Summary
Two teens, Tilly and Aaron, with 4 possible outcomes: He jumps, she jumps, they both jump, neither jumps. What would the world be like with choices? What choice do you make? This book is written in 4 perspectives and show what the the outcome would be with each of their decisions.

Reflection
The way that Konigsberg allows the reader to reflect in each situation is quite powerful. As the reader you are able to see how the world would change with one decision. The story really shows the realities for the people left behind. How although as the person you are making a decision for your needs and mental health, it is important to reflect on the impact of the ones left behind. How one choice can effect so many people. This book definitely is a conversation starter. I absolutely loved it. I have recommended it to friends since reading it. It would definitely be a high school book. ( )

This is a powerful book about a world of what if‘s. What if one does some thing and the other doesn’t. What happens when you do do some thing, how does it affect others. It was an interesting writing style, told first from the boys point of view, then the girl‘s point of view. Then it switches to the family‘s point of view, and Then back to the original POVs. This is definitely a book that any teenager who is contemplating suicide should read, along with friends and families that may be those who are left behind when a loved one commits suicide. The many different perspectives of what happens if someone follows through or if they choose not to follow through with suicide comes across the page. Very strong writing, one that I’ll definitely recommend. ( )

Two teens. The George Washington Bridge, Four stories, four possible outcomes.

Story A: She, Tillie, jumps. He, Aaron does not.
Story B: He jumps. She does not.
Story C: Both jump.
Story D: Neither jumps.

It's quite a good way to talk about the problem of teen suicide by working through the outcomes. Some reviewers have said it might trigger vulnerable teens who read it. I think not, if they read it. In all of the stories, it shows a world that is not better off without them, that their passing did affect both those who loved them and those who didn't even know them personally.

The only criticism I have is of Story C. We see the immediate aftermath of the double suicide on the immediate families. But then Konigsberg goes on to show the effect on people who never knew the teens, and that's where I feel it was less effective. Maybe he is talking about himself, the author who never got to write the YA novel about suicide. OK. That part just had me scratching my head.

I like that he placed Story D, where neither jumps, at the end, because that is by the far the best way to end the book. Nothing is perfect, but there is hope.

P.S. The song lyrics and diary entries are illegible in the print version. Was that intentional? ( )

Drawing from his own experiences with depression and attempted suicide, Konigsberg writes the story of two NYC teens, who cross paths on the George Washington Bridge where each intends to commit suicide. Aaron is a scholarship student at the Fieldston School and Tilllie is a wealthy student at the Spence School. Each has a number of problems, with parents and a lack of friends, leading to this momentous moment. There are four separate stories: one where Tillie jumps, one where Aaron jumps, one where they both jump, and one where neither jumps. Personally, I liked the versions in which Aaron survives better. The issues, with which both teenagers have to deal: rejection, bullying, sexual identities, self image are very real and adeptly handled by Konigsberg. Aaron is more of a loner, and finds that people think more of him than he does of himself. Tillie has more emotional baggage, but a poor self image aggravated by being dumped by a boyfriend. Konigsberg deals with psychology, medication, therapy and other tools in the battle to save lives. Read his afterword and resources for depression/suicide prevention. Special mention to Scholastic for publishing this book. 4.5 stars. ( )

Konigsberg has given us a story that includes all the elements of an intricate time travel story, including diverging timelines, without a time machine in sight. In a way, depression is a time machine. It holds us down in a single moment and forces us to live within that moment; it expands in one’s mind and fills every aspect of your being until you are forced to expel it from your body in one way or another. For those with suicidal ideation, that moment can be your last, and the act is the way that the moment leaves your body. Konigsberg’s The Bridge, focuses this moment on a particular place, the George Washington Bridge in New York City, making it real and tangible for the reader. This book expands and illuminates all the facets and faces in which depression expresses itself in the mind, the highs and lows, the effects on both the sufferer and their loved ones. A diverse and human cast of characters is introduced backwards, firstly by their effect on the world around them before we are introduced to the person themself. It is a profound and new way to tell a particularly important story. For those who suffer from depression, you can commiserate with Tillie and Aaron. For those that do not, this is a peek into the lives of those who do. Konigsberg has written a coming of age story that will resonate with young people for generations in a common struggle against an invisible enemy. If you have ever felt lost and alone, this book is for you. ( )