When I saw the cover of When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez on NetGalley I immediately hit the "Request" button. Okay, so maybe I looked at the synopsis first to make sure it was something I was interested in, and when the first line read that it was 13 Reasons Why meets the poetry of Emily Dickinson, I was intrigued to say the least. I sat down to read When Reason Breaks on a chilly Saturday and finished it that day.When Reason Breaks follows two sixteen-year-old girls as they begin their sophomore year of high school. The story opens with a chilling suicide scene that takes place in March. The cryptic scene is a startling yet captivating way to begin the book, as the next chapter jumps back eight months so the reader can come to understand the backstory.
Emily and Emily Elizabeth (known as Elizabeth in the story) are the two protagonists. When Reason Breaks is told in the third person, and for the first 40 or so pages I was extremely confused because I didn't realize the book was following two characters. It wasn't until Elizabeth flicks off Emily on the school bus that it finally clicked. This was a bit frustrating to me, as in hindsight I understand why the author chose for the girls to have such similar names, but for me as a reader it was not a great way to start the book.
Nonetheless, I did enjoy much of When Reason Breaks. Throughout the book, readers can never be 100% sure what exactly is going on in both Emily and Elizabeth's lives. The third person narrative helps to keep the mystery surrounding their stories alive, and I kept turning pages to find out which details would be revealed next. For instance, Emily seems to have it all together – she's perfect and popular, has great friends and a caring boyfriend, but something is lurking beneath that haunts her. Elizabeth, on the other hand, is the stereotypical "bad girl" who is always getting into trouble. It's only logical that their English teacher Ms. Diaz pairs the two together for a project, and that they slowly start opening up to one another.
On the other hand, there were several things in When Reason Breaks that led me to give the book a 3 out of 5 star rating on Goodreads. First, the author incorporates the Spanish language into the story, as Emily is Latina. I thought it was great to include some diversity in the book, but unfortunately the phrases used were not translated, and it was not easy to detect their meanings from the surrounding language. I say this because I do speak Spanish, and while I could understand the phrases she used, I know that non-Spanish speakers would have trouble with those sections. Furthermore, some of the Spanish grammar was incorrect, which very much surprised me. Thus, the lack of translations and incorrect usage detracted from the overall story for me.
In the same way, Rodriguez mentions geographic location only passively in When Reason Breaks. I know that the story must take place in New England, because Emily's brother Austin attends Amherst College and Ms. Diaz notes that Emily Dickinson lived nearby. However, it is never stated exactly where the high school is located, and that was annoying to me. I'm assuming that the book is set in Connecticut, as there was a Red Sox–Yankees split between characters, and because Rodriguez herself is from Connecticut. However, the book would be much stronger with a written setting, as it wouldn't leave the reader wondering exactly where the characters are.
My last main criticism of the story deals with the issue of suicide. I think it is great that When Reason Breaks sheds light on a controversial issue that affects too many teenagers each year. Mental illness and suicide are so stigmatized that the more literature about it the better. However, I think Rodriguez did not take the issue far enough. What I mean is, it was not clear in the story why the character was suicidal. We don't get to see what's going on in her head, and we don't get to read her journal (that we know exists). It would be extremely helpful to know more about what the character was going through in order to help spot the signs of suicide, and so readers can begin to recognize these signs in real life. Suicide is a very serious topic, and When Reason Breaks only scratched the surface of it.
In the end, I am glad I read When Reason Breaks. It is a good young adult contemporary, and a promising debut for Rodriguez. I thought the incorporation of Emily Dickinson's work and life into the story was quite interesting, and made for something unique. I do recommend this book for contemporary lovers, but want to mention this is on the younger side of young adult. When Reason Breaks is available for pre-order on Amazon HERE and will be released on February 10, 2015.
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