My Life as a Bench

June 1, 2017

Gr 10 Up-A boyfriend's betrayal causes Ren to flee rural Devon for London and the father she has never met. She lands in a posh mansion with a hypervigilant stepmother, doting half sister, and still mostly absent father. Devon quickly makes friends with the capricious Maddy and crushes hard on hazel-eyed Gabriel. Gabe takes over Ren's heart and mind until he is all she can think of, even when she realizes that her physical life is over and her spirit now inhabits a bench erected in her memory. Trapped in limbo, Ren relives her time with Gabriel, slowly moving forward until the fateful night. While she has no memory of what happened, she is sure that despite appearances, Gabe did not cause her death. Neighboring bench Lionel, a gentleman from another generation, wisely counsels Ren on her new status and on how best to "break through" to prove Gabe's innocence. The author conveys how quickly and intensely relationships can develop, and supporting characters are uniquely fleshed out. Ren's recounting of each night has a Groundhog Day-esque quality that some may find tedious, but the heroine's voice is delightful, honest, and humorous. British slang adds to the rich setting. Issues of class, financial inequity, and racial discrimination are incorporated realistically. Though portraying a character as an inanimate object seems an unlikely premise, Hazell successfully pulls it off, and the artful writing will entice even those typically drawn to more realistic titles. VERDICT Recommended where Gayle Forman's If I Stay and Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall are popular.-Lee De Groft, Jamestown High School, Williamsburg, VA

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