Review: Optimists Die First by Susin Nielsen

Title: Optimists Die First

Author:  Susin Nielsen
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books

Publishing Date:  February 21st, 2017

Pages: 240
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Series:  Standalone
Source:  Audio

 

Life ahead: Proceed with caution.
Sixteen-year-old Petula De Wilde is anything but wild. A family tragedy has made her shut herself off from the world. Once a crafting fiend with a happy life, Petula now sees danger in everything, from airplanes to ground beef.
The worst part of her week is her comically lame mandatory art therapy class. She has nothing in common with this small band of teenage misfits, except that they all carry their own burden of guilt.
When Jacob joins their ranks, he seems so normal and confident. Petula wants nothing to do with him, or his prosthetic arm. But when they’re forced to collaborate on a unique school project, she slowly opens up, and he inspires her to face her fears.
Until a hidden truth threatens to derail everything.

I don't remember where I first saw this book but I fell in love with the cover. Love the ugly sweater feel and the death feel. This is a strange cover for this book, but somehow it works. The title is perfect for the book, but that is something to discover while reading. This book wasn't what I thought but I loved it. It was heartfelt and warm and just loads of fun too. Not too serious, not to light and fluffy. A good medium. Adorable main characters, interesting family dynamics, and a book about loss.  I just really loved this book. 

Petula is a strange teenager. She has a phobia for just about everything out there. She is ultra careful with everything she does and she isn't a run head first kind of gal. She assesses and she thinks and she proceeds with caution. She had a terrible event happen to her years before, her baby sister choked on a button and died. Ever since Petula has never been the same. Her life is way off from normal but things are okay, then she meets Jacob. Jacob is different and he brings Petula into his life. Petula learns to cope and deal and maybe let go just a little. unfortunately, Jacob has secrets and past and Petula won't leave things alone until she brings ruin to everything good in her life. 

There are a lot of books out there about death, loss, and mental issues. Some are so serious and really just hard to get through. Some are too light and don't really seem to have a real impact on the subjects. This book was written somewhere in between and it was just perfect. I love the way light was brought to these subjects, especially the mental illness. I have phobias. I have a lot. Not as many as Petula but I have phobias and I have anxiety and so I understood Petula. 

Mental illness is a strange thing too. I have some related issues to Petula's issues but I can see outside her problem. I know she is being irrational about it all, but to her they are real. I know that all too well. I love the way Petula tries not to allow her fears to overrun her life but she doesn't know how to let go. She doesn't let anyone in. She is so scared of losing she doesn't want to connect. She is still a pretty upbeat person though. Believe it or not. I liked her so much. She was a well-developed character. I could see her flaws and love her anyway. 

Jacob was a great character too. Actually, I LOVED Jacob. He was so charismatic, funny, light and fancy-free. He had layers though. On the outside, he was a fun loving confident guy. But as we get to know Jacob he is as troubled as Petunia and is able to allow Petunia to help him grow too. 

The romance is so cute guys. I mean it was so perfect, well besides Petunia always trying to screw things up. Jacob is patient and he is loveable and he is respectful. HE always gives Petunia space and time she needs. The relationship starts off as forced through a school project then it evolves from there. I really enjoyed the relationship. 

There are many different dynamics in this book that make it what it is. The family relationships, the school setting and involvement, bullies, ex-friends, and there is even a little bit of geek built in. I think all these things make this story what it was. There was laughter, there was heartwarming, and there were also tears. My heartfelt it all. 

I really really loved this book. 

Susin got her start feeding cast and crew on the popular television series, Degrassi Junior High. They hated her food, but they saw a spark in her writing. Nielsen went on to pen sixteen episodes of the hit TV show. Since then, Nielsen has written for over 20 Canadian TV series. Her first young adult novel, Word Nerd, was published in 2008 to critical acclaim. It won multiple Young Readers’ Choice Awards, as did her second novel, Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom. Her third novel, The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen, was published in August 2012. It went on to win the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award, the Canadian Library Association’s Children’s Book of the Year Award, and a number of Young Readers’ Choice Awards. Author Wally Lamb named it his top YA pick for 2012 in his “First Annual Wally Awards,” and recently Rolling Stone magazine put it at #27 in their list of “Top 40 Best YA Novels.”
Her books have been translated into multiple languages. Susin’s new novel, We Are All Made of Molecules, will be published in Canada, the US and the UK in Spring of 2015. She lives in Vancouver with her family and two naughty cats. She is delighted to have finally figure out how to "claim" her author profile on Goodreads!