk about her debut novel, Before I Fall, is author Lauren Oliver.

The plot for Before I Fall is such an incredible idea. How did you come up with the idea for it?

To be honest, I was really mostly interested in writing a book about the possibilities of change. I wanted to explore a character’s evolution, from a mean and self-centered girl to someone with a real capacity for care and self-sacrifice.

What research did you have to do for this book?

Fortunately, none! That’s the great thing about fiction—you can just make it up! I grew up in a town similar to the one in which Before I Fall takes place, so I was really just inspired by my own memories and observations.

Before I Fall has such intricate plot threads. How did you keep track of the secrets, stories, histories of all the characters in the novel?

Outlining, outlining, outlining! I carefully mapped out the whole book before I began writing, because I knew that otherwise I’d become hopelessly ensnared in continuity problems.

before i fall by lauren oliver

Why did you decide to write a story about death for your debut?

To be honest, I didn’t initially set out to write a book about death; that part of the plot was kind of secondary, which surprises many people. I set out to write a book about Sam Kingston, a mean girl who changes, and I was trying to generate a convincing set of circumstances that would allow her to begin to see her choices from a different perspective. Paradoxically, it’s her death that she gives her clarity about her life.

Your novel is an eye-opener and very thought provoking. Did you write Before I Fall with the intention of making people think about how they live their lives?

A central theme of the book is that it’s important to live life with as much deliberateness as possible. That’s definitely something I believe in very strongly.

Were there any books you found dealt well with this topic when you were a teen?

There are a ton of books that deal well with death, particularly ones aimed at young readers, although I happened upon many of them later in life. The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson and If I Stay by Gayle Foreman are two that come to mind, for example. But I like both of these books because they’re actually about life, and I’d like to think that Before I Fall is, too.

Anything else you would like to add?

Thanks for having me! And please check out http://www.laurenoliverbooks.com/ for more info/upcoming book releases.

Thank you, Lauren, for such a great interview! What do you think of Lauren's answers?

Be sure to check out Lauren's website, above, and her blog.

before i fall, contemporary, death and bereavement in teen lit week, lauren oliver, review, YA

Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

09:00 Jo No comments

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver - They say to live every day as if it's your last - but you never actually think it's going to be. You always think you'll have more time.

That's what I thought. But I was wrong.

The thing is, you don't get to know when it happens. You don't remember to tell your family that you love them or - in my case - remember to say goodbye to them at all.

What if, like me, you could live your last day over again? Could you make it perfect? If your whole life flashed before your eyes, would you have any regrets? Are there things you'd want to change? From the back cover

There's something that amazes me about books. I've read quite a lot over the years, and most of them have been really good books. I have a lot of them amongst my favourites. But every so often I come across a book, a jewel that is just so incredibly good, when I finish it's like time stops for a short while, and I just sit there in astonishment. Astonishment over how amazing the book was, and feeling incredibly lucky that I happened to pick that book up over another, that I was lucky enough to read it in my life time, that I have the memory of this read, this wonder, this astonishment forever. It's the one thing that makes me wonder if fate exists, as crazy as that sounds.

Before I Fall is one of these phenomenal books. There really aren't any words to describe how good it is, or how it made me feel. It's completely full of surprises, high moments, incredible lows, tragedy, laughter, craziness, utter bliss, paralysing fear, and deepest sorrow. It has absolutely everything, yet none of those words can even come close to the beauty of the moments I thought of as I wrote them. The plot, the writing, the characters, the small events, the big events... I'm just completely dumbfounded.

Sam Kingston dies at the end of what is a normal day. Except that's not the end. She wakes up again the morning of that day, again and again, having to relive it. Each day something different happens; she'll do, say, be somewhere different, which will lead to her seeing, hearing, knowing something different. As the days pass, she slowly begins to piece together how she dies, but learns about herself, about her friends, and about the life she leads. Will Sam break the circle, or will she continue to live the same day over and over? And if she does, what then?

How fully formed the characters in this novel are is fantastic. Seriously, there are so many different characters that play a part in this book at one point or another, but most are all part of the same popular clique, so it would be very easy for them all to blur into each other and for us to not see much difference, but they all have their own personalities, quirks, histories, secrets, stories. So many layers to if not all, then most of the characters, and you're always learning, always discovering - along with Sam.

Of all the characters in the book, I have to mention Lindsay, Elody, Ally and Kent. The three girls are Sam's best friends, the queen bees of the school and are so loyal, love each other deeply, but then can be the nastiest cows you could possibly imagine to anyone who looks at them the wrong way. It's so bewildering to read, because you want to hate them so much for what they do to people, because they are so absolutely disgusting, but the friendship and camaraderie between the four - they really are each other's best friends, and you can't help but smile over their antics. And Kent! Lovely, geeky, quirky Kent! I want one for myself. He is just the sweetest, most loveliest guy, and he makes me "aww" so much! And I can't say any more that I want to without spoiling the book.

You can't read this book without noticing things around you, and realising what you take for granted. I went out shortly after finishing it, and couldn't help but enjoy listening to the wind in the trees, and the rain on my face. Sam started paying more attention once she knew it was her last day replaying over and over, but we can never do that unless we start now. As the blurb says, you don't get to know when it will happen. It was brilliant to see how Sam reacted to finding out, and then how she chose to live each day, the decisions she would make that would change the outcomes of other things. It was really eye opening, and pretty much just brilliant.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It was unbelievable. I will relish reading this again at some point in the future. You cannot miss out on Before I Fall! I cannot urge you enough to pick up this book! You will not regret it.

Published: 22nd July 2010
Publisher: Hodder
Buy on Amazon US
Lauren Oliver's Website

Monday, 12 September 2011

annabel pitcher, death and bereavement in teen lit week, interview

Interview with Annabel Pitcher

12:00 Jo 4 comments

Joining us today for Death and Bereavement Week to talk about her debut novel, My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, is authorAnnabel Pitcher.

Thank you, Annabel, for writing such a fantastic novel and letting me interview you for Death and Bereavement Week. How did you come up with the idea for My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece?

The idea came to me in a youth hostel in Ecuador, of all places! I was travelling with my husband and, having arrived in South America in the middle of the night, we were too jet lagged to sleep and a little nervous of venturing out of the hostel in the early hours. Instead, we went to the tiny TV room and found a pirate copy of a film about 9/11, which really affected me. The idea for Mantelpiece sort of fell into my head after that, that very night in fact! I started the novel in a notepad and wrote the rest of the book travelling round the world. It was a blissful existence!

Jamie has an incredibly authentic voice, and I fell head-over-heels over how adorable he is. How easy or difficult was it to get into the mind of a ten-year-old?

I found it incredibly easy. Jamie was so real to me – so three dimensional. I have a very strong memory of my own childhood and I have worked with young people in my adult life in various capacities, so it wasn’t difficult to create his voice. Very early in the first draft, I put ‘speech rules’ in place (for instance, Jamie speaks in a very matter-of-fact way, usually in short sentences, with little verb variation) and once I had those parameter in place, creating the rest of the character’s voice was easy.

There are some cleverly woven in issues in My Sister that the reader will understand a little more than Jamie, such as anorexia. Although Jamie doesn’t see the full seriousness of Jas not eating, the reader will, and adds more credibility to the story as we see everyone effected. Was it difficult to insert these issues so that the reader would notice them yet leave Jamie to his innocence?

That’s a good question! Yes, it was at times. I didn’t want Jamie to come across as stupid in any way, so I had to make the references subtle so that the reader could understand why Jamie might not pick up on them, but sufficiently strong for the reader themselves. It was a fine line, and one that took a couple of edits to perfect.

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher

What research did you have to do for My Sister, if any?

There are two very different answers to that – very little and a lifetime’s worth! Very little because I didn’t feel the need to research anything that happens in the story, and a lifetime’s worth due to the fact I put absolutely everything into it, 28 years of knowledge and experience and everything that I’ve ever learned about life. It’s a book about human emotion, loss, love and family, so I wrote from the heart, drawing on my own and others’ experience, rather than looking up facts in books.

Why did you decide to write a story about bereavement for your debut?

I am fascinated by humans – their experiences, their stories, their emotions, their struggle to cope with the things life throws at them – and I suppose death and bereavement exaggerate all of this. However, the bereavement in the novel is very much the backdrop to what is (I hope) just an entertaining and moving story about all sorts of things – friendship, courage, coming of age, acceptance, bullying, love, the list goes on! I don’t see it as a book about bereavement. I see it as Jamie’s story, which just so happen to includes bereavement.

Not only does My Sister deal with bereavement, but also specifically with how terrorism can affect those left behind. Why did you decide to write a novel on the effects of terrorism? Was it hard to tell the story through the eyes of a ten-year-old?

It was important to me to write a contemporary story, set in a world young people recognise. I wasn’t interested in writing a fantasy, or a fluffy romance. I wanted my debut to be hard hitting and real. Terrorism, being such a contemporary issue that we’re all affected by in some way or other, enabled the story to become the raw, true-to-life one that I imagined.

What is your opinion on how YA novels deal with death and bereavement?

I don’t really feel qualified to answer that as I haven’t read a huge amount of YA novels about death and bereavement. However, the one book that qualifies is Before I Die by Jenny Downham, and I was in awe of the writer’s unflinching approach to cancer and grief. It captured the heartache and tragedy of the girl’s death without ever becoming sentimental. It is the most astonishingly real book – a huge triumph.

my sister lives on the mantelpiece paperback

my sister lives on the mantelpiece paperback

Were there any books you found dealt well with this topic when you were a teen?

Not really – and if there were, I didn’t tend to read them! I was always more interested in fantasy than I was in reading things that were too harrowing. I do remember Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume, but all I can recall is being gripped and moved by the story; I wouldn’t be able to say if the book dealt well with the topic.

Anything else you would like to add?

Thanks for having me and for your interest in the novel!

Thank you, Annabel, for such great answers! Be sure to check out Annabel's website. What do you think about what Annabel has said?

annabel pitcher, contemporary, death and bereavement in teen lit week, my sister lives on the mantlepiece, review, YA

Review: My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher

09:30 Jo No comments

My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece by Annabel Pitcher

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher (review copy) - Ten-year-old Jamie Matthews has just moved to the Lake District with his Dad and his teenage sister, Jasmine for a 'Fresh New Start'. Five years ago his sister's twin, Rose, was blown up by a terrorist bomb. His parents are wrecked by their grief, Jasmine turns to piercing, pink hair and stops eating. The family falls apart. But Jamie hasn't cried in all that time. To him Rose is just a distant memory. Jamie is far more interested in his cat, Roger, his birthday Spiderman T-shirt, and in keeping his new friend Sunya a secret from his dad. And in his deep longing and unshakeable belief that his Mum will come back to the family she walked out on months ago. When he sees a TV advert for a talent show, he feels certain that this will change everything and bring them all back together once and for all. From Amazon UK

As much as I liked the sound of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, when it came to reading it, I did put it off quite a few times. Why? Because the story was told by a ten-year-old, and in my mind that meant that it was aimed for quite young readers. As I'm not normally a fan of books for younger readers, I was worried I'd be disappointed by this novel. In actual fact, I was completely blown away.

The first thing I need to talk about is just how sweet this book is. Yes there are some pretty bad things that have happened before the start of the book and happen within the book's pages, but it's Jamie's voice; young, ten-year-old Jamie who is telling us his story and has such a brilliant, wonderful, and simple outlook on life, it's just lovely. He finds beauty int he most unexpected places, and love and strength in the most dire of circumstances, he is just wonderful! He explains things in his simple, child-like way, but makes absolute, perfect sense. The voice is just so incredibly real, together with the perfect cover, you can't help but imagine that gorgeous little boy telling you his story, and I wanted to pick him up and give him a hug so many times.

This story was also completely heartbreaking. His sister, Rose, died five years ago, and he doesn't really remember her. Yet his family are still suffering from the grief. His Mum walked out on them, and his Dad drinks himself into a stuper almost everyday. His Dad is completely obsessed with Rose, to the point that she gets a stocking put by her urn every Christmas, and a slice of cake whenever it's someone's birthday. He cannot let go, and everything is about her, to the point that Jamie might as well be invisible.

Jas, Jamie's older sister and Rose's twin, tries hard to give him the care he needs, but at just 15 herself, and going through her own issues, it just isn't perfect. But Jamie finds fun in the absolutely lovely Sunya, the girl he sits next to at school. However, as Rose died in a terrorist attack, his Dad is completely anti-Muslim, so Jamie goes through this inner conflict of wanting to be Sunya's friend, but how can he be when Muslims killed his sister? And when his Dad hates them so much? On top of all this, Jamie desperately, desperately wants to get his Mum and Dad back together and for everyone to be happy again, and he tries so hard.

There are also some other issues covered in My Sister, such as bullying and religions/beliefs, and those that Jamie himself doesn't know are big issues due to his age but the reader will, such as anorexia. In the case of anorexia, although Jamie doesn't realise how serious his sister's eating is, the little glimpses show a bigger picture, how the death of her twin, the abandonment from her mother, and her Dad's drinking affects Jas, and makes the story even more credible. Jamie may not see it, but we do, and understand. With this as one of many examples in mind, yes, this book can be enjoyed by younger teen readers, but it can also by enjoyed by older teenagers and adults alike, it has complete crossover appeal. It's such an amazingly fantastic novel that everyone can find something to enjoy from it.

This really is a beautiful, moving, and heartbreaking story, and at times really difficult to read, but absolutely brilliant. I am completely in awe of Pitcher over how spot on Jamie's voice and how real the story feels. It really does feel like he's talking to you, and you can't help but fall in love with him and want to look after him. This is one little boy I won't be forgetting anytime soon.

Thanks to Orion for sending me a review copy.

Published: 1st March 2011
Publisher: Orion Children's Books
Buy on Amazon US
Annabel Pitcher's website

death and bereavement in teen lit week

Death and Bereavement in Teen Lit Week: It's Here!

09:00 Jo No comments

Death is a fact of life. Everyone dies, and we have to accept that. But what's hard is actually coming to terms with the fact that loved ones are no longer here. In my opinion, the teenage years are when everything feels so much bigger and important, and when things effect you most strongly. This is not to detract from the greif felt by adults, everyone finds grief hard, but I feel losing someone close to you as a teenager, when you yourself feel invincible... it's going to be a huge deal.

And so Death & Bereavement in Teen Lit Week was born, to see how authors deal with such a sensitive subjet. Unfortunately, due to computer issues, I was unable to make this a month long event, but I'm able to use what I had already written to hold a themed week. During this week, I will look into books that deal with those in mourning, those who are dying, and in some cases, those who are dead. There will be reviews, author interviews, and discussions.

Below is a schedule of what you'll find on Once Upon a Bookcase during this week. I hope you, for want of a better word, enjoy.

Monday 12th September 2011
My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece by Annabel Pitcher
Interview with Annabel Pitcher

Tuesday 13th September 2011
Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Interview with Lauren Oliver

Wednesday 14th September 2011
Discussion: Reasons for Reading Books About Death
Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Thursday 15th September 2011
Review: Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Interview with Jenny Downham

Friday 16th September 2011
Review: And By the Way... by Denise Deegan
Guest Post from Denise Deegan: Bereavement in And By the Way...

Saturday 17th September 2011
Review: A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley
Previously Reviewed
Other Bloggers' D&B Posts

Sunday 18th September 2011
Further Reading
Death and Bereavement in Teen Lit: The End

Wednesday, 7 September 2011

death and bereavement in teen lit week

Next Week: Death and Bereavement in Teen Lit Week

22:00 Jo 1 comment

Original photo copyrighted to Fiona Fraser and used with permission.
Next week, starting Monday, I will be holding Death and Bereavement in Teen Lit Week. When I first announced it last year, it was going to be a month event, like my other themed months, but due to computer issues that won't be sorted out any time soon, and therefore limited access to a computer, I'm going to use what I already had before my computer dies and have a week. I'm sorry I have to do this, but I want to drag it out much longer.

So, D&B Week begins next with reviews, interviews, guest posts and discussions about the topic. You can find out a lot more about it on Monday, see you then.

FYI: I is a common belief that when loved ones die, they leave white feathers - supposedly from their angel wings - when they have visited you, hence the image used for the button.

Sunday, 18 September 2011

Death and Bereavement in Teen Lit Week: The End

Further Reading

Saturday, 17 September 2011

Other Bloggers' D&B Posts

Previously Reviewed

Review: A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley

Friday, 16 September 2011

Guest Post from: Denise Deegan: Bereavement in And By the Way...

Review: And By the Way... by Denise Deegan

Thursday, 15 September 2011

Interview with Jenny Downham

Review: Before I Die by Jenny Downham

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Discussion: Reasons for Reading Books About Death

Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Interview with Lauren Oliver

Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Monday, 12 September 2011

Interview with Annabel Pitcher

Review: My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher

Death and Bereavement in Teen Lit Week: It's Here!

Wednesday, 7 September 2011

Next Week: Death and Bereavement in Teen Lit Week

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