by Nadine Brandes
publisher’s synopsis
How would you live if you knew the day you’d die?
Three hundred sixty-four days, seven hours, and sixteen—no, fifteen—seconds left to live. Like everyone else on the east side of the Wall, Parvin Blackwater has a clock counting down the days until her death. At only seventeen, she has only one year left.
When the authorities find out she has been illegally sharing a clock with her twin brother, she is cast through the Wall—her people’s death sentence. What she finds on the other side about the world, about God, and about herself changes Parvin forever and might just save her people. If she can get the word to them before her time runs out.
I’ve loved this book for years, so it’s interesting to just be writing a review for it now–and also to see how some of my feelings have slightly shifted over time.
While Parvin and I are very different, you can still connect to her because of the question that she wrestles with: how do you live and not feel like your life, your time, is wasted? Her character growth throughout the novel is also admirable.
Jude has always felt a bit aloof to me, but Reid and Hawke are great characters. Even though Reid doesn’t have much page time, I love the tight bond between him and Parvin. The relationship between Parvin and her mother felt like it possibly flip-flopped a little too quickly as to whether they disagreed or got along. (However, knowing the rest of the series, it does set up some things to come.)
Brandes definitely keeps you on your toes with the plot. The worldbuilding is intriguing, all while feeling not too distant. She also balances the faith elements really well. While A Time to Die is clearly a Christian novel, Parvin’s wrestling with and growing in her faith feel authentic and don’t overwhelm the novel and become preachy.
Also, as a bit of a random side note, Brandes’s writing is still incredibly strong in her debut novel. There are times when I’ve read all of an author’s books and find their debut to feel weakest, and understandably so. But I didn’t feel that way while rereading A Time to Die.
Now, if you’re a more sensitive reader, you might struggle with this one. For instance, my mom started it but had to put it down because of some of the intensity of the scenes. However, my sister and I didn’t have a problem. So that’s just something to be aware of.
A Time to Die is a thought-provoking, gripping dystopian novel.
Cautions: semi-graphic moderate/heavy violence and injuries; light/moderate romance
Hailey Huntington 
Leave a comment