How to Save a Life

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The plot and pacing of the story are largely propelled by the conflicts of the various characters, both internally and with each other. Interestingly, for a book that’s not totally plot-driven, I didn’t want to put it down. The character’s motivations and interactions with each other were so compelling that I carried the book around with me, torn between wanting to inhale it and wanting to savour it. (And also out of fear that Zarr was going to shatter me at the end. I won’t say if that happened or not). I didn't particularly like the 3 main characters (Kerry, Joel and Tim) ,but I did feel attached to them, and could really relate to their struggles. Eighteen-year-old Kerry has had a crush on Joel for years, but knows he's out of her league. Then something extraordinary happens: minutes before midnight on the eve of the millennium, Joel collapses and Kerry saves his life.

The story was pretty simple and straightforward. It follows the life of two teenagers- Jill and Mandy. I really liked the 3 point of views that switch from Kerry, Joel and Tim. The story starts when Kerry saves Joel's life when he goes into cardiac arrest. The story then follows on from that night in 1999 to 18 years later. I also thought for the casual fan, this book touched on everything you might be curious about perfectly. All the drama you might have heard about is in here with more detail, and the focus of the book was on the episodes/seasons of Greys that were the most notable. (For example, I'm glad they gave a disproportionately large focus on the early days of the show because learning things like they almost cast Rob Lowe as McDreamy (!!! how weird would that be !!!) are so much more impactful than casting choices that happen later in the show.) Basically, I felt like this book anticipated reader curiosity really well, instead of aiming for goals like giving every season equal coverage.

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I truly loved seeing the journey of enemies-to-friends; it was such a natural, realistic transition. The characters were flawed and imperfect, and the alternating narration between Amanda and Jill offered an in-depth understanding of them both. There's also a love story incorporated that I simply adored! Jill is mourning her father. Essentially, she is a mean bitch. Yes, she has an excuse - her dad's death - but she is still a very unpleasant person - cynical, rude and off-putting. I struggled with finding a song for this because it’s such a complex story and it’s not an easy one to pin down (as you can tell by this haphazard review). So I know I’m kind of copping out on this one because it’s mentioned quite extensively within this book. A heart-stopping, heart-wrenching and heart-warming story that kept me reading well into the night. I loved it'

An enthralling epic that swept me along through the highs and lows. I feel I’ve lived three different but tightly intertwined lives'Kerry Smith is going to save lives--and so is her best friend, Tim Palmer. After years of working towards medical school, they are about to sit for their entrance exams. But on the eve of the new millennium, a classmate goes into cardiac arrest, changing everything. The ladies. The gentlemen. Train stations. Raw. Emotional. Coffee. Pancakes. Pho. Old friends. New friends. Moving on. Siblings. Cornfields, Ferris wheels and stars. A heart-stopping, heart-wrenching, and heartwarming story that kept me reading well into the night.”—Clare Pooley, New York Times bestselling author of The Authenticity Project

The author manages to steer the plot so gracefully that there isn't a dull moment. The relationships portrayed in the book are very real and brutally honest. The characters, oh the characters, they are so real, so strong and so mature that it was difficult to imagine that they were really teenagers. You know, how there are 2 types of books. The first type are the ones that don't leave such an impression on you. They just pass by you without marking their presence and you move on with your life with no alterations on your part. I was slightly apprehensive, I do admit, because the only other novel I have read by Sara Zarr is Story of a Girl and I wasn't that impressed. No, perhaps it's not that, but rather I felt like myself and the author were on completely different wavelengths regarding a lot of issues that I find important, and I was a little concerned that some of these things might resurface in How to Save a Life. I need not have worried. How To Save A Life is an epic novel that starts with one life-or-death event and then follows the lives of three complex people to show how that moment changed everything. And this novel will change you. It’s extraordinary ― a very, very special book indeed'

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Some stories feel thinner than the paper they’re printed on. Without disrespect to the work that goes into crafting a novel, sometimes reading certain books can feel like nothing more than following words across paper. A perfunctory effort for a temporary experience - there’s nothing really holding me to the story. Such an emotional read, full of important information regarding what to do if someone has a cardiac arrest, and how it's crucial to act fast and start cpr. The cover makes me want to bundle up even though we are having a HOT fall day down here is Georgia (seriously, it was 80 degrees today). Now, the prose was phenomenal. It is amazing to look at the way Miss Zarr string a couple of words together and creates such sentences that you want to stop and reread them to try and absorb their meaning. To feel them, to taste them, like they are something palpable. And, trust me, I can really vouch for it, seeing how half the text of my book is highlighted.

The different povs were always interesting and I really enjoyed the dynamic between them, especially how Kerry, this quiet school friend who was quite introverted and nobody really paid much attention to became such an integral part of the story. I was completely swept away by How to Save a Life, which truly is a salve for the soul. It’s a beautiful book, full of drama, passion, and truth: You’ll remember Joel, Kerry, and Tim long after you finish reading their story.” —Rowan Coleman, author of The Day We Met Because like I said… jeez, these girls were difficult to love and these guys have the patience of a saint. Both these guys got a bit of a rough deal in this story. This isn’t really a low point but I couldn’t really think of one so I’m clutching right now. The ending was a little predictable but I think I would have been angry/upset if it hadn’t ended like that.

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everyone in the main cast had some messy stuff going on here except for sandra oh, love that for her. and love that she got out on her own terms, with a happy ending for crisitna and followed this up with more successes. ellen could never relate. Okay... Hands down. The author is hell of a brilliant storyteller! But I wished I could relate with the characters she created so reading it wouldn’t be a rough patch for me to get through! Rice depends way too much rehashed info from her own Entertainment Weekly, which is a biased propaganda publication that kisses up to Hollywood instead of offering objective journalism. She even quotes the EW writers she worked with, like about what they thought when interviewing Ellen. Seriously? Seems like space filler and giving credence to those that didn't do a good enough job "reporting" on the show in the first place. If anything this book proves how weak Entertainment Weekly truly is at being more than just a PR tool for Hollywood, and Rice is one of the main ones to go right along with it. but wow... actors are truly something else. I don't think people in any other profession/industry simply lose their heads after success like this. truly eye-opening.