The story was brought to life in a magical way in the sense that the written word came into being-it felt real. The setting, sound track, and cinematography are all spot-on. The Movie Versionīefore I Fall as directed by Ry Russo-Young is a beautiful, high-quality film. I wondered how the film makers would handle internal turmoil on screen as well as the challenge of making the repetition of living the same day not feel tiresome. Everything is imbued with meaning and answers are just out of reach. In fact, that’s why I like YA books in general-even the fluffiest turn inward to some degree. The best part of the book is that it’s about a life examined.

The underlying tension is always, what will happen this time? It was like one of those Choose Your Own Adventure books. Despite living the same day with her multiple times, the pacing is fast. Sam eventually realizes that small choices have ripple effects on the lives of others, and as she continually wakes to the same day each morning, she’s able to change its outcome by making different decisions. She needed to look at herself critically, and the author managed this without moralizing. Sam is a dynamic character in this book and waiting for and watching her change kept me turning pages. As she does, she takes stock of her actions, and for the seemingly first time, reflects on her life and the consequences of her behavior. It takes her a while to realize she’s reliving the day of her death over and over again. She receives the same pop quiz, and people enter her life in the hallway or cafeteria at the exact time they did the day before. Her friends carry on the same conversation on the way to school as they did the day earlier. Nonetheless, despite dying on an icy road the night before, Sam’s alarm goes off like normal the following morning. When Sam dies in a drunk-driving accident after a party, it feels like just desserts. They don’t even realize how horrible they are.

Yet, I can’t help but be fascinated by the careless cruelty this posse inflicts upon others-totally guilt-free. She will not deign to speak to underclassmen, she’s actively rude to a childhood admirer, she manipulates people into doing her favors, and she terrorizes a shy girl with depression. It’s because she and her friends reign through fear.

Sam is one of the most popular girls at her school, but it’s not because she’s well-liked. Of course, it’s good I didn’t let my initial prejudices win out. Did I really want to spend hundreds of pages with the type of girl who’d humiliate another at a pool party (with feminine products, no less)? I thought the book should come with a junior high nightmare trigger warning. Samantha (Sam) is the preeminent mean girl of her high school. When I finally cracked it, I was further disheartened to find that I hated the main character. I put off reading Before I Fall, a young adult novel by Lauren Oliver, because I knew it was about a dead girl.

Author of before i fall