Review: Paradise

Paradise by Simone Elkeles
Series: Leaving Paradise 1-2
Published by Simon and Schuster UK
Format Reviewed: Paperback
Publication Date: August 15th 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary
Pages: 624
Reviewed by: Eugenia
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars
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Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad - her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares - has been cancelled. After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb's free... if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers. 

But despite the horror of their shared history, somehow Caleb and Maggie can't seem to stay away from each other, with the heat and attraction between them becoming undeniable to them both. Feeling like outsiders, they find comfort in each other, they realise that sometimes the person who hurts you most, can be the person who heals you too.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

With two books in one, Paradise by Simone Elkeles follows the journey of two teens who are trying to move on from the past and the accident that brought them together. Both Leaving Paradise and Return to Paradise are novels with some raw emotion and genuine characters.

I was accused of the crime, I did the time. It's over.
There's one glitch: Maggie Armstrong doesn't want to forgive me.
She said I haven't paid my debt to her.
Is there any end to this punishment I've put upon myself?  

~Leaving Paradise

Everything changed since Caleb Becker hit Maggie Armstrong with his car when drink driving after a party. He went to juvenile detention for a year to pay for his actions, but when he returns to the town of Paradise things just don't seem the same. To make matters worse, he lives right next door to Maggie, who was left with a limp for the rest of her life. To top it all off, his family life at home is more unstable than ever, with them trying to pretend that everything is perfect when in reality things are falling to pieces. However, making amends with Maggie is easier said than done, and Caleb needs to get his own life back on the right path.

What makes this book different and impacting on a reader is that it deals with an issue which does happen in everyday life. People do wrongly drink and drive after parties, and there are consequences of that. Lives are changed forever. Both of these books deal with the aftermath of one accident, and all the physical, social and emotional implications of that on both the victim and the driver. The dual POV's switch every chapter from Caleb to Maggie, and the reader really has an insight into how they are feeling and what is going on in their lives. I loved seeing how both characters developed and how their eventual understanding came to be.

I'm feeling stronger than I have in...well, I can't even remember when. All I know is that I feel good. No, better than that. I feel strong. 

~Leaving Paradise

For the most part, Maggie was definitely a strong character. She has to live with the impact of that accident with her leg every day but it doesn't break her character. Instead, she builds up a resilience and tough outer shell as protection so that she can't get hurt again - physically or emotionally by Caleb. She doesn't make it easy for him to make it up to her, but she does have a soft-spot and has the strength to forgive.

Caleb is a little 'rough around the edges' after leaving detention and finds it hard to fit back into normal life. However, he too undergoes a change and character development. He is a good guy at heart, and although he can still be a total jerk at times and makes some questionable decisions, you can't call him a bad person. He too has his own secrets to protect about what really happened that night. Simone Elkeles does a really great job of showing rather than telling the reader how everything has affected him and his reactions.

This is the girl I draw strength from. She's got more power than she thinks, and she taught me the definition of resilience. 

~Return to Paradise

There were definitely some sweet moments in this book, but some of the tension and angst got a little annoying. Sometimes I wished I could just go right up to the characters and tell them what was really going on, but I suppose that's just part of the story. The relationship between Caleb and Maggie built up slowly and there were definitely some hurdles along the way. I found most things about it to be pretty realistic, as neither character was perfect.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion,  Paradise was a great bind-up of two novels which have some good lessons to be learned about forgiveness and dealing with the consequences of your actions. I loved following Caleb and Maggie's story throughout both books, and I would definitely recommend this if you are a fan of contemporary YA.

I love her for everything she is and wants to be. She challenges me to forgive others. She's my best friend. That thought is humbling. 

~Return to Paradise