I re-wrote the review of "By The Time You Read This I'll Be Dead" by Julie Anne Peters for an english writing assignment, but this review of it has LOTS of spoilers!! So if you're planning on reading the book, DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW.
Title: By the Time You Read This I'll be Dead
Author: Julie Anne Peters
Rating: 5 stars
Recommended for: 13 and up!
By the Time You Read This I’ll be Dead; written by award winner Julie Anne Peters follows suicidal Daelyn Rice. An interesting and somehow funny character, Daelyn is in a neck brace and mute from recent esophagus surgery after her last suicide attempt.
It’s almost destiny that Daelyn finds a website called Through-the-light.com, a suicide forum that can help her count down her final days on earth. The website gives her 23 days until her Date of Determination, but also gives her warning against her decision and information about really ending her life. Each chapter in the novel counts down the days remaining until her DOD. On the website, Daelyn posts about her life: fat camp, the never-ending bullying- all the horrible things she went through during childhood that have led up to her now dangerous feelings.
Then, while waiting for her mother to pick her up after school, she meets Santana, who is persistent when it comes to making friends with Daelyn. Santana tries to get close to Daelyn, but she pushes him farther and farther away. But there is more than Santana than she thinks. And being mute and having nowhere else to go, Daelyn has no choice but to listen. But is it possibly too late for Santana’s words against ending her life to help? And is Daelyn to damaged herself to help Santana?
The last page of this book ends on Daelyn’s Date of Determination and leaves you deciding for yourself whether or not Daelyn actually took the last step and actually killed herself, or decided to work things out for herself and stay alive for Santana’s sake.
The novel is powerful and both heart breaking and heartwarming. This is a book I would recommend to everyone. It’s a book that really makes you think about every mean word you’ve said. It shows just how much repeated bullying can really hurt. All kids and all adults should read this, as it shows what a suicidal person really thinks like.
Julie Anne Peters uses great writing skills like excellent descriptions and unbelievable, yet appalling narration that puts you directly in Daelyn’s shoes and infixes you perfectly to the setting.
