Heather’s Bookshelf: The Day I Died
Author: CM Francis
Released: 08/24/21
Genre: YA Coming of Age
“But when the sun rises, the roses and tangerines create a picturesque scene. I inhale and whiff the freshly mown lawns. All the birds chirp, from chickadees to crows to obnoxious turkeys. One of my neighbor’s sprinklers turns on, and I get sprayed. Yet, I don’t care; what I do know is how everything will be okay.”
“The Day I Died” introduces Catherine ‘Cat’ Morgan, a high school junior track athlete. She’s living her life with pretty typical high schooler problems: little fights with her besties, arguments with her mom and sister, difficulty with time management at school.
Nothing’s insurmountable until November 7th, 2007, when Cat collapses with a brain aneurysm. She spends seven days in a coma before waking up to her entire world in disarray.
Unable to control half of her body, she must relearn how to do almost everything while also figuring out new dynamics with her friends and family. Her besties (Adrianna, Zooey, and Holly) have all changed, as have their dynamic as friends. Her younger sister, Rose, is more of a protector, and an ex-friend won’t leave her side.
Trying to get things back to how they were before the aneurysm, she returns to school. But she soon finds that nothing’s the same as it was before.
Will Cat ever get her old life back? Or will some things never be the same?
Trigger Warning: medical related trauma, sexual situations, adult language, bullying, suicide attempt
Overall, I enjoyed this story. My day job is as a neuro-physical therapist. I specialize in rehab for individuals after neurological injury or diagnosis- just like Cat’s. While I’ve been fortunate to not encounter a medical issue like this myself, I have worked with hundreds of people who have and as such feel this story was very well and accurately written. Though, I have to say I was not a fan of the PT or her methods… But, back to the story… Cat is a great protagonist. She starts out as competitive and smart, though a bit self-consumed. Her character development as well as her relationships with others is a huge story arc. Each develops naturally with Cat becoming much more aware and engaged with those around her. The relationships between her and her parents, friends, and sister all morph and change until none mirror the beginning of the tale. It’s Cat’s own development, realizations, and choices that make this story. It’s heartbreaking to read what Cat goes through and how some of the emotions she experiences lead to almost tragic decisions. The story moves along at a steady pace. There are portions of the story involving exchanges between Cat and her friends that seem a bit redundant, but overall it’s Cat herself that pushes the story forward. The ending wraps everything up nicely with all of the main characters, bringing a sense of moving forward for Cat.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A coming-of-age tale with a strong protagonist, all the teenage angst one could want, and an aneurysm that changes everything.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with CM Francis
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here
Interested in submitting your book for review? Visit my review page for guidelines and submission requirements.
