Five Minutes More

By Darlene Ryan

D'Arcy's dad is dead. She desperately wants it to have been an accident, but she is not sure. And when she learns the truth, things become even more difficult. Why would her father choose suicide? Why didn't she see the signs? Her father had always helped her get through everything in her life -- five minutes at a time. Can she do it alone? And then she meets Seth. When will things get back to normal? Learning to live without her father while her mother struggles with her own pain, D'Arcy finds an inner strength she wasn't aware of. She also finds that almost anything is tolerable for five minutes more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
• Release date: Apr 1, 2009
• ISBN: 9781554690084

Darlene Ryan

Darlene Ryan has been writing for as long as she can remember and was the 2006 poet recipient of the Dr. Marilyn Trenholme Counsell Early Childhood Literacy Award. As Sofie Kelly, she writes the best-selling Magical Cats mysteries. She lives with her family in Fredericton, New Brunswick. For more information, visit www.darleneryan.com.

Reviews for Five Minutes More

[shootingstarr7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have a hard time with books about suicide. It's a subject that's very close to me, and there is nothing like the gut-wrenching feeling of learning someone you care about has taken their own life. For that reason, books that deal with the aftermath of suicide for those left behind tend to resonate with me. This book is slightly different from the average young adult novel about suicide in that it's D'Arcy's father who has died, rather than one of her peers. And it's a well-written novel. But for me, it was missing something. At the end of most books with this subject matter, I am in tears, sobbing and emotionally exhausted. But even though Darlene Ryan tried to capture that feeling (D'Arcy's grief is obvious), it just didn't quite make it there for me. At the end, I was sad, and a little pensive, but definitely not sobbing.

[runa_17 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Darlene Ryan's Five Minutes More is just another example of edgy teen literature that is ready to dive right in and make a splash to change the genre for the better. The raw honesty in D'Arcy's narration will make the reader sympathize with all of the horrible, rotten things she has to go through, at the same time thanking the powers that be that you're not the one dealing with it. It's painfully obvious that Darlene Ryan wrote this book from the heart. It's such a unique, but relevant, topic, dealt with a heartbreakingly real way. It almost seems like each and every word was handpicked to create a haunting poignance. The characters, just like the writing, is honest to humans, and I particularly enjoyed reading about Seth's breakdown aimed at D'Arcy, veering sharply away from the 'cute and cuddly' typical love interest stereotype found in young adult fiction. While I felt that the ending was somewhat rushed, I also found it reverberating for days after I finished the book in it's raw power. Everything comes full circle in this amazingly written snapshot of D'Arcy's life. I am ranking this book with the likes of Thirteen Reasons Why and Just Listen in that I believe every teen should, at some point, read and fully appreciate this wonderful piece of literature.Rating: 5/5

[brainlair · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There's nowhere to look and not see coffins. ...like some kind of death department store. (p. 2)D'Arcy and her mom are making the funeral arrangements for her dad. His car was found in the river and D'Arcy cant help wondering if it was an accident or he did it on purpose. If he committed suicide, the big question for D'Arcy is why?"I just wanted you to know that if you have any troubling thoughts, if you need to talk to someone, I'm here." (p. 79)As she looks for answers, D'Arcy meets Seth. He accepts her and doesn't ask questions she can't answer. Meanwhile she's growing farther and farther away from her friend Marissa, her boyfriend Brendan, and her mom. She just wants to forget the past and move on. She thinks Seth offers her that choice. But Seth has his own problems and he's looking for an escape..."Do you know where Seth is today?" The smile disappears and his eyes shift away from me for a second. (p. 136)Throughout the book, D'Arcy finds out a lot about herself. She has a hard time coping with who she is and what she learns about her family. D'Arcy goes on a downward spiral with no end in sight.When my dad was here...it was never this dark and cold and empty. (p. 179)With the exception of the spelling of D'Arcy's name, I really enjoyed this book. Orca publishes books for reluctant readers and I read this with them in mind. Claire, D'Arcy's step-sister is stereotypical - bitter about the new family and and new sister who stole her dad away. D'Arcy's mom is conveniently unaware of what's happening because she is tied up in her own grief. Marissa, D'Arcy's friend, tries to force her to confide what's happening but never goes to anyone to get help when D'Arcy refuses. Even with all of that, I think the book is great. I was blindsided by Seth's decisions and really wanted to know how the book would end. I will book-talk this one because I know some students who will love it.