Before I Fall
Lauren Oliver
Summary
Most students who attend Thomas Jefferson High School will say that they envy Samantha Kingston. She has three popular best friends-Elody, Lindsay, and Ally and she also has the perfect boyfriend-Rob. It is Friday, February 12 which means that its Cupid Day at Thomas Jefferson High. This is a tradition that occurs around Valentine's Day that only the Seniors can participate in. Later on that day, Sam receives a party invitation to Kent's party, Sam's best friend since Kindergarten. The day goes on and Sam and her three friends drive to the party at Kent's house. Sam then realizes that the party wasn't at all what she visioned. Therefore, she orders Lindsay, Elody, and Ally to drive her home so she can just rest. On the drive home, Lindsay wasn't paying attention and they hit a truck head-on and the car burst into flames. Sam and her friends were pronounced dead on the scene.
What if you had only one day to live? How about reliving that day seven times? Would you change anything?
The After Life
When Sam is dead, she has a falling sensation, then all of a sudden she is woken up by her alarm clock like nothing happened. Sam looks at her clock and it says Feb. 12. She has to re-live the day of her death seven times. At the end of the seventh day, Sam sacrifices herself for Juliet, her true friend, she finds out that she was meant to be with Kent, and she realizes the true meaning of life.
Characters
Samantha Kingston
- Main character
- Died in car accident
- Re-lived February 12 seven times
Kent McFuller
- Sam's best friend
- Host of party
Lindsay Edgecombe
- Sam's most popular friend
- Leader of the group
- Driver of car accident
"Maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there's a tomorrow, but for some of us there's only today. And the truth is, you never really know" (Oliver 268).
Elody
- One of Sam's newest best friend
- Died in car accident
Ally
- Sam's other new best friend
- Died in car accident
Juliet Sykes
- Bullied
- Sam's true best friend
"Certain moments go on forever. Even after they're over they still go on, even after you're dead and buried, those moments are lasting still, backward and forward, on into infinity. They are everything and everywhere all at once. They are meaning" (Oliver 470).
Rob Cokran
- Sam's first true love
Kent's Party
The Car Accident
"Hope keeps you alive. Even when you're dead, it's the only thing that keeps you alive" (Oliver 137).
Before I Fall Book Trailer
Created by: Josie Lindstedt
Citations
Photo citations: http://www.laurenoliverbooks.com/images/bookcover_home_before_i_fall.jpg
http://szugarrain.deviantart.com/art/Before-I-Fall-Samantha-Kingston-385084421
http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/194/4/c/before_i_fall_kent_mcfuller_by_szugarrain-d6d9pov.jpg
http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/194/2/4/before_i_fall_elody_by_szugarrain-d6d9pa9.jpg
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4nh5ciuzk1qbevbmo1_500.gif
http://deliriumnet.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/emma-roberts-empire-state-300x225.jpg
https://p.gr-assets.com/540x540/fit/hostedimages/1379799614/657170.jpg
http://sr.photos3.fotosearch.com/bthumb/UNC/UNC274/u22091747.jpg
Video citation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S0lxZ_HY10