The Quick Cut: A teen girl and boy with Cystic Fibrosis find their lives (and emotions) entertwined when they both end up in the same hospital. Complications ensue due to their conditions.
A Real Review:
Living with a chronic condition is difficult, but you learn to adapt and do the best you can to deal with the symptoms. When your condition is terminal though, what do you do then? How does that change your perspective? This book tackles those questions and more through the story of Stella and Will.
Stella is a frequent flier at Saint Grace's hospital. Due to her cystic fibrosis, her body produces too much mucus and in turn - lung function goes down. After developing a cold, Stella finds herself back in the hospital instead of on the senior trip to Cabo. It's there that she runs into Will: A guy who can barely wait the weeks to turn 18 and take control of his life. His mom sends him all around the globe to try the latest CF treatments and hopefully save his life. However, Will doesn't take as passionately to the treatments and in this starts his relationship with Stella.
File this book under the "what took me so long?!?!" category because I really am kicking myself for taking too many months to read it. Beyond the somehow relatable characters of Stella the control freak and Will the laize faire style guy, there's a realism to the world created. From Stella's parents divorcing to Will's mom with her obsession on the latest treatments, it's easy to imagine this really happening. And that six feet they have to maintain from each other? It's never felt like a longer distance than it did in this book.
I adore the heart in this book because I wanted Stella and Will to have the happy ending (even if it was impossible). They faced a reality each day I don't know I would have the strength to go after like they did. It makes you want to live better, love stronger, and smile more.
With heart and passion that makes you want more, you'll never want this one to end.
My rating: 5 out of 5