Thursday 20 August 2015

Review: Playlist For The Dead By Michelle Falkoff


Title: Playlist for the Dead
Author: Michelle Falkoff
Pages: 280
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 978-0-00-811066-6
Rating: 4.5/5

This contains triggers for suicide, bullying and homophobia.

A while ago I read something similar to Playlist for the dead (henceforth known as PFTD) and very much enjoyed it. That was Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher in which a set of tapes detail why a girl killed herself. In that they had a clear impact on the story. In PFTD I only wish the playlist was fully explained, rather than interpreted by the main character Sam.

Having literally just finished this book (seriously I finished it and got the camera out) the message that sticks out most for is that everyone struggles to be the person they want to be and therefore hide some aspect of it. I really like that message because to me it puts everyone on a level playing field. You shouldn't judge someone because you don't know what demons they're dealing with.

I thought the majority of the characters were brilliant. Sam, the protagonist of the book, displayed such tangible grief at the loss of his best friend you couldn't help but wish you could comfort him in some way. Astrid was probably my most favourite character as her personality did such a 360 in order for her to become the person she wanted to be. I could go on for days about these characters.

All in all PFTD got 4.5 because it was believable. Everyone felt guilt as a result of Hayden's suicide and everyone had there own little part of the story that together, didn't explain the cause of Hayden's suicide but gave some form of closure to the whole thing.

Worth a read for sure!

Katie
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