Explore our new BookBrowse Community Forum!

What readers think of Before I Die, plus links to write your own review.

Summary |  Excerpt |  Reading Guide |  Reviews |  Beyond the book |  Read-Alikes |  Genres & Themes |  Author Bio

Before I Die by Jenny Downham

Before I Die

by Jenny Downham
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Readers' Rating:
  • First Published:
  • Sep 25, 2007, 336 pages
  • Paperback:
  • May 2009, 336 pages
  • Rate this book

  • Buy This Book

About This Book

Reviews

Page 3 of 5
There are currently 40 reader reviews for Before I Die
Order Reviews by:

Write your own review!

Valerie

Breaks the heart
This book squeezes your heart and knocks the air out of you. Intense, touching, and well written, it is not for the faint of heart. For anyone dealing with death or serious in any way, this book provides insight into what it may be like for the dying person. Compassionate and holding no punches, this is an astounding book.
Valerie

Breaks the heart
This book squeezes your heart and knocks the air out of you. Intense, touching, and well written, it is not for the faint of heart. For anyone dealing with death or serious in any way, this book provides insight into what it may be like for the dying person. Compassionate and holding no punches, this is an astounding book.
Diane

Death for real
I read this in one sitting - it's just that compelling. At the same time, it was hard to reach the end of the book, since the narrator's death was so certain. It was also hard to read through all my tears! But it was a good kind of grief, the kind that calls to mind the real life experiences of losing loved ones to the slow ordeal of cancer. I found it to be exceptional in the juxtaposition of ordinary teen life with the threat of imminent death. Many teens like reading about death ala Lurlene McDaniel, and I think they will eat this more realistic portrayal up.
Diana

A Teenage Girl, Her Lover, Her Brother, and Death
Before I Die, the interior monologue of a 16 year-old girl dying of leukemia is haunting, compelling, and at places downright beautiful. Written with an adolescent market in mind, some plot features may be a little starry eyed for the adult reader, but overall the book is a worthwhile read--impossible to put down once begun or to finish without a tear. The younger brother, age not given but apparently in the 9-11 range, is almost perfect, with his love and fear for his sister warring with his own needs for attention.
Michelle

Before I Die
After getting used to the somewhat disjointed thought patterns of the main character, I couldn't put this book down. It was an extremely realistic account of a young woman with a terminal disease & the author captures the myriad of emotions that the teen goes through as she slowly comes to terms with her illness. You can really feel her pain, anger, depression, and even wild joy at times & my heart truly ached for her. I think this story would appeal to all ages, it is a very realistic account of what it is like to die from a terminal disease, from both sides, the family and the patient. Grab a box of tissues!!
Michelle

Before I Die
After getting used to the somewhat disjointed thought patterns of the main character, I couldn't put this book down. It was an extremely realistic account of a young woman with a terminal disease & the author captures the myriad of emotions that the teen goes through as she slowly comes to terms with her illness. You can really feel her pain, anger, depression, and even wild joy at times & my heart truly ached for her. I think this story would appeal to all ages, it is a very realistic account of what it is like to die from a terminal disease, from both sides, the family and the patient. Grab a box of tissues!!
Glory

my thoughts
I really liked this book. I was able to finish this book in about 5 hours and could not put it down. I felt the characters were well developed and believable. It was all I could do to keep from crying. I am not sure I would let my 14 year old read it though. I think it is more appropriate for an older teenager (16+) or adult. Would highly reccomend this book.
Afton

Review
This is a good book! Kinda disturbing at some parts, but overall, its a very good book! Inspiring (:
My teacher read it to the class and it was off the chang!

Top Picks

  • Book Jacket: Graveyard Shift
    Graveyard Shift
    by M. L. Rio
    Following the success of her debut novel, If We Were Villains, M. L. Rio's latest book is the quasi-...
  • Book Jacket: The Sisters K
    The Sisters K
    by Maureen Sun
    The Kim sisters—Minah, Sarah, and Esther—have just learned their father is dying of ...
  • Book Jacket: Linguaphile
    Linguaphile
    by Julie Sedivy
    From an infant's first attempts to connect with the world around them to the final words shared with...
  • Book Jacket
    The Rest of You
    by Maame Blue
    At the start of Maame Blue's The Rest of You, Whitney Appiah, a Ghanaian Londoner, is ringing in her...

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Pony Confidential
    by Christina Lynch

    In this whimsical mystery, a grumpy pony must clear his beloved human's name from a murder accusation.

Who Said...

In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

F the M

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.