18-year-old Ben Wolf is told that he has an aggressive terminal disease and that his senior year in high school will more than likely be his last. Rather than obey his doctor’s orders to begin treatment immediately, Ben decides to bypass the treatment in order to fully enjoy his last year of life. The possibility of survival is slim to none, either way. But in order to truly take advantage of his last year, he has to keep his prognosis a secret, especially from the people he loves the most.
Thus begins an incredible journey into Ben’s final year—he tries out for the football team; he finally finds the nerve to approach Dallas Suzuki, the girl he’s been in love with forever; he challenges the one-sided views of his government teacher; and he sets out to “save” the town drunk, Rudy McCoy. They’re all actions Ben never would’ve done without the knowledge of his pending doom, but as he propels forward, he discovers he’s not the only one keeping a secret. And for all that he’s managed to accomplish in just a few short months, those accomplishments are difficult to truly celebrate when you’re the only one who knows you’re dying.
Chris Crutcher developed a character difficult not to love. Ben Wolf approaches the news of his illness as though he’s been expecting it, believing that he was never meant to live a long life. This optimism allows him to keep his sense of humor while tackling the obstacles that previously kept him at bay, and I was cheering for him the whole time. Not only does he challenge himself, but he also challenges the people living in his small Idaho town, pushing a petition to change the name of one of just a few streets to Malcom X Avenue. In the face of his own death, he hopes to change the bigoted views of the townspeople. And when he discovers that Rudy McCoy’s secret is darker than any he could’ve imagined, he finds compassion for the man in a way no other moral human being could.
Quick, funny, heartbreaking, powerful—among just a few words to describe Deadline. Chris Crutcher tackles a myriad of issues—emotional, spiritual, social—beautifully, and in an incredibly suitable manner for a young adult audience.