"By The Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead"

A Short Review...


This book isn't released until Jan. 2010 but when I met the author, Julie Anne Peters, last month we chatted about how controversial the context was so jumped on reading the book.

The topic is suicide and how the affect of "bullying" often pushes young adults to their end.

Peters is cautious in telling her story of Daelyn, a girl who has been attempting suicide since she was ten years old. As the story unfolds, the reader learns that Daelyn has been bulleyed because of her weight, she has been sexual assaulted, and that she currently can't speak due to her previous attempt at suicide. All of this causes Daelyn to retort to an introverted lifestyle, which makes her an outcast at her private school.

Peters uses each chapter as the remainder of living days Daelyn has before attempting to succeeded at her final suicide. Daelyn uses a "self-help" suicide website to purge all her memories from a childhood that lead her to the desperate option of death.

While planning her end, Daelyn meets Santana, a boy who unexpectedly befriends her. Daelyn resists all feelings for Santana but he is charming and persistent.

Even with a new friendship, Daelyn finds a way to continue in mapping out her planned suicide. She wants only to be one of the "completers" on the website and can't wait for the pain to end.

It is easy to understand why "By The Time You Read This I'll Be Dead" is about such a questionable subject. Society wants its contenders to "think happy and stay positive," eliminating the negative. But the negative is real. Life hurts when a young adult is maturing. This book approaches the topic in a delicate but "in your face" way.

This topic is necessary in conjunction with today's youth. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among young adults age 15-24. With books like this one and others by author Ellen Hopkins, people of all ages can better understand the changes and struggles that face today's youth.

Even with the unpleasant context this book is finely written and Peter's does a fantastic job addressing the morbid thoughts of a suicide attemptee and the reason's behind opting for such a drastic ending.