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| Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles Published by Flux Released: April 8 2007
Hardcover: 303 pages
2/5 Stars
Zoe's Review
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Synopsis
Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.
Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.
Review
I read some other reviewers who also gave this book 2 stars and I agree with what they have to say.The writing in this book wasn't the problem. I enjoy the way Simone Elkeles writes, and the uniqueness in writing from 2 different POVs. One from a girl's side, and one from guy's. But, it wasn't exactly a believable story, and that destroyed my connection to the characters as a reader. I just don't see how you can forgive the guy that ran over your leg, and then realize you love him after a few weeks of him getting back from JAIL. FROM JAIL. Not only that, but he was your best friend's twin brother. That makes the situation a whole lot more complicated, not to mention worse. I would never, ever do something like that. The more realistic situation would be avoiding him like the plague (in my case). At first, Maggie didn't want to talk to him, see his face or have anything to do with him. But once they start working at the same place after school, they (I guess you could say) forgive each other, and then they kiss! They make up? It just doesn't make any sense!!!
Another thing is the pacing of the book. I felt like everything was going too fast, especially the relationship between Maggie and Caleb.
I hate how many tragedies and break ups are in this book. If the author is going to add them into the plot, then it should show how the main characters are affected by those things. For example, Maggie really misses her dad. She thinks about him a lot. But over the course of the whole book, she only talks to him once (over the phone), and that's it. Then nothing else, because the rest of the book is filled with thoughts on Caleb.
Throughout the book, Maggie thinks about her position at school as a loner, and how much that hurts her. As a once-in-the-popular-crowd girl, she takes this badly, and it's all because of her crippled leg. (Which she got from Caleb. Which he was sent to jail for. Which, once he got out, didn't matter because she fell in love with him anyways.) Maggie describes her friends (other popular girls) at school the year before she got into the accident. But, well, I can obviously deduct from that that they weren't actually her friends. Friends don't just leave you stranded like that. So she sits alone in the library at lunch instead, because she has not social life. I also think there should have been more interaction between Leah and Maggie. I don't think friendships like that can just fizz out. They were best of friends, very close, and they're neighbours! How can you not see each other from time to time?
And before I forget, the book cover creeps me out! How are both their arms so skinny! Whatever, as the reader, that's the least of your worries... because what do most people say? Don't judge a book by its cover. Well, I would judge the cover on this one.
-Zoe
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