Just in Case

Having just finished [book: Someday This Pain Will be Useful to You] I don't know why I picked up another story about a depressed young man. Too much depressed young man stuff for one week! Anyway, I think this book will strike your average reader as kind of weird because the titular Justin Case (get it?) has an imaginary dog and Fate talks to him and it's neither fun nor whimsical. It's actually mostly philosophical and troubling.

Maybe Rosoff wrote this book as a kind of meditation on the meaning of life for people who question if it even exists (meaning, that is). Maybe the point of this book is that you must learn to deal with uncertainty to be happy. It's deep stuff with minimal action.

I think I would've loved this book at 16 or show more 17, during my own philosophically dark days. It's definitely better with the greyhound cover. show less

"He was strong. Invincible.
Bring on your worst, he said to fate."

"Indeed." (p.97)

David Case is this young adolescent who struggles with what all young adolescents struggle with. As he is grappling to come to terms with the human condition, of which fear and uncertainty is a substantial part, David reinvents an alternative reality, in which he exists as Justin Case (just-in case), hoping to evade or escape fate.

"Fate" appears as a smug commentator, dialogue printed in bold typeface, throwing in comments and observations, and even engages the main character in dialogue.

The most original twist, obviously, at the end of the book, that Fate has its eye on you, too!

I guess kids must be very young to enjoy a novel like this. Who likes not show more being taken seriously? show less

After he saves his baby brother from nearly falling out of a window, fifteen-year-old David Case is absolutely positive that FATE is out to get him. It makes sense, right? If he had been one second later, POOF – no more baby brother, and his world would have been forever filled with guilt and regret. So David changes his name to Justin (which makes him Justin Case) and gets a whole new wardrobe so that Fate won’t recognize him. Things get even more complicated when Justin falls in love with an older girl, befriends an invisible dog, escapes a terrorist attack, and discovers his talent for cross-country running. Through all of this, Justin can hear the taunting and horrible voice of FATE. But who exactly is Justin Case? And is fate show more really after him, or is he maybe losing his mind? show less

It's an interesting story about a boy, David Chase, who believes that fate has it out for him when his little brother almost falls out a window. He decides to change himself in order to get away from fate. This has him almost have a breakdown as he tries to escape from normality.

It's quite a good read and an interesting look at the life of a teenager.

The latest from Rosoff, who gave us the astonishing and wonderful How I Live Now, is both disturbing and amusing. The young protagonist, Justin, may be dealing with a mental illness or may in fact be the pawn of a personified Fate who interjects narrative bits every now and then. Hypnotic, engaging, and well-written.

David Case looked away for a minute and his baby brother climbed up on a windowsill. He is prevented from falling but David is so shaken by this close call that he sets out to hide from his own fate. He changes his name (Just in Case), he changes his friends (just in case), he conjures up an imaginary dog (just in case), and hangs out with an older girl who has a taste for adventure (just in case)> But no matter how hard he tries, David/Justin cant really escape fate...or can he?

Quirky story of a teen who is so afraid that something bad will happen to him that he decides to run away from fate and hide. What he ends up doing, however, is shutting himself off from the world and loses sight of the good that fate can bring.

Engagingly written story with interesting characters. Quick read for older teens.