This blog focuses on pages 1-110
The book I chose this quarter was Five Feet Apart written by Rachael Lippincott. This book focuses on the life of 2 teenagers, Stella and Will, who have a disease called cystic fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis affects their digestive system and their lungs meaning they have trouble breathing. Both of their lives revolve around their treatments and hoping that one day they can get new lungs and live a longer life. The story takes place in Saint Grace's hospital during a cold winter, where Stella is in to cure a cold she has, and Will is in for a new clinical trial to help his condition. Another character, named Poe who has been Stella's friend in the hospital her whole life also stays in the hospital for a cold. When two people have Cystic Fibrosis, they are not allowed to come in contact with each other at all, they have to remain 6 feet apart at all times. This is because they can catch each other's bacteria and make themselves more sick. So, all three of them are not allowed to touch each other at all.
The story kicks off with Stella, and how she runs her life in the hospital. A very organized and neat freak teenager who has only one goal in life, get new lungs and stay alive for her parents. She is obsessed with making sure she never misses her medicine and always has everything set out for herself. She runs her own YouTube channel where she documents her life with C.F. Will, on the other hand is the complete opposite of Stella. He knows that the form of C.F. he has is rare and intense so there is no shot he will get new lungs and is in the hospital only because him mom forces him. He never follows through with his treatments and has no wish to try and save his life because he believes no matter what he does, he will die anyway. Will and Stella meet while Stella is watching the babies in the NICU wing of the hospital. Will comes off as the sarcastic and charming person he is and Stella does not like it at all. The two begin seeing each other around the hospital a lot and both become curious about each other. Stella starts to freak out after realizing that Will hasn't been doing his treatments, and Will becomes confused. Will promises to start following his regimen, for both Stella's sanity as well as an exchange that involves him drawing a portrait of Stella. The two slowly become friends as they do their treatments together.
It is obvious from the start that Stella and Will are not alike when it comes to their plans in life. Stella is so focused on trying to cure herself to live for her parents and Will simply doesn't care to try and save his life because he knows that there is no hope for him. Will quickly changes his attitude after realizing how amazing Stella is and he hopes that if he does start doing his treatments like Stella says, he can remain in the hospital longer and become closer with Stella. Stella doesn't see this side of Will, not yet at least. She is so focused on her own life that she has no time for anything else and just sees Will as a boy with a death wish. The main theme of this book is characterization. There is a character growth slowly with Stella but very heavily with Will. He starts off as a boy with no hope, but little by little he changes to someone who thinks they may have a slight chance.
I am very interested in this book although it seems very sad. I would like to read this book because it looks like a difficult challenge and i would like to see what else happens.
ReplyDelete