A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend

by Emily Horner

Book Overview

For months, Cass has heard her best friend, Julia, whisper about a secret project. When Julia dies in a car accident, her drama friends decide to bring the project'a musical called Totally Sweet Ninja... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0803734204
• ISBN13: 9780803734203
• Release Date: June 2010
• Publisher: Dial Books
• Length: 259 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

A surprisingly beautiful read

When I read the synposis of this book, I though, “This is the weirdest story I've ever heard.” But I bought it anyway, figuring why not? I am so glad I decided to buy it and not judge a book by it's odd plot line. It's SUCH A GOOD BOOK! The end had me in tears, the beginning took my breath away. The entire book was odd, silly, and incredibly unique. I would highly recommend this read, especially to anyone struggling with their sexuality, because this book helps with figuring out that difficulty of life as well as it does with loss and love.

Losing A Friend is Tough

Cass's whole life is centered around her best friend Julia. Julia's friends are her friends. They spend time doing what Julia wants to do. But she is so sweet, Cass doesn't mind, making it all the more heartbreaking when Julia dies suddenly in a car accident. Cass is left to grieve not only the loss of her best friend but the loss of her place in school. She decides to honor Julia's memory by biking from Chicago to California in the space of a summer. When she returns to school, Julia's drama friends decide to perform a tribute play and beg Cass to participate. //A Love Story: Starring My Dead Best Friend// is a complicated, fascinating voyage of love and loss. The story shifts from the time leading up to the big trip in chapters entitled "Now," and what happens after (the play) entitled "Then." Horner seamlessly transitions from one time period and back again through her skilled writing, never leaving the reader behind. Cass is a truly spectacular character, revealed layer by layer in each chapter until the reader can't help but root for her. Reviewed by Lanine Bradley

Poignant and funny and unconventional

Cass has always felt as if her only friend is outgoing, exuberant Julia, and that everyone else she and Julia hang out with only tolerate her because she's Julia's friend. So when Julia dies in a car accident in the spring, Cass is detached and lost. She can't seem to bring herself to help Julia's other friends to put on the production of the musical Julia had written before her death, Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad, especially when they cast Heather, the girl that bullied Cass all throughout middle school, as the lead--Julia's part. So instead, Cass does what she and Julia had originally planned to do that summer, and takes off for California on her bicycle. But it turns out that she'll need something a little faster than a bike to outrun her problems. Told in alternating viewpoints titles 'Then' and 'Now', referring to the beginning of the summer when Cass is on her trip and the last part when she is at home, A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend is certainly unique--from its halting title to the cast of lively and eccentric characters and the ninja-themed musical they put on (complete with plenty of fake blood and weapons). It is quite entertaining to follow the characters as they passionately put on the musical in memory of Julia, and have many laughs and mishaps along the way, which helps keep Horner's novel from being completely grim and sheds some much-needed comic relief on everyone's grief and the subject of Julia's death. However, it is heart-wrenching as Cass attempts to define herself and find her place without Julia through her stumbling, imperfect actions--like heading out on a cross-country bike trip, a daring (and a bit dangerous) element to the plot that makes it stand out. It is very well written, especially when it comes to Cass's motivations and feelings as she travels alone and reminisces about her life before Julia died. At times though, Cass's feelings are quite jumbled and dizzying, especially when she is back at home, helping to put on the musical, and trying to decide where she stands with Heather and her sexuality. The ending, while not a perfectly satisfying let's-all-be-good-friends-finale, is thoughtful and appropriate, and leaves Cass with a lot of newly gained perspective she didn't have at the start of the book. Though there isn't a clear-cut resolution, there is hope that Cass has finally achieved some much needed confidence and closure, which will leave many readers content with both tears and laughter. A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend is poignant and funny and unconventional and will make your heart swell. Cover Comments: I love the motel scene and the way the title is all written on the signs. The little details are what make this cover so neat, and I like how it looks clean and not cluttered. It's a bright cover with a slightly grim title that gives you a taste of what this book is about.

good read.

I found this book at my local Borders while in search of GLBT young adult. First, it was nice that Borders had the book displayed amongst all the vampire and zombie genres that seem to have taken over the YA section. As for the book itself, I enjoyed it immensely. I mostly enjoyed the travel-novel feel of the book, and of course, the discovery of sexuality theme. My only (small) criticism is directed towards character development. I had some difficulty getting attached to some of the characters (Jon is a good example). But, this may be more about my own head than the author's character development. Maybe other readers will disagree with me. I'm looking forward to this new author writing more GLBT YA in the future. Good Job!

Meet Cass Meyer

Horner, Emily. "A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend", Dial Books, 2010. Meet Cass Meyer Amos Lassen Cass Meyer is a high school senior who loves math and is athletic and she is not sure about her sexuality even though everyone else is sure that she is gay. She has a friend, Julia, who she loves but not sexually. Julia is her hero and she is in love with Ollie but she was suddenly killed in an automobile accident. Cass wants to do a memorial for her and she and Ollie decide to put on a skit that Julia wrote, "Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad". The lead is to be played by Cass's nemesis from middle school, Heather Galloway, the same girl who started the rumors that Cass was gay. The book is dually narrated--the present in which Cass tries to maintain relationships with Heather and Ollie and in the past when Cass took a bicycle trip from Chicago to California with Cass carrying Julia's ashes. Cass is filled with grief and suffers an identity crisis. Cass never questioned herself if she was in love with Julia. What I find particularly interesting is that we are getting more and more GLBT young adult novels and this is so important.