3.5 Stars

As the result of a tragic accident which killed her elder sister Beth’s parents are overprotective to the point of suffocation. They are intense and afraid, and the way in which it manifests itself only serves to further isolate Beth from them. At times she feels guilty, whether it be the guilt of being alive, or the guilt of being alive but not truly living. She lives her life on rote of her parent’s demands but finds herself lasing out in destructive ways when their demands interfere with her future.

An act of teen rebellion brings with it the most shocking of consequences. Beth finds herself connected to the person who is the source of her families despair. There is plenty of inner angst and turmoil and at times I would have loved to have had a balanced voice within it all. Beth is in a position which should evoke nothing but empathy but admittedly I found myself becoming frustrated with her and those surrounding her. The environment becomes a breeding ground of judgement and I felt disappointed in the behaviours at people who were supposed to set examples, for instance some of the adults and teachers.

By way of characters I found Chase the most likeable. He’s tormented by his mistake but even so his unwavering concern of Beth, and steadfastness made him a worthy hero. He had paid for his transgressions and I felt him truly remorseful, but the repercussions of his actions brought out the ugliness of how carelessly we can sometimes treat each other. Emotionally I felt this message was a huge takeaway from the story, and it serves an appreciative reminder. Although on a whole not all aspects worked; this one small thing that had a lasting impact on me.

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