14) The Catastrophic History of You and Me

Bibliography: Rothenberg; Jess; The Catastrophic History of You and Me; Dial Books; New York; 2012; 380 pages; ISBN 978-0-8037-3720-4.

Plot: At the age of fifteen, Brie Eagan dies of a broken heart.  She has always had a small heart murmur, but when her first love tells her he doesn’t love her, Brie’s heart breaks in two.  Brie must deal with her death and suffers through the five stages; denial, anger, bargaining, sadness, and acceptance.  In death she meets a young boy who also died around the same age.  The two of them form a friendship and he helps her understand what she is able to do as a spirit.  As Brie works through the stages of death, she learns that the world she left behind has turned upside down, and the world that she has entered is full of surprises.

Review:  This is Rothenberg’s first novel, and I feel like she did an amazing job.  She created a narrator that has depth and many readers will grow to love.  Brie explains all of the feelings she is going through in a way that many readers who have dealt with death will understand.  Brie’s friend Patrick is another character that readers will love.  He is open and honest and the only person that Brie trusts after death.  He is with her through thick and thin and tries to help her reach the final stage of grief as quickly or slowly as she needs. As Brie works through the stages, readers will be shocked at what she uncovers.  The plot runs slowly at times, but so does grief.  I think that Rothenberg slowed the pace down to show readers just how awful losing a loved one can be on people.  Rothenberg did a great job of telling Brie’s story, and I can’t wait to see what else she comes up with in the future.

Probably my favorite part of this book is the chapter titles.  Rothenberg has titled each chapter with song lyrics.  Some examples are "Don't you (forget about me);" "What becomes of the broken hearted?"  It's such a creative way to combine one tweens favorite things (music) and reading.

Genre: Fantasy

Interest Level: age 12 and up

Related Books: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Characters:
Brie Eagan – Narrator
Jacob Fisher – Brie’s first love, and the boy who breaks her heart
Patrick – Her friend and confidant in the afterlife.
Sadie, Tess, and Emma – Brie’s best friends

Author Information: www.jessrothenberg.com