Reviewed by wcs53 on
Teenager Carver Briggs is mourning the death of his three best friends in a car accident. Unfortunately, he may have played a big part in their death. An innocently sent text is at the centre of the debate of whether or not he was to blame. It's complicated by the fact that the parent of one of the dead friends is a highly respected judge, looking for someone to blame. Further complications ensue when he starts falling for the girlfriend of another of the friends.
This was an interesting and enjoyable read. The characters were well-developed and the story move along well. At times it's easy to understand why some of the characters needed to find someone to blame, but mainly most of the sympathy falls upon Carver, who is going through hell, as he deals with not only his great loss, but the pressures coming at him from all sides.
The title refers to Carver spending a day with people who were significant in the lives of his dead friends, doing something with each of them that had meaning one last time, sharing things about them that perhaps the others didn't know. These are bittersweet days for Carver and each day brings its own particular challenges and complications.
The story is definitely an emotional roller-coaster of a read. I'm sure it would be helpful for young people who may be experiencing loss in their lives. In spite of a lot of the focus being on the dead teens, it is a life-affirming story. Those left behind still have to get on with their lives and find ways of moving forward, while trying to make sense of it all.
It is a page-turner, that as hard to put down in the end, and was a worthwhile read.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 8 June, 2018: Finished reading
- 8 June, 2018: Reviewed