All We Can Do Is Wait

Published |
Updated
 
0.0 (0)
722 1
All We Can Do Is Wait

Book Information

Category
Realistic/Contemporary Fiction
Publisher
Razorbill 2018

Debut author and Vanity Fair film critic Richard Lawson makes your heart stop and time stand still in his extraordinary and life-affirming novel that's perfect for fans of If I Stay and We All Looked Up.

In the hours after a bridge collapse rocks their city, a group of Boston teenagers meet in the waiting room of Massachusetts General Hospital:

Siblings Jason and Alexa have already experienced enough grief for a lifetime, so in this moment of confusion and despair, Alexa hopes that she can look to her brother for support. But a secret Jason has been keeping from his sister threatens to tear the siblings apart...right when they need each other most.

Scott is waiting to hear about his girlfriend, Aimee, who was on a bus with her theater group when the bridge went down. Their relationship has been rocky, but Scott knows that if he can just see Aimee one more time, if she can just make it through this ordeal and he can tell her he loves her, everything will be all right.

And then there's Skyler, whose sister Kate—the sister who is more like a mother, the sister who is basically Skyler's everything—was crossing the bridge when it collapsed. As the minutes tick by without a word from the hospital staff, Skyler is left to wonder how she can possibly move through life without the one person who makes her feel strong when she's at her weakest.

In his riveting, achingly beautiful debut, Richard Lawson guides readers through an emotional and life-changing night as these teens are forced to face the reality of their pasts...and the prospect of very different futures.--from the publisher

***************

ason, Alexa, Scott, Skyler don’t know each other, but throughout the rest of this one day, their lives will intersect with both good and disastrous results.

Jason and Alexa come from a wealthy family in Boston.  While Jason is currently on his last boarding school admission (after going through quite a few already) his sister Alexa is getting ready to graduate from a prestigious one she’s attended for quite awhile.  That particular day, she goes to the office with some news and comes out with different news that alters her and her brother’s paths….

Scott is from a solid Irish family who has worked hard to get where they are.  One day, his life changes when he meets the girl he knows is his true love.  But with any relationship, it comes with bumpy roads.  His parents have plans for him to stay close to home and work in the business while Aimee, his girlfriend, is making plans to attend excellent schools to pursue her passion in theater.  Realizing his girlfriend will be leaving without, he tries his hardest to stay close, even to the point of smothering her.

Skyler lives with her older sister and her grandparents, who are currently visiting family in Cambodia.  Both sisters love each other, but sometimes Skyler hides things from Kate because she doesn’t want to hinder her sister’s life, full of college courses and a job.  But when one secret becomes too hard to hide, Kate steps in to protect and save her.  Now, Skyler’s protective sister has been taken from her and she feels a divide she thought she wanted but desperately wants back.

All of them are waiting in a hospital waiting room.  A bridge collapse has occurred and Jason and Alexa’s parents were on it.  So was Aimee and her friends, and Kate, coming back from work.  And as the teens wait, their conversations and actions create a comfort they’re searching for.  One by one they leave, but are they leaving someone they love behind?

An mazing book with details of each character’s lives that will leave the reader understanding not only more about what motivates them, but also what it was that altered their paths that day.  Coming from different life experiences and backgrounds, readers are sure to empathize with any or all of them, from the privileged to the working class, from a family of immigrants to even a surprise character that eventually gets caught up in the tragedy and story.  A beautiful story, all with different consequences.  Highly recommended for grades 9-12

 Recommended by:  Naomi Bates, Librarian, Texas  USA
See more of her recommendations:  yabooksandmoreblog.wordpress.com

User reviews

Have you read this book? We'd love to hear what you think. Click the button below to write your own review!
Already have an account? or Create an account