Before I fall is a pretty depressing book. A teenager who gets killed in a drunk driving incident gets to relive the day which she died on for as long as she wants until she is fully content with the end of her life. It is a really sad type of story in a way because she was the typical type of high-schooler who was in a side popular but was also very insecure. Doing what friends to as typical as it seems for a highschooler, a follower is what get a person popular. The main character, Sam, happens to follow her friends and what they do to become popular. For example, drugs and alcohol. Being vain and greedy for attentions, these acts would always have their consequences. Which in their case would be the death of her during a ride back home. This isn't much of a spoiler because in the beginning, the author has told the readers mostly on what will happen in the book. I can't explain it in an appropriate way of how Sam Kingston acts and what she does. If inappropriately saying, she would be the so called "female dog of the school".
A theme in this story that I felt necessary talking about is the topic of rebellion. Sam as well as her follower friends were nearly rebelling against their parents. Not only have they broken many rules but they find joy outside of the strict sanctuary their parents has built for them. Not only them, but I also feel it is mundane sometimes. With the society following only rules, life is not fully understood until an accident occurs, as to the case of Sam Kingston. When teens rebel they tend to find a refreshed world in them but mistakes are prone.
I technically felt myself not liking the story very much, although I could relate to it. I didn't like it much at all until the end was actually the punishment for her mistake. She realizes that there is no turning back at that point. Sam's punishment for such behavior was not by her worrying parents, but by fate. As the saying goes, what goes around comes around. And rather than reliving her last day eternally, Sam Kingston sacrifices herself for her friend in the end and dies the way others say "without regrets". Because every action has a consequence. And every mistake has punishment and regret. Without the ending, I would have felt this book to be worthless to spend time on reading and would not have much meaning to it.
Themes in this book: Punishment, Regret, Fate, Teen Rebellion, Death, Realization
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