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Survive
Jane is running away from everything. From the facility she’s been living in, from her pain, from her guilt, from life. She boards a plane to Montclair, New Jersey, though her destination isn’t important – she doesn’t plan to be alive when the plane lands.
Jane has devised the perfect suicide. She’ll fall asleep on the plane and never wake up. But as she’s reaching for her pills in the tiny bathroom, the plane hits turbulence and everything goes black.
Jane wakes amid the charred wreckage of a plane crash on a snowy mountaintop, and discovers just one other survivor – a boy named Paul. Lost in a perilous, icy landscape, with little food and water, their chance of survival seems small. But as the pair unite against the vast wilderness, Jane discovers a reason to fight for her life.
Jane has devised the perfect suicide. She’ll fall asleep on the plane and never wake up. But as she’s reaching for her pills in the tiny bathroom, the plane hits turbulence and everything goes black.
Jane wakes amid the charred wreckage of a plane crash on a snowy mountaintop, and discovers just one other survivor – a boy named Paul. Lost in a perilous, icy landscape, with little food and water, their chance of survival seems small. But as the pair unite against the vast wilderness, Jane discovers a reason to fight for her life.
259 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2012
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6140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 490 reviews
September 8, 2018
like This is Not a Test, this book seeks to answer the question of "what happens to suicidal characters when they are forced into life-or-death decision-making in a crisis situation?" unlike This is Not a Test, this book has zero zombies.
but it does do a good job of depicting a character who wants to throw her life away until she is placed in a situation with someone who really wants to live. jane has been born into a family tradition of suicide. three generations before her have had someone make that decision, and jane feels like it is her turn. she has already tried once, which landed her in a facility for suicidal teens, and she has been savvy enough to trick her minders sufficiently with good behavior to earn her a trip home for christmas. on a plane. a plane in which she plans to kill herself. but then the plane crashes, oh nooo! and she is one of two survivors, the other naturally being a dreamy teen boy.
and now she must survive through the cold and the hunger and the wolves and the mountain climbing, and good lord why does the dust jacket say this:
but the wilderness is a vast and lethal force, and only one of them will survive.
because that's spoiler city, really. and in my head, reading that, for some reason, i thought it was going to be about a girl and a boy who were adversaries, because i read the synopsis quickly, and so i was kind of disappointed that this wasn't more like the movie the edge. it is not. no bears - raaaar.
and it is a really quick read, tense in parts, touching in parts, but at the end of the day, i have loved other survival books more than this one. there isn't anything wrong with it, other than a couple of questions i have that this review does a good job laying out so there is no need for me to repeat the quibbles.
it's fine, it just didn't blow my dress up. for me, books like Hatchet are superior because you actually learn practical survival techniques and not just "have mountain-climbing gear on hand."
because i am telling you right now, i will never have mountain-climbing gear on hand.
come to my blog!
but it does do a good job of depicting a character who wants to throw her life away until she is placed in a situation with someone who really wants to live. jane has been born into a family tradition of suicide. three generations before her have had someone make that decision, and jane feels like it is her turn. she has already tried once, which landed her in a facility for suicidal teens, and she has been savvy enough to trick her minders sufficiently with good behavior to earn her a trip home for christmas. on a plane. a plane in which she plans to kill herself. but then the plane crashes, oh nooo! and she is one of two survivors, the other naturally being a dreamy teen boy.
and now she must survive through the cold and the hunger and the wolves and the mountain climbing, and good lord why does the dust jacket say this:
but the wilderness is a vast and lethal force, and only one of them will survive.
because that's spoiler city, really. and in my head, reading that, for some reason, i thought it was going to be about a girl and a boy who were adversaries, because i read the synopsis quickly, and so i was kind of disappointed that this wasn't more like the movie the edge. it is not. no bears - raaaar.
and it is a really quick read, tense in parts, touching in parts, but at the end of the day, i have loved other survival books more than this one. there isn't anything wrong with it, other than a couple of questions i have that this review does a good job laying out so there is no need for me to repeat the quibbles.
it's fine, it just didn't blow my dress up. for me, books like Hatchet are superior because you actually learn practical survival techniques and not just "have mountain-climbing gear on hand."
because i am telling you right now, i will never have mountain-climbing gear on hand.
come to my blog!
November 23, 2012
This book was so dreadful. Im like WTF!! This is how the book went.
Girl: Im on a plane gonna commit suicide!! lalalalala
Plane crashes
Girl: oh my the plane has crashed what shall i do??? *pulls down pant and pees in the snow* :)lalala
Guy: helllp!!
Girl: are u okay??
Guy: help me up!
Girl: u need help??
Guy: -.- nooo*sarcasm*
*Helps the guy up*
Guy: Okay we should try and stay warm lets sleep together in this sleeping bag *wink*
Girl: Im not cold..But Okay! *Obviously retarded*
Next day
Girl: I was gonna commit suicide!
Guy: um okay..i didnt ask
Girl: Its cold! Im hungry! we're gonna die! Waaa! CARRY ME!!
Guy: god your annoying
Girl: what shall we do now?
Guy: lets climb a mountain!! :D
Girl: uhhhh okay sure..
Guy: *Gets a paper cut* ARGHHHHHHH!!!!!! I AM INJURED *GASP* YOU SHOULD GO ON WITHOUT ME IM SURE YOU WONT WANT TO CAUSE YOUR IN LOVE WITH ME BUT YOU SHOULD GO!!
Girl: Kay ill go :)!!
Guy: >:O
Girl: *Gets to safety*
Guy: *Still on the mountain slowly dying(writes a letter)*
Girl: *recives letter* :
Dear girl I fell in love with,
I am dying (thanks for leaving me bitch -.-
Girl: ............. l_l........I sure am lucky to be alive!!!!
Girl: Im on a plane gonna commit suicide!! lalalalala
Plane crashes
Girl: oh my the plane has crashed what shall i do??? *pulls down pant and pees in the snow* :)lalala
Guy: helllp!!
Girl: are u okay??
Guy: help me up!
Girl: u need help??
Guy: -.- nooo*sarcasm*
*Helps the guy up*
Guy: Okay we should try and stay warm lets sleep together in this sleeping bag *wink*
Girl: Im not cold..But Okay! *Obviously retarded*
Next day
Girl: I was gonna commit suicide!
Guy: um okay..i didnt ask
Girl: Its cold! Im hungry! we're gonna die! Waaa! CARRY ME!!
Guy: god your annoying
Girl: what shall we do now?
Guy: lets climb a mountain!! :D
Girl: uhhhh okay sure..
Guy: *Gets a paper cut* ARGHHHHHHH!!!!!! I AM INJURED *GASP* YOU SHOULD GO ON WITHOUT ME IM SURE YOU WONT WANT TO CAUSE YOUR IN LOVE WITH ME BUT YOU SHOULD GO!!
Girl: Kay ill go :)!!
Guy: >:O
Girl: *Gets to safety*
Guy: *Still on the mountain slowly dying(writes a letter)*
Girl: *recives letter* :
Dear girl I fell in love with,
I am dying (thanks for leaving me bitch -.-
Girl: ............. l_l........I sure am lucky to be alive!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2012
I feel as if you need to be a certain type of person to really like Survive and somehow, I just didn’t fit into that role. Not only have I never been depressed, known anyone who has committed suicide, or known anyone who has died from cancer, I’ve also read more than my fair share of survival stories. For me, Survive was one of those novels where the author threw you head-first into the conflicted emotions of a character and almost expected you to understand them opposed to making you understand them, and that is where the majority of my problems lie with this story. While it has a fascinating premises, Survive simply does not work to create a rich and compelling novel about suicide and familial issues while simultaneously throwing in a plot of survival, which made my experience with this story far from exhilarating.
I think the plotline of Survive is quite standard and predictable if you’ve read a decent amount of survival novels and YA Romance stories. Jane, our protagonist, is flying home to visit her mother after spending some time in a facility where she has been fooling her doctors into thinking she is no longer suicidal. Just when Jane is about to kill herself on the plane though, the airplane crashes, leaving her stranded on a mountain during a blizzard with only one other passenger – her flight-mate, Paul. As Paul and Jane struggle to survive, Jane also slowly begins to realize the beauty and gift that living truly is, but just as she is beginning to want to live, the question of her survival in the wilderness hangs over her head like a plague.
I really enjoyed the premises of Survive, but I found the novel to be extremely hard to get into. In fact, the plane doesn’t even crash until nearly a third of the story is over and all we’ve actually learned in that time is that the only reason Jane feels compelled to commit suicide is because her father and grandmother and other members of her family have killed themselves too. Call me heartless, but I didn’t think that was enough of a reason to really want to kill yourself. I mean, generations of my family have had diabetes, but that doesn’t mean I’m stuffing myself with unhealthy food so I can get diabetes too! I just couldn’t connect with Jane on any level and found her narration to be difficult to read as well since my attention kept wandering. Furthermore, I couldn’t comprehend how Jane’s desire to kill herself evaporated once she realized that she and Paul were the lone survivors of their plane crash. While I do agree that life-threatening situations can really change a person’s outlook on the world, I felt as if her change of heart was too drastic to really be moving or realistic in the least.
Jane aside, I thought the romance in this story was quite unnecessary. I’ll admit that I liked Paul and enjoyed many of his conversations with Jane, but I wasn’t invested in this whirlwind love story at all. Plus, I found the ending of this story to be too predictable, not to mention the actual survival feats to be lame and disappointing. I’ve read much better survival stories than this one and really can’t recommend this to anyone, unless you haven’t read any survival stories in the past. If you’re looking for a survival story, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for a deep and provocative read, also look elsewhere. I just don’t feel like this is a book I’d want anyone else to read – it was disappointing on way too many levels.
You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.
I think the plotline of Survive is quite standard and predictable if you’ve read a decent amount of survival novels and YA Romance stories. Jane, our protagonist, is flying home to visit her mother after spending some time in a facility where she has been fooling her doctors into thinking she is no longer suicidal. Just when Jane is about to kill herself on the plane though, the airplane crashes, leaving her stranded on a mountain during a blizzard with only one other passenger – her flight-mate, Paul. As Paul and Jane struggle to survive, Jane also slowly begins to realize the beauty and gift that living truly is, but just as she is beginning to want to live, the question of her survival in the wilderness hangs over her head like a plague.
I really enjoyed the premises of Survive, but I found the novel to be extremely hard to get into. In fact, the plane doesn’t even crash until nearly a third of the story is over and all we’ve actually learned in that time is that the only reason Jane feels compelled to commit suicide is because her father and grandmother and other members of her family have killed themselves too. Call me heartless, but I didn’t think that was enough of a reason to really want to kill yourself. I mean, generations of my family have had diabetes, but that doesn’t mean I’m stuffing myself with unhealthy food so I can get diabetes too! I just couldn’t connect with Jane on any level and found her narration to be difficult to read as well since my attention kept wandering. Furthermore, I couldn’t comprehend how Jane’s desire to kill herself evaporated once she realized that she and Paul were the lone survivors of their plane crash. While I do agree that life-threatening situations can really change a person’s outlook on the world, I felt as if her change of heart was too drastic to really be moving or realistic in the least.
Jane aside, I thought the romance in this story was quite unnecessary. I’ll admit that I liked Paul and enjoyed many of his conversations with Jane, but I wasn’t invested in this whirlwind love story at all. Plus, I found the ending of this story to be too predictable, not to mention the actual survival feats to be lame and disappointing. I’ve read much better survival stories than this one and really can’t recommend this to anyone, unless you haven’t read any survival stories in the past. If you’re looking for a survival story, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for a deep and provocative read, also look elsewhere. I just don’t feel like this is a book I’d want anyone else to read – it was disappointing on way too many levels.
You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.
June 13, 2012
The girl on the cover totally reminds me of a younger blonde version of Lori from The Walking Dead. She just has that look in her eye that Lori has. Like "I may look innocent, but I will bash your head in with a car hubcap if I have to."
August 3, 2012
Ok so probably more like 3.5 stars.
HERE BE SPOILERS!!!!! Read on at own risk!!!
Many many small plot holes, like one second shes describing trees and the next she says she cant see anything around her at all, or why would airport security allow Paul to bring a knife on the plane??
Also a few issues with character emotion. It seemes Jane only felt she had a duty to comit suicide because it ran in her family, she never seemed all that upset about her father. I was also distracted for a while with Paul. A bunch of his rock-climbing buddies die in the crash and he doesn't mention it ONCE. Infact when making points he mentions the newlywed woman instead. Also he lost both his mother and brother to cancer, this is only mentioned once, from then on its only his brotjer mentioned. I get it, brothers are close, but geez she was your MUM dude.
There were also a LOT of things that made me think 'How CONVEEENNIIEENNNTT!'
But I decided to ignore those for the sake of a short enjoyable read. This worked well for me until the author decided that suddenly at the end theres no more super convenient happenings, or no more little holes where you have to suspend you belief and BAM, btw Paul died.
Dont get me wrong, I love books with good reality where they are not afraid to kill their main characters etc, especially when its done very bluntly/quickly, but I dont like it when the whole rest of the book is written like a novel where you seriously expect his miraculous survival against all odds just like everything else in the book Its very jarring (and not in a good way)
Overall though, I did enjoy it, an easy read if your just looking for something short and enjoyable/ intriguing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2015
Auch wenn das Jahr erst angefangen hat, weiß ich schon jetzt, das dieses Buch eines meiner Jahreshighlights wird!! Zu meinen Lieblingsbüchern hat es "Survive" definitiv geschafft! Mich hat die Geschichte von Jane & Paul, zwei so sympatischen & echten Charakteren, wirklich zutiefst berührt. Man beginnt zu lesen & gerät in ein Wechselbad der Gefühle, was ich so noch nicht erlebt habe. Ich habe mitgelacht, gleichzeitig so sehr mitgelitten & mir sind viele, viele Tränen über die Wangen gekullert. Ich konnte den Schnee & die Kälte förmlich spüren. Es war so unglaublich ergreifend & ich kann diese Geschichte nur jedem ans Herz legen!! ♥♥
May 3, 2012
This book made me cry. There is something so gripping and edgy about it that I just couldn't put it down. From the very beginning we're thrust into the rawness of Jane's emotions and can't help ourselves but to invest in the survival of this beautiful, tortured girl. But it's really the relationship between Jane and Paul that make this novel. As the only two survivors of the crash, their relationship is put on a fast track as they go from apparent dislike to friendship to love. Instead of showing us a cliche love story, Morel develops this relationship with a kind of quiet beauty that leaves you truly hoping that they make it out alive. After all of the hardships they both have suffered, even before the plane crash, it seems only fair. But, as we learn by the end, just because we want it to happen, doesn't mean it will. Morel doesn't tie this story up in a pretty pink bow but instead leaves you feeling like if you could have even a tiny piece of what Jane and Paul had, it'd be enough to last you a lifetime. It leaves you with that desire to do something more, to be something more, to survive.
My favorite line from the novel: I take him in deeply with my eyes so my heart and brain never forget this moment or this beautiful boy who will always be mine.
My favorite line from the novel: I take him in deeply with my eyes so my heart and brain never forget this moment or this beautiful boy who will always be mine.
April 8, 2013
HEEEEELLLLLLLLLL NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
I'm drowning in a sea of infuriated tears.
Because Alex Morel did not just do what I know she just did.
You thought the plane crash was bad?! Well let me just say that you're gonna wish the protagonist died in the crash, because there's nothing but suffering, heartache and goddamn FEELS awaiting her!
Why?! Why do authors feel the need to rip our hearts out? Are their lives so lack-lustre, so mundane and happy-go-lucky, that they wake up and go, "Today...today I will destroy a reader's life! I can't wait to make a CHARACTER DIE!"
Shame. On. You. Authors.
So *sniffs*. I'm just going to go dig myself a hole. Wallow in self pity. Cry over spilt blood. You know, the usual book depression stuff us lowly readers go through!
This book is not one you shall survive.
January 3, 2015
"You can indulge at death's door"
What an amazing story about survival and love and the connection between two people that can only come from experiencing something 'life or death' together.
The writing style works perfectly with the story. Haunting and short, it gives just enough detail so you know what's going on but never bogs down. And the book is a complete page turner. And with each chapter, it gets more intense and you can't flip the pages quick enough, can't absorb the words fast enough!
And then you hit a point where you just know you must peak at the last chapter JUST TO KNOW HOW IT ENDS!
Don't do it. Let the story unfold. It's amazing and breathtaking.
What an amazing story about survival and love and the connection between two people that can only come from experiencing something 'life or death' together.
The writing style works perfectly with the story. Haunting and short, it gives just enough detail so you know what's going on but never bogs down. And the book is a complete page turner. And with each chapter, it gets more intense and you can't flip the pages quick enough, can't absorb the words fast enough!
And then you hit a point where you just know you must peak at the last chapter JUST TO KNOW HOW IT ENDS!
Don't do it. Let the story unfold. It's amazing and breathtaking.
June 10, 2013
Ok so the book starts with our main character, Jane, in the nut house getting ready to leave for her Christmas trip. And a few chapters later we see Jane finally boarding the plane of doom. At the very last minute before the plane takes off a guy comes along and sits down next to Jane, he introduces himself and we now know him as Paul the asshole. They talk for a while, then stop talking when Jane finally gets enough of him and his ego. They all fall asleep and sometime later she wakes up and decides that it is time and goes into the bathroom to do the deed. But at this particular time the plane starts to malfunction and starts plummeting to the ground. Blackout.
Survive wasn't as moving as I thought - or wanted - it to be. To be honest, I thought that this book could have been a lot longer without being boring. I think this storyline could have been easily expanded. Everything felt as if it's happening way too fast. The author basically throws you in and expects you to know everything already - and this is what I mean that the storyline could have been expanded, the backstory and the emotions of Jane as well as Paul could have been explained in better detail. It almost feels as if the author didn't really know herself what it really was that she was writing about. All we were ever told were the major big events that happened in their life - all of the tragedies - but we were never told how the characters felt or how they dealt with them or what they did or even if they suppressed all of it until a certain period, it was just very messy, ok?
After the plane crashed and Jane regained consciousness, she went out of the bathroom to look around, eventually she found Paul stuck, she had to help him and literally five minutes after she did she started spilling her guts to him. I understand the fact that the plane crash was clearly a shock to her - them - but come on! I'm pretty sure there would have been better ways to show the shock she - they - are feeling. And speaking of shock, there wasn't one. They were just like ' Oh hey, the plane crashed. Ok, let's go find someone to help us now.' I give the author the 'You Tried' star because she did when she had Pauls character say stupid and insulting shit when he's nervous and stuff, but it really didn't do it for me.
I really expected something more from this. I expected emotional blackmail or something but no. Nothing. Jane finally realised that she wanted to live and what a gift life was and I'm just sitting there like 'YOU DON'T SAY?!' Goddamn bitch, it takes you a fucking plane crash to realise that life is worth living no matter what? FUCK, that shit got me heated. (I mean no disrespect to anyone who has actually suffered from depression or has ever felt suicidal, I'm only saying those things because the character felt fake to me.)
Oh and here's something else I wanna say. You know the combination of pills she wanted to take to make up her 'kryptonite'? WELL MAH BITCHIN' PEEPS, it seems that the author has made a mistake there because she says that Jane researched it online.
Think about this for a moment.
Online.
Wouldn't the internet history be monitored at a place like Life House? Wouldn't it? Just something to think about.
Survive wasn't as moving as I thought - or wanted - it to be. To be honest, I thought that this book could have been a lot longer without being boring. I think this storyline could have been easily expanded. Everything felt as if it's happening way too fast. The author basically throws you in and expects you to know everything already - and this is what I mean that the storyline could have been expanded, the backstory and the emotions of Jane as well as Paul could have been explained in better detail. It almost feels as if the author didn't really know herself what it really was that she was writing about. All we were ever told were the major big events that happened in their life - all of the tragedies - but we were never told how the characters felt or how they dealt with them or what they did or even if they suppressed all of it until a certain period, it was just very messy, ok?
After the plane crashed and Jane regained consciousness, she went out of the bathroom to look around, eventually she found Paul stuck, she had to help him and literally five minutes after she did she started spilling her guts to him. I understand the fact that the plane crash was clearly a shock to her - them - but come on! I'm pretty sure there would have been better ways to show the shock she - they - are feeling. And speaking of shock, there wasn't one. They were just like ' Oh hey, the plane crashed. Ok, let's go find someone to help us now.' I give the author the 'You Tried' star because she did when she had Pauls character say stupid and insulting shit when he's nervous and stuff, but it really didn't do it for me.
I really expected something more from this. I expected emotional blackmail or something but no. Nothing. Jane finally realised that she wanted to live and what a gift life was and I'm just sitting there like 'YOU DON'T SAY?!' Goddamn bitch, it takes you a fucking plane crash to realise that life is worth living no matter what? FUCK, that shit got me heated. (I mean no disrespect to anyone who has actually suffered from depression or has ever felt suicidal, I'm only saying those things because the character felt fake to me.)
Oh and here's something else I wanna say. You know the combination of pills she wanted to take to make up her 'kryptonite'? WELL MAH BITCHIN' PEEPS, it seems that the author has made a mistake there because she says that Jane researched it online.
Think about this for a moment.
Online.
Wouldn't the internet history be monitored at a place like Life House? Wouldn't it? Just something to think about.
August 11, 2015
Als Jane in den Flieger nach Chicago steigt, hat sie nicht vor in ihrer Heimat anzukommen da sie sich noch während des Fluges das Leben nehmen möchte. Doch gerade als sie die tödlichen Pillen schlucken möchte, stürzt das Flugzeug ab und gemeinsam mit dem Snowboarder Paul Hart sind die einzigen Überlebenden. Die beiden müssen sich zusammen durch die Wildnis kämpfen und Tag für Tag überstehen. Dabei kommt sie Paul nicht nur näher, sondern findet auch heraus dass sie eigentlich gar nicht sterben möchte.
Der Klappentext des Buches hat mich magisch anzogen. Ich bin nicht nur ein wahres Winterkind, sondern liebe auch Überlebensstorys und Gefühlschaos. Meine Erwartungen waren also sehr hoch, als ich anfing zu lesen doch diese zerbröckelten schon nach wenigen Kapiteln da ich sehr schnell in die Geschichte fand und mich wohlfühlte. Ich warf alle meine Gedanken über Board und lies das Buch auf mich wirken. Ich hatte nicht mehr das Gefühl zu lesen, sondern nur mehr zu fühlen.
Trotz Jane's dunkler Seele war mir die Protagonistin sofort symphatisch. Ihre tragische Vergangenheit hat sie sehr verändert und ich hatte das Gefühl Jane konnte aus der schwarzen Ecke, in die sie gedrängt wurde, einfach nicht mehr ausbrechen. Dazu brauchte es einen Flugzeugabsturz und ein großes Wunder. Im Laufe der Geschichte lernt man Jane immer besser kennen und spürt auch wie aus Jane-Der-Planerin, Jane-Die-Überlebende wird. Gemeinsam mit Paul findet sie den Weg ins Leben zurück und obwohl die beiden anfangs Differenzen hatten entwickelte sich eine zarte, gleichzeitig starke Liebe zwischen ihnen. Paul war im Buch für einige Überraschungen gut und wurde von Kapitel zu Kapitel immer mehr er selbst.
Ich mag Liebesgeschichten, aber ich bin auch eine sehr kritische Person was Romanzen angeht, weshalb ich auch hier Erwartungen an das Buch hatte. Alex Morel hat diese weit überschritten und ich kann es gar nicht richtig in Worte fassen aber die Gefühle zwischen Jane und Paul waren echt. Ich habe sie zwischen den Seiten gespürt und las Zeile für Zeile erneut weil ich sie so schön fand. Außerdem gelingt es ihr die raue Schneelandschaft so zu beschreiben, das ich alles genau vor Augen habe und ich mich voll und ganz in meinen Kopfkino-Flm fallen lassen kann.
Natürlich muss ich auch bei einem so wundervollen, schönen und gleichzeitig auch erschütternden Buch wie 'Survive' ein wenig Kritik abgeben. Der Schreibstil war perfekt, die Charaktere realistisch und greifbar und selbst die Schauplätze waren für mich immer sehr gut vorstellbar. Meine Kritik liegt in der Länge, da das Buch sich über einige Tage hinweg zieht und trotzdem nur knappe 250 Seiten umfasst. Als begeisterte Leserin hätte ich mich schließlich sehr gefreut, über noch mehr gemeinsame Momente von Jane und Paul zu lesen.
Am Anfang dieses Buches war ich voller Erwartungen und Wünsche, am Ende blieben nur Faszination und ganz viele Gefühle übrig. Wie ein Schneesturm hüllte mich das Buch ein und obwohl es in Alex Morel's Geschichte eisig kalt ist, füllte es mich mit angenehmer Wärme. Ein wahres Herzensbuch! ♥
Der Klappentext des Buches hat mich magisch anzogen. Ich bin nicht nur ein wahres Winterkind, sondern liebe auch Überlebensstorys und Gefühlschaos. Meine Erwartungen waren also sehr hoch, als ich anfing zu lesen doch diese zerbröckelten schon nach wenigen Kapiteln da ich sehr schnell in die Geschichte fand und mich wohlfühlte. Ich warf alle meine Gedanken über Board und lies das Buch auf mich wirken. Ich hatte nicht mehr das Gefühl zu lesen, sondern nur mehr zu fühlen.
Trotz Jane's dunkler Seele war mir die Protagonistin sofort symphatisch. Ihre tragische Vergangenheit hat sie sehr verändert und ich hatte das Gefühl Jane konnte aus der schwarzen Ecke, in die sie gedrängt wurde, einfach nicht mehr ausbrechen. Dazu brauchte es einen Flugzeugabsturz und ein großes Wunder. Im Laufe der Geschichte lernt man Jane immer besser kennen und spürt auch wie aus Jane-Der-Planerin, Jane-Die-Überlebende wird. Gemeinsam mit Paul findet sie den Weg ins Leben zurück und obwohl die beiden anfangs Differenzen hatten entwickelte sich eine zarte, gleichzeitig starke Liebe zwischen ihnen. Paul war im Buch für einige Überraschungen gut und wurde von Kapitel zu Kapitel immer mehr er selbst.
Ich mag Liebesgeschichten, aber ich bin auch eine sehr kritische Person was Romanzen angeht, weshalb ich auch hier Erwartungen an das Buch hatte. Alex Morel hat diese weit überschritten und ich kann es gar nicht richtig in Worte fassen aber die Gefühle zwischen Jane und Paul waren echt. Ich habe sie zwischen den Seiten gespürt und las Zeile für Zeile erneut weil ich sie so schön fand. Außerdem gelingt es ihr die raue Schneelandschaft so zu beschreiben, das ich alles genau vor Augen habe und ich mich voll und ganz in meinen Kopfkino-Flm fallen lassen kann.
Natürlich muss ich auch bei einem so wundervollen, schönen und gleichzeitig auch erschütternden Buch wie 'Survive' ein wenig Kritik abgeben. Der Schreibstil war perfekt, die Charaktere realistisch und greifbar und selbst die Schauplätze waren für mich immer sehr gut vorstellbar. Meine Kritik liegt in der Länge, da das Buch sich über einige Tage hinweg zieht und trotzdem nur knappe 250 Seiten umfasst. Als begeisterte Leserin hätte ich mich schließlich sehr gefreut, über noch mehr gemeinsame Momente von Jane und Paul zu lesen.
Am Anfang dieses Buches war ich voller Erwartungen und Wünsche, am Ende blieben nur Faszination und ganz viele Gefühle übrig. Wie ein Schneesturm hüllte mich das Buch ein und obwohl es in Alex Morel's Geschichte eisig kalt ist, füllte es mich mit angenehmer Wärme. Ein wahres Herzensbuch! ♥
January 25, 2013
For what it is, this book is good but... if you've read the blurb hang around for a moment. If you haven't, go read it now and I'll just sit here twiddling my thumbs till you get back so you don't miss anything...
la di dah,
ba dum,
ba dum,
bum
... OK. You're back and you've read the blurb. I'd like you to perform a brief thought experiment: Look at the title, remember what you've read in the blurb, and bear in mind that it's a young adult novel. Now try picture the path which this story is going to follow.
If you've got an image in your mind about where this story will go, don't bother reading this book. The problem is not that there's anything much wrong with it, but that it is an 'as expected'. Neither the writing nor the characterisation are bad but they're not anything special either. You won't learn anything new nor glean any particularly interesting insights during the time you spend with this book. And the story will travel precisely down the path which you expect with no hint of deviation or originality.
However, if you've conducted my little thought experiment and can't see where this is going, that's not a bad thing, it just means you haven't seen it done a thousand times before. Despite being the author's first book, it is competently constructed and you'll probably enjoy the ride.
la di dah,
ba dum,
ba dum,
bum
... OK. You're back and you've read the blurb. I'd like you to perform a brief thought experiment: Look at the title, remember what you've read in the blurb, and bear in mind that it's a young adult novel. Now try picture the path which this story is going to follow.
If you've got an image in your mind about where this story will go, don't bother reading this book. The problem is not that there's anything much wrong with it, but that it is an 'as expected'. Neither the writing nor the characterisation are bad but they're not anything special either. You won't learn anything new nor glean any particularly interesting insights during the time you spend with this book. And the story will travel precisely down the path which you expect with no hint of deviation or originality.
However, if you've conducted my little thought experiment and can't see where this is going, that's not a bad thing, it just means you haven't seen it done a thousand times before. Despite being the author's first book, it is competently constructed and you'll probably enjoy the ride.
July 31, 2012
What an intense book. Survive is one hell of an action packed read. In the very beginning I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get into it and I was starting to feel like I was going to be let down being as my hopes for survive were pretty high. But let me just say that I was terribly wrong. As soon as Jane and Paul's plane crashes it is a race to survive against the elements as well as their pasts. I cannot say how impressed I am with Mr. Morel's ability to paint a stark and debilitating situation and splash it with hope. Both Jane and Paul did their fair share of pissing me off but that only made them feel more human and real. I never stopped cheering them on and hoping for the impossible.
January 19, 2019
Dieses Buch spaltet mich emotional. Erst wollte ich weinen, weil ich es langweilig fand und den Schreibstil nicht mochte. Am Ende wollte ich weinen, weil es mich so berührt hat. Ein riesen Auf und Ab.
August 6, 2016
Wenn dann mal was anderes passiert ist außer durch den Schnee zu wandern, ging das dann irgendwie zu schnell..
December 18, 2016
Als ich zum ersten Mal „Survive – Wenn der Schnee mein Herz berührt“ entdeckt habe, war ich direkt vom wunderschönen Cover begeistert. Da mich die Kurzbeschreibung ebenfalls überzeugen konnte, wollte ich das Buch direkt lesen, doch dann habe ich einige recht negative Rezensionen gelesen, die mich verunsichert haben, also lag das Buch erst einmal im Regal, bis ich mich am Ende doch getraut habe. Leider muss ich sagen, dass ich rein gar nichts verpasst hätte, wenn ich das Buch nicht gelesen hätte, denn es konnte mich leider nicht begeistern.
Der Schreibstil ist an sich ganz nett und recht flüssig, nur leider kam ich nur selten wirklich in die Handlung hinein. Ich wollte dem Buch immer wieder eine Chance geben, habe mich von Kapitel zu Kapitel gelesen, aber dennoch wollte einfach keine Begeisterung aufkommen. Dazu sind die Charaktere zwar ganz nett, aber mehr leider auch nicht. Sie waren mir stellenweise viel zu flach und zu oberflächlich, sodass ich leider weder Jane, noch Paul in mein Herz schließen konnte. Stellenweise fiel es mir sogar schwer, die beiden Protagonisten überhaupt sympathisch zu finden. Es plätschert einfach alles zu sehr vor sich hin, ohne wirklich tiefgründig zu wirken.
Auch das Thema selbst ist leider nicht unbedingt neu. Wie schon in so vielen Büchern und TV-Serien befinden sich Menschen in einem Flugzeug, die eigentlich keine wirkliche Lust mehr auf das Leben haben. Als das Flugzeug jedoch abstürzt und man überlebt, entdeckt man plötzlich sein Kämpferherz und macht alles, um zu überleben. Wie man erkennen kann, ist dies alles nicht neu und dazu oftmals sogar viel besser inszeniert worden. Wie gesagt, wären die Charaktere etwas sympathischer und nicht so flach gewesen, hätte mir die Geschichte vllt. sogar etwas Spaß gemacht, aber so nicht.
Ich wollte Jane eigentlich von Anfang an mögen, da ich sie in der Kurzbeschreibung sehr interessant fand, doch leider entpuppte sie sich als kleine Nervensäge, die stets oberflächlich durch den Schnee läuft und trotz aller Selbstmordpläne überleben möchte. Bereits ihr Vater hat sich das Leben genommen, was ihr einen tiefen Knacks gebracht hat. Ihr Leben ist seitdem nicht mehr das, was es mal war und sie sehnt sich nach dem Tod, weshalb sie auch in einer psychiatrischen Klinik untergebracht wird. Dort kann sie jedoch alle davon überzeugen, dass sie wieder gesund ist, was jedoch falsch ist, denn sie plant weiterhin ihren Selbstmord, der sogar gelungen wäre, wenn das Flugzeug nicht abgestürzt wäre.
Mit Paul lernt man den zweiten Protagonisten kennen, der ebenfalls im Flugzeug saß und neben Jane als Einziger überlebt hat. Selbstverständlich sieht er dabei ganz phantastisch aus und Jane ist direkt hin und weg. (Natürlich, als hätte man in so einer Situation nichts anderes zu tun!) Jane und Paul kämpfen sich zusammen durch das Eis und den Schnee und dabei entflammt sogar eine kleine Liebesgeschichte, die ganz nett ist, aber auch nicht wirklich das Gelbe vom Ei ist.
Mein größtes Problem bei diesem Buch war jedoch die Darstellung der kompletten Situation, die stellenweise unglaublich aufgesetzt und unrealistisch erschien. An sich ist es ja vollkommen richtig und konsequent, wenn man ums pure Überleben kämpft, die Art und Weise ist jedoch manchmal recht zweifelhaft. Da werden Berge erklimmt und dann wundert man sich, wenn man sich dabei verletzt, man rennt stundenlang durch den Schnee und ist darüber erstaunt, dass man friert. Hallo? Was erwartet man denn sonst als Jugendlicher? Erwarten sie, dass sie plötzlich zu Superman werden und sich einfach mal binnen Sekunden retten?!
Richtig schön ist dagegen die Covergestaltung, die mich direkt angesprochen hat und erst der Grund war, weshalb ich auf dieses Buch aufmerksam wurde. Die kalte Stimmung wird perfekt aufgezeigt und auch die Blüte sticht direkt ins Auge. Die Kurzbeschreibung liest sich ebenfalls gut und fasst die wichtigsten Ereignisse zusammen.
Insgesamt bin ich von „Survive – Wenn der Schnee mein Herz berührt“ sehr enttäuscht und konnte weder mit den Charakteren mitfühlen, noch großartig in die Geschichte hineinfinden. Manchmal soll es wohl einfach nicht sein. Schade, aber nicht änderbar. Zum Glück gibt es ja noch genug andere Leser, die Spaß an diesem Buch hatten.
Der Schreibstil ist an sich ganz nett und recht flüssig, nur leider kam ich nur selten wirklich in die Handlung hinein. Ich wollte dem Buch immer wieder eine Chance geben, habe mich von Kapitel zu Kapitel gelesen, aber dennoch wollte einfach keine Begeisterung aufkommen. Dazu sind die Charaktere zwar ganz nett, aber mehr leider auch nicht. Sie waren mir stellenweise viel zu flach und zu oberflächlich, sodass ich leider weder Jane, noch Paul in mein Herz schließen konnte. Stellenweise fiel es mir sogar schwer, die beiden Protagonisten überhaupt sympathisch zu finden. Es plätschert einfach alles zu sehr vor sich hin, ohne wirklich tiefgründig zu wirken.
Auch das Thema selbst ist leider nicht unbedingt neu. Wie schon in so vielen Büchern und TV-Serien befinden sich Menschen in einem Flugzeug, die eigentlich keine wirkliche Lust mehr auf das Leben haben. Als das Flugzeug jedoch abstürzt und man überlebt, entdeckt man plötzlich sein Kämpferherz und macht alles, um zu überleben. Wie man erkennen kann, ist dies alles nicht neu und dazu oftmals sogar viel besser inszeniert worden. Wie gesagt, wären die Charaktere etwas sympathischer und nicht so flach gewesen, hätte mir die Geschichte vllt. sogar etwas Spaß gemacht, aber so nicht.
Ich wollte Jane eigentlich von Anfang an mögen, da ich sie in der Kurzbeschreibung sehr interessant fand, doch leider entpuppte sie sich als kleine Nervensäge, die stets oberflächlich durch den Schnee läuft und trotz aller Selbstmordpläne überleben möchte. Bereits ihr Vater hat sich das Leben genommen, was ihr einen tiefen Knacks gebracht hat. Ihr Leben ist seitdem nicht mehr das, was es mal war und sie sehnt sich nach dem Tod, weshalb sie auch in einer psychiatrischen Klinik untergebracht wird. Dort kann sie jedoch alle davon überzeugen, dass sie wieder gesund ist, was jedoch falsch ist, denn sie plant weiterhin ihren Selbstmord, der sogar gelungen wäre, wenn das Flugzeug nicht abgestürzt wäre.
Mit Paul lernt man den zweiten Protagonisten kennen, der ebenfalls im Flugzeug saß und neben Jane als Einziger überlebt hat. Selbstverständlich sieht er dabei ganz phantastisch aus und Jane ist direkt hin und weg. (Natürlich, als hätte man in so einer Situation nichts anderes zu tun!) Jane und Paul kämpfen sich zusammen durch das Eis und den Schnee und dabei entflammt sogar eine kleine Liebesgeschichte, die ganz nett ist, aber auch nicht wirklich das Gelbe vom Ei ist.
Mein größtes Problem bei diesem Buch war jedoch die Darstellung der kompletten Situation, die stellenweise unglaublich aufgesetzt und unrealistisch erschien. An sich ist es ja vollkommen richtig und konsequent, wenn man ums pure Überleben kämpft, die Art und Weise ist jedoch manchmal recht zweifelhaft. Da werden Berge erklimmt und dann wundert man sich, wenn man sich dabei verletzt, man rennt stundenlang durch den Schnee und ist darüber erstaunt, dass man friert. Hallo? Was erwartet man denn sonst als Jugendlicher? Erwarten sie, dass sie plötzlich zu Superman werden und sich einfach mal binnen Sekunden retten?!
Richtig schön ist dagegen die Covergestaltung, die mich direkt angesprochen hat und erst der Grund war, weshalb ich auf dieses Buch aufmerksam wurde. Die kalte Stimmung wird perfekt aufgezeigt und auch die Blüte sticht direkt ins Auge. Die Kurzbeschreibung liest sich ebenfalls gut und fasst die wichtigsten Ereignisse zusammen.
Insgesamt bin ich von „Survive – Wenn der Schnee mein Herz berührt“ sehr enttäuscht und konnte weder mit den Charakteren mitfühlen, noch großartig in die Geschichte hineinfinden. Manchmal soll es wohl einfach nicht sein. Schade, aber nicht änderbar. Zum Glück gibt es ja noch genug andere Leser, die Spaß an diesem Buch hatten.
January 12, 2016
5 STARS
I finished this book in two and a half hours and I have to say that this book truly amazed me and it definitely taught me a hell of a lesson; value your life, every single second of it because you never know what is around the corner. I am not sure that was what the author wanted his readers to realize but I definitely did and it hit me pretty hard because of the relationship I have with my parents right now, my past and the relationship Paul and Jane have with their parents.
Okay, so I have read a few reviews on Goodreads straight after I finished this book and I realised that not many people can relate to Survive because I think you need to have a certain characteristic or past and have at least experienced one of the stuff that was in the book in order to be engulfed by it. I have felt depression, heartbreak, sadness and suicidal before so this novel was like a Bible to me and it hit on every single spot when the author described how Jane and Paul felt. This book totally captured my heart and the book just flow so well that it wasn't too boring (like some of those too detailed description) and I have to say it was such a page turner that you just can't absorb the words fast enough to process it in your mind before another wave of words crashed upon you again.
I am not going to say much about this book because I don't want to go into details, otherwise I will start babbling off how I relate to this book. Although I rated this book as a five stars, not many people like it so unfortunately this book is rated a bit low on Goodreads which made me kinda sad.
Spoiler Alerted
There was one point in the book where I just stopped reading completely and simply froze for a minute because my gut was telling me there will not be any happy ending at the end of the book even though I still held onto the hope while I took a sneak peek of the last chapter. (I know I shouldn't have, but I don't like surprises.) It shattered my heart and I managed to force myself to read the entire book. No surprise there, but I cried and some people might find this silly but I am a very sensitive person at heart (although, it's a different story when I'm out) so I can picture myself as the main character – Jane – in the book straight away and I felt every single feeling she feels. But I guess another reason why I cried was because I am not used to sad ending and I have never really accidentally stumbled onto a book which has a sad ending.
What do I mean by that?
Well, before I read the book I will always read the blurb and then I will always take a peek of the book but with this Survive, I didn’t really did that as I was attracted by the title and the cover, and I just picked it up and put it into my library bag. But then, halfway through the book I was thinking that they will definitely have a happy ending because their loves for each other was deeply moving and emotional. But I guessed not...
So that’s my say for the book, it was brilliant! I recommend that you should definitely read this book if you have felt any of the stuff I listed above because it would touch your heart and you will have a book hangover!
I finished this book in two and a half hours and I have to say that this book truly amazed me and it definitely taught me a hell of a lesson; value your life, every single second of it because you never know what is around the corner. I am not sure that was what the author wanted his readers to realize but I definitely did and it hit me pretty hard because of the relationship I have with my parents right now, my past and the relationship Paul and Jane have with their parents.
Okay, so I have read a few reviews on Goodreads straight after I finished this book and I realised that not many people can relate to Survive because I think you need to have a certain characteristic or past and have at least experienced one of the stuff that was in the book in order to be engulfed by it. I have felt depression, heartbreak, sadness and suicidal before so this novel was like a Bible to me and it hit on every single spot when the author described how Jane and Paul felt. This book totally captured my heart and the book just flow so well that it wasn't too boring (like some of those too detailed description) and I have to say it was such a page turner that you just can't absorb the words fast enough to process it in your mind before another wave of words crashed upon you again.
I am not going to say much about this book because I don't want to go into details, otherwise I will start babbling off how I relate to this book. Although I rated this book as a five stars, not many people like it so unfortunately this book is rated a bit low on Goodreads which made me kinda sad.
Spoiler Alerted
There was one point in the book where I just stopped reading completely and simply froze for a minute because my gut was telling me there will not be any happy ending at the end of the book even though I still held onto the hope while I took a sneak peek of the last chapter. (I know I shouldn't have, but I don't like surprises.) It shattered my heart and I managed to force myself to read the entire book. No surprise there, but I cried and some people might find this silly but I am a very sensitive person at heart (although, it's a different story when I'm out) so I can picture myself as the main character – Jane – in the book straight away and I felt every single feeling she feels. But I guess another reason why I cried was because I am not used to sad ending and I have never really accidentally stumbled onto a book which has a sad ending.
What do I mean by that?
Well, before I read the book I will always read the blurb and then I will always take a peek of the book but with this Survive, I didn’t really did that as I was attracted by the title and the cover, and I just picked it up and put it into my library bag. But then, halfway through the book I was thinking that they will definitely have a happy ending because their loves for each other was deeply moving and emotional. But I guessed not...
So that’s my say for the book, it was brilliant! I recommend that you should definitely read this book if you have felt any of the stuff I listed above because it would touch your heart and you will have a book hangover!
November 22, 2013
Dear Survive,
Although it's not my usual style to write a review in letter format, somehow this feels like it is the right way to express how you made me feel.
When I first saw you and read your synopsis, I fell a little bit in love. Survival stories are like a magnet to me - the tension, the fear, and the strength that the characters need to make it through a terrible ordeal just sing to me. Immediately I knew I had to have you and read you intensely and without any intention of interrupting our relationship for anything less than a life-threatening emergency. It was all so promising.
But reality can be far different from dreams - and as soon as you started wheeling out the coincidences I started to feel a little hesitant. Jane finds herself on a plane full of mountain climbers - a lucky break perhaps. The only other survivor also happens to have mountain climbing experience and has (although how he smuggled this through security is a miracle) a knife and a box of matches. However, sometimes are coincidences are necessary for the plot, so I was prepared to forgive and move on.
And then you go and have the survivors sleep in an airplane toilet. Comfortably. Without complaint about being cramped or having the toilet bowl in the way, which would certainly be problem, maybe ONLY if the toilet is upside down but this is not possible as one of your characters USES the toilet. So it can only be upright. Have you ever BEEN in an airplane toilet, Survive? Can you foresee how ONE person, let alone two can actually lay down on a toilet floor? Even long haul fourteen hour flights don't have a toilet that big, let alone domestic flights or I have been flying on the wrong fucking airlines.
OK, so this is all details. Maybe the characters could be the redemption here - strong boy, tough girl, fighting the elements and surviving on their wits and scavenging skills. And yet, your characters don't even TRY to find a mobile phone until their second day, which they then dismiss immediately as being useless for having no signal. Now, first of all, the FIRST thing I would do is tear the place apart looking for a phone. Secondly, I wouldn't just ditch it because I couldn't get a signal in one spot, I'd at least TRY it in another location before giving up.
The final insult, and the end of any possible redemption came on day four. Declarations of love between two teenagers after four days? How the fuck can they be 1) thinking about love when they are trying not to freeze/starve/stupid themselves to death and 2) BE IN LOVE AFTER FOUR DAYS?
Survive, you tried to redeem yourself with a poignant, emotional ending. But by that stage I was just so disappointed I couldn't bring myself to actually care about the characters. So although you kept me entertained, it really wasn't in the way I imagined this relationship would be.
Disappointedly yours,
Kat
Although it's not my usual style to write a review in letter format, somehow this feels like it is the right way to express how you made me feel.
When I first saw you and read your synopsis, I fell a little bit in love. Survival stories are like a magnet to me - the tension, the fear, and the strength that the characters need to make it through a terrible ordeal just sing to me. Immediately I knew I had to have you and read you intensely and without any intention of interrupting our relationship for anything less than a life-threatening emergency. It was all so promising.
But reality can be far different from dreams - and as soon as you started wheeling out the coincidences I started to feel a little hesitant. Jane finds herself on a plane full of mountain climbers - a lucky break perhaps. The only other survivor also happens to have mountain climbing experience and has (although how he smuggled this through security is a miracle) a knife and a box of matches. However, sometimes are coincidences are necessary for the plot, so I was prepared to forgive and move on.
And then you go and have the survivors sleep in an airplane toilet. Comfortably. Without complaint about being cramped or having the toilet bowl in the way, which would certainly be problem, maybe ONLY if the toilet is upside down but this is not possible as one of your characters USES the toilet. So it can only be upright. Have you ever BEEN in an airplane toilet, Survive? Can you foresee how ONE person, let alone two can actually lay down on a toilet floor? Even long haul fourteen hour flights don't have a toilet that big, let alone domestic flights or I have been flying on the wrong fucking airlines.
OK, so this is all details. Maybe the characters could be the redemption here - strong boy, tough girl, fighting the elements and surviving on their wits and scavenging skills. And yet, your characters don't even TRY to find a mobile phone until their second day, which they then dismiss immediately as being useless for having no signal. Now, first of all, the FIRST thing I would do is tear the place apart looking for a phone. Secondly, I wouldn't just ditch it because I couldn't get a signal in one spot, I'd at least TRY it in another location before giving up.
The final insult, and the end of any possible redemption came on day four. Declarations of love between two teenagers after four days? How the fuck can they be 1) thinking about love when they are trying not to freeze/starve/stupid themselves to death and 2) BE IN LOVE AFTER FOUR DAYS?
Survive, you tried to redeem yourself with a poignant, emotional ending. But by that stage I was just so disappointed I couldn't bring myself to actually care about the characters. So although you kept me entertained, it really wasn't in the way I imagined this relationship would be.
Disappointedly yours,
Kat
March 29, 2013
I CRIED and Cried so much. I felt my heart break for Paul and Jane.After reading, I started to think about how lucky I am to be able to see the sun rise another day and being ALIVE. Cheesy I know but, it's true! I'm grateful, I get to be with my family and friends.Thank you Alex Morel!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2012
3.75/5
you can always read this review on wakeupatseven, if you're feeling particularly daring.
I went into this book a bit cynically, thinking it was going to be a typical YA cautionary "appreciate life" tale. Not that there's anything wrong with those tales, but being that I'm not brimming with teen angst and adolescent insecurities like I used to be, I didn't think it would resonate as deeply with me as it I imagined it would with someone younger. Boy was I wrong, she typed furiously through her tears.
In any case, this story is a little different from most of the teen books centered around suicide that I've read. Most of them present you with a character you automatically feel very sorry for. They're fresh off an unimaginable tragedy or their depression is explained in such stark and emotional detail that your heart aches for them right from the get go. That wasn't the case (for me, at least) when it comes to our main character, Jane. At first she simply seems detached and bored with life and the reader doesn't exactly know why. It's obvious she's got some anxiety and supressed issues but I remember reading a line about her "miserable" life and thinking, what's so bad about your life, kid? Come on, now. Only to be rewarded with that very information pages later. Ahhh, I get it now. Clever writing. I loved the bitter irony of a girl who thought she had nothing to left to live for being thrown into a situation where she now has to fight not only for her life, but someone else's as well.
This book is quite short, sad, and sweet. It managed to take me on a rollercoaster from somewhat indifference, to yearning, to hope, and to tears in the span of 272 pages. And in that way I felt like I sort of developed as a reader in the same way that Jane developed as a character. Corny, I know, but it was an emotional experience. As I've said countless times before, I'm a character girl. If you get me to care about your characters, you've got me. And this book really got me. Even as sparse as this book was, I felt for Jane and Paul as if their characters had been fleshed out for ages. Definitely worth the read. The only thing I'll warn any potential readers against is that fact that it is a short read (though this may be preferable to some) and the "hatchet meets lost" tagline surrounding this book. I get the effort to draw in readers that way, but I think if you go into this book thinking you're going to get something as complex as Lost or as gritty as Hatchet, you might be a bit disappointed. Survive is it's own story, I don't think it needs any half-hearted comparisons to make it stand out.
you can always read this review on wakeupatseven, if you're feeling particularly daring.
I went into this book a bit cynically, thinking it was going to be a typical YA cautionary "appreciate life" tale. Not that there's anything wrong with those tales, but being that I'm not brimming with teen angst and adolescent insecurities like I used to be, I didn't think it would resonate as deeply with me as it I imagined it would with someone younger. Boy was I wrong, she typed furiously through her tears.
In any case, this story is a little different from most of the teen books centered around suicide that I've read. Most of them present you with a character you automatically feel very sorry for. They're fresh off an unimaginable tragedy or their depression is explained in such stark and emotional detail that your heart aches for them right from the get go. That wasn't the case (for me, at least) when it comes to our main character, Jane. At first she simply seems detached and bored with life and the reader doesn't exactly know why. It's obvious she's got some anxiety and supressed issues but I remember reading a line about her "miserable" life and thinking, what's so bad about your life, kid? Come on, now. Only to be rewarded with that very information pages later. Ahhh, I get it now. Clever writing. I loved the bitter irony of a girl who thought she had nothing to left to live for being thrown into a situation where she now has to fight not only for her life, but someone else's as well.
This book is quite short, sad, and sweet. It managed to take me on a rollercoaster from somewhat indifference, to yearning, to hope, and to tears in the span of 272 pages. And in that way I felt like I sort of developed as a reader in the same way that Jane developed as a character. Corny, I know, but it was an emotional experience. As I've said countless times before, I'm a character girl. If you get me to care about your characters, you've got me. And this book really got me. Even as sparse as this book was, I felt for Jane and Paul as if their characters had been fleshed out for ages. Definitely worth the read. The only thing I'll warn any potential readers against is that fact that it is a short read (though this may be preferable to some) and the "hatchet meets lost" tagline surrounding this book. I get the effort to draw in readers that way, but I think if you go into this book thinking you're going to get something as complex as Lost or as gritty as Hatchet, you might be a bit disappointed. Survive is it's own story, I don't think it needs any half-hearted comparisons to make it stand out.
January 24, 2015
This review first appeared on Books i View.
I love survival books. Usually action packed, they have you holding your breath, sitting at the edge of your seat and biting your nails which is exactly what Survive by Alex Morel did to me.
What stood out about this book is that when we meet our MC Jane, she is depressed, suicidal and living in mental hospital. She already decided to end her life and is in the midst of doing so when her plane crashes and is forced into a survival situation. So what will she do — give up on life like she planned or find a way to survive? I just had to know how she would cope with this situation which is why I decided to read Survive.
My main problem with this book is that I had trouble connecting with the characters. I read books about depressed characters before but with Jane it felt fake. She has a family history of depression and suicides, which I understand. But it felt like she was just being depressed and suicidal because her father was and not because it was an illness that ran in her family, does that make sense? With Paul, at first he comes off like a jerk and then he has a sudden personality change which I didn't understand.
What kept me reading was the action scenes. They were tense and thrilling. I was literally nervous while reading some of those scenes. After reading through some of the action scenes I found myself warming up to Jane & Paul and was just a smidgen emotional at a certain point in the book — I’m sure you can guess which part if you've read it as well.
While this wasn't as memorable as I thought it would be and not the best survival boo that I've read it was a still a good read. I loved the message that Alex Morel captured in this book about life and why we keep surviving. If you’re looking for more character depth and bonding than pass. If you’re looking for an adrenaline filled book than give this book a shot.
I love survival books. Usually action packed, they have you holding your breath, sitting at the edge of your seat and biting your nails which is exactly what Survive by Alex Morel did to me.
What stood out about this book is that when we meet our MC Jane, she is depressed, suicidal and living in mental hospital. She already decided to end her life and is in the midst of doing so when her plane crashes and is forced into a survival situation. So what will she do — give up on life like she planned or find a way to survive? I just had to know how she would cope with this situation which is why I decided to read Survive.
My main problem with this book is that I had trouble connecting with the characters. I read books about depressed characters before but with Jane it felt fake. She has a family history of depression and suicides, which I understand. But it felt like she was just being depressed and suicidal because her father was and not because it was an illness that ran in her family, does that make sense? With Paul, at first he comes off like a jerk and then he has a sudden personality change which I didn't understand.
What kept me reading was the action scenes. They were tense and thrilling. I was literally nervous while reading some of those scenes. After reading through some of the action scenes I found myself warming up to Jane & Paul and was just a smidgen emotional at a certain point in the book — I’m sure you can guess which part if you've read it as well.
While this wasn't as memorable as I thought it would be and not the best survival boo that I've read it was a still a good read. I loved the message that Alex Morel captured in this book about life and why we keep surviving. If you’re looking for more character depth and bonding than pass. If you’re looking for an adrenaline filled book than give this book a shot.
December 10, 2014
Survive tells an achingly beautiful story of survival after an aeroplane crashes. 2 soul survivors find consolation in each other and dedicate their days to trying to find salvation.
I love survival stories, and this story was no exception. I was brought close to tears by the end of this novel *no spoilers*. The author has an amazing way with words and beautifully crafts the expansive setting around the characters.
If you love survival stories as much as me then you NEED this book
I love survival stories, and this story was no exception. I was brought close to tears by the end of this novel *no spoilers*. The author has an amazing way with words and beautifully crafts the expansive setting around the characters.
If you love survival stories as much as me then you NEED this book
March 22, 2017
I couldn't put this down. At first I wasn't sure I liked the writing but it grew on me. This was a page turner. I found myself always wanting to know what was going to happen.
The ending broken my heart, but it was beautiful at the same time. I really wanted Paul to live, and I was so worried that Jane wouldn't even make it. I loved how his spirit seemed to help her make it.
This was a great read about a suicidal girl who had to face a real life or death situation. I haven't come across any other book like that yet.
One thing that bothered me though, I'm pretty sure all planes have snacks and drinks on them. I've been on a 45 minute flight before and that even had snacks. Regardless all the food could've flew from the plane but it didn't sound like that's what happened. Also, why would security allow Paul to being a knife on the plane?
The ending broken my heart, but it was beautiful at the same time. I really wanted Paul to live, and I was so worried that Jane wouldn't even make it. I loved how his spirit seemed to help her make it.
This was a great read about a suicidal girl who had to face a real life or death situation. I haven't come across any other book like that yet.
One thing that bothered me though, I'm pretty sure all planes have snacks and drinks on them. I've been on a 45 minute flight before and that even had snacks. Regardless all the food could've flew from the plane but it didn't sound like that's what happened. Also, why would security allow Paul to being a knife on the plane?
April 13, 2024
Nach einem Flugzeugabsturz in den Rocky Mountains sind Jane und Paul die einzigen Überlebenden. Dabei wollte Jane ihr Leben genau an diesem Tag beenden. Die beiden kämpfen sich durch die eisige Kälte, um zu überleben. Zum ersten Mal in ihrem Leben spürt Jane das Bedürfnis, am Leben zu bleiben, und das liegt an Paul, der sie in jeder Situation unterstützt und stärkt. Im Verlauf ihres gemeinsamen Überlebenskampfes entwickelt sich eine Liebe zwischen ihnen.
Die Charaktere Jane und Paul erschienen mir äußerst authentisch und sind mir auf den ca. 250 Seiten sehr ans Herz gewachsen 🤍 Ich habe mit ihnen mitgelitten, die Kälte gespürt, den Schmerz und die Hoffnung empfunden. Die Witze und Neckereien zwischen den beiden haben mein Herz erwärmt. Trotzdem konnte ich am Ende des Buches meine Tränen nicht zurückhalten 💔
Die Charaktere Jane und Paul erschienen mir äußerst authentisch und sind mir auf den ca. 250 Seiten sehr ans Herz gewachsen 🤍 Ich habe mit ihnen mitgelitten, die Kälte gespürt, den Schmerz und die Hoffnung empfunden. Die Witze und Neckereien zwischen den beiden haben mein Herz erwärmt. Trotzdem konnte ich am Ende des Buches meine Tränen nicht zurückhalten 💔
January 31, 2018
Charakterentwicklung ist ja ein beliebtes Thema in Jugendliteratur. Und je drastischer, desto unterhaltsamer. Vielleicht musste darum hier ein Mädchen aus der Psychiatrie herhalten. Natürlich hatte ich erwartet, dass Charaktere und Situationen komplett überzeichnet werden. Wie unglaublich unrealistisch bis unmöglich das alles ist, was da in der Geschichte passiert, davon will ich gar nicht erst anfangen. Man könnte das Buch mit ruhigem Gewissen ins Regal "Phantasie" stellen. Das wäre auch in Ordnung.
Wer keine Probleme damit hat, sich als Leser in dem Kopf eines so simpel gestrickten Charakter (Icherzähler-Perspektive) zu befinden und die gleichen Gedankengänge immer wieder präsentiert zu bekommen, der wird sich mit dieser Geschichte bestimmt sehr gut unterhalten.
Warum ich es las? Ein Experiment zur Auslotung meiner Schmerzgrenze beim Lesen von Büchern mit hübschem Cover. Und das Cover ist sehr hübsch!
Wer keine Probleme damit hat, sich als Leser in dem Kopf eines so simpel gestrickten Charakter (Icherzähler-Perspektive) zu befinden und die gleichen Gedankengänge immer wieder präsentiert zu bekommen, der wird sich mit dieser Geschichte bestimmt sehr gut unterhalten.
Warum ich es las? Ein Experiment zur Auslotung meiner Schmerzgrenze beim Lesen von Büchern mit hübschem Cover. Und das Cover ist sehr hübsch!
August 29, 2012
Review posted at Amaterasu Reads
It was ironic how Jane wanted to die, but instead found herself fighting for her life, finding her will to live in the most unexpected time and place, amidst a frozen wasteland, with an insufferable guy as a companion. Jane was no stranger to death, it runs in the family. But her journey through the most torturous terrains, braving snowstorms and trudging through ice walls made her acknowledge not just her imminent death, but also those of her loved ones who died before her. It is true that death changes people, and it changed Jane. It changed her anew now that she was staring it in the face. She wasn't as heartless as she thought she was, that even though she want to throw away hers, she still valued other lives. That she's also scared and hurting and she just wants all of it to stop.
I wish I hadn't met Paul. He was an innocent hiker who Jane yelled at when she panicked at the airport, her obsession with being on time winning over her. He shouldn't have sat beside Jane, pegging her for a philosophical girl. He shouldn't have been the other person who was spared when the plane crashed. He was just too good for it. If Jane thinks she's broken, then she found a kindred soul in Paul. He knew about death and is still learning how to deal with the losses he had. But he was there to help Jane get through the nightmare of her interrupted suicide, of feeling that it was her duty to die. He was there to share her pain, to understand her, to encourage her, and most of the time, to piss her off for being so arrogant one minute and caring the next. He makes me question a lot about living, about dying, about loving.
Who would expect these two people to fall in love? Maybe it was because they suffered life and death situations together, trying to stay alive, going through an excruciating journey that they both might not survive but the days and nights they were together led to sharing, to confessions, to sharing secrets, and that forged a strong bond between them. I expected it to happen, falling in love. It was so cliche, and yet it felt so unfair to have the two of them fall in love with each other because by then you'll expect to see them both happy together even when the situation is dire. The way they engaged with each other gave the story a little bit more life, and I found myself warming up to them both.
I admit it. I was drawn to this novel half expecting a fluffy story about a broken girl facing an unexpected challenge when the death she had so carefully planned for and craved was halted by another tragedy. I expected this book to be a little shallow, a little exciting, a little romantic and a little sweet. I was wrong. Very wrong.
What I got, instead, was a heart wrenching, unforgettable story of a girl who can't recognize herself for who she was, defined by tragedy and death. It was a story of a girl who just wanted to die, but found something to live for, to fight for, to ignore the voices for, to find the courage to trust herself, to be strong, to love. A girl whose life was changed by a plane crash and by that one person who gave her hope that things will be better, that she can be strong and face whatever life has in store for her.
I've always been a sucker for happy endings, and seeing Jane suffering all throughout her life from something that took away those that she loved made me desperate for her to find happiness for her own. She deserves it. And I felt like my heart was being ripped into two by how things ended in this novel. Is happy ending not for everyone? I was so desperate. I never got used to the painful feelings Jane and Paul had, and the only reprieve was those tender moments they shared. The feeling of hopelessness can be felt throughout this novel and you will just want it to end. The end, however, was surprisingly hopeful.
I have not been this emotionally invested in a novel for quite a while, and Survive just left me incapable of speech and by the time I was reading the last five pages, I was filled so much emotion. Alex Morel broke my heart with his writing. This novel made my heart ache so much it hurts by the time I finished it. It's beautiful. It's a novel that is intense and rich with emotions. It's a lot to take in at first, the sadness and all those depressing feelings but I loved how I felt Jane's and Paul's story as if it were my own. This is the kind of book you would want to pick up if you are looking for a sad, yet hopeful YA contemporary story every once in a while.
It was ironic how Jane wanted to die, but instead found herself fighting for her life, finding her will to live in the most unexpected time and place, amidst a frozen wasteland, with an insufferable guy as a companion. Jane was no stranger to death, it runs in the family. But her journey through the most torturous terrains, braving snowstorms and trudging through ice walls made her acknowledge not just her imminent death, but also those of her loved ones who died before her. It is true that death changes people, and it changed Jane. It changed her anew now that she was staring it in the face. She wasn't as heartless as she thought she was, that even though she want to throw away hers, she still valued other lives. That she's also scared and hurting and she just wants all of it to stop.
I wish I hadn't met Paul. He was an innocent hiker who Jane yelled at when she panicked at the airport, her obsession with being on time winning over her. He shouldn't have sat beside Jane, pegging her for a philosophical girl. He shouldn't have been the other person who was spared when the plane crashed. He was just too good for it. If Jane thinks she's broken, then she found a kindred soul in Paul. He knew about death and is still learning how to deal with the losses he had. But he was there to help Jane get through the nightmare of her interrupted suicide, of feeling that it was her duty to die. He was there to share her pain, to understand her, to encourage her, and most of the time, to piss her off for being so arrogant one minute and caring the next. He makes me question a lot about living, about dying, about loving.
Who would expect these two people to fall in love? Maybe it was because they suffered life and death situations together, trying to stay alive, going through an excruciating journey that they both might not survive but the days and nights they were together led to sharing, to confessions, to sharing secrets, and that forged a strong bond between them. I expected it to happen, falling in love. It was so cliche, and yet it felt so unfair to have the two of them fall in love with each other because by then you'll expect to see them both happy together even when the situation is dire. The way they engaged with each other gave the story a little bit more life, and I found myself warming up to them both.
I admit it. I was drawn to this novel half expecting a fluffy story about a broken girl facing an unexpected challenge when the death she had so carefully planned for and craved was halted by another tragedy. I expected this book to be a little shallow, a little exciting, a little romantic and a little sweet. I was wrong. Very wrong.
What I got, instead, was a heart wrenching, unforgettable story of a girl who can't recognize herself for who she was, defined by tragedy and death. It was a story of a girl who just wanted to die, but found something to live for, to fight for, to ignore the voices for, to find the courage to trust herself, to be strong, to love. A girl whose life was changed by a plane crash and by that one person who gave her hope that things will be better, that she can be strong and face whatever life has in store for her.
I've always been a sucker for happy endings, and seeing Jane suffering all throughout her life from something that took away those that she loved made me desperate for her to find happiness for her own. She deserves it. And I felt like my heart was being ripped into two by how things ended in this novel. Is happy ending not for everyone? I was so desperate. I never got used to the painful feelings Jane and Paul had, and the only reprieve was those tender moments they shared. The feeling of hopelessness can be felt throughout this novel and you will just want it to end. The end, however, was surprisingly hopeful.
I have not been this emotionally invested in a novel for quite a while, and Survive just left me incapable of speech and by the time I was reading the last five pages, I was filled so much emotion. Alex Morel broke my heart with his writing. This novel made my heart ache so much it hurts by the time I finished it. It's beautiful. It's a novel that is intense and rich with emotions. It's a lot to take in at first, the sadness and all those depressing feelings but I loved how I felt Jane's and Paul's story as if it were my own. This is the kind of book you would want to pick up if you are looking for a sad, yet hopeful YA contemporary story every once in a while.
April 19, 2016
Liebes Survive,
mit uns hätte es klappen können. Ganz ehrlich. Rein inhaltlich klingst du nach fabelhaftem Gedankengut. Ein Mädchen, das eigentlich plant sich umzubringen, überlebt stattdessen einen Flugzeugabsturz und wird nun mit einem ungekannten Überlebenswillen konfrontiert. Spannend, was in so einem Menschen vorgehen muss. Theoretisch.
Leider hat eine einzige Person all das bereits auf Seite 10 zunichte gemacht. Diese Person heißt Jane, ist die Ich-Erzählerin des Buches und meine Gedanken zu ihr beschränkten sich nach den ersten paar Seiten auf „Was für eine arrogante, egoistische Kuh!“.
Vielleicht liegt es daran, dass dein Papa Alex Morel es einfach nicht hinbekommen hat aus der Sicht eines Mädchens zu schreiben. Auf jeden Fall wurde mir Jane mit jedem Satz unsympathischer. Ich kann durchaus verstehen, dass es Menschen gibt, die ihrem Leben ein Ende setzen wollen. Ich möchte da niemanden verurteilen und es fällt Außenstehende sicher nicht immer leicht nachzuvollziehen, was die Betroffenen zu diesem Schritt treibt, aber Jane konnte ich beim besten Willen nicht verstehen.
Du hast mir kaum Anhaltspunkte dazu gegeben, warum sie sich eigentlich das Leben nehmen will. Als sie ein Kind war, hat ihr Vater sich umgebracht und anscheinend liegen Depressionen in der Familie, aber das war’s. Ich will nicht abstreiten, dass das Stoff genug für Suizidgedanken ist, aber das kam überhaupt nicht rüber. Stattdessen hast du Jane immer wieder erzählen lassen, wie sie sich umbringen möchte und wie furchtbar alles ist. Ich hatte aber nie das Gefühl in den Kern ihrer Gefühlswelt vorzudringen. Stattdessen kam sie mir egoistisch vor, weil sie ihre Mutter allein zurücklassen möchte und nicht an die Flugzeugpassagiere denkt, die mit einer Selbstmörderin im Flugzeug sitzen.
So, damit du jetzt nicht genau wie Jane in Depressionen verfällst, schreibe ich dir auch mal was Positives: Du hast schöne kurze Kapitel und einen flotten Schreibstil, der sich superschnell runterliest. Außerdem muss ich zugeben, dass Jane nach dem Flugzeugabsturz tatsächlich etwas menschlicher wird und nur noch halb soviel rumnervt.
Mir ist leider trotzdem noch was Schreckliches an Jane eingefallen. Ich fand es furchtbar wie schnell sie andere Menschen verurteilt. Ja, mag sein, dass jeder das macht, aber jeder formuliert das anders und geht mit seinen Erkenntnissen anders um. Sobald Jane Paul zum ersten Mal sieht, stempelt sie ihn als Punk (oder so) ab und will auf keinen Fall irgendwas mit ihm zu tun haben. Sogar als er nette Sachen zu ihr sagt, hört sie nur Schlimmes heraus. Einen Absturz und viel Schnee später ist sie natürlich unsterblich in ihn verliebt. Ups, Spoiler? Acht komm, das war doch kein Geheimnis.
Dank Jane kamen mir deine dramatischen Szenen in der Wildnis leider nur sehr unspektaklulär vor. Es war mir einfach egal, was mit den Figuren passiert, weil ich sie sowieso doof fand (obwohl Paul ganz okay war).
Alles in allem fehlt dir einfach die psychologische Ebene, die deine Idee für mich interessant gemacht hätte. Außerdem solltest du deinem Papa mal sagen, dass es viel echter rüberkommt, wenn man Dinge ZEIGT und nicht immer nur BEHAUPTET.
Gut, dass ich dich bereits an den nächsten NotizBuch-Teilnehmer weitergeschickt habe.
Auf Nimmerwiedersehen,
Infinite Playlist
mit uns hätte es klappen können. Ganz ehrlich. Rein inhaltlich klingst du nach fabelhaftem Gedankengut. Ein Mädchen, das eigentlich plant sich umzubringen, überlebt stattdessen einen Flugzeugabsturz und wird nun mit einem ungekannten Überlebenswillen konfrontiert. Spannend, was in so einem Menschen vorgehen muss. Theoretisch.
Leider hat eine einzige Person all das bereits auf Seite 10 zunichte gemacht. Diese Person heißt Jane, ist die Ich-Erzählerin des Buches und meine Gedanken zu ihr beschränkten sich nach den ersten paar Seiten auf „Was für eine arrogante, egoistische Kuh!“.
Vielleicht liegt es daran, dass dein Papa Alex Morel es einfach nicht hinbekommen hat aus der Sicht eines Mädchens zu schreiben. Auf jeden Fall wurde mir Jane mit jedem Satz unsympathischer. Ich kann durchaus verstehen, dass es Menschen gibt, die ihrem Leben ein Ende setzen wollen. Ich möchte da niemanden verurteilen und es fällt Außenstehende sicher nicht immer leicht nachzuvollziehen, was die Betroffenen zu diesem Schritt treibt, aber Jane konnte ich beim besten Willen nicht verstehen.
Du hast mir kaum Anhaltspunkte dazu gegeben, warum sie sich eigentlich das Leben nehmen will. Als sie ein Kind war, hat ihr Vater sich umgebracht und anscheinend liegen Depressionen in der Familie, aber das war’s. Ich will nicht abstreiten, dass das Stoff genug für Suizidgedanken ist, aber das kam überhaupt nicht rüber. Stattdessen hast du Jane immer wieder erzählen lassen, wie sie sich umbringen möchte und wie furchtbar alles ist. Ich hatte aber nie das Gefühl in den Kern ihrer Gefühlswelt vorzudringen. Stattdessen kam sie mir egoistisch vor, weil sie ihre Mutter allein zurücklassen möchte und nicht an die Flugzeugpassagiere denkt, die mit einer Selbstmörderin im Flugzeug sitzen.
So, damit du jetzt nicht genau wie Jane in Depressionen verfällst, schreibe ich dir auch mal was Positives: Du hast schöne kurze Kapitel und einen flotten Schreibstil, der sich superschnell runterliest. Außerdem muss ich zugeben, dass Jane nach dem Flugzeugabsturz tatsächlich etwas menschlicher wird und nur noch halb soviel rumnervt.
Mir ist leider trotzdem noch was Schreckliches an Jane eingefallen. Ich fand es furchtbar wie schnell sie andere Menschen verurteilt. Ja, mag sein, dass jeder das macht, aber jeder formuliert das anders und geht mit seinen Erkenntnissen anders um. Sobald Jane Paul zum ersten Mal sieht, stempelt sie ihn als Punk (oder so) ab und will auf keinen Fall irgendwas mit ihm zu tun haben. Sogar als er nette Sachen zu ihr sagt, hört sie nur Schlimmes heraus. Einen Absturz und viel Schnee später ist sie natürlich unsterblich in ihn verliebt. Ups, Spoiler? Acht komm, das war doch kein Geheimnis.
Dank Jane kamen mir deine dramatischen Szenen in der Wildnis leider nur sehr unspektaklulär vor. Es war mir einfach egal, was mit den Figuren passiert, weil ich sie sowieso doof fand (obwohl Paul ganz okay war).
Alles in allem fehlt dir einfach die psychologische Ebene, die deine Idee für mich interessant gemacht hätte. Außerdem solltest du deinem Papa mal sagen, dass es viel echter rüberkommt, wenn man Dinge ZEIGT und nicht immer nur BEHAUPTET.
Gut, dass ich dich bereits an den nächsten NotizBuch-Teilnehmer weitergeschickt habe.
Auf Nimmerwiedersehen,
Infinite Playlist
January 17, 2013
Originally reviewed at: http://www.booksbiscuitsandtea.co.uk/...
I don’t know what it is that draws me to plane crash/survival stories but they’ve always fascinated me. Judging by the synopsis, Survive sounded just like my cup of tea but in all honesty, it turned out even better than I expected. There are actually no words to describe how much I enjoyed reading this book, other than: oh my goodness.
In terms of the plot itself, it’s not the most mysterious story you’ll ever read. Basically, a girl called Jane Solis, who’s been living in a mental hospital for the past 12 months or so, is on her way back home for the Christmas holidays – the problem is, she doesn’t intend to leave the plane alive. She carefully planned her own death down to the tiniest details – but things don’t go her way. Just when she’s about to hit the switch and swallow a handful of pills, the plane hits turbulence and crashes. They landed on a snowy mountaintop in the middle of nowhere and no one seems to be alive but her. Jane, who was about to take her own life a few hours ago. Then he finds a guy called Paul and as much as they irritate each other at first, they join forces and try to figure out how to stay alive and get out of there as soon as possible. Since most of these are given in the synopsis, things don’t take you by surprise – but still, there was something about this book that made me keep on reading. I’m quite a slow reader but I devoured the first half of the book in one sitting. I think that says it all.
One of the things I loved the most about Survive is how much Jane changed during those 6 or 7 days they’ve spent on the mountain. She’s definitely come a long way from being a suicide, someone who’s constantly angry, anxious and just bored with her own life. I also loved how her relationship with Paul has changed during their adventure and how they kept motivating each other to go on and fight. I pretty much sobbed my way through the last 40 or 50 pages – it was beautifully written.
My only issue with this book is that there are some plot holes in the story. The one that bugged me the most was the fact that Paul was able to bring some matches and a knife with him on the plane. I’m not an expert on airport security rules and regulations but I’m fairly sure you’re not allowed to walk around with knives in your hand luggage. Having climbing ropes and knives is very useful for our two main characters but it does make you raise your eyebrows. I mean, what are the chances that the only time you’re about to kill yourself and/or get into a plane crash you’re travelling with a group of rock climbers who happen to have all their equipment and snow gear with them on the plane? It’s very convenient but … is it realistic? I’m not a hundred percent sure that it is. Having said that, it still didn’t put me off. It made me raise my eyebrows here and there but all in all I still ended up loving this book.
If you’re looking for a quick but captivating read or something heartbreaking but still hopeful, you’ll like Survive. It’s a fast paced emotional roller-coaster that is guaranteed stay with you for a long time.
I don’t know what it is that draws me to plane crash/survival stories but they’ve always fascinated me. Judging by the synopsis, Survive sounded just like my cup of tea but in all honesty, it turned out even better than I expected. There are actually no words to describe how much I enjoyed reading this book, other than: oh my goodness.
In terms of the plot itself, it’s not the most mysterious story you’ll ever read. Basically, a girl called Jane Solis, who’s been living in a mental hospital for the past 12 months or so, is on her way back home for the Christmas holidays – the problem is, she doesn’t intend to leave the plane alive. She carefully planned her own death down to the tiniest details – but things don’t go her way. Just when she’s about to hit the switch and swallow a handful of pills, the plane hits turbulence and crashes. They landed on a snowy mountaintop in the middle of nowhere and no one seems to be alive but her. Jane, who was about to take her own life a few hours ago. Then he finds a guy called Paul and as much as they irritate each other at first, they join forces and try to figure out how to stay alive and get out of there as soon as possible. Since most of these are given in the synopsis, things don’t take you by surprise – but still, there was something about this book that made me keep on reading. I’m quite a slow reader but I devoured the first half of the book in one sitting. I think that says it all.
One of the things I loved the most about Survive is how much Jane changed during those 6 or 7 days they’ve spent on the mountain. She’s definitely come a long way from being a suicide, someone who’s constantly angry, anxious and just bored with her own life. I also loved how her relationship with Paul has changed during their adventure and how they kept motivating each other to go on and fight. I pretty much sobbed my way through the last 40 or 50 pages – it was beautifully written.
My only issue with this book is that there are some plot holes in the story. The one that bugged me the most was the fact that Paul was able to bring some matches and a knife with him on the plane. I’m not an expert on airport security rules and regulations but I’m fairly sure you’re not allowed to walk around with knives in your hand luggage. Having climbing ropes and knives is very useful for our two main characters but it does make you raise your eyebrows. I mean, what are the chances that the only time you’re about to kill yourself and/or get into a plane crash you’re travelling with a group of rock climbers who happen to have all their equipment and snow gear with them on the plane? It’s very convenient but … is it realistic? I’m not a hundred percent sure that it is. Having said that, it still didn’t put me off. It made me raise my eyebrows here and there but all in all I still ended up loving this book.
If you’re looking for a quick but captivating read or something heartbreaking but still hopeful, you’ll like Survive. It’s a fast paced emotional roller-coaster that is guaranteed stay with you for a long time.
July 30, 2012
Survive is an intense, incredibly fast paced read that's full of triumph, tragedy, heartbreak, and will power. It's that will to survive that will aid Jane through the darkest moment of her life.... I'm not just talking about her desire to follow in her father's footstep to commit suicide. With all odds stacked against her, and the other survivor of a deadly plane crash in the middle of the mountains, Jane finds the hope, love and the strength to live. The book's title, SURVIVE has more than one meaning in this book, and I loved two different meanings it has in Jane's story.
Alex Morel did an awesome job with keeping his story's darker, and sometimes hard to write about subject deep, without going over board. Despite the fact I had a hard time connecting with Jane during the first part of the book, I loved her during the second half. Alex did a wonderful job at allowing me to see the changes in Jane. The first part of the book was spent on providing what Jane's agenda was (why she was flying home etc), how she got into the mental facility she's in, and her struggle to come to terms with all she's gone through, and why she's set on taking her life. Though Alex allowed me to understand why Jane was set on taking her life, I didn't connect with her during this time. I had a lot of issues with her reasoning behind wanting to do this. Despite that, it wasn't until the second half of the book, when the plane crashes did I start to connect with her.
Talk about gut wrenching, this story is brimming with emotion on a whole different level. I thought I was prepared with what to except with Jane's story, but this story entails way more than I was anticipating. During the second half of the story, which takes places during and after the plane crash, I felt that Jane completely transforms into a much stronger character, and was much more engaging for me. She all the sudden had this spark of life in her, and had this incredible desire to live, and over come all the odds stacked against her. I loved the role Paul, the snarky, broken boy who's also had his fair share of heartbreak, plays in Jane's life on the flight and especially after the crash. Though they had only met on their flight, he changed the way Jane felt, and how she viewed life. He pushed her like no one else had before.
WOW, Alex created an incredibly engaging, and realistic crash site. Every emotion and the danger that encompasses this part of the book felt real. I grew up loving Hatchet, and I know this story has been compared to a modern day, older version of that book. Normally I'm not a fan books being compared, but I definitely agree with that comparison. It's well written, fast paced book, with the right amount of length to hook you. I will warn you, there is an incredibly heartbreaking scene in this book that will leave you a little broken, but it's oh so worth picking up the book. You'll miss out on all that happens leading up to that point. One a side note, there is some minor language, and this book does talk about suicide, a lot, and in a very tasteful manner. If you're a fan of survival stories, you must pick this one up!
Be sure to visit the blog on Saturday when Alex Morel stops by to talk about his debut, and enter to win one of 3 copies I'll be giving away.
Alex Morel did an awesome job with keeping his story's darker, and sometimes hard to write about subject deep, without going over board. Despite the fact I had a hard time connecting with Jane during the first part of the book, I loved her during the second half. Alex did a wonderful job at allowing me to see the changes in Jane. The first part of the book was spent on providing what Jane's agenda was (why she was flying home etc), how she got into the mental facility she's in, and her struggle to come to terms with all she's gone through, and why she's set on taking her life. Though Alex allowed me to understand why Jane was set on taking her life, I didn't connect with her during this time. I had a lot of issues with her reasoning behind wanting to do this. Despite that, it wasn't until the second half of the book, when the plane crashes did I start to connect with her.
Talk about gut wrenching, this story is brimming with emotion on a whole different level. I thought I was prepared with what to except with Jane's story, but this story entails way more than I was anticipating. During the second half of the story, which takes places during and after the plane crash, I felt that Jane completely transforms into a much stronger character, and was much more engaging for me. She all the sudden had this spark of life in her, and had this incredible desire to live, and over come all the odds stacked against her. I loved the role Paul, the snarky, broken boy who's also had his fair share of heartbreak, plays in Jane's life on the flight and especially after the crash. Though they had only met on their flight, he changed the way Jane felt, and how she viewed life. He pushed her like no one else had before.
WOW, Alex created an incredibly engaging, and realistic crash site. Every emotion and the danger that encompasses this part of the book felt real. I grew up loving Hatchet, and I know this story has been compared to a modern day, older version of that book. Normally I'm not a fan books being compared, but I definitely agree with that comparison. It's well written, fast paced book, with the right amount of length to hook you. I will warn you, there is an incredibly heartbreaking scene in this book that will leave you a little broken, but it's oh so worth picking up the book. You'll miss out on all that happens leading up to that point. One a side note, there is some minor language, and this book does talk about suicide, a lot, and in a very tasteful manner. If you're a fan of survival stories, you must pick this one up!
Be sure to visit the blog on Saturday when Alex Morel stops by to talk about his debut, and enter to win one of 3 copies I'll be giving away.
February 2, 2013
1.5-2
"Survive" hat eine wahnsinnig spannende und interessante Ausgangslage: Jane, die in einer psychatrischen Einrichtung lebt, fliegt über Weihnachten zu ihrer Mutter. Doch dort will sie nie ankommen, denn bereits im Flugzeug will sie sich umbringen. So der Plan. Allerdings stürzt das Flugzeug mitten in den Bergen ab und zusammen mit Paul muss sie versuchen, irgendwie zu überleben.
Was mir das Buch am meisten kaputt gemacht hatte, war Jane selbst. Ich habe normalerweise kein Problem mit "schwierigen" Charakteren, der Protagonist kann ruhig unsympathisch sein oder Sachen machen, die ich nicht mag, ABER Jane kam ist für mich ein Sonderfall. Bereits von der ersten Seite an, kam ich mit ihrem Verhalten nicht klar. Sie ist arrogant, überheblich und fühlt sich allem und jedem, besonders den blöden Erwachsenen, die sie ja wunderbar alle reinlegen kann, überlegen, denn sie ist einfach die Beste und Tollste. Punkt. *würg* Im Laufe des Buches wurde sie mir zunehmend unsympathischer, vor allem durch ihre Taten, von Privatsphäre scheint sie nichts zu wissen und offensichtlich auch resistent dagegen zu sein aus Fehlern zu lernen. Ich habe mir so oft gewünscht, dass sie damit einfach mal richtig auf die Nase fällt.
Ihren Grund sich umzubringen, könnte ich eventuell verstehen, wenn das ganze nicht so hopplahopp abgehandelt worden wäre. Für das Verständnis hätte ich gerne mehr über ihre Familie und ihre Vergangenheit gelesen. So wird es zwar kurz gesagt, aber so einen "richtigen" Todeswunsch konnte ich nicht herauslesen. Und genau das spiegelt sich auch im Verlauf der Geschichte wider, denn kaum ist das Flugzeug abgestürzt, versucht Jane alles um zu überleben. Selbstmord? Nö! Nach dem Ereignis denkt sie kaum noch darüber nach und das konnte ich nicht nachvollziehen. Sie hatte bereits versucht sich umzubringen, was missglückte. Und nun will sie es ein zweites Mal tun, kommt nur nicht mehr ganz dazu und schon ändert ein Flugzeugabsturz alles? Nö. Das ist leider viel zu oberflächlich gedacht.
Und da wir es hier mit einem YA-Roman zu tun haben, darf natürlich auch eine Portion Insta-Love nicht fehlen. Janes männlicher Gegenpart Paul ist zwar nicht so unsympathisch, dafür für mich aber etwas zu selbstlos und zu nett. Und natürlich superpraktisch, dass er offenbar Snowboarden kann und sich mit Kälte, Überleben, etc. gut auskennt. Perfekte Voraussetzung ;) *gähn*
Leider sind das dann auch schon die einzigen Personen, die in dem Buch richtig vorkommen und das hat mir das Buch noch schwerer gemacht, da ich mit keinen der Protagonisten mitfühlen konnte. Den Großteil des Buches habe ich mich daher ziemlich gelangweilt.
Der Schreibstil ist nichts besonders, lässt sich aber dank extrem kurzen Kapitel schnell und flüssig lesen, was definitiv ein Pluspunkt ist, denn sonst hätte ich den Roman wohl nicht zu Ende gelesen.
Tja, das war wohl nichts, aber ein toller Beweis dafür, das eine gute Idee noch lange kein gutes Buch macht. ;) Schade.
"Survive" hat eine wahnsinnig spannende und interessante Ausgangslage: Jane, die in einer psychatrischen Einrichtung lebt, fliegt über Weihnachten zu ihrer Mutter. Doch dort will sie nie ankommen, denn bereits im Flugzeug will sie sich umbringen. So der Plan. Allerdings stürzt das Flugzeug mitten in den Bergen ab und zusammen mit Paul muss sie versuchen, irgendwie zu überleben.
Was mir das Buch am meisten kaputt gemacht hatte, war Jane selbst. Ich habe normalerweise kein Problem mit "schwierigen" Charakteren, der Protagonist kann ruhig unsympathisch sein oder Sachen machen, die ich nicht mag, ABER Jane kam ist für mich ein Sonderfall. Bereits von der ersten Seite an, kam ich mit ihrem Verhalten nicht klar. Sie ist arrogant, überheblich und fühlt sich allem und jedem, besonders den blöden Erwachsenen, die sie ja wunderbar alle reinlegen kann, überlegen, denn sie ist einfach die Beste und Tollste. Punkt. *würg* Im Laufe des Buches wurde sie mir zunehmend unsympathischer, vor allem durch ihre Taten, von Privatsphäre scheint sie nichts zu wissen und offensichtlich auch resistent dagegen zu sein aus Fehlern zu lernen. Ich habe mir so oft gewünscht, dass sie damit einfach mal richtig auf die Nase fällt.
Ihren Grund sich umzubringen, könnte ich eventuell verstehen, wenn das ganze nicht so hopplahopp abgehandelt worden wäre. Für das Verständnis hätte ich gerne mehr über ihre Familie und ihre Vergangenheit gelesen. So wird es zwar kurz gesagt, aber so einen "richtigen" Todeswunsch konnte ich nicht herauslesen. Und genau das spiegelt sich auch im Verlauf der Geschichte wider, denn kaum ist das Flugzeug abgestürzt, versucht Jane alles um zu überleben. Selbstmord? Nö! Nach dem Ereignis denkt sie kaum noch darüber nach und das konnte ich nicht nachvollziehen. Sie hatte bereits versucht sich umzubringen, was missglückte. Und nun will sie es ein zweites Mal tun, kommt nur nicht mehr ganz dazu und schon ändert ein Flugzeugabsturz alles? Nö. Das ist leider viel zu oberflächlich gedacht.
Und da wir es hier mit einem YA-Roman zu tun haben, darf natürlich auch eine Portion Insta-Love nicht fehlen. Janes männlicher Gegenpart Paul ist zwar nicht so unsympathisch, dafür für mich aber etwas zu selbstlos und zu nett. Und natürlich superpraktisch, dass er offenbar Snowboarden kann und sich mit Kälte, Überleben, etc. gut auskennt. Perfekte Voraussetzung ;) *gähn*
Leider sind das dann auch schon die einzigen Personen, die in dem Buch richtig vorkommen und das hat mir das Buch noch schwerer gemacht, da ich mit keinen der Protagonisten mitfühlen konnte. Den Großteil des Buches habe ich mich daher ziemlich gelangweilt.
Der Schreibstil ist nichts besonders, lässt sich aber dank extrem kurzen Kapitel schnell und flüssig lesen, was definitiv ein Pluspunkt ist, denn sonst hätte ich den Roman wohl nicht zu Ende gelesen.
Tja, das war wohl nichts, aber ein toller Beweis dafür, das eine gute Idee noch lange kein gutes Buch macht. ;) Schade.
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