Apr 30

Apr 30 Review - The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder

Many times
when I read a book,
I want to savor
each word,
each phrase,
loving the prose
so much,
I don’t want it
to end.
Other times
the story pulls me in,
and I can hardly
read fast enough,
the details flying by,
some of them lost
because all that matters
is making sure
the character
is all right
when it’s over.
This day
is like the best
of both kinds
of books.

I could say the same for Lisa Schroeder’s beautiful, moving novel in verse, The Day Before. This short novel, spanning just a day, is firmly entrenched on my list of favorites.

Amber’s life has taken an unexpected turn, and everything is going to change for her in just 24 hours. So, she heads to the central Oregon coast alone, seeking refuge. There, she meets Cade at the Oregon Coast Aquarium shark tank. He’s a boy her age facing his own “day before,” and the two spend their day on the coast together.

What’s so stand-out for me in The Day Before, is the strong sense of place Lisa develops within such a relatively short novel.

As a native Oregonian (yes, we actually exist, people—our imported hipsters seem to think Oregon didn’t exist before they “discovered” it), I kept sighing at every recognizable site around Newport and the little inside jokes,

The weatherman said
it’s supposed to be nice today.
A sunny day in March,
a rare treat for Oregon.
Next week is spring break.
It’ll be raining by then.

And, honestly, I fell in deep book love when I read this,

On the Oregon coast,
Mo’s is the place
for bowls of clam chowder
with paprika sprinkled on top,
and warm bread
with a flaky, golden crust.

Lisa Schroeder wrote a poem about Mo’s!

I am completely unable to form the words to describe how much this resonates with me. I know that sounds slightly (okay, a lot) deranged, but skipping school and going to Mo’s is such an Oregon teenage experience. And it just floors me that this experience is captured in verse.

And that’s what makes this novel so special—the little moments, the glimpses into the day before things happen.

Sure, both Amber and Cade are dealing with Big Things that may just break them, but the little things shine in a way that distinguishes the story and writing.The Day Before reads almost like a series of snapshots—yes, there’s a story, but when I reflect back on the book, what strikes me are the beautiful capsules of the day Amber and Cade spend together.

For a moment
the air is pretty,
sparkly,
and full of wonder.
But in a breath,
it’s over.
He flicks off the light,
leaving us in darkness.
“Was it as thrilling as you though?
“It was over too soon,” I whisper.

In this way, The Day Before reminds me of one of my favorite movies, Before Sunrise. Just like the characters in that film, Amber and Cade are rushing to experience all the things, stacking memory upon memory upon one another. While the two stories are quite different, the urgency of the characters’ experiences is identical.

Amber and Cade both feel trapped, yet they do have options.

It’s just that the options aren’t any more appealing than what’s supposed to happen the next day. That’s the core of The Day Before,

At first it feels
like all you can do
is what you’re
told to do.
But then other options
start to appear.
They creep in,
tap you on the shoulder,
whisper your name.
Because there are always options.

Because of that theme, for me The Day Before represents the best of young adult fiction

It doesn’t hold back from the tough issues, but never reads like an “issue book.” Instead, it’s smart and beautiful, lingering long after the last page is turned.

Since there wasn’t really a seamless way to include this quotation in my review, I’ll leave you with this,