Owen, Frank, Audrey, and Jin-Ae have one thing in common: They all want to die. When they meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, they make a deadly pact: They will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides. . . and at their final destination, they will do themselves in.
As they drive cross-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up, and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living--or if there's no turning back.
Title: Crash Into Me
Author: Albert Borris
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: July 21, 2009
Source: Bought. This book is part of the Crash Into Me blog tour for Albert Borris hosted by Teen Book Scene. You can follow along with the rest of the tour here.
My rating: 4/5
When four teens decide to go on a road trip to visit the graves of celebrity suicides, they are looking forward to the finale; committing suicide themselves. What they don't realize though, is that the bonds they are making on this journey can last a lifetime. They then have to ask themselves if they are going to continue on with their plan, or is life worth living?
Crash Into Me is a book that tackles the very real topic of suicide. It is an emotionally heavy book, full of angst; however it isn't as dark as I thought it was going to be. The four characters are portrayed realistically, and have valid reasons for their feelings. They aren't being whiny, or self-indulgent. They have real problems, and they can't see how living will solve them. When they finally meet and start on their way, they don't realize that the healing process may have already begun. They learn that they have each other, and realize that they can confide their deepest, darkest secrets without fear of judgement. When they continue to grow closer, they need to ask themselves if this, life, is worth giving up.
I enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would. I was apprehensive as I started the book, as I wasn't sure I was going to be able to relate to any of the characters. I think everyone has times that they are depressed, or are feeling lonely, and it is magnified in these characters. In this way, I found that I could relate on some level to them. I particularly felt bad for Owen as he seemed to have a lot going on, and became quite emotional throughout the story. The other characters, Frank, Jin-Ae, and Audrey are all believable as well, but it was Owen who stole my heart.
All in all, a heartfelt, moving debut that questions the validity of life. A surprising gem, full of intriguing facts, which helps alleviate the overall tone of the book. Though it starts out as a fatalistic mission, it turns into so much more. It is definitely a worthwhile read!
3 comments:
Great review, Corrine! I wish I'd liked this book more...I thought it was a great message, but I was so lost through parts of it, and I had a hard time getting to know Owen. :)
I thought it was a interesting read also. I'm not sure I loved it, but it stayed with me long after I had put it down.
Thanks for the review.
I've heard of this one. Sounds even more interesting than I thought. Thanks for the review. I'll have to check it out!
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