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369th out of 1,210 books
—
6,535 voters
Forever Changes
by
Brendan Halpin (Goodreads Author)
5:30 a.m., Brianna Pelletier gets ready for her daily pounding. As she lies on the couch, her dad beats her chest, then her back, coaxing the mucus out of her lungs. The pounding doesn’t take care of everything. Brianna’s held out for a long time, but a body with cystic fibrosis doesn’t last forever. It doesn’t matter that Brianna has a brilliant mathematical mind or that...more
Hardcover, 192 pages
Published
September 2nd 2008
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
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This book gets 4 stars because of how it educated me regarding aspects of life with cystic fibrosis and all of the musings on life and death, but I cannot recommend it whole heartedly to everyone, because there are about ten swear words and the casual attitude toward teenage drinking and sex. (There is no actual sex in the book—no pages you'll have to skip.) While I disagree with that attitude and don't swear and while I did not like the low cut shirt on the cover, I found the novel worth readin...more
Brianna is just about to start her senior year of high school: all regular classes, plus AP Calc. But despite being a math whiz, she's not really gung-ho about applying to colleges, because she's not sure if her cystic fibrosis will allow her to even live long enough to bother. She knows her time is limited, and so she spends that time with her friends, her family, and yes, with calculus--people and ideas that make her happy. Brianna is more or less a regular teenager who goes to parties, helps...more
Brianna Pelletier is a 18 year old girl diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. A body with CF doesn't last forever. That's life. She doesn't know when she is going to die or how long she will live. All she knows is that she wants to live to see graduation.
Brianna never wanted to go to college and she doubts she will live past her 19 birthday. But so far everything is going good.
So as her senior year progresses she meets her math teacher. Mr. Eccles. Her friend Adam heard in a rumor that Mr. Eccles w...more
Brianna never wanted to go to college and she doubts she will live past her 19 birthday. But so far everything is going good.
So as her senior year progresses she meets her math teacher. Mr. Eccles. Her friend Adam heard in a rumor that Mr. Eccles w...more
This sat on my shelf for ages because I suspected it would be a tough read. A teen with cystic fibrosis? But I was pleasantly surprised, because rather than taking advantage of every opportunity to wring a tear from his readers' eyes, Halpin treats the majority of the book as a smart, thoughtful YA story. Sure, Brianna spends time thinking about her own mortality and her illness, her role as a mentor to a younger girl with CF, and her own mentor who recently died - but it's also got all those cl...more
Why do I keep reading books that make my heart hurt?
That's a rhetorical question considering I don't have an answer to it, nor should there be an answer. Anyways, this book was absolutely breathtaking. It is by far one of the better father/daughter relationship stories I have read and it is also a smart and well written novel.
First off all, the main protagonist is a female and likes math. How many times can you say that an author goes outside the box? That and she is friends with cheerleaders a...more
That's a rhetorical question considering I don't have an answer to it, nor should there be an answer. Anyways, this book was absolutely breathtaking. It is by far one of the better father/daughter relationship stories I have read and it is also a smart and well written novel.
First off all, the main protagonist is a female and likes math. How many times can you say that an author goes outside the box? That and she is friends with cheerleaders a...more
1 like · like · see review
It's not like the books that I usually read, but right now I am having troubles with myself, and I read this and somehow, the Mathematical statements he did made me think critically, about life and things in it, and how small things make up a whole and every infinitesimals are important and beautiful. Might reread this before I die, ha.
The fact that this is not merely the typical YA novel made it even better. Also, it made me think of Mathematics in a different light. I've always hated it, but w...more
The fact that this is not merely the typical YA novel made it even better. Also, it made me think of Mathematics in a different light. I've always hated it, but w...more
Jan 10, 2009
Robin
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
those who like realistic fiction
Recommended to Robin by:
read a posting by author on a listserv
This was such a great book. The teen characters were very real. Brianna, the main character, is a high school senior attending a regular high school near Boston. She also has cystic fibrosis which generally equates to a very short lifespan and usually requires a lung transplant in order to keep someone alive. Bri's mom left she and her dad alone years ago because she couldn't deal with Bri's illness but he is a good dad, trying his best to take care of a child that he knows will die at a young a...more
Brianna is a high-school senior who loves to get lost in the world of math and numbers. For her it is the best way to escape reality in which she is struggling with cystic fibrosis and facing a shortened life. Senior year for Brianna's friends and classmates is filled with college applications and looking forward to the future, for Brianna its trying to get through the day without thinking about her own mortality.
This is the 3rd book I've read by Halpin and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't my favo...more
This is the 3rd book I've read by Halpin and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't my favo...more
I loved Brendan Halpin's books and blog so I had to read this one. I was surprised at the cover though- a scantily clad girl on the beach? It is a book about a math genius with CF trying to decide if she should apply to MIT despite the fact that she will probably die before she gets there.
Anyway, I normally don't go in for tragic illness stories but I really appreciated how he depicted her as a normal girl who just happened to have a chronic illness not as a selfless saint like so many "sick gi...more
Anyway, I normally don't go in for tragic illness stories but I really appreciated how he depicted her as a normal girl who just happened to have a chronic illness not as a selfless saint like so many "sick gi...more
I read this book for a book report in English. This book is about a girl named Brianna who has cystic fibrosis. She is in her senior year of High School and doesn't think she'll live to collage even though she has a mastermind in math and applies to MIT. Her mom left her when she was ten and she lives everyday knowing the next she may be dead. With the help of her calculus teacher, Mr. Eccles and a growing friendship with a nerd-like guy, Adam, she learns to live life to the fullest while she ca...more
I'm wondering as to how I've never heard of or stumbled upon this book before! This book was GREAT. The writing was beautiful.As a person who isn't a fan of mathematics, this book certainly amazed me.Those complicated equations where the answer might be zero, but it isn't- an almost zero amount! Those answers can bring so much hope to a person.
Briana has cystic fibrosis and chances are she won't live long. When she starts her senior year, she finds herself seeking some kind of hope and she find...more
Briana has cystic fibrosis and chances are she won't live long. When she starts her senior year, she finds herself seeking some kind of hope and she find...more
When I went to the library last week, I was just trying to find a few books that would hold me for 2 weeks. This was one I grabbed due to the name and the cover. The title itself, at first glance, made me think it was oxymoronic. It's really not.
Brianna has cystic fibrosis. She's dealt with it her whole life. But now that she's starting her senior year in high school, she just wants to be normal. She wants to hang out with her two best friends and go to parties. She wants to be able to sleep in...more
Brianna has cystic fibrosis. She's dealt with it her whole life. But now that she's starting her senior year in high school, she just wants to be normal. She wants to hang out with her two best friends and go to parties. She wants to be able to sleep in...more
This book literally cracked my heart in two pieces. Books like this make you realize to be grateful for the life you have. One of my favorites, one of the saddest, you won't forget it.
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I first read it as a junior in High School, and related to deeply to some of the issues that the protagonist faces. While I did not have the added stress of dealing with cystic fibrosis, I felt empathy towards her feelings of meaninglessness. Somehow, Halpin describes life and death in a way that makes each individual seem meaningful. I felt comforted in his descriptions of infinity, rather than terrified as I normally do. The voice was beautiful and...more
Brianna is very aware that her time in this world is quickly running out, especially after watching her friend, Molly, die from CF. As everyone around her can focus on nothing but getting in to college, she can’t help but wonder if it is worth her effort to apply if she might not be alive in a year. I liked the character of Brianna. I liked that she could allow herself to enjoy being a teenager, but was never shallow and silly about her time in this life and was realistic about her illness. I re...more
Originally on my blog: http://ilovedthisbook.blogspot.com
This is a really beautiful book. It wasn't until I was finished with reading it until I realized that Halpin did not take the typical route of the "sick girl dying" book. There is no magical boyfriends who bestows first love, or a series of bucket list moments. This is just a pretty story about a girl who is real, and tries to be a good friend and person while dealing with a disease that cripples her life, and it is lovely to read about he...more
This is a really beautiful book. It wasn't until I was finished with reading it until I realized that Halpin did not take the typical route of the "sick girl dying" book. There is no magical boyfriends who bestows first love, or a series of bucket list moments. This is just a pretty story about a girl who is real, and tries to be a good friend and person while dealing with a disease that cripples her life, and it is lovely to read about he...more
Original/full review here: http://thebookpixie.blogspot.com/2010...
The best word I can find to describe Forever Changes is bittersweet. It was both sad and funny and was also very thought-provoking, making me put things in perspective. Which, might I add, is something I've really been needing to do lately. XD
One thing I loved about Forever Changes was how all the characters seemed to play equally important roles in Brianna's life, from her friends to her dad to her math teacher. It was almost li...more
The best word I can find to describe Forever Changes is bittersweet. It was both sad and funny and was also very thought-provoking, making me put things in perspective. Which, might I add, is something I've really been needing to do lately. XD
One thing I loved about Forever Changes was how all the characters seemed to play equally important roles in Brianna's life, from her friends to her dad to her math teacher. It was almost li...more
Forever Changes jumps into the life of a girl, Bri, with Cystic Fibrosis - a disease/condition I know very little about.
It's an interesting read. Halpin doesn't make the book about Bri, or even about CF. He makes it about purpose.
Case in point: Throughout the narraration, Bri's dad is never read as "Bri's dad..." He's always "Dad." So, even though it sometimes feels like first person narration through Bri - it really isn't. Which makes it seem like the book isn't really strictly about Bri as muc...more
It's an interesting read. Halpin doesn't make the book about Bri, or even about CF. He makes it about purpose.
Case in point: Throughout the narraration, Bri's dad is never read as "Bri's dad..." He's always "Dad." So, even though it sometimes feels like first person narration through Bri - it really isn't. Which makes it seem like the book isn't really strictly about Bri as muc...more
Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com
Brianna Pelletier was born with a death sentence. Her DNA gave her Cystic Fibrosis. The only unknown for Brianna is how long she will have.
It's Brianna's senior year and while her friends are planning for college, Brianna's plans are far simpler: live to see graduation. She never intended to go to college. She never believed she'd survive this long. But things are going pretty good. She's managed to avoid any serious infections and remain out of the hospit...more
Brianna Pelletier was born with a death sentence. Her DNA gave her Cystic Fibrosis. The only unknown for Brianna is how long she will have.
It's Brianna's senior year and while her friends are planning for college, Brianna's plans are far simpler: live to see graduation. She never intended to go to college. She never believed she'd survive this long. But things are going pretty good. She's managed to avoid any serious infections and remain out of the hospit...more
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I picked up this book thinking "oh it's gojng to be stupid, look at the cover, it's already corny." And then I started reading it and I just couldn't put it down. The ending still has me dazed, like I still can't believe what happened, because the way the author was writing it didn't really give away anything, and if the author did maybe I just didn't want to believe it. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to confuse themselves, to anyone who wants a good cry or laugh.
apparently when i checked this out from the library i was thinking: hey, i haven't had a good cry in a while! i'm gonna check out a book about a girl with cystic fibrosis. that should do it! i lost a friend to CF a few years back so i cried a lot throughout the book but mostly at the end. my main issue with this book is the author never explains what cystic fibrosis IS. i know what it is, obviously, but i'm guessing his core audience doesn't. so that's why i only gave it 3 stars.
I adore this author. His stories invariably have something tragic in them, but they also provide truly uplifting moments, and I'm not sure anyone out there is writing as interesting a dynamic for families as this man does. This story is as good as the others--Donor Boy is my favorite, but I've not read anything by him yet that's not excellent--and is an incredibly fast read. The slimness of the book should not be mistaken for lack of content or meaning. Great book.
Rated: A+
Rated: A+
This one was a tearjerker, but not in a totally obnoxious way. I didn't feel manipulated into caring about Brianna and her illness, nor was the drama overhyped or overblown. I had only a few minor quibbles, like the pop culture references already make it feel a little dated. More thoughts can be found on my blog
Sep 13, 2012
Mara
added it
I just couldn't connect with any of the characters and the ending was over-the-top sentimental, complete with a drawn-out, sappy speech. Not my thing, but I can see how others might like it. The CF info was interesting. I was distracted by the stilted dialogue. Brianna's birthday included some fun scenes. If you want a quick tear-jerker with lots of math, this might be for you.
So many young adult books are about tragedy because, let's face it, teens eat that stuff up. This book is no exception. While I didn't like it as much as Halpin's books for adults, I found Brianna to be less annoying about her condition and nicer than most characters in this genre (the dying teen genre). And as someone who can barely add, I found the mathematical stuff fascinating.
Brianna's starting her senior year of high school. She's taking AP calculus and her dad really wants her to apply to MIT. Brianna thinks she could probably get in - math has always made sense to her in a way that the real world often does not. But even though her entire class is abuzz with college talk, Brianna's not sure she wants to apply. Brianna has cystic fibrosis. She's 18 years old. She knows that she probably will not live to see her college graduation. Forever Changes is about a girl co...more
Jun 13, 2009
lucem
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
high school, math interested
Shelves:
realistic-fiction
Can get bogged down in math parts (like calculus), but the cystic fibrosis parts are interesting (just skims the surface of that topic). Could be a good book to show different friendship needs (like a CF buddy, a lets-talk-about-boys buddy, a teacher buddy, a guy buddy, etc.). Also covers single dad parenting and missing parent family stuff.
I'm always looking for books that I can learn a lesson from and remember it. This is one of my favorite novels for that purpose. I learned that forever can change when you live life one day at a time, instead of worrying about how the future will turn out. I loved this book, and will most likely read it again.
I love this book. One of the reasons I like it is because it is told from a third person point of view and a first person point of view. It shows everybody's feelings and thoughts and I understood it better! I also like it because of her situation and the fact she's still happy.
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I grew up in Cincinnati, went to college in Philadelphia, and also lived in Taipei and Edinburgh along the way. I've lived in Boston since 1991.
I became a professional writer in 2000, writing about my late wife Kirsten's breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Kirsten died in 2003, leaving me and our daughter Rowen. I married Suzanne in 2005 and got her kids Casey and Kylie in the deal too. Bargain...more
More about Brendan Halpin...
I became a professional writer in 2000, writing about my late wife Kirsten's breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Kirsten died in 2003, leaving me and our daughter Rowen. I married Suzanne in 2005 and got her kids Casey and Kylie in the deal too. Bargain...more
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“Yeah, well. You're my best friend, you know, and I love you.”
—
15 people liked it
“But here, Ms. Pelletier, is the thing. Without infinitesimals, the calculus as we know and love it simply wouldn't exist. It is these nearly-zero, sort-of-zero, sometimes-zero quantities that allow us to understand the world. Something which seems to be nearly nothing turns out to be crucial to everything. So though I, or for you that matter, or any of us, may be, as a collection of atoms, practically indistinguishable from zero, this does not necessarily mean we are insignificant. Indeed, it may be that we are actually crucially important.”
—
5 people liked it
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May 20, 2013 03:21pm