How to Save a Life – Sara
Zarr
Pages:
411
Publisher:
Osborne
Release
Date: 1st
September
Edition:
UK proof,
review copy
Everyone
knows how to live...be who they are...find their place. But I’m still waiting.
Jill’s
life lost all meaning when her dad died. Friends, boyfriend, college – nothing
matters any more. Then her mom drops a bombshell. She’s going to adopt a baby.
Mandy
is desperate for her life to change. Seventeen, pregnant and leaving home, she
is sure of only one thing – her baby must never have a life like hers, whatever
it takes.
Heart-achingly
beautiful, How
to Save a Life is about finding love,
truth and your place in the world...all where you least expect it.
I adored Sara’s debut Story of a Girl, but I wasn’t as taken
with Sweethearts, so I really didn't
know how I’d feel about How to Save a
Life but decided to give a go nonetheless. Boy, am I glad I did!
Sara Zarr gives us both sides
of the story with a narrative split between Mandy and Jill. I immediately took
to angry, bitter and heavily grieving Jill, but it took me a while to warm to
the innocent and slightly odd Mandy. There was something about her that I
didn't trust; sometimes her narration even felt unreliable in that she’d
perhaps deluded herself into believing certain things. There wasn’t a trace of
that mistrust with Jill although she too, of course, deluded herself
frequently. Mandy struck me as slightly creepy at first, but as I learnt more
about her background and her internal journey, I grew from wariness to sympathy
to wanting to look after her much in the same way as Jill did.
In the way of action and plot,
not a lot happened in How to Save a Life.
After reading so many dystopias and plot-driven novels this year, this book
was a complete treat. I love character orientated novels when they are done
well which this most definitely was! As cheesy as it is, Jill and Mandy grew
and developed so much over the course of the novel. With the help of a few characters,
they grew to accept that they could change their situations and opened up to
new lives. It was rather heart-warming. Mandy had Robin and eventually Jill,
and Jill, well, I’m not going to ruin that for you!
How
to Save a Life developed
in a way that I was really not expecting. It was a turn around on the options
for the ending that was presented throughout the novel and I was surprised. But
in reflection, I don't think it could have ended any other way with the themes
that were present in How to Save a Life and
the relationships and attachments that formed. It was the perfect, and only,
ending.
I loved How to Save a Life and I hope that the rest of Sara Zarr’s novels
will be published over here so lots more readers are introduced to such awesome
contemporary YA.
Thank you to Osborne for
providing me with a review copy.
Sophie
Every time I read a review of this book, I feel bad that I didn't really like it. On another note, this is the best written review I have read of How To Save A Life.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Kelsey! That's really awesome :)
DeleteI love Sara Zarr, and I really do hope that more by her is published in the UK!
ReplyDeleteGreat review, sounds like a really good book, refreshing after so many zombies and end-of-the-world stuff!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so good - I really want to read it! Thank you for the great review.
ReplyDeleteI love How To Save a Life, but didn't love it as much as I did Sweethearts, haha! Awesome review ;)
ReplyDeleteThe book is hard at times; Mandy has been through some truly terrible situations. And while they're awful, they show how strong a character she is, despite not seeming like one at first. And of course there's a love story, which is careful and sweet and perfect.
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend Zarr's book; it's full of hope, family and love.
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