By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters - Book Review #40

By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead

by Julie Anne Peters

Daelyn Rice is broken beyond repair, and after a string of botched suicide attempts, she's determined to get her death right. She starts visiting a website for "completers"- www.through-the-light.com.

While she's on the site, Daelyn blogs about her life, uncovering a history of bullying that goes back to kindergarten. When she's not on the Web, Daelyn's at her private school, where she's known as the freak who doesn't talk.

Then, a boy named Santana begins to sit with her after school while she's waiting to for her parents to pick her up. Even though she's made it clear that she wants to be left alone, Santana won't give up. And it's too late for Daelyn to be letting people into her life. Isn't it?

From goodreads.com

I don’t know why I picked this book – the cover, the expectance of strong emotions, some sort of revelation, maybe something else. I don’t know why I picked this book, but I did and so I read it. I don’t know what I expected from this book, because I don’t know why I picked it. So I finished reading it, closed it and stare at the cover. What I was feeling? What did I think about it?

I felt frustrated and sick. The first thought that entered my mind – I’m so sick and tired of weak and whinny characters. It felt like the most bulling to Dealing was done … by herself. She is the one who constantly calling herself names. She is the one who is putting abusive and offensive words to other people’s mouths (not literally, but for her, I’m sure, it make an impression that other people said that). Ok, I agree that Daelyn had some unpleasant incidents, but she never fought back. She never defended herself, never told anyone to bring some reinforcement. She never told anything to her parents, nevertheless, she is sarcastic about their cluelessness all the time. She is going on and on how they never were there for her. No, I agree that parents have to be more attentive to their children, but they are not a mind readers and in my opinion, Daelyn’s parent really tried and tried differently. The only thing she needed to do is give them a hint.

Daelyn is right when she thinks that there are winners and losers, and I would add that no one canceled the natural selection. I know it might sound harsh, but civilization already made life too comfortable for people and almost reduced the natural selection to zero. Therefore, we have more and more these spineless people, who cannot do as much as ask for help, who is destroying themselves willingly and systematically. Yes, I said it, willingly! Because I truly believe if it wouldn’t be for bulling, Daelyn would have found some other reason to kill herself.

Ok, I will not be bashing Daelyn or this book anymore, because it might be a good guide of how NOT to do. And I don’t mean, dear children, please do not bully each other, because children always did and they always will, and not only children. I mean, please, fight for yourself, stand your ground, ask for help and you can be a winner as well. I know it is probably easier said than done for someone, but have a spine, have some dignity and self-respect, because if you are not respecting yourself, no one will!