CRASH INTO ME
by Albert Borris
257 Pages
2009
From Inside Cover:
Owen, Frank, Audrey and Jin-Ae have one thing in common: They all want to die.
When they meet online after each attempts suicide and fails, they make a deadly pact: They will escape together on a summer road trip to visit the sites of celebrity suicides...and at their final destination, they will do themselves in.
As they drive across-country, bonding over their dark impulses, sharing their deepest secrets and desires, living it up, hooking up and becoming true friends, each must decide whether life is worth living-or if there's no turning back.
My thoughts:
Is life worth living in spite of the pain? That is the question that I believe is asked and answered during this journey. Owen, Jin-Ae, Frank and Audry have formed an unusual bond. They met in an online "suicide" chat room and they all desperately want to end their lives.
This story is narrated by Owen-the quiet, observant one of the group. Besides Owen, the group includes Frank who has a drinking problem, Jin-Ae a closet lesbian and Audrey, a compulsive liar. Their pasts are revealed through IMs scattered throughout the story as well as Owen's flashbacks. The decision is made to take a cross country trip from New Jersey to San Francisco-to visit the graves of famous people who have killed themselves. The trip will end in Death Valley where the group have made a pact to do the deed and end their lives. We, the readers know that Owen has no desire to live. The reason is slowly revealed as the story unfolds.
Of course this story centers around the hard subjects of suicide and depression but what impressed me was that first time author Albert Borris was able to weave humor, friendship and love into his tale. He makes the each character stand out and become unforgettable. By the end of the journey I was hoping these friends would choose life. With friendship and love- pain is a little more bearable.
Crash Into Me is a great story that will stay with me long after I return the book.
I recommend this book for readers fifteen and up. The topics covered are death, suicide, sex, drugs and alcohol. I borrowed this book through the inter library loan system at my public library.
Thanks for the review! This book is in my TBR pile but I haven't heard much about it. I'm really glad to read that it's good.
ReplyDeleteGreat Review! Having dealt with depression and suicide or suicidal thoughts from me and my children I know that feeling alone and isolated is a big part of it. I'm hoping that these kids, having found friendship make the decision to stay and work through the pain.
ReplyDeleteI think librarians are such a great resource. I hadn't visited our library very much in North Carolina, sorry to say, they weren't very intelligent. I'm not sure a degree was required to work there. But here in Sandwich, they are sharp as tacks and have the patience of Saints when dealing with my ten yr old when he asks obscure questions. We visit weekly. And the YA section in Sandwich is small, but from the comfort of my home I can request any book they have and have it sent to our library. Then I don't have to fork out the money for it!