Title: Five Feet Apart
Author: Rachael Lippincott
Release Date: November 20, 2018
Length: 288 pages
Genre: Young Adult Romance
****My Review ****
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
Have you ever found yourself yearning for the power to control every aspect of your environment? If so, rest assured that you are not alone in your desire. In fact, it’s a sentiment that Stella Grant can relate to all too well. However, as much as we might wish it were possible, the truth is that we cannot have complete control over our lives.
Stella’s struggle with this reality is made all the more difficult by the fact that her entire existence is at the mercy of her lungs. Her life is spent bouncing from one hospital to the next, constantly seeking the lung transplant that she so desperately needs. As a result, she has developed a strict set of rules to protect herself, including a strict “no closeness” policy that requires everyone to stay at least five feet away from her.
Enter Will Newman, a young man who is desperate to break free from the confines of the hospital and experience the world beyond its walls. Unfortunately, his presence in Stella’s life only serves to complicate matters further. In order to stay alive, they must maintain a strict distance from one another at all times, which is no easy feat when emotions are running high.
Despite the challenges they face, Stella and Will are drawn to one another, and they must navigate their feelings while still adhering to the strict rules that govern their lives. This struggle lies at the heart of Rachael Lippincott’s acclaimed novel, Five Feet Apart, which was named the best Young Adult Fiction book of 2019 by Goodreads.
While it’s been some time since I’ve delved into the world of Young Adult Fiction, I was drawn to this book by its compelling premise and positive reception. I have found that this genre can offer a rich variety of titles that are worth exploring, even if they aren’t typically what I gravitate towards. In the case of Five Feet Apart, the story of Stella and Will serves as a poignant reminder of the power of human connection, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Indeed, the subject matter of Five Feet Apart is not one to be taken lightly. It touches on themes that are both serious and sensitive, and it serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing every moment we have with our loved ones.
The struggles faced by the characters in this book are ones that are all too real for many people. The everyday worries and problems they confront force readers to reflect on their own lives and appreciate the blessings they have.
What’s particularly heartbreaking is the fact that these young people have been robbed not just of basic, everyday opportunities, but of a normal childhood spent with friends. Instead, they are forced to spend their formative years in hospitals, surrounded by medical equipment and fellow patients.
Over time, they become experts in their own diseases, and the hospital becomes their home. They know the ins and outs of the facility, and the staff and fellow patients become their family. But as the years drag on, their desire to try new treatments and medications wanes, and they become increasingly desperate to experience the world beyond the hospital walls.
As readers follow the characters on their journey, they can’t help but empathize with their yearning for a taste of life outside of the hospital. It’s a desire that’s all too relatable, even if we’ve never experienced the same hardships ourselves.
Ultimately, Five Feet Apart serves as a reminder that we should never take the precious moments we have with our loved ones for granted, and that even the briefest moments of connection can be enough to make a life worth living.
The power of Five Feet Apart lies in the emotions it evokes from the reader – emotions that are raw, intense, and impossible to escape. Every unfulfilled wish, every moment of uncertainty, every heart-wrenching thought of the worst possible outcome – all of these feelings overwhelm you as you journey through the pages of this book.
It takes a truly talented author to capture such intense emotions in their writing, and Rachael Lippincott has done just that. She weaves a beautiful and poignant tale of young love that is both heartbreaking and inspiring.
While the book is undeniably powerful, there are certain parts that may disappoint some readers. The similarities to John Green’s “Fault in Our Stars” are hard to ignore, and some may find the characters lacking in complexity. However, these are subjective criticisms and do not detract from the overall impact of the story.
And then there’s the ending – a heart-wrenching finale that leaves you with a sense of longing and sadness. Despite knowing that a happy ending is impossible given the circumstances, the desire for one is palpable, making the ending all the more painful.
In conclusion, Five Feet Apart is a remarkable work of fiction that will leave a lasting impression on anyone who reads it. It is a story that can be read on a gloomy day, when you want to immerse yourself in a world of intense emotions and bawl your eyes out. It is a tale of true love, one that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.