In 27 Days by Alison Gervais (review)

Hadley is sad that her classmate Archer committed suicide, but it isn't as if she knew him well. When she's offered a chance by Death himself to go back in time and change Archer's mind, she takes it because it feels like the right thing to do, but little does she know just how wrapped up into Archer's life she will be after spending the permitted twenty-seven days trying to change his destiny. It's an intriguing concept, and Gervais does excellent work in setting up a world where realism and the supernatural have temporarily collided. Unfortunately, Hadley is so privileged and complacent that she really can't imagine other experiences, making her difficult to sympathize with. In addition, Hadley and Archer's love only comes about after Hadley engages in what would in real life be some pretty disturbing stalking after he rejects her multiple times, while also knowing he dies in an alternative timeline where she barely noticed his existence, a combination that is more creepy than swoonworthy. Nevertheless, the idea of trying to find a moment in history where despondent crosses into hopeless and then changing that trajectory is a compelling one, and the takeaway that you can't know the potential positive impact of a small kindness is certainly one worth promoting.