Fri, August 24, 2012
Survive by Alex Morel Review
Survive
By Alex Morel
Publication date: Aug. 2, 2012
Razorbill, 272 pages
Source: Publisher
Hatchet meets Lost in this modern-day adventure tale of one girl’s reawakening
Jane is on a plane on her way home to Montclair, New Jersey, from a mental hospital. She is about to kill herself. Just before she can swallow a lethal dose of pills, the plane hits turbulence and everything goes black. Jane wakes up amidst piles of wreckage and charred bodies on a snowy mountaintop. There is only one other survivor: a boy named Paul, who inspires Jane to want to fight for her life for the first time.
Jane and Paul scale icy slopes and huddle together for warmth at night, forging an intense emotional bond. But the wilderness is a vast and lethal force, and only one of them will survive.
— Goodreads.com description
This is a hard review to write without giving anything away. Let’s see how I do…
I devoured Survive by Alex Morel in one sitting, reading in a fury to find out what would happen next. I was invested and sick to my stomach with worry for these characters. It’s a short but intense read.
That fast-paced intensity meant I was attached to the characters early on, which sort of backfired on me. I…well….required some cool-down time before I could write this review. I might have thrown the book. Okay, it was more of a “toss”…but an angry toss.
Why? Well, it’s not an easy thing to care for Jane as a character. She’s suicidal, depressed and detached, and it’s just not easy to “stand by and watch,” so to speak. And, the ending. Well, I won’t say. But it MADE ME FEEL THINGS.
But after letting things settle …I THINK THAT’S A GOOD THING! Look, I love happy books, and this sure as hell isn’t one of them, but literature should challenge us and I’m grateful to Alex Morel for taking me down this path, as difficult as it was.
Just, you know…prepare yourself.
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I read. A lot. Mostly whatever YA novels the library has on hold for me that week. Sometimes grown-up books if my book club makes me.
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Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books said:
I love survival stories, so I definitely want to read this one. It sounds interesting, especially since the MC has her own issues and actually WANTS to die before the plane crashes.
Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books recently posted..TGIF (37): Back to School Reading
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Posted on: Fri, August 24, 2012
Natalie said:
Hatchet? I’m in!! This is the first time that I’ve heard about this book but it sounds awesome
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Posted on: Fri, August 24, 2012
Kristilyn (Reading in Winter) said:
This looks like a great survival story! I’m going to have to check it out!
Kristilyn (Reading in Winter) recently posted..ARC REVIEW: Confessions of an Angry Girl (Confessions, #1), by Louise Rozett
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Posted on: Fri, August 24, 2012
Mandi Kaye said:
Books that make you FEEL THINGS – regardless of what they are – are great books. It took me awhile to figure that out, but once I did, I started enjoying different sorts of books more than I used to.
That being said, I really really want to read this book now!
Mandi Kaye recently posted..Review: Ashfall by Mike Mullin (Ashfall #1)
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Posted on: Fri, August 24, 2012
J.J. Bonds said:
Any book that can make you feel ‘things’ that intensely must be a good book! And I have to say, sometimes the books you want to throw are the best ones so Survive must be one heck of a book!
J.J. Bonds recently posted..Red Dawn: Witty One Liners
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Posted on: Fri, August 24, 2012
Lisa said:
O_O
I NEED IT.
Adding to Goodreads promptly.
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Posted on: Fri, August 24, 2012
Asheley (@BookwormAsheley) said:
Making me feel things in all caps is such a funny thing with a book. I hate that feeling, but I love it too. I like survival stories, but they tear my nerves up. I’ve had my eye on this one, but I’m so nervous to read it!
Asheley (@BookwormAsheley) recently posted..Let’s Talk…on Three of My Favorite Book Series
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Posted on: Fri, August 24, 2012
Lori said:
I have this one sitting on my shelf and now I’m really anxious to pick it up!
Lori recently posted..Saturday Situation! Link up your reviews & giveaways
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Posted on: Fri, August 24, 2012
Survive by Alex Morel Book Review – The Allure of Books | The Allure of Books said:
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