Wednesday, March 11, 2015

REVIEW: The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand




The Last Time We Say Goodbye
There's death all around us.
We just don't pay attention.
Until we do.

The last time Lex was happy, it was before. When she had a family that was whole. A boyfriend she loved. Friends who didn't look at her like she might break down at any moment.

Now she's just the girl whose brother killed himself. And it feels like that's all she'll ever be.

As Lex starts to put her life back together, she tries to block out what happened the night Tyler died. But there's a secret she hasn't told anyone-a text Tyler sent, that could have changed everything.

Lex's brother is gone. But Lex is about to discover that a ghost doesn't have to be real to keep you from moving on.


From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand, The Last Time We Say Goodbye is a gorgeous and heart-wrenching story of love, loss, and letting go.





MY THOUGHTS
I've been wanting to read this book ever since it was called Untitled and the closest thing to a synopsis that this book had was 'Cynthia Hand's contemporary novel'. I added this book right away, even without knowing what this book was about. When I finally found out what it was about, I wanted to read it even more!

This book focuses on Lex, whose younger brother died over Christmas break at age 16. Her brother, Ty, shot himself in their garage. Lex can't help but think of how she might've stopped it, how she didn't even notice to clues. She also can't help but wonder: why?

This is a very sad book and it is absolutely heartbreaking. If you're looking for a feel-good read, this is not the place to look. But do not disregard this book because of that fact, this is an enormously realistic and beautiful book that you don't want to miss out on.

Now, I am glad to say that I have never faced loss in my life (unless you count various pets and my grandfather, who died when I was 1) and I have never known anyone who committed suicide, but I do sometimes feel like I understand suicide. I'm sorry for getting too personal in my review, but there have been quite a few bouts of depression and my strong hatred towards myself that I have thought about suicide. What has always stopped me is that, while I hate myself, I do have two loving parents and I do not want them to have to go through the loss of a child. Again, I'm sorry for getting personal, but I do have a point in mentioning all of these. This book focuses on precisely what a family goes through after the suicide of a member. Not only does Lex question what she could've done and how should could have not seen the signs, but her mom has resorted to drinking and sees life as not worth living anymore. Even her father, an a-hole that cheated on her mom, is distraught by the fact that Ty never forgave him. It is really sad to see this, especially as this is very true to life. Many families have lost family members to suicide, which is becoming more and more common.

Lex, our main character, is a bit more put together than her mother, though she still feels like she's falling apart. What I really liked about this book was Lex's growth. In the beginning, she's afraid to talk about her brother and is afraid to get close to anyone. She's in a deep depression throughout this book, which is understandable, but she grows in this book to start remembering Ty again and live her life fully. The big takeaway from this book is that you're never going to fully get over the death of someone close to you, but the pain will lessen and you can be able to move on.


IN CONCLUSION
This is a very well-written and realistic book. Though, it's very heartbreaking to read, I strongly recommend this book, along with Unearthly (The author's other book that has a very different subject matter).

I hereby give this book
4 Wheels
Meaning: It was amazing!

1 comment :

  1. I am very sorry to feel that you have felt this way before, because that is never good :( But I am glad that you are still with us and that reading books like this can help, in a way. This sounds like a truly emotional ride and I have added it to my TBR after your uplifting review of it. I will be sure to have the tissue box ready as I read.

    Check out my review: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2015/03/treadmill-review.html

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