9,286 pages to go … “Before I Die”

“Hey guys, I’m going to die … did I mention I’m going to die … I don’t have long … I’m going to die.”

I knew before reading this book that it was going to have a lot stuff like above, it is a book about a teen how doesn’t have long to live. But “Before I Die” by Jenny Downham (327 pages) was very annoying about it.

The main character, Tessa, whined ALL THE TIME. Perhaps this happens when you have been sick for so long, I don’t know. What I do know though is that is makes for one super annoying protagonist.

Tessa is super self-centered. I liked some of the other characters well enough to finish the book, but I was just glad for it to be over.

Back of the book:

Tessa has just months to live. Fighting back against hospital visits, endless tests, and drugs with excruciating side effects, Tessa compiles a list. It’s her To Do Before I Die list. And number one is Sex. Released from the constraints of “normal” life, Tessa tastes new experiences to make her feel alive while her failing body struggles to keep up. Tessa’s feelings, her relationships with her father and brother, her estranged mother, her best friend, and her new boyfriend, are all painfully crystallized in the precious weeks before Tessa’s time finally runs out.