Bridge To Terabithia ~ Katherine Paterson

I think my opinion on this book is going to be an unpopular one perhaps. Bridge To Terabithia was on Claire’s list this year and to be honest with you, I wasn’t surprised by her choice. I have always known that Claire has been fond of the film since she was little but like myself never read the book. However, I think the main factor as to why I just could not get into the book was because I had never seen the film either. Therefore, I lacked that childhood nostalgia that maybe Claire had which made her want to read the book more. I put this read off for far too long, hence why I have only just finished it and for a short book, I was surprised that I didn’t fly through it.

In this book, we follow Jesse Aarons, whose biggest dream is to be the fastest boy in class. However, this all changes when new girl Leslie moves in next door to the farm. They become the best of friends and create a world just for them. A place where they can be whoever they want to be. Terabithia. Sadly, one-day tragedy strikes and Jesse has to find the strength to overcome his fears.

Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed by the fact that I had no motivation to actually finish this book. The story didn’t really grip me and maybe that’s because at the end of the day this is a book aimed at primary school children. I only finished it quicker than expected because I was determined to finish it on a train journey back from London to get it over and done with.

I was honestly quite shocked by the ending but wasn’t as emotional as others had made out they had been. Maybe it was conveyed on the screen in a more heartbreaking way. I actually felt that the ending was a bit rushed and the tragedy came out of nowhere. One thing I will say though is that for a children’s book Paterson handled quite hard themes such as death and grief in a way I think most children would be able to understand and feel empathy towards. 

Overall, I gave Bridge To Terabithia ⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars. Even though I didn’t really enjoy the book I am still intrigued to watch the film in the near future and then perhaps I’ll see the book in a new light.

M🌸