Girl Saves Boy

by Steph Bowe

The first time we met, Jewel Valentine saved my life.

Isn’t it enough having your very own terminal disease, without your mother dying? Or your father dating your Art teacher?

No wonder Sacha Thomas ends up in the lake that Saturday evening…

But the real question is: how does he end up in love with Jewel Valentine?

With the help of quirky teenage prodigies Little Al and True Grisham, Sacha and Jewel have a crazy adventure, with a little lobster emancipation along the way.

But Sacha’s running out of time, and Jewel has secrets of her own.

Girl Saves Boy is a hugely talented debut novel, funny and sad, silly and wise. It’s a story of life, death, love… and garden gnomes.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, High School, Realistic Fiction, Drama

288 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2010

Reviews

[Alexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review can also be found on my blog Collections.

3.5 stars

Girl Saves Boy was a quick read told in alternating point of views between Jewel Valentine, a loner girl whose family fell apart after the death of her brother 10 years ago, and Sacha Thomas, a boy who survived childhood cancer and lost his mother only about a year ago. They first meet at the lake where Jewel saves Sacha after he tries to drown himself. After that chance encounter, they start to fall in love.

Throughout the book, it seemed both Jewel and Sacha were unsure about their futures. One doesn't like to think too far ahead, and the other really doesn't have one to look forward to. It sounds like it would be a depressing read, huh? There are definitely sad parts throughout, but for the most part, there was actually a lot of humorous moments. Quirky is the perfect word to describe it. I never quite knew what to expect from the characters and the story next.

I almost gave this book 4 stars, but I didn't for a couple reasons. The romance between Jewel and Sacha was sweet, but it was rushed. I would have liked more development between them and more from the rest of the characters. I also didn't get enough out of the ending. I almost thought pages were missing from the copy I read. When books just end like that I feel sad. I know I'm suppose to use my imagination, but I needed a bit more closure.

Overall, I thought Girl Saves Boy was good for a debut novel. I've liked the writing in all the Aussies novels I've read so far, and this book was no exception. (I've also noticed Aussie books are tiny and cute in size. And usually less than 300 pages. Why is that? I need more!) I hope to see more novels by this author in the future.

Thank you so much, Arlene, for letting me borrow your copy! :)

[Thebookbutterfly · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Girl Saves Boy' by Steph Bowe is definitely a book that I have built up ever since I first read Steph's blog and have been longing to read for ages.
And it completely succeeded at all of my expections and more, because I loved that it was not exactly what I was expecting out of Steph Bowe, and was more heartfelt than I really thought possible for a YA book.
The book basically revovles around four characters--Jewel, True, Sacha, and Little Al. (Don't you love their names? Points to Steph Bowe for creativity on that account.) It is told through two perspectives, Sacha and Jewel. Jewel is just coming back into town after her grandparents (who raised her) died and is living with her mom--referred to as Rachel--again. Which she is not overly excited about. Her mom OD'd a couple of times after Jewel's brother died and her dad ran away shortly after that, so Jewel is not the most well-adjusted person in the world.
Sacha has his own problems to worry about, as he is dying of leaukima and his mother starved herself to death just the year before. His dad has also recently came out of the closet and is dating Sacha's art teacher, Mr. Carr.
The thing I love about this book, is that when I was building up my expectations, I completely thought that Steph Bowe's portrayal of the characters and their obvious issues was going to be way, way over-the-top dramatic. Because, really? All of those problems together is a lot to cover in a 280 page or so novel. And that's a lot for two kids to handle, besides.
But it was not over-the-top at all. I loved that there was time for random fun and quirky dialouge and some philosophizing and space for romance and friendship to develop while all of these problems were going on. Steph Bowe touched on each issue with careful sorrow and depict Sacha and Jewel's reactions, which were all wholly realistic and human, and still managed to get through her themes to the audience. Life was hard and that was truth, but it did not do to dwell.
I understand that some readers will have a problem with the fact that this novel took place within a week or two, and that it's not enough time to cover all of the issues. (And some things, like how Sacha got used to Mr. Carr and how Jewel came in contact with her dad, were a little rushed) but I think that in life things are not always perfectly resolved and the story ended at the absolutely perfect moment, in my opinion.
I loved Sacha and Little Al especially in this novel. Sacha's garden gnome stealing habit (he said it was his bizarre version of a coping mechanism :D) was hilarious and had me laughing when I was still trying not to cry.
Little Al was a science genius which while I am unfortunately not one, I liked to keep up with his take on the universe and Steph Bowe did a great job executing how that reflected on his views of what was going on. True, I never felt close to. She felt too pretty and too focused on her career goals, and that I understood why she did certain things, sometimes I felt like she was hurting her friends and up until the end, I got the impression that she didn't really care.
Jewel, I liked almost as much as Sacha, because I could relate to her. I liked that she was kind of quiet and that she didn't wear make-up and that she was an amazing artist, but she didn't put her art in front of her growing friendships either. She was an extremely unique character that I liked reading about and I was happy that Sacha was her love interest, because their scenes and their evolving relationship was awkward and sad and lovely and everything that first love should be like.
I loved this book: it made me laugh and my eyes water a little and my heart ache, and anyone who loves quirky, awkward first romances and raw honesty should pick this up immeditately.

[hollyishere · Rating 4 out of 5]

** spoiler alert ** I went into this book not really knowing much about it and I recommend you do the same for the best effect.

I think you'll agree that what most media and entertainment fail to do well is evoke a real feeling in the reader/watcher, well Steph Bowe does this so well with her 2010 YA debut novel, Girl Saves Boy.

Forget the fact that the author is a 16 year old Australian home schooler, this book needs no cliché or marketable points, it is worth gushing over and I recommend you pick it up right now! I am even regretting that one star stopping it from being a full mark but it felt right the moment I finished it.

Girl Saves Boy is all about Sacha and Jewel, who have both gone through some terrible things in their lives (death of family members, leukemia) but who manage to form an almighty bond when one saves the other from drowning and still manage to be pretty good people in their everyday lives.

The only slight issue I had with this book, which is tiny and me being super picky is that the romance between Sacha and Jewel seemed to escalate in about a week, I think a more realistic approach would've been to extend the time from first date to total devotion over at least a few weeks or even a month. I also really wondered how Jewel managed to keep herself away when she found out about the Leukemia, I wouldn't have wanted to throw away a single second together after finding this out.

I have to say I was also a little bit worried in the first few chapters as I wasn't connecting well with the book but then an almighty whoosh hits you in the face and you just can't stop reading. I think I had it read in under 2 days which is a little unusual for me. It is heart-wrenching, captivating and uplifting. The characters are so believable and I actually preferred some of the sub-characters to the main ones, it even had me forming tears and then a few chapters later laughing out loud. I wouldn't let the Leukemia deter you from picking up this book up as it normally would for me because it isn't so horrible to read about that it'll affect your every day life.

And the ending, what do I say? Perfect, leaving it up to the readers imagination. I couldn't have dreamt of a better ending myself.

Now, I know I usually say I can't wait for the authors next release but this time I am sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for tidbits of information on the next Steph Bowe novel. GO GET ME SOME :)

[Sam Valladolid · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
"Yo reí a pesar de lo mal que iba todo. A veces reír es lo único que se puede hacer."

¿Que puedo decir? Este libro me enamoró en cada pagina, cada personaje, cada palabra.

Si tengo que describir este libro en tan solo una palabra sería: melancólico.

Me pareció que toda la historia estaba rodeada de una atmósfera melancólica, incluso los momentos mas felices me parecían un tanto ...tristes.

Moría por ponerle 5 estrellas pero hubo algunas cosas que me molestaron.
El romance me gusto demasiado, fue muy dulce; pero el problema fue que quedé con ganas de saber más de los personajes secundarios en especial sobre True y Al.
Pero después de todo lo que mas me molestó fue el final. No sabía que pensar al leer la ultima página ¿en serio? Podría jurar que creía que faltaban páginas, peor aún, capítulos. Casi rogaba que apareciera mágicamente un epílogo dentro de un abrir y cerrar de ojos.

Por último tengo que admitir que Sacha se robo una parte de mi. Fue un personaje que me enterneció demasiado. Reía con sus ocurrencias y sufría con sus desgracias.
No solté ni una lágrima pero admito que estuve a punto de hacerlo.

En conclusión fue un libro dulcemente triste. Fue demasiado corto y rápido de leer. Perfecto para leer en una mañana tomando un delicioso té.

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: cancer, self harm, death of a sibling (in the past), death of a parent (in the past), death of a grandparent (in the past), drowning, mental health, eating disorder.

Reading this for the first time in the aftermath of Steph Bowe's untimely death was a kick in the teeth in the year that is 2020. But I loved how front and centre the friendships were in the story, even when they're messy and complicated and uncertain, because that's how friendships are sometimes. It's a bittersweet book that's ultimately about grief and acceptance.

I love that it didn't shy away from difficult topics, particularly where the protagonists' parents are concerned. This was a fabulous debut and Steph's voice and writing will be very much missed in the Australian YA world.

[Stuti Rai · Rating 4 out of 5]

some books make me cry, some depressed, some makes me laugh and then the ones that make me hope. girl saves boy is of the last kind. you wouldn't think it, what with a girl who lives like she's dead, a boy who's dying and dead mother, brother, father, with memories, but stephen bowe makes it happen. she ends the story and leaves you in a wake of flitting hummingbirds of feels, each more mellow and melodious than the last. or maybe it's really just me.

girl saves boy is written with a vague sort of intensity; vague in the especial sense that doesn't have a negative undertone. there's no manipulation of emotions, it doesn't strike to make you cry, it doesn't want you to cry. yes, there are deaths and there is cancer. but it's not that book: the one about dealing with deaths or with cancer. this book is about celebrating life, it's about:

But the real question is: how does he end up in love with Jewel Valentine?

sacha and jewel are different people, but birds of a feather in some sense. no she doesn't steal lawn gnomes nor does he dream of living in a busted up alley, of having nothing, except you can see that at the core, they're like each other. the chapters alternate between jewel and sacha's pov and it's a pretty shortbook. however, from early on the characters are so well defined(seems clinical) acquainted with the reader in such a manner as to bring their personalities to light as if one's known them for years. when in jewel's perspective, you can see why sacha says what, what is dancing around, eliminated, unspoken, hinted at words. and it's not only sacha and jewel, there are also little al and true, whom i think i know and whom i'd want to meet, teenager to teenager. no pseudo-macho b.s nor any fake-feminine b.s. it's positootly angst free.

these are the characters i'd want to be friends with, i'd want to make smile, i'd want to not ever let go.

his demons are taunting him still whilst hers are in the past and haunting her. his voice is more in the moment while hers is still somewhere in the past, slowly being revived.

so girl saves boy but boy brings back girl. it's a two way street, people.

there's inevitability on the corner, for everything, yet it all comes as a gentle surprise every time. whether he lives or dies, she gets her busted up alley or not, true falls for little al or some preppy boy, little al discovers the cure for cancer are answers that don't really matter; last words don't matter. it's what comes before that you should read and smile while at it: the teenage shenanigans, the heartbreak and love, rains and gnomes and art teachers and fetes and spider-man masks.

but really, i liked the ending 'cause the end has no end.

next order of business: acquire a copy of all this could end. somehow. anyhow. aussie books, do be doo be doo!

[Nomes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 - 3.5 stars (I liked it)

Girl Saves Boy has a unique flavour to add to the YA scene. With it's quirky and off-beat vibe it's an intelligent novel that manages to convey hope among devastation and silliness alongside mourning.

The story is told from Sacha's POV and Jewel's POV.

The narrative isn't always linear in a sense of plot moving forward with scenes. It's got anecdotes and a running internal narrative of thoughts on life and death and the world in general. You know how sometimes you're thinking one thing which leads to thinking about another and another and so on and then you come back to original thought? Sometimes the narrative swirls along in that style, with quirky asides and observations.

The prose is gorgeous and charming. And it felt straight from a teen perspective - in the concerns of the characters and their outlook on life: sometimes jumbled, other times hopeful and also occasionally defeated. It reflected the braveness and conviction of teens but lacked hindsight that comes with adulthood - which gave it a true teen vibe.

I do think there was a lot going on in the novel in terms of tragedies and scarred pasts and tormented characters and dead people. It seemed overwhelming that they all had such complicated and devastating back-stories. Although the novel didn't just dwell on this aspect - there were plenty of moments of fun and general silliness.

Some sections were reminiscent of Brigid Lowry's Guitar Highway Rose - so much so that I would imagine that book may have had an influence on Bowe's writing style? And GHR is a dynamically brilliant book (as a teen, my friends and I were inspired to write our school writing assignments in a format similar to Guitar Highway Rose - I love that book hard. Diverting in my review here to urge anyone who hasn't read it yet to track it down - you can thank me after :).

Random Thoughts:

Throughout the novel I was unsure where it was headed. I like the feeling of things lurking unpredictably up ahead but occasionally I felt like I was floundering a little in terms of following the main story arc.

I didnt always understand the characters motivations, but I kept flipping the pages regardless.

Like in many alternating POV books, I connected stronger with one POV over another (in this case, it was Sacha's).

It felt teenagery with it's many comments on clothing and what everyone looks like and how tall they are, etc. Kinda cute, that.

It's really an impressive debut and I haven't tried to be favourable in my review due to Steph's age. She's a bright talent and I imagine teens will find lots to love about this book and it's characters. It will appeal to guys and girls.

[Steph | bookedinsaigon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fully of quirky, ambiguous characters and insightful moments, GIRL SAVES BOY, teen author Steph Bowe’s debut novel, is one of those books about which I’m not sure how to feel. It has its moments, but also has the inconsistences and leaps that mark it as the work of a young author.

Good things first: GIRL SAVES BOY contains the occasional passages that are so beautiful they’ll inspire you to buy a copy of this book, highlight those passages, and go back to them when you want to reread moments of insight. These particular passages reflect on a wide range of topics that people think about long past their adolescent years, from death, to the definition of identity, to the feeling of loneliness. They read of the kind of wisdom that generally comes from decades of introspection, so it’s remarkable that 16-year-old Steph Bowe is able to articulate those thoughts so wonderfully.

That being said, I was never able to fully connect to the characters in this book. They felt to me more like actors attempting to fit a role than actual conflicted teenagers. Part of it was their dialogue, which felt very unnatural for teenagers. For example, Sacha and his best friend Little Al spoke to one another of emotional problems with a depth and scope that is usually only found on affected theatre productions. The way the characters reacted to one another just wasn’t believable to me. There were many conflicts thrown into the story—Sacha’s strained relationship with his father, Jewel and her mother, Little Al’s romantic issues—but most of them were never fully fleshed out, either too conveniently resolved or left unfinished.

GIRL SAVES BOY left me feel puzzled and even a little disappointed that I felt like, other than those few moments of pitch-perfect human insight, the characters did not feel authentic enough that I could connect with them.

[Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Spanish title made me think that the book was about something else, but it was obviously a mistake, the title in Spanish practically tells you the boy saves her but then when I read the English title I thought Oh My God, this isn't what I thought. So I bought it.
Girl Saves Boy is a novel about two Australian teenagers, written by an Australian author too, they both have problems, lots but they're teens struggling day a day.
It was a really nice reading book, it took me about 3 hours to read it, I liked it way much more than even though the author of this book was 16-years-old when she wrote it and she was a secondary-college-student.
What I didn't like about the book:
The relationship between Jewel and Sacha was way too fast, they met on a Saturday and on a Wednesday they were practically dating.
When Jewel found out that Sacha wasn't in remission of Leukaemia anymore and she was pissed and felt betrayed; I didn't get it, they met and got together really fast, when did he have the chance of telling her? They didn't know each other before and everything happened way too fast!
What I liked:
I loved Little Al as a character, he was really nice, and you get to like him really fast.
I liked True also but she surprised me with the boy thing and the kiss!
I loved so much the beach scene when they're with the lobster, it was really perfect.

[Deborah Abela · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not only the fact that Steph Bowe is 16 that makes this book so arresting. From the heart-aching words of the prologue to the quiet musings of two teenagers on a beach at the end facing an impossibly unfair future, this book is a rare treat of gentle quiet, big-hearted sweetness and great slabs of uncomfortable truths. Ten years ago something happened to Jewel Valentine’s family that tore them apart. She was sent to live with her grandparents while her parents’ lives crumbled. Now that her grandparents are dead, Jewel has moved back to her childhood town to live with her estranged and slightly-more-together mother. But the hurts still run deep. Jewel meets Sasha, a boy she saves from drowning in a lake. An instant connection is made, leading to a tenuous friendship. But their families keep behaving strangely, making relating to them almost impossible and Sasha has a terrible secret he needs to tell Jewel, but is afraid how she’ll react. Even though this world keeps dealing unfair hands, the warmth of the characters and the musings about life lift this novel above the bleak to something fresh and unique.

[Liesel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Qué decepción tan grande, de verdad. La sinopsis me atrapó y esperaba que estuviera a la altura del libro, pero no lo ha estado, al menos no para mí.
Es que habla continuamente sobre la muerte. La muerte de x persona, o de la otra, o del otro, el tema es la muerte. Y no me gusta la forma en que está tratado...
Al principio me resultaba aceptable, pero a medida que avanzaba me cansaba. En fin, no lo recomiendo demasiado.
Además, hay una frase que me ha parecido irrespetuosa... "las chicas de 18 años mueren de anorexia, las mujeres de 40 no" o algo así decía. Qué forma tan bruta de tratar una enfermedad tan delicada...

[Marla Mei · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ridiculously unbelievable and it felt like the book was trying so hard to be emotional. Good writing though. Two stars for that. It was just the story's execution, I guess.

[Hristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

What kind of a ending was that? What's gonna happen?
You can't just expect me to be satisfied with this!

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A copy of this novel was provided by Text Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

So it’s taken a few days for me to gather my thoughts on Girl Saves Boy. Upon writing this review, three things have become abundantly clear:

1. Steph Bowe is incredible. I seriously cannot believe that Girl Saves Boy was published when she was only sixteen. As I read the novel, I was blown away by how wise and astute the characters in this novel were – almost to an unbelievably poignant level. But then to learn that the author was younger than the characters were when she wrote these beautiful things just blows my mind completely.

2. I cannot thank Steph (a different Steph) from Text Publishing for giving me this book to review, even though it is several years old. You have given me a true gift.

3. Girl Saves Boy is one of those non-novel novels. Those ones that are more than just a story, more than words on a page, more than fiction. It’s one of those stories that is so full of heart and it grabs your heart in its clutches and refuses to let it go.

Let me tell you a story. A young woman is contemplating what book to read next. She dreads this decision, as her entire being is surrounded be a plethora of books. Books she wants to read, books she feels she should read, books, books, books. It’s an agonising decision to choose what to read because there is always some other book that is calling and wailing for her attention. One day, she notices a book sitting by itself on her coffee table. Surprising, since she is someone who likes to pile all her books together and stare at their spines. She decided that this lone book was giving her a sign. It wanted to be read by her and it wanted to be read by her now. So, this girl picked up this book, sat down on the couch. And didn’t move for the next four hours, which is how long it took her to devour the story within the pages of the novel. This novel just so happened to be Girl Saves Boy. And this girl just so happened to be me.

I devoured Girl Saves Boy, there is absolutely no other way to say it. From word one, page one, I was hooked. And I am being completely serious when I say I didn’t move from my comfortable reading spot on my couch until I had finished every last word in Girl Saves Boy. I couldn’t. I couldn’t tear myself away from the story, or the characters. I simply had to know what happened, and in the most efficient way possible. Which just so happened to be sitting on my couch in the same position for many hours with two cats on my legs, and a cramped knee at the end of it all.

But I’m glad I read it that way; it allowed me to be so much more immersed in the story that Bowe has created in Girl Saves Boy.

After finishing this novel, I am left wondering why it is not up there with the great contemporary books of the time. It is a beautiful story, and has amazingly realistic characters created by a teenager; someone who can clearly remember what it’s like to be one because she is one. And the characters are profound and wise because the author is so, and she was a teenager when she wrote these things and it makes this book so much more special, but also kind of makes me want to cry because how can she be so wise and profound when she is so young? It makes me wonder how she became that way. But this review isn’t about the amazing author, it is about her equally amazing story.

Move over, Augustus Waters - Sacha Thomas is in the house. Whilst I am aware that Augustus Waters is apparently the embodiment of every teenage girl/young woman/every female’s perfect boyfriend, he is very un-real. He’s great, don’t get me wrong, but no one acts like that. No one is like Augustus Waters, and there is never a chance of meeting anyone like him because they simply do not exist. And then I read about Sacha, and Augustus Waters kind of fell off the ladder entirely with his metaphorical cigarette hanging from his mouth. Sacha is beautiful, and real, and kind, and romantic, and so so sad. And sick. He can make you laugh, but he also makes you want to cry because the world is unfair and people like him don’t deserve to be ripped from its arms so young. He’s profound, but he’s also a normal teenage boy who likes TimTams and stealing garden gnomes and kissing Jewel Valentine. I am so in love with Sacha Thomas, it’s not even explainable.

The story is also told from Jewel Valentine’s perspective, who is equally as broken as Sacha and that is why they are so perfect for each other. Jewel wants to die, and Sacha wants to live, and they fit perfectly together and make the other realise that living isn’t about dying; that living is about living, no matter how long you have to do that. Their relationship isn’t perfect, or giving amazing trips to foreign countries, or contemplating the intricacies of the world. It’s simple, and beautiful, and normal. It’s perfect. It’s completely perfect.

I could go on and on about this book, and how I am begging you to read it, and how I am about to burst into tears just writing this review for you guys. I want you to read this novel, I want you to feel everything that it makes you feel. Your heart breaks, but then is patched together by the same people that broke it. You fall in love. You laugh. You cry. But you keep going, because that’s what it’s all about. That’s what life is all about.

© 2014, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity . All rights reserved.

Your Turn: Do you feel like some books simply want you to read them? Are there books that you think should be more acclaimed than they are now?

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book for the purpose of it being written by an Australian sixteen-year-old girl. As an aspiring author myself, I thought it would be interesting to see another young person’s writing and especially since it was published into a REAL and ACTUAL book. I won’t go into too much detail about GIRL SAVES BOY since some of you haven’t had the opportunity to read it yet. Overall, I found it a ‘good’ attempt on the storyline and on the character developments, but unfortunately it just didn’t cut it for me.

First off, the characters Jewel and Sacha both have their problems to deal with, like all families do in our own reality and I understood how they reacted to certain situations in their everyday lives. However, I found the whole ‘romance’ part – the one thing that attracted me to the book in the first place – was pretty unrealistic. It just wasn’t for me, sorry. No one – that is in my world, would fall in love that easily and so suddenly, let alone in a week or so. Love takes time and with dates...kisses...complete and utter devotion to one another...that just doesn’t happen in a week.

I admit, I loved the beginning of the novel but when I finally hit the halfway mark, things tended to be rushed until the very last page. I mean don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t THAT bad, but when relationships were suddenly mended, along with forgiveness and anger that seemed to have happened, then viola, everyone is happy again like it never happened at all. It was rushed. What can I say...I love bigger books that can slow things down and take time on important issues that the character is dealing with such as death – as mentioned continuously in the novel.

Once the halfway point went by, I found myself liking Sacha a lot more and his friends too, who’d added a lot of humour than the two main characters did. As for Jewel, I found her relatable at first with the whole loner ordeal, but then she was just...boring. Again, I liked Sacha a hell a lot more and loved his POV. Jewel was okay too, but I hated the way she talked about death repeatedly, and I felt like I was reading paragraphs twice, when really, the author was using different words. Some of it could’ve been cut.

But this is just one person’s opinion, and I’m sure there are many of you who may say I was completely WRONG about this book, but like I always say, “Some books are just not everyone’s cup of tea.” In the end, I will commend Bowe on a good novel because after all...she is so young and so incredibly lucky to have her own FINISHED novel printed into a book that someday I hope will happen to me. So, no matter what I thought, but I look forward to see what she brings up next onto the table.

[Madeleine Rex]

Can't wait to read this! I'll ship 10 copies over and hand them out! :D

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me a gustado pero la verdad es que me a dejado indiferente, tenia mejores expectativas de el y me a decepcionado un poco la verdad.
El final me a dejado bastante chafada ya que no tiene mucho sentido y es bastante soso y seco. Me esperaba algo las la verdad.

[Dieuwertje Janssen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 sterren, het einde was heel abrupt en voelde onaf, en het voelde alsof ze heel veel problematiek in een korte hoeveelheid pagina's wilden verwerken.. Jammer!

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recuerdo que hace ya bastante tiempo leí que ésta novela era una bonita historia de amor, y eso precisamente no ha sido mi visión general de la obra. Si tuviese que adjetivarla sería COMO UNA OBRA TRISTE, OPACA, ALGO MELANCÓLICA Y EN CONJUNTO, PSICOLÓGICAMENTE INTENSA y CHOCANTE.

El punto de partida que da pie al ésta historia y posterior desarrollo de una ‘relación’ amorosa, es el encuentro de los dos adolescente protagonistas de la obra. Jewel salva la vida a Sacha, rescatándolo de un lago en el que estaba a punto de ahogarse.

Pero no es sino una historia de Outsiders, dos auto marginados por propia voluntad de un mundo el cual se les antoja desolador, que les conduce al constante desasosiego y vacío existencial.

La redacción en primera persona está narrado desde el punto de vista de ambos protagonistas, que se alternan en los capítulos en los que se suceden el desarrollo de su relación, su punto de vista acerca de la vida, y sobretodo, el por qué de su carácter negativo a través de flashbacks reflexivos y pensamientos de una tremenda carga psicológica.

Nuestros particulares ‘anti héroes’ tienen un pasado desgarrador del cual no haré spolier, pero paso a explicar un poco su actitud..
Jewel, es una chica solitaria, desengañada con el mundo y huye del contacto humano. Con una vida en la cual su futuro carece de significado, se deja llevar pero no desea experimentar la existencia en todas sus facetas. Está desengañada, herida y atormentada.

Sacha, es un joven más atormentado aun que ella (su pasado y presente es más dramático) , y a pesar de tener dos buenos amigos con los que comparte parte de su intimidades, es igualmente un ser encerrado en si mismo, que cubre con una fina capa de ironía su pesar y su constante debate ( y miedo) entre continuar viviendo o dejar de hacerlo.
Ella no quiere existir. Él no quiere vivir.

La obra rebosa desencanto y relatividad en el tiempo, es etérea y poética en un sentido decadente.
Los personajes se me antojan demasiado oscuros y tristes, se regodean en sus particulares miserias en exceso. Hay poca ilusión o chispa en ellos, que si bien se entiende en parte por su situación personal, no dejan de ser adolescentes y son seres tremendamente sombríos para su edad.
Aunque sus reflexiones son en parte acertadas, no dejan de ser deprimentes al límite, incluso para un adulto que ha pasado por más cosas en la vida.
Los secundarios intentan dar un toque de color y semi enredo clásico de las obras románticas. Digo intentan, pues también la vida no es fácil para ellos aunque si bien, éstos dos optan por entrar en acción y superarse, a diferencia de nuestros protagonistas.

Una de los aspectos más logrados del libro es precisamente su atmósfera y el realismo con el que está tratado las desgracias personales de Sacha y Jewell. Aunque me reitero que son demasiado negativos, sí creo que sus traumas están efectivamente plasmados.

Con ‘La Chica del lago’, la autora quiere darnos un mensaje algo así cómo: en toda oscuridad hay siempre un punto de luz. Sin embargo, la globalidad de la obra enfatiza más en lo marginal del carácter y en lo negativo del asunto, y es por eso que su mensaje queda desdibujado (a pesar de su último tramo, incoherente con la generalidad de la obra, en que de una manera a la carrera y semi cómica, se intenta resolver las cruzadas personales de los jóvenes)
La recomiendo, solamente, para los muy amantes de las historias dramática al extremo y para los que busquen un enfoque diferente en un relato romántico.

[T.J.]

I haven't read this book yet and I'm kind of hesitant to because I take some things way too literal, and the love stories I read, NEED to have a good ending, otherwise it just destroys me.
Yeah, yeah some may think that I'm being too dramatic but, well, it's true. I mean, there's already so many countless sad things in our world, why write a book to escape into if it's just gonna end at a depressing point when we can have that in reality?
I'm not saying depression should be avoided, I'm just saying I don't like the hot guys, or the hoy guys' girlfriends, dying, leaving their men(or women) broken and in despair.
So let me guess;
A boy tries to kill himself because he has some incurable disease.
A girl enters the picture, motivates the guy.
They fall in love <3.
And he dies 3
If someone could contradict me, please feel free to do so, because I'd hate this ending, AKA the reluctance to begin this book.

But the fact that this author is young is so inspirational and motivating!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve had Girl Saves Boy on my TBR since 2012, but didn’t feel compelled to pick up sooner because it gave off a cancer-lit vibe. All I can say is, my bad! I wish I’d picked it up sooner because the blurb does not do this book justice.

The ending was slightly abrupt, but hey, life is like that, change with little warning, so it still felt believable. Apart from that though, I can’t fault it. I’m not a fan of multiple POVs, but switching between Jewel and Sacha was effortless. I enjoyed both their voices equally, which is so unheard of, someone should alert the authorities.

The prose is dreamy and sharp and gorgeous. It’s amazing to think Girl Saves Boy was published when Steph Bowe was 16. Not that talent is limited by age, but because she wrote something so lovely and honest, and it makes me excited to check out her books since she debuted.

This was an unexpected gem and I wish I'd known to pick this up sooner, so here's my suggestion to you, from one reader to another: pick this up, sooner rather than later. Like, NOW. You're welcome

[María Jiménez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Debo de ser la única persona a la que no le ha gustado, pero es que no era lo que me esperaba para nada. La autora quería hacerlo todo muy dramático y a mí la historia no me emocionaba y encima la protagonista me parecía muy pesada contando cada dos por tres lo de su hermano -que sí, que veo normal que tenga un "trauma" y tal, pero es que me ha contado ma historia del hermano a lo largo del libro 20 veces-. Y para colmo, después de seguir leyendo el libro por si a caso había algo que me hiciese cambiar de opinión, me encuentro un final que para mi gusto ha sido -como quien dice- un huevo sin sal.

Así que no, no me ha convencido.

[Nicola Marsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm blown away that this book was written by a teenager.
Not because of the language or the way it was written but for the subject matter and the realistic way it is explored.

Sacha has a terminal disease and tries to commit suicide by drowning.
Jewel Valentine saves him.

Along with their friends True and Little Al, they explore a complex range of emotions in a beautiful, poignant, readable way.

I'm thoroughly impressed by Steph Bowe's debut and look forward to reading more from her.

[Omaira · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Dos protagonistas principales, un suceso que les unirá y una trama en la que lo principal será conocer que pasa por la mente de cada uno de ellos. La relación entre estos dos personajes es demasiado precipitada y se desarrolla tarde en la narración, pero las aportaciones de los personajes secundarios y ciertas reflexiones, ayudarán a que la lectura sea ágil".

Reseña completa: http://entrelalecturayelcine.blogspot...

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is why I love Australian books and authors. This book is so unique and I love all the little quirky bits too. I love the gnomes and the lobster and all the references to Australian lifestyle because I actually get them! (Vegemite, Bunnings, schoolies - Surfers Paradise) Overall, an outstanding book by a great, young Australian author!

[Ivette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este libro me dejo con gusto a poco, quisiera saber que sucede después con la vida de Sasha ¿es mucho pedir? Dios, soy una mosoquista pero quiero saber más. La historia esta genial, pero le falta un epilogo más amplio.

[Sven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not believe how good this book is. Wantd to giv it mor than 5stars.

[Emily Mead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steph Bowe was 16 when this was published - that kiiiiiind of blows my mind. The writing is absolutely PHENOMENAL and the characters are flawed but so real. I absolutely loved it <3

[Esther L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4'5. Es un libro muy muy muy bonito, que me ha gustado mucho, esta escrito maravillosamente y los personajes te llegan dentro.

[Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

¡¡¡¡SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!

En mi vida he leído libros que me han hecho llorar, reír, sufrir, amar y odiar a los personajes a extremos increíbles… Sin embargo, en los últimos tiempos la mayoría de los libros parecen seguir la misma tónica, convirtiéndose en completos clichés que te hacen pasar el tiempo, pero que al final no te reportan nada porque terminas olvidándote de muchas cosas. “Girl Saves Boy” no entra en esos clichés. No para mí al menos.

El título es uno más del montón, donde aparentemente la historia girará en torno a un par de adolescentes que se conocen, y blablablá. El caso es que no hay nada más alejado de la realidad.
¿Qué decir, entonces, al respecto?

Jewel Valentine está traumatizada por la muerte de su hermano Ben, ocurrida diez años atrás. Esa década la pasó viviendo con sus abuelos maternos, reviviendo el momento de la muerte una y otra vez, culpándose, sintiendo que no la quieren, y que sus padres, las personas que debían haber estado ahí para ella, en realidad no se interesan mucho en su vida. Su madre casi muere de sobredosis, su padre las abandonó… ¿Qué queda para ella? Irse al campo con sus abuelos. Todo está bien hasta que ellos también fallecen, y Jewel tiene que regresar a la ciudad a vivir con su madre, quien se ha convertido en una completa extraña, desde su físico hasta sus costumbres.

Es entonces cuando comienza el libro, y Jewel salva de ahogarse a un chico que al principio había confundido con su hermano, aunque está claro que era un recuerdo del pasado. Este chico se llama Sacha Thomas, y es un paciente sobreviviente de leucemia infantil.

Sacha Thomas tiene su plato lleno. Está muriendo porque el cáncer que debía haber entrado en remisión hace años ha vuelto. Su madre murió por un problema del corazón agravado por su condición de anoréxica. Su padre, después de la muerte de su madre, resultó ser gay y salió del closet, empezando una relación con nada más y nada menos que el profesor de arte de Sacha, el Sr. Carr. Todo eso en más o menos año y medio (desde la muerte de su mamá).

Lo gracioso de Sacha es que su mecanismo de defensa —según lo que le dijeron— era bastante atípico. Algunas personas hacen cosas raras, otras no hacen nada fuera de lo común. El de Sacha era robar gnomos de jardín. Robarlos porque sí. Probablemente estuviera un poco loco, pero al final simplemente se los llevaba, y los tenía en un estante en su habitación. Así es como comienza a hablar con Jewel, cuando se roba el gnomo de su jardín, y para colmo de males, termina dejándolo caer frente a ella y haciéndolo añicos.

La relación de los dos fluyó de un modo que realmente me agradó mucho. No son los típicos adolescentes hermosos que parecen más Barbie y Ken que personas de verdad. Jewel y Sacha se expresaban a su modo, y lo que realmente me llegó es que las conversaciones entre ellos, así como las conversaciones con sus amigos (True y Little Al —cuyo verdadero nombre es Michael), eran normales. No había drama de quién se puso esto o aquello, sino conversaciones que cualquier adolescente podría tener sin rayar en lo superficial. Charlas triviales por el hecho de hablar de cosas cotidianas, o hacer bromas con respecto a algo (como cuando Little Al le dice a Sacha que debería ponerse a escribir poemas emo junto a Draco Malfoy). O sea, que se hacen referencias a la cultura popular con gran desenfado, sin muchas cosas rebuscadas, e insertándose dentro de lo que realmente podría hablar alguien.

Lo otro que me llamó mucho la atención y que verdaderamente agradecí fue el hecho de que nunca pensaron como adultos. En los libros hoy en día los adolescentes simplemente están calientes todo el tiempo, piensan en sexo, y no muchas más cosas les pasan por la cabeza. Cuando en realidad las personas son mucho más complejas. Supongo que esto tiene que ver con el hecho de que la muerte es el tema central de la novela. La muerte, y el cómo lidia la gente con ella de manera general. Cómo aceptarla. Cómo no culparse. Cómo no culpar a los demás. Cómo verle el lado positivo a una situación que, a todas luces, no lo tiene.

Pero hay libros en los que hay situaciones de esta índole, y la verdad es que se centran más en el drama de los protagonistas para estar juntos (y sí, adivinaron, tener sexo) que en realmente plantearse los conflictos a través de preguntas, respuestas, soluciones, actitudes… Jewel y Sacha, a pesar de apenas tener dieciocho años, sí pensaban en cosas importantes, además de estar en esa encrucijada de la vida que se nos presenta a todos cuando estamos terminando la etapa de adolescencia y pronto ha de comenzar la adultez —reflejado en el hecho de escoger una carrera universitaria.

A pesar de lidiar con la muerte, el libro se me hizo profundo. Plantea cuestiones realmente importantes para algunas personas, y da —al menos para mí— cierta perspectiva con respecto a algunas cosas gracias a la no experimentación de las situaciones acontecidas en el mismo. Tener la muerte de alguien cercano, haber sobrevivido a una enfermedad para terminar, inexorablemente, vencido por ella. Todo eso se reúne en un solo volumen, que a pesar de estar contado desde la perspectiva de dos personajes, nos deja ver un poco más de los demás.

True y Little Al son los mejores amigos de Sacha, pero al mismo tiempo, True conoció a Jewel cuando pequeñas.

Little Al ha estado enamorado de True desde los 12 años, pero ella le ha dado calabazas, concentrándose más en su futuro como periodista, que en tener una relación con un chico. En cuanto a él, no es el típico mejor amigo que tiende a ser más tonto que el protagonista. Little Al es inteligente, y como dijo Sacha, sería el primero de su familia en asistir a la universidad. Pero al mismo tiempo, no es solo inteligente en lo que respecta a las materias escolares, sino inteligente en lo que respecta a la vida.

Por lo general los mejores amigos retratados en los libros tienden a encasillarse en un estereotipo: la mejor amiga perra, la mejor amiga idiota, la mejor amiga nerd, la mejor amiga inocente... Y así, cualquier cantidad de clichés.

Estos dos mejores amigos, a pesar de ser personajes secundarios, para mí se mostraron como principales. El por qué es sencillo, y es que, sin ellos, Jewel y Sacha no habrían sido lo que fueron. Además, por una vez, no hay animadoras ni mariscales de campo, tampoco los chicos populares vs los chicos rechazados. No hay gente que esté siendo víctima del ostracismo escolar, ni gente que quiere venganza. Tampoco hay fiestas donde las borracheras están a la orden del día, o donde los adolescentes siempre consiguen beber aunque la edad legítima sea los 21, pero ellos apenas si tienen 17.

Esos son clichés que se repiten en libros escritos por personas naturales de Estados Unidos, mientras que “Girl Saves Boy” está escrito por una chica de apenas veinte años que vive en Melbourne, Australia. No creo que ahí los adolescentes sean tan diferentes, considerando que las sociedades tienen patrones occidentales similares, pero este libro es un ejemplo más de que no hay necesidad de recurrir a borracheras ni gente excesivamente lujuriosa para lograr una buena historia.

El final es abierto. Abierto en el sentido de que Sacha no muere, aunque sabes que pronto será ingresado en el hospital, y que su muerte está cerca. Igual podría haberse escrito un epílogo, mostrándonos si Jewel por fin decidió hacer algo con su vida —y no vagabundear por Londres, como tenía intenciones de hacer—; si True logró entrar a la universidad de su elección, al igual que Little Al —no necesariamente la misma. Saber si estos dos personajes terminaron juntos, o si terminaron juntos, se separaron, volvieron, se separaron, se dieron cuenta de que no podían estar el uno sin el otro, etc. Tal vez saber si Jewel se arregló con sus padres.

Pero creo que el sentido del libro no era darnos una visión final en fast forward después de la muerte de Sacha, sino una donde los personajes aprenden a vivir el día a día aprovechando cada oportunidad que se les presenta, al mismo tiempo en que planifican su futuro, sabiendo que hay personas que ya no están, pero que nunca será igual sin ellas… aunque de vez en cuando alguien quiera hacer alguna broma y robarse un gnomo de jardín solo porque sí.