Editorial Content for Before We Go Extinct

At first glance, BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT by Karen Rivers appeared to be the familiar story of grief and tragedy that has become quite popular in young adult novels. But, upon experiencing the fluidity and realism that the book offers, it became quite clear to me that BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT was something special.

“Sharky's voice is one of the book's greatest strong points….BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT was truly an eye-opening read.”

Karen Rivers is an incredibly prolific author who has published a plethora of novels for middle grade readers, young adults and adults alike, as well as two anthologies. I was delighted to discover that she also wrote the novel THE GIRL IN THE WELL IS ME, which centers around a girl's self-reflection during her time trapped in a well after a cruel prank. BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT revolves around a teenage boy, JC, who goes by the name of Sharky --- which can be attributed to his obsession with sharks. Sharky is dealing with the aftermath of his best friend's death, the circumstances of which might or might not be an accident. He deals by becoming mute and receding into his room to watch documentaries. Unsure of how to cope with Sharky's grief, his mother sends him to live with his father on a remote island in Canada. There Sharky meets Kelby, a girl who helps him recover his voice and rediscover what it means to love.
 
Sharky's voice --- as both a teenage boy and a teenager experiencing grief --- is one of the book's greatest strong points. His pain, regret, confusion and sorrow are all fascinatingly real, as are his reactions to the loss of his best friend. Throughout the book, I found myself forgetting that he was a fictional character, which made the experience of reading the book all the more enjoyable. Another one of the book's strong points is the role of grief in coping with tragedy. Just as in reality, Sharky must face the five stages of grief before finally coming to terms with the fact that his best friend is gone.
 
BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT is not a happy-go-lucky, sunshine kind of story. While reading it, I found myself sympathizing with Sharky, tearing up over his loss and trying to understand his somberness. There were many moments where I even found myself questioning whether or not the story would ever have a happy moment, but this only contributed to the believability of the story. To make things better, this highlighted and enhanced those rare happy moments even more.
 
Without a doubt, BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT was great. The book was different and unpredictable, and Sharky --- as both a character and a representation of those experiencing grief --- was a perfect example of a character whose story could very well have been a biographical experience. BEFORE WE GO EXTINCT was truly an eye-opening read.