Freefall by Mindi ScottPages: 325
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: October 5th, 2010
IBSN: 9781442402782
How do you come back from the point of no return?
Seth McCoy was the last person to see his best friend, Isaac, alive, and the first to find him dead. It was just another night, just another party, just another time when Isaac drank too much and passed out on the lawn. Only this time, Isaac didn't wake up.
Convinced that his own actions led to his friend's death, Seth is torn between turning his life around . . . or losing himself completely.
Then he meets Rosetta: so beautiful and so different from everything and everyone he's ever known. But Rosetta has secrets of her own, and Seth soon realizes he isn't the only one who needs saving . . .
Freefall is an amazing debut. The tone of the book rotated between sad, hopeful, funny, romantic and intense. The pages flew by, and I was surprised as a flipped the last page. I couldn't have read it all in that time - wait, have hours have passed?
It isn't often I get to read books by female authors in such genuine male perspectives. Seth's character felt so real; his situation was believable and at the same time heartbreaking. Seth's change throughout the book was subtle, but noticeable in his decisions and actions.
The other characters had stand-out personalities that belonged more to real people than to characters. After I got a feel for the characters, it was as if I could tell whoever was talking just by reading a few lines of their speech.
I loved reading about Rosetta and her relationship with Seth. Their romance was gradually built and the pair had a lot of chemistry. The way they helped each other grow and overcome their troubles was inspiring and hopeful.
The writing style was beautiful - simple yet poignant, threaded with imagery and figurative language. The dialogue and narration felt true to the teenaged characters.
The plot was superb, the ending was simple and sweet, and it felt like the natural conclusion of events.
I'd recommend Freefall to anyone. It's an emotional debut that shouldn't be missed. I give it 5 out of 5 and look forward to future novels from Mindi Scott.
