Tolog Review: All We Know of Heaven

All We Know of Heaven
by Jacquelyn Mitchard
reviewed by Kathryn Gerhardt

Sixteen-year-old best friends, Maureen O’Malley and Bridget Flannery could not be more alike. They were best friends since kindergarten, until one night on an icy road; a devastating car crash changed the girls forever. One girl is left in a coma battered beyond recognition while the other is left dead. At first the two are mistaken for each other, which leads one family down a road of false hope and the other down a road of extreme misery. Based on a true story of a mistaken identity, this captivating story is full of many heartbreaking and heartwarming moments. 

Bridget and Maureen were best friends. One night on their way home from cheerleading practice, the girls get into a head-on collision with a truck. The surviving girl upon waking from a coma spends her time trying to regain her ability to do normal everyday activities. After the crash she had severe brain damage. She could not speak fluidly or walk steadily. Her strong will to live motivated her in physical therapy to push herself in order seem normal. The family of the girl who dies is distraught. They will not acknowledge the surviving girl or her family. The survivor has to push through the hard times no matter how difficult it may become. She learns not to take life for granted. Her friends and family are supportive of her, but sometimes her friends take advantage of her situation to promote themselves. The survivor has to figure out how to cope with the loss of her best friend as well as cope with the knowledge that she will never be the same again.

This story All We Know of Heaven by Jacquelyn Mitchard is both joyful and harrowing. I enjoyed this book. It was slow at some parts, but overall a great story. I found the strength of the surviving girl inspiring. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes realistic stories about overcoming obstacles. I would not recommend this story to anybody who is saddened easily. This book would be best for girls in high school. To find out who survives, All We Know of Heaven has the answers.