Parents' Guide to

Opposite of Always

By Barbara Saunders, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Boy tries to stop girl's death in romantic time-travel tale.

Book Justin A. Reynolds Fantasy 2019
Opposite of Always Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

Bibliophile27
Bibliophile27 Adult
April 9, 2022
age 16+

The end is not satisfying

Overall, I was disappointed with this novel. Likable characters and an intriguing plot kept me reading. Despite increasing swearing I kept reading thinking “it’s going to be a good ending.” Only it wasn’t. More bad language at the end and a very dissatisfying no-denouement. Meaning the author did not take the time or thought to tie up the loose ends with the time travel theory. I cannot recommend this book but hope for other more fully-formed ideas from author Justin A Reynolds.

This title has:

Too much swearing
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

When OPPOSITE OF ALWAYS begins, high school senior Jack King is infatuated with his best friend's girl. He's a sweet, nerdy kid who's loyal to both of them; he'll never act on his feelings. Then Jack meets Kate, and they fall in love. But their relationship is doomed. Kate has sickle cell anemia. (In people with this disease, the red blood cells are rigid and sticky, and are shaped like sickles. The cells are unable to carry enough oxygen.) Kate dies. Jack collapses and is transported back in time to the night he and Kate met. He finds himself in this loop again and again, trying different ways to get Kate the expensive experimental treatment that might save her life or to spend more quality time with her before she dies. In his desperate attempts to save Kate, can he stay true to his ethics and his other friendships?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (6):

This bittersweet, poetic time-traveling teen romance shows a boy struggling to prevent his girlfriend's death from serious illness. Inspired by the death of a close friend, author Justin A. Reynolds has written an intriguing fantasy about the possibility of a do-over, a chance to go back in time and do something -- anything -- to bring a loved one back to life. Opposite of Always benefits from this emotional foundation. It's easy to empathize with Jack's feelings, from his infatuation with his best friend's girl, Jillian, to his respect for his parents, to his love for Kate and his desperation not to lose her.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how a life-threatening illness, sickle cell anemia, is portrayed in Opposite of Always. Why do you think loves stories with ill characters are so popular? Do you know any kids with serious conditions? How does it affect their lives?

  • Once Jack decides that saving Kate is his greatest priority, he's willing to sacrifice some of his values to help her. What do you think about Jack's decisions? Do you like stories that explore hard moral choices? Which are some of your favorites?

  • The author, Justin A. Reynolds, wrote Opposite of Always after a friend died. If you've lost someone -- a pet, grandparent, parent, or friend -- what did you do to start to feel better?

Book Details

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