Freeze Frame

by Heidi Ayarbe

Book Overview

No matter how many times Kyle rewrites the scene, he can't get it right. He tries it in the style of Hitchcock, Tarantino, Eastwood, all of his favorite directors--but regardless of the style, he can't remember what happened that day in the shed. The day Jason died. And until he can, there is one question that keeps haunting Kyle: Did he kill his best friend on purpose? Debut novelist Heidi Ayarbe delves into the depths of the human psyche as Kyle...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061351733
• ISBN13: 9780061351730
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Harperteen
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.0" x 7.1"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 and higher

Customer Reviews

An incredible debut

Reviewed by Rachael Stein (age 15) for Reader Views (7/08) Time stops for Kyle at 10:46 on October 8. It was when his best friend Jason dies of a gunshot wound, delivered by Kyle. But Kyle can't remember what happened that day in the shed that the best friends found the gun; he doesn't know if he pulled the trigger on purpose. So time stops. Kyle finds himself stuck in the moment, trying to remember exactly what happened and if he really is to blame. He experiences numerous ups and downs in his grief as he tries to deal with what he's done to his best friend. He faces new enemies, including himself, but finds allies in unexpected places. "Freeze Frame" is an amazingly well-written story of a boy struggling to come to terms with what he's done and make peace with himself. I must begin by saying that I was incredibly impressed when I realized this was Ayarbe's first novel; it was so wonderfully written. I love how Ayarbe explores Kyle's mind through the course of the story and how Kyle really has to grapple with everything gone wrong in his life stemming from the death of his best friend. It's just so realistic and emotional. You get to know so much about Kyle through his dialogue, interactions with the other characters, his memories of Jason, and his love of movies. I really liked how filmography is incorporated in Kyle's life, and it made me so glad, or at least relieved, that moviemaking helped get Kyle's life back to semi-normal. Death is always a difficult topic to write about, and I have to say that Ayarbe does a great job in "Freeze Frame." I have to rank it high among other books on this subject, along with "The Day I Killed James" by Catherine Ryan Hyde and "Saving Zoë" by Alyson Noël. Readers who loved those novels will like "Freeze Frame" as well. "Freeze Frame" is not a high-action story. It's an emotional journey that distinguishes itself through its extensive characterization and its exploration of the human mind. It's about learning to deal with what you've done and making peace with it. "Freeze Frame" is such a beautiful although extremely sad story. I recommend it for anyone looking for a though-provoking and meaningful story. I look forward to reading more novels from Heidi Ayarbe as well.

Awesome

I had a little trouble getting into this book but after the first couple chapters I was hooked and literally could not put it down. It is a book I would highly recommend to both young adults and their parents and in fact anyone. I loved the message that someone can be different from the norm and still be ok - something that often troubles teenagers in their never ending attempts to "fit in". The writing style reminded me a bit of Maggie O'Farrell in her book "The Vanishing of EsmeLennox". In both books the ending is somewhat of a surprise. I look forward to reading Ms. Ayarbe's next book as I'm sure she is on her way to become a best selling author!

Wow!

This book will stay with you for a long time. It truly captures the internal struggles of someone in conflict and the resilience of the human spirit. The main character, Kyle must deal with the death of his best friend and tries to replay the scene from the point of view of different directors. I would highly recommend this book to mature teenagers who no doubt will be able to relate to the main character, Kyle and the day to day life he experiences.

Absolutely Soul Probing

This is a really AMAZING story and I HIGHLY recommend it! (And I'm actually pretty picky about what I read and what I like. Usually it's either fantasy or true life stories.) In this case, it's neither. It's a YA (Young Adult) book about a boy who kills his best friend but suffers from post traumatic stress syndrome and can't remember how it happened, so he spends his time trying to remember the scene by writing in the styles of his favorite movie directors (i.e. there's Tarantino, Hitchcock). Kyle, the main character, is a real movie buff, so there are a lot of movie references in this book which I think really add to the story. (I love how everything ties in.) When I was reading this book, I felt a real connection to Kyle's situation. Everyone has done something major in their lives that they wish they could "freeze frame" and "redirect" and "cut" and "delete" and just DO OVER! Because of this, despite being a "Young Adult" novel, I believe that the theme of this beautifully written story can touch anyone. The last line of the book even made my eyes wet. (Which is not common for me.) So if anyone's looking for a stunning book, please check it out. It's very soul probing. ~Camille May~

WOW - FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ellen Hopkins is right - this book will stay with you for a long while. I couldn't put the book down once I started- WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!