Before I Fall

By: Lauren Oliver

Narrated by: Sarah Drew

Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death - and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Cover Art © 2016 Open Road Films. All Rights Reserved.

©2010 Lauren Oliver (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Oliver, in a pitch-perfect teen voice, explores the power we have to affect the people around us in this intensely believable first novel...This is a compelling book with a powerful message and should not be missed." ( Booklist)

It hurts

I had mistake this audiobook with another, so I was so confused for the first two chapters, until I realized it.
Then because of my curiosity, I kept going.
I cried my eyes out, I had a younger sister that died at 19 YO , and I was imagining her all through this book , cause to tell the truth, she was acting weird two days before she died , like she knew she’s going to die suddenly, saying farewells and goodbyes, I love you for this and I love you for that .
We were so shocked for her sudden death that we didn’t recognize what she had done . I had cried like it was that day .

The only thing I didn’t like was the narrator, her voices were irritating.

Beautiful.

At first glance Before I Fall seems to be a typical YA novel about a teenage girl and her journey toward self-discovery, but it didn't take long for me to realize it is so much more.

First off, this book is incredibly well written--I love this. The descriptions, storyline, character development: beautiful. I loved all of it so much I couldn't help but run out and purchase a hardback copy of this book immediately after I finished listening to the audio book, so I might reread the many beautiful passages contained in the book as many times as I'd like without having to rewind. That being said, I'll never regret purchasing the audio book format. It is well worth having and will listen to it over and over again.

Second: the fact that this audio book left me breathless more times then I can count. This book, combined with the fantastic/flawless performance by Sarah Drew resulted in the ultimate listening experience.

Sarah Drew's performance really did this book justice--she's the perfect fit. She was so good that I will purchase other audio books in which she is the narrator.

Third: how I couldn't stop thinking about this book after I was finished with it.

I love this book. It's fantastic, beautiful, lovely, wonderful. I'm glad I purchased it. It is more then credit-worthy.

A powerful story with the perfect narrator.

What did you love best about Before I Fall?

The best part of the story was Sam discovering who everyone is on a deeper level by getting small glimpses into their personal lives. By learning about all their true nature she ultimately discovers herself and what was important in life.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Sam was my favorite character. The listener can go on the journey with her and see how she changes with each day. I love the things that she learns and thinks about as the story progresses.

Which character – as performed by Sarah Drew – was your favorite?

The narrator was perfect for this story. You could feel Sam's emotions. I've never listened to a narration with such perfect settle emotions.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The story made me think a lot about people and how there is always more going on than what's on the surface. It also made me think a lot about the timing and impact of simple events.

overall good, narration could be a little better

Interesting story and an easy listen. I like that I could do chores, drive, take lots of breaks and not lose my place or forget what was happening in this story. The main character has a nice voice but I don't think narrator does a very good job with the other characters, especially the male voices.

A High School Groundhog Day-- horrifying, but good

This is a young adult novel. There are mentions of sex and some extreme partying (the high-schoolers drink and smoke pot A LOT), plus references to rape and suicide. That is, this might not be for the 11-year-old reader.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. The premise is similar to the film Groundhog Day-- a self-absorbed protagonist is forced to live the same day over and over, learning lessons each time. I was kind of impressed at the risk the author took, not so much for the repetition of plot events (necessary of course for the overall thematic purpose), but for having really unlikeable "mean girls" as the main characters. Don't let that discourage you-- the author deepens the understanding of their personalities as the book goes on. I never did quite distinguish the two minor friends in the clique (never name similar characters with similar names :), but the protagonist and her best friend were sharply limned and boldly individualized.

I was expecting more of a "wow" ending, and was a bit disappointed by the soft-focus epilogue which didn't really answer the questions the story had set up. But I was really fascinated by the gritty exploration of life in a small high school and within the "in-group" of popular kids and what distinguishes them from everyone else. Well done and scary, and boy, am I glad I graduated and never looked back!

NOTE: I listened to the audio book from audible.com. I didn't think I'd like the narrator because she sounded so young at first, but she was very good at doing the voices of the different kids, and at conveying emotion, so I ended up really enjoying her narration.

AMAZING BOOK!

I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK WITH THE FIRST CHAPTER. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN AND I WAS SO UPSET WHEN IT WAS OVER! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT AND HOPE IT GETS MADE INTO A MOVIE!

Solid from start to finish....

As an adult it was downloaded as a light listen, but it did grow on me. I was strongly hoping for certain outcomes by the end of the book based on my like/dislike of the characters. I was actually sad when it was over as by that point I wanted more! I loved the narrator's voice and her ability to change the tone to distinguish between the characters. It did take a bit to get used to but once again it grew on me. I will certainly be checking out her other books, I liked the writer's style and I feel that her writing transcends age.

Beautiful, touching story

Any additional comments?

I listened to this book for book club and was pleasantly surprised. The writing is just beautiful. Oliver is very talented and I look forward to downloading another of her books. The narrator does an excellent job and I am glad that I listened to this book rather than reading it. While I didn't have a high school experience anything like this, I could relate to several of the social problems that exist in the teenage world. I thought I had this book all figured out within the first hour, but I am glad to say I was wrong. I loved the way the author weaves the story with new bits of information and insight as she goes along. I love the humanness of the characters- while I wanted to hate the mean girls and pity the picked on ones, Oliver helps you to have understanding and empathy for why people act the way they do. It was heartbreaking and lovely all at the same time and it made my yard work go by much faster. It is definitely not just a YA book- everyone can remember high school and relate.

What a Great surprise!

I never would have taken time to read this book as it just isn't a type I would normally choose. The reviews I read tho had interested me. It took me a little bit to get with what was going on but soon I was hooked! I thought Sarah Drew did an excellent job of "performing" the story And was so thankful to have gone thru the "learning process" with Samantha! As one of the other reviewers said this is a "must listen" for anyone!!

Good Narrator, but uncomfortable material

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

The only thing I didn't like about this book was how the narrator did the teenager voices. It's not that the narrator is bad --in fact, she performed them accurately! I just don't like how teenagers sound.