Would You
3.5/5
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About this ebook
A summer night. A Saturday. For Natalie’s amazing older sister, Claire, this summer is fantastic, because she’s zooming off to college in the fall. For Natalie, it’s a fun summer with her friends; nothing special. When Claire is hit by a car, the world changes in a heartbeat. Over the next four days, moment by moment, Natalie, her parents, and their friends wait to learn if Claire will ever recover.
Marthe Jocelyn
Marthe Jocelyn is the award-winning author and illustrator of over thirty-five books for babies, kids and teens. Her illustrated books have been shortlisted for both the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. In 2009 she was the recipient of the prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for her body of work. One Red Button and One Piece of String are the result of her lifelong obsession with scraps, and her delight in surprising the reader with unexpected details. Originally from Toronto, Marthe settled in Stratford, Ontario, after a thirtyyear stretch in New York. For more information, visit www.marthejocelyn.com.
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Reviews for Would You
73 ratings15 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The disparate feelings in the midst of tragedy are explored here: confusion, grief, any opposite of grief, a desire for routine, inappropriate thoughts and actions. And not just within the family but others affected as well. This book acknowledges the many ways of dealing with tragedy and does so in a way that's real, reassuring and hopeful.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5To be honest, this book would not have been on my radar were it not one of the Sequoyah nominated books. It’s a decent story about a family dealing with tragedy, but it doesn’t pack quite the punch that other books tackling this subject do.Claire and Natalie’s sibling relationship is completely believable. They aren’t the best of friends, but neither are they at each other’s throats all the time. Natalie has trusted Claire with some big secrets, just as Claire has trusted Natalie, but of course they have secrets from each other, too. When Claire’s accident happens, Natalie is at a loss for how to live without the sister she’s always known.I’m not sure if it’s that the book is so short or if it’s just because it is so focused on Natalie’s life in the days following the accident, but the characters lacked depth. I could empathize with the situation, but it didn’t feel very personal. The strong points of the book are the times when Natalie sits with Claire at the hospital and talks with her, reminiscing or expressing her sadness at the situation. Maybe it was the change in the narrative – from first-person present to second-person present – but in those visits I felt more of a connection with Natalie than at any other time.This was a quick read for me, and the organization of the story made it easy for me to keep reading. While it does a good job of telling what a family might experience in a situation like this, it didn’t have a strong emotional impact.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5In Would You by Marthe Jocelyn, a Sequoyah Award nominee for high school, Natalie and her friends play an endless game of “Would you rather…” – “Would you rather lose all of your hair or all of your teeth?” They also engage in pool hopping, finding swimming pools in backyards and taking a quick dip before being caught by the owners. They work summer jobs, and bicycle around town. All of that changes when Natalie’s older sister Claire is hit by a car.Natalie and her friends are likeable, believable characters. They are not the coolest kids in school and they aren’t troubled. This novel takes the reader inside a normal family in crisis. It also allows us to see how an average girl reacts to extraordinary circumstances.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Though short, this book holds a lot of punch. It is a novel filled with grief, family secrets, incredible emotion and redemption. These are not easy subjects for a young adult novel but Marthe handles her characters and story with grace and aplomb. An absolutely beautiful read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book was pretty good, but nothing out of the ordinary. After I read it I felt it had some striking similarities to My Sister's Keeper, but was a lot shallower which was a bit of a disappointment. Nonetheless, if you like this genre of books you probably will be content enough to read this book even if it's nothing particularly deep. I enjoyed reading it and read it quickly, it just probably won't stay in my mind making me think about it afterwards, as other tragic teen sister novels like My Sister' Keeper have.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When I read this book, I thought it really captured the way teenagers spoke and acted. Natalie's family went through an unbelievable tragedy - the perspective is from the point of view of the teenage daughter. The whole way of telling this story rang true for me. However, I wanted to see what someone who is about the same age as the narrator thought of the book - so I passed it along to my 14 year old niece. She agreed with me.The ending is not "happily ever after" - some might find it depressing - however, life is not always perfect and it's how situations are dealt with that makes for a good story.Overall, I thought this is a good book and worth the time spent reading it. My niece asked whether Ms. Jocelyn has written other books - a pretty fair endorsement!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Natalie and her friends play a game called Would You; “Would you rather have your father sing at the supermarket or your mother fart in the principle’s office” (p.5). When the unexpected happens, her sister Claire is hit by a car, the game turns more serious; teenagers trying to come to terms with a serious accident and help their friend in her time of need. This Young Adult novel is short (165 pages), small (pocket sized) and the action starts pretty quickly. Generally the equation used to appeal to a reluctant reader.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book is a realistic and unflinching look at grief. Although Natalie is still young she is forced to try to find her way through issues of loss and grief. The feeling of being over whelmed and the confusion on what to do, and what is expected of you when blindsided with horrible circumstances ring true. their is no sugary sweet ending, or huge moment of sudden understanding and maturity. Like life the character goes through the pain, come out the other side slightly changed and continues on her journey.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Good Stuff• Brought back memories of the emotional YA books I read as a teen• Some of the dialogue was snort out your nose funny• Tear jerker• Very realistic thoughts and emotions from the main character Natalie -- even the unpleasant and selfish thoughts that we all have, but very rarely admit to• Relationship between the sisters is lovely, now I must go email my sister and tell her how cool I think she is and wish that we were closer as youngstersNot so Good Stuff• Should come with a warning not to read the sad stuff while on a bus. The sniffing made people stare at me like I was some kind of freak (heartless creatures)• The break of each chapter was a little distracting for me, but I imagine it won't bother the teens• Way too short, not enough development of character. Think if the story was longer if would be more enjoyable. Than again I am writing from the point of a 40 year old women not a teenWhat I Learned• Always tell those you love that you care, because you never know what will happenFavorite Quotes/PassagesWhat is the deal with old women and facial hair? I know it's some function of aging and not producing estrogen and blah blah blah, but these old dames at the hospital, they've got nasty spiky hairs growing out of their chiny-chin-chinsBut there never is only one broken personAnd where are you going to find twenty or thirty girls whose last wishes include having sex with Carson Jefferson -- where are you going to find oneWho Should Read• Teens will adore this
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Until we are forced to face tragedy, we cannot know how we will respond. In Would You, Natalie must cope with her sister Claire's critical accident.This is overall a gentle book, but it is occasionally unflinching. It is never gratuitous — in many ways, it reminded me of an older generation of YA novels — but the characters are far from ideal and their details feel authentic. Some of the characters are types, there simply to advance the story, but the important figures are nicely portrayed. In particular, Natalie, the narrator, is complex and identifiable. Some of her observations are cringe-inducing, but they add to our sense of a living, growing, sometimes-contradictory personality. Throughout the text, the author has introduced some very clear moral messages, however.The structure of this book makes it accessible to a range of readers. The novel can be read straight through or broken into a series of short sittings. It's appropriate for ages 12 and up.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Would You is quite a decent YA novel, dealing with a tough topic in a very realistic manner. It is not saccharine-sweet, and does not pull any punches. There are no happy endings, but at the same time Marthe Jocelyn manages to create characters who do not just stagnate in their gloom and doom. They do grow, sometimes going one step back and two forward, and sometimes two steps back and one forward, much the way real people do. Definitely a book I will be reading again.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The description looked good and sometimes I get away with reading youth material, but this time it was very noticeable. The book is definitely not meant for the older reader. Both in content and the way the book is written are steered for the youth/teen market. I was able to finish the book in 2 hours. It was a good story about an accident and how it effected the lives of the family. The book is written from the perspective of a 15 year old girl named Natalie.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Natalie is the younger sister of beautiful, wonderful Claire, and is the narrator of the story. I won't ruin it by describing the plot, but I will say that this book is basically a stream of consciousness from Natalie as she deals with what she has to deal with. Although I do not enjoy these kinds of books, I do have to admit that I found Natalie's character wholly and completely convincing, and imagine that is exactly how one might behave in a similar situation. I don't think I'd read another book by this author, but girls who like sad stories and are not big readers might enjoy it since the font is large, and the book can be read easily in one sitting.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5First I have to say that I love the cover of this book. Once you have read the storyline, you will understand about the cover - which, in my opinion, has two meanings.This YA book starts off with the "Would you" game. Natalie and some of her friends get together and play this game of "would you". I have to say that I had never heard of this before (I guess it was a little after my time as a YA) and that some of the questions (and answers) were pretty disgusting. Yet, I thought it was an interesting way to start a book - throughout the various answers to varied questions sprinkled in the book, you also get some insight into the minds of these teenagers.The other interesting thing these kids do is pool-hopping, which, frankly, I don't see the point in, but it is an integral part of the story. Basically, these YA are all just doing their thing (with a surprising minimal (read: none) amount of drunks, boozing, etc.).Yet, you know somehow, behind the under-current of the words that there is a countdown of some type going on - and when it occurs - its a biggie. Natalie is called home one night to be told that her sister (and best friend) Claire, who was weeks away from leaving for college has been hit by a car and is in a coma.From this point, Natalie's life takes a dramatic change - gone are the joys of being young and free. Natalie is brought to her sister's bed and after some time, her family is told that there is nothing they can do for Claire - that she is brain dead and being kept alive by machines.Natalie feels lost and cannot turn to anybody. Her mother is hysterical and her dad is being stoic "for the family". The most revealing parts of Natalie are spent when she is alone or when is alone talking to her sister. I loved the way the author wrote about Natalie's fears (for herself, for her family and for Claire). She managed to honnestly express many feelings that needed to be surfaced - without making Natalie sound whiny or annoying. I also loved the way the author brought all of Natalie's friends in, in various ways, as a support system for Natalie.Finally, there is the love that Natalie (and the resentment) feels for her sister. How could Claire let this happen? Finally, a decision must be made and this was one of the saddest chapters I have ever read. I had a clear vision, in my mind, of what Claire looked like lying in that bed - it was all very, very sad.At the same time, Natalie finds strength in the end.This is not a "light,witty read" be warned - but it is a story that needed to be told.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Natalie was all set to spend the summer pool-hopping with her friends and whispering secrets to her sister Claire. It was Claire's last summer at home. She'd be heading off to college in the fall. But when Claire is hit by a car, Natalie's whole world changes. Would you rather die or live with terrible brain damage? Would you rather your sister die or live with terrible brain damage? What if you don't get a choice? Jocelyn's writing really puts you there. I felt like I was running right alongside Nat and her friends, exultant in the possibilities of a summer spent with great friends. Nat's tragedy became my tragedy, too. Recommended for fans of sad books.