The Bottom Line Book Review
This website provides book reviews that get to the 'Bottom Line' of it. After all,
you want to know if it's worth reading Before you buy it.
you want to know if it's worth reading Before you buy it.
Author:
Publisher:
The Bottom Line:
Riley Weston
Campfire Press
Riley Weston's first novel, Before I Go, is touching story of a young girl seemingly on her
way to Olympic greatness who is suddenly struck down by a devastating illness. Before I
Go takes us through the short life of young Madison Henry, a skating phenomenon, who
is not only coached by her mother, she is guided, driven, led, and protected by her. From
her earliest days, Madison had shown herself as a gifted skater and her mother
immediately recognized that this was Madison’s path to greatness—through the Olympics.
Unfortunately for Madison, it was also her mother’s only path. In their quest for Olympic
greatness, Madison’s childhood is totally missed. She has no life outside of practice and
competition. Her only friend is Jack, who has been her playmate and friend since they
were six. Now at sixteen, on the verge of qualifying for the Olympics, Madison is a high
school girl with no social life and no friends except Jack, when she receives a diagnosis
every parent fears.
This novel does not attempt to reach all audiences; it is a “nice story” with dialog a young
adult can read and understand, while at the same time a parent can enjoy the story. The
plot line is somewhat predictable, and so are the reactions of Madison and her family.
The charming and redeeming aspects of this novel are the way the main character,
Madison, deals with her illness and the mature, yet subtle manner in which Weston has
written this young woman’s romantic engagement with her long-time friend, Jack.
The 'Bottom Line' ratings
Ease of reading: B
The Story: C
The ‘It Grabbed Me factor’: C
Overall C-rating: C
The Bottom Line: “Success at the expense of a childhood is too high a cost.” Teenagers
and Parents should read this book.
way to Olympic greatness who is suddenly struck down by a devastating illness. Before I
Go takes us through the short life of young Madison Henry, a skating phenomenon, who
is not only coached by her mother, she is guided, driven, led, and protected by her. From
her earliest days, Madison had shown herself as a gifted skater and her mother
immediately recognized that this was Madison’s path to greatness—through the Olympics.
Unfortunately for Madison, it was also her mother’s only path. In their quest for Olympic
greatness, Madison’s childhood is totally missed. She has no life outside of practice and
competition. Her only friend is Jack, who has been her playmate and friend since they
were six. Now at sixteen, on the verge of qualifying for the Olympics, Madison is a high
school girl with no social life and no friends except Jack, when she receives a diagnosis
every parent fears.
This novel does not attempt to reach all audiences; it is a “nice story” with dialog a young
adult can read and understand, while at the same time a parent can enjoy the story. The
plot line is somewhat predictable, and so are the reactions of Madison and her family.
The charming and redeeming aspects of this novel are the way the main character,
Madison, deals with her illness and the mature, yet subtle manner in which Weston has
written this young woman’s romantic engagement with her long-time friend, Jack.
The 'Bottom Line' ratings
Ease of reading: B
The Story: C
The ‘It Grabbed Me factor’: C
Overall C-rating: C
The Bottom Line: “Success at the expense of a childhood is too high a cost.” Teenagers
and Parents should read this book.
“Success at the expense of a childhood is too high a cost.”
Teenagers and Parents should read this book.
Teenagers and Parents should read this book.
our sponsor
Before I Go
 |
| |
 |