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She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall
The mother of one of the high school students killed in the Littleton shootings describes her daughter's religious faith
140 pages, Paperback
First published September 9, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 784 reviews
May 3, 2011
There is one big problem with this book: the event that caused it to be written turned out to have been a misunderstanding. Cassie never had the chance to say yes, so the martyrdom never happened.
And yet the book is surprisingly well written, an engrossing and insightful read. That event is actually a relatively small part of the book, and the rest is quite winning. There is a whole lot here to love.
Of the Columbine memoirs I've read--which is most of them--this one is the best.
And yet the book is surprisingly well written, an engrossing and insightful read. That event is actually a relatively small part of the book, and the rest is quite winning. There is a whole lot here to love.
Of the Columbine memoirs I've read--which is most of them--this one is the best.
December 30, 2010
This book was absolutely repulsive to me. I think the only book I hated more was that steaming pile of word-vomit called The Da Vinci Code, but my hatred for that is due to the fact that Dan Brown is a hack who should have his hands crippled lest he ever write again, whereas I hate She Said Yes because I find it morally repugnant. Yes, morally. And I'll tell you why: poor Cassie wasn't even cold in her grave before mommy dearest started writing this tear-jerking, heart-wrenching, surefire moneymaker. What, is cashing in on the tragic death of your teenage daughter some groundbreaking form of therapy or something? Jesus H.
The thing is, though, what bothered me most about this book was not Misty Bernall making money off a senseless tragedy that claimed so many young lives. No, what bothered me most about this book was Misty Bernall. This woman embodies everything that is wrong with Middle America. She sits pretty in her comfortable, normal, white bread middle-class life and passes judgment borne of ignorance and intolerance on anything and anyone different from her, obviously incapable of dealing with things that don't fall into normal, white bread, middle-class, cookie-cutter molds, including her daughter. When Cassie went through typical teenage rebellion and got involved with the "wrong crowd"--Goths, for chrissakes, que horror--and witchcraft (A WITCH! A WITCH! BURN HER!), Bernall didn't just do her best and let things run their course like a normal (i.e. not neurotic) parent. She unapologetically recounts how she meddled in her daughter's life, going to such lengths as to grievously violate Cassie's privacy by reading her personal correspondence and, worse, to isolate her from her friends, and yet this woman has the balls to carry on as though it's everybody's fault but her own that Cassie was so depressed and angry and alienated and hated her parents so much she talked about killing them. Un-freakin-believable.
But the worst part is that, after everything, Bernall still shows not a hint of realization that the prevalence of attitudes and behaviors like hers are partly to blame for the events that led to her daughter's death. And that, my friends, means this book is basically pointless. Since it's predicated on a lie--the purported exchange between Cassie and her killers never actually took place--without any deeper analysis of the issues underlying the Columbine incident, or even just drawing the obvious parallels, She Said Yes is little more than a rehashing of one teenage girl's not-out-of-the-ordinary struggle to fit in and the sad details of her death. It teaches nothing, and it certainly doesn't do justice to the memory of a girl cut down in her prime.
The thing is, though, what bothered me most about this book was not Misty Bernall making money off a senseless tragedy that claimed so many young lives. No, what bothered me most about this book was Misty Bernall. This woman embodies everything that is wrong with Middle America. She sits pretty in her comfortable, normal, white bread middle-class life and passes judgment borne of ignorance and intolerance on anything and anyone different from her, obviously incapable of dealing with things that don't fall into normal, white bread, middle-class, cookie-cutter molds, including her daughter. When Cassie went through typical teenage rebellion and got involved with the "wrong crowd"--Goths, for chrissakes, que horror--and witchcraft (A WITCH! A WITCH! BURN HER!), Bernall didn't just do her best and let things run their course like a normal (i.e. not neurotic) parent. She unapologetically recounts how she meddled in her daughter's life, going to such lengths as to grievously violate Cassie's privacy by reading her personal correspondence and, worse, to isolate her from her friends, and yet this woman has the balls to carry on as though it's everybody's fault but her own that Cassie was so depressed and angry and alienated and hated her parents so much she talked about killing them. Un-freakin-believable.
But the worst part is that, after everything, Bernall still shows not a hint of realization that the prevalence of attitudes and behaviors like hers are partly to blame for the events that led to her daughter's death. And that, my friends, means this book is basically pointless. Since it's predicated on a lie--the purported exchange between Cassie and her killers never actually took place--without any deeper analysis of the issues underlying the Columbine incident, or even just drawing the obvious parallels, She Said Yes is little more than a rehashing of one teenage girl's not-out-of-the-ordinary struggle to fit in and the sad details of her death. It teaches nothing, and it certainly doesn't do justice to the memory of a girl cut down in her prime.
February 11, 2008
I have to say that i was very suprised by this book. I was expecting it to be a sappy story about how perfect Cassie was and how God took a perfect angel and all of that. I was really suprised at how "real" Cassie was...that she had her own troubles and really struggled to fit in and find herself. She wasn't a "holy roller" or a "Jesus Freak" but rather a troubled girl who was just starting to really find herself. Overall, a very touching story that needs to be read by any teenage girl who is having a rough go of things.
March 15, 2010
Considering the fact that this entire book is a lie, I refuse to read it. Val Schnurr was the actual survivor that said yes (three different accounts prove that Cassie did NOT say anything before being killed.) Misty was spoken to privately before the book was published, yet still decided to go public with her lie. Way to collect off your child's death and another's suffering. You take the cake, Misty, for most manipulative Mom of the decade, for spewing an untruth to spread your religion, and make a profit off a lie. (Thou shalt not lie, anyone?) I find the fact that the self proclaimed Christian is lying (and thus, sinning) about her own child. Epic fail.
July 20, 2016
Remember when this book was all anyone could talk about anywhere, for several months after its publication? Back then, when the nation was reeling after the Columbine High School shooting, it was a poignant and emotional book that contained quite a bit of insight about one of the victims, Cassie Bernall, and the martyr she apparently became.
But perhaps everyone was too blinded by the recent tragedy to criticize it. Or, perhaps, I am looking at the She Said Yes now with 15 years' hindsight and a clear disdain for religions, especially the aggressive, self-righteous brand of Christianity that pretends to hide behind the pretext of the shooting. I had a hard time determining, at certain points, whether this was a memoir or a Christian book.
The thing that bothered me the most out of everything in this book was that Misty Bernall never once admitted the possibility that her daughter could have depression — despite publishing the very notes and letters Cassie wrote saying she suffered from depression! I was shocked that a mother could get so mad at her daughter for hating her or feeling depressed or behaving a certain way when some of it (admittedly not all) was not even her fault. Misty Bernall seemed to be completely in denial about her daughter, despite her "rebirth" and all of that.
Not to mention the self-blaming the church seemed to place on Cassie. (Uh oh, here comes the atheist in me.) Cassie herself writes that her friend Jamie tells her everything Cassie has done is not God's fault and she should take responsibility for her own actions. I absolutely believe that everyone is responsible for what they do; no doubt about it. But when it's a mental illness, whether it's obvious or hidden, Cassie Bernall should not have been blamed for it. And the entire book, Misty Bernall kept saying she didn't understand her daughter anymore; she didn't understand why her daughter had gone wrong.
Misty gets close to identifying her own denial in this book: On page 158 she writes, "Why, when parents and lawmakers are calling for gun control and an end to TV violence, are our young crying out for relationships? Why, when we offer them psychologists and counselors and experts on conflict resolution, are they going to youth groups and looking for friends? Why, when everyone is appropriating blame and constructing new defenses, are they talking about a change in heart?" That is exactly the thing Misty herself, does. It's appalling.
Besides the underlying church motives, and the self-blaming depression denial (and I'm not even going to mention the fact that Cassie probably didn't even have the title conversation with the shooters), I think this could have been a good memoir of the Bernall family's grief and anguish and what their daughter's memory meant to them and how they were both moving on personally and helping to prevent these things in the future, etc., etc. But I got caught up in anger with Misty Bernall's callous approach to the struggles her daughter was going through.
But perhaps everyone was too blinded by the recent tragedy to criticize it. Or, perhaps, I am looking at the She Said Yes now with 15 years' hindsight and a clear disdain for religions, especially the aggressive, self-righteous brand of Christianity that pretends to hide behind the pretext of the shooting. I had a hard time determining, at certain points, whether this was a memoir or a Christian book.
The thing that bothered me the most out of everything in this book was that Misty Bernall never once admitted the possibility that her daughter could have depression — despite publishing the very notes and letters Cassie wrote saying she suffered from depression! I was shocked that a mother could get so mad at her daughter for hating her or feeling depressed or behaving a certain way when some of it (admittedly not all) was not even her fault. Misty Bernall seemed to be completely in denial about her daughter, despite her "rebirth" and all of that.
Not to mention the self-blaming the church seemed to place on Cassie. (Uh oh, here comes the atheist in me.) Cassie herself writes that her friend Jamie tells her everything Cassie has done is not God's fault and she should take responsibility for her own actions. I absolutely believe that everyone is responsible for what they do; no doubt about it. But when it's a mental illness, whether it's obvious or hidden, Cassie Bernall should not have been blamed for it. And the entire book, Misty Bernall kept saying she didn't understand her daughter anymore; she didn't understand why her daughter had gone wrong.
Misty gets close to identifying her own denial in this book: On page 158 she writes, "Why, when parents and lawmakers are calling for gun control and an end to TV violence, are our young crying out for relationships? Why, when we offer them psychologists and counselors and experts on conflict resolution, are they going to youth groups and looking for friends? Why, when everyone is appropriating blame and constructing new defenses, are they talking about a change in heart?" That is exactly the thing Misty herself, does. It's appalling.
Besides the underlying church motives, and the self-blaming depression denial (and I'm not even going to mention the fact that Cassie probably didn't even have the title conversation with the shooters), I think this could have been a good memoir of the Bernall family's grief and anguish and what their daughter's memory meant to them and how they were both moving on personally and helping to prevent these things in the future, etc., etc. But I got caught up in anger with Misty Bernall's callous approach to the struggles her daughter was going through.
December 3, 2015
Such an amazing story only to finish in death. This girl is a hero and is now with her Savior because she said yes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2016
I forgot all about this book until someone mentioned it earlier today. I was a senior in TX when Columbine happened but I am from Colorado and had family here. I've been back in Colorado for over 14 years and have lived fairly close to Columbine for the last 7 yrs or so. Honestly, it's really weird to drive by it, go to Clement Park, etc. My step-nephew actually attends the school.
Anyway, I read this somewhere between 2001-20013. A lady at work gave it to me as she went to the same church as the Bernall's. I am not a religious person, so I was really hesitant at first, but it has a lot more depth than you would expect. It was sad of course, but you felt close to this family and the events. Very well written.
Anyway, I read this somewhere between 2001-20013. A lady at work gave it to me as she went to the same church as the Bernall's. I am not a religious person, so I was really hesitant at first, but it has a lot more depth than you would expect. It was sad of course, but you felt close to this family and the events. Very well written.
January 28, 2012
After reading Columbine by Dave Cullen, I decided to pick up She Said Yes. This was a widely popular book in my classroom for quite a while following the tragedy at Columbine, but in recent years, I haven't seen anyone reading it. As I read Bernall's book, I questioned her words. While her perception of her daughter and her grief are hers alone, and I would never belittle that, I still had my doubts. Was Cassie really a martyr? Or was she just another senseless death in a school shooting that could have been prevented. I found the writing to be pedantic and trite. Luckily, it was a short 160 pages. I really couldn't do much more than that. And as I reflected on the quality of the writing and the story that was attempted to be told, I wondered if I could have done any better just a few short months after the tragic loss of a child. I wonder what the book would have been had the author given herself some time and space from the event. That being said, I didn't learn a whole lot about Cassie. She was troubled. She found God. She died for him (maybe). There was a lot of preaching in the book. It just wasn't a book for me.
June 6, 2019
I am with many other reviewers when I say that overall, the message of this book is positive. It's best not to think that actually the very basis of the title is based on lies - Cassie wasn't ever asked by Eric and Dylan if she believed in god; that was another student named Rachel Scott - more that it's the journey of a mother who has lost her beautiful, intelligent daughter in the worst possible way, and the way she deals with this. I can't say the writing was particularly fantastic, but then again the writer isn't a professional. It's an interesting book to read however.
April 7, 2025
This was quite profound and thought provoking yet inspiring and encouraging!
Devastating story but thankfully Cassie came back to the Lord so at least she is in heaven; a mother's unwavering love for her daughter in her darkest times with the occult and other "friend" influences who wanted her to kill her parents. Cassie's parents faced a tough road getting away from them, even involved the police but it was necessary. It's distressing knowing such evil abounds but thankfully there is still hope with God.
Devastating story but thankfully Cassie came back to the Lord so at least she is in heaven; a mother's unwavering love for her daughter in her darkest times with the occult and other "friend" influences who wanted her to kill her parents. Cassie's parents faced a tough road getting away from them, even involved the police but it was necessary. It's distressing knowing such evil abounds but thankfully there is still hope with God.
October 26, 2008
She Said Yes is an amazing book! I would recommend this book to ANYbody who wouldn't be bothered talking about death, satanic subjects, drugs, alchol, God, etc. It tells how a young, 17 year old girl, gets caught up in drugs, alchol, Satan, and pretty much the wrong crowd. Her mom puts her into a private school, and then allows her to attend Columbine. The tragic Columbine event happened as she was attending. Her short, 17 year, life ended for believing in God. If you want to know the rest, read it! I promise, you WON'T regret it!
July 21, 2017
She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall by Misty Bernall is the story of Cassie Bernall, and how she was brave enough to stand up for her faith in the face of literal terror and death. And her mother wrote this story to talk about how her daughter came to her faith and became the woman she was when she was murdered. Unfortunately, I feel as though... I disagree with a lot of the personal choices that Misty and her husband, Brad, made throughout the book, especially when it came to Cassie's clear mental state. Maybe I am not a fair judge due to my experience with mental illness, and my lack of faith in this matter, but I was not impressed with this book, and I do not walk away feeling a stronger connection to God. If anything, I just feel sad for the girl who was made into a martyr, even though it was said multiple times in the book she would have never wanted to be. And yet... a book was made, therefore immortalizing her...
March 17, 2009
I found this book to be a bit boring. I feel terrible saying that and only giving it one star, but as someone who is interested in the victims of the Columbine tragedy, I found it to be disappointing. I felt as if Cassie's mother wrote this to make a buck off her daughter.
I might be wrong, please don't be harsh. It's just my opinion
I might be wrong, please don't be harsh. It's just my opinion
March 4, 2009
1. Plot summary:
The novel She Said Yes, by Misty Bernall is the true story of a young girl who was shot and killed in the Columbine shooting. The story is written by Misty Bernall, mother of Cassie Bernall, Misty tells her daughters story and life. Misty goes through all the life struggles and ups and downs throughout Cassie’s life, and also Cassie’s transformation of when she found God. The novel is considered “an unlikely martyrdom”, and has been reviewed by many different types of press, from the New York Times to the Boston Globe.
2. Personal Response to the Book:
She Said Yes was one of the best books I have read. It really made me think of how lucky I am to be in a safe school, but it also made me think of how something like the Columbine shooting could happen at any moment. Personally if I was Cassie I don’t know what I would have done if I was in her shoes. I would be so terrified and probably tried to run away. I found it pretty amazing that she could be so strong to just sit there and let the killers take her. When the killers popped the question, “do you believe in God”, and Cassie answered “Yes”, it really struck me, it made me feel really sick and made me cry. I don’t understand how Cassie could be so strong, and how two boys could be so sick and disturbed to go and kill twelve innocent people, just because they were angry.
In a way I am sort of like Cassie, not to the same extent, but we relate. Cassie was a teenager that struggled with life and God and had a whole lot of questions. Her parents pushed religion upon her, and the more they pushed the further she’d get from God. Cassie started attending youth church and eventually started getting closer to God again, and she made one of the biggest choices of her life, that was to say “Yes” to the killers. I wonder if Cassie said that she didn’t believe in God, if the killers (Dylan and Eric) would have still killed her. I think Cassie was an unbelievable woman who really should be remembered.
I found this novel to be really striking and completely believable, because it’s real and a true story and it did actually happen. While I was reading this I got really scared to go to school, because the speeches and words in the novel from the people are from people who were actually at the Columbine shootings. And the Columbine actually happened. I think the part that scares me the most is that this could happen to any school and to any kids that are at school, there are no warning signs or signals that a kid will show if or when they will attack. Until reading this novel I had never really knew anything about the Columbine, I new it had happened but nothing other than that. Overall I really enjoyed this novel, and it made me really think about life.
3. Quotes
When Josh, one of the boys who was there when Cassie died, was hiding under a table from the killers he heard the killers say some brutal words. “They went over to Isaiah and started taunting him. They called him a nigger before they killed him”(13). I found this quote quite stunning, I don’t understand how horrible people can be. This quote is quite ruthless and savage, and I think that’s why it stood out to me.
One day Cassie’s mother went through Cassie’s room and found a bunch of notes and drawings that they found incredibly disturbing and never thought that they would hear coming from their daughters mouth. “My guts are hungry for that weird stuff…I f-ing need to kill myself, we need to murder your parents. School is a f-ing bitch, kill me with your parents, then kill yourself so you don’t go to jail. You will go to jail”(40).
Misty Bernall is talking about Cassie’s transformation, and about her becoming closer to God. “If change involves growth, it also involves struggle”(96). I really liked this quote because it seems very real to me and I can relate to it, because I don’t believe you can succeed or grow without struggle or failure.
In one of Cassie’s favourite books she highlighted one key passage that also struck me and made me think about my own life.
“ Often we want to be somewhere other than where we are, or even to be someone other than who we are. We tend to compare ourselves constantly with others and wonder why we are not as rich, as intelligent, as simple, as generous, or as saintly as they are. Such comparisons make us feel guilty, ashamed or jealous…We are unique human beings, each with a call to realize in life what nobody else can, and to realize it in concrete context of the here and now. We will never find happiness by trying to figure out whether we are better or worse than others. We are good enough to do what we are called to do. Be yourself”(105).
This quote struck me because I tend to be that girl, or at least I used to. Still sometimes I find myself wishing I was somewhere else or someone else, I don’t know why, because I have an amazing home, loving family and my life is a breeze compared to some people. For some strange reason I still find myself jealous of people or feeling not a good as others. Overall this quote was one of the most dominant quotes in the novel.
The novel She Said Yes, by Misty Bernall is the true story of a young girl who was shot and killed in the Columbine shooting. The story is written by Misty Bernall, mother of Cassie Bernall, Misty tells her daughters story and life. Misty goes through all the life struggles and ups and downs throughout Cassie’s life, and also Cassie’s transformation of when she found God. The novel is considered “an unlikely martyrdom”, and has been reviewed by many different types of press, from the New York Times to the Boston Globe.
2. Personal Response to the Book:
She Said Yes was one of the best books I have read. It really made me think of how lucky I am to be in a safe school, but it also made me think of how something like the Columbine shooting could happen at any moment. Personally if I was Cassie I don’t know what I would have done if I was in her shoes. I would be so terrified and probably tried to run away. I found it pretty amazing that she could be so strong to just sit there and let the killers take her. When the killers popped the question, “do you believe in God”, and Cassie answered “Yes”, it really struck me, it made me feel really sick and made me cry. I don’t understand how Cassie could be so strong, and how two boys could be so sick and disturbed to go and kill twelve innocent people, just because they were angry.
In a way I am sort of like Cassie, not to the same extent, but we relate. Cassie was a teenager that struggled with life and God and had a whole lot of questions. Her parents pushed religion upon her, and the more they pushed the further she’d get from God. Cassie started attending youth church and eventually started getting closer to God again, and she made one of the biggest choices of her life, that was to say “Yes” to the killers. I wonder if Cassie said that she didn’t believe in God, if the killers (Dylan and Eric) would have still killed her. I think Cassie was an unbelievable woman who really should be remembered.
I found this novel to be really striking and completely believable, because it’s real and a true story and it did actually happen. While I was reading this I got really scared to go to school, because the speeches and words in the novel from the people are from people who were actually at the Columbine shootings. And the Columbine actually happened. I think the part that scares me the most is that this could happen to any school and to any kids that are at school, there are no warning signs or signals that a kid will show if or when they will attack. Until reading this novel I had never really knew anything about the Columbine, I new it had happened but nothing other than that. Overall I really enjoyed this novel, and it made me really think about life.
3. Quotes
When Josh, one of the boys who was there when Cassie died, was hiding under a table from the killers he heard the killers say some brutal words. “They went over to Isaiah and started taunting him. They called him a nigger before they killed him”(13). I found this quote quite stunning, I don’t understand how horrible people can be. This quote is quite ruthless and savage, and I think that’s why it stood out to me.
One day Cassie’s mother went through Cassie’s room and found a bunch of notes and drawings that they found incredibly disturbing and never thought that they would hear coming from their daughters mouth. “My guts are hungry for that weird stuff…I f-ing need to kill myself, we need to murder your parents. School is a f-ing bitch, kill me with your parents, then kill yourself so you don’t go to jail. You will go to jail”(40).
Misty Bernall is talking about Cassie’s transformation, and about her becoming closer to God. “If change involves growth, it also involves struggle”(96). I really liked this quote because it seems very real to me and I can relate to it, because I don’t believe you can succeed or grow without struggle or failure.
In one of Cassie’s favourite books she highlighted one key passage that also struck me and made me think about my own life.
“ Often we want to be somewhere other than where we are, or even to be someone other than who we are. We tend to compare ourselves constantly with others and wonder why we are not as rich, as intelligent, as simple, as generous, or as saintly as they are. Such comparisons make us feel guilty, ashamed or jealous…We are unique human beings, each with a call to realize in life what nobody else can, and to realize it in concrete context of the here and now. We will never find happiness by trying to figure out whether we are better or worse than others. We are good enough to do what we are called to do. Be yourself”(105).
This quote struck me because I tend to be that girl, or at least I used to. Still sometimes I find myself wishing I was somewhere else or someone else, I don’t know why, because I have an amazing home, loving family and my life is a breeze compared to some people. For some strange reason I still find myself jealous of people or feeling not a good as others. Overall this quote was one of the most dominant quotes in the novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2010
I bought this book today, read it in four hours, and wanted to write my review instantly.
I was already aware that it's been determined that Cassie's story may not be entirely true. The story got jumbled by many students. Cassie was not the girl asked if she believed in God, and the girl who was didn't give the famous confident "Yes" everyone is in a roar about.
But I still wanted to read this book anyway; and I'm glad I did.
Though this book doesn't offer the true story, it does offer a spiritual story of a girl who finds God in the time she needs Him most. By the time I was done with this book, I was sure that if Cassie had been asked the question she would have answered "Yes," with all her heart.
When I first bought it I wasn't sure why there were journal pages in the back, but I intend to read this again and take notes and maybe jot down prayers.
Whether fictionous or not there is a grain of truth here somewhere and it's worth reading on. By the end of this book everyone needs to ask themselves "Would I say 'Yes'?"
I was already aware that it's been determined that Cassie's story may not be entirely true. The story got jumbled by many students. Cassie was not the girl asked if she believed in God, and the girl who was didn't give the famous confident "Yes" everyone is in a roar about.
But I still wanted to read this book anyway; and I'm glad I did.
Though this book doesn't offer the true story, it does offer a spiritual story of a girl who finds God in the time she needs Him most. By the time I was done with this book, I was sure that if Cassie had been asked the question she would have answered "Yes," with all her heart.
When I first bought it I wasn't sure why there were journal pages in the back, but I intend to read this again and take notes and maybe jot down prayers.
Whether fictionous or not there is a grain of truth here somewhere and it's worth reading on. By the end of this book everyone needs to ask themselves "Would I say 'Yes'?"
April 11, 2012
Cassie Burnall is one of the many students who was killed on the day of the Columbine School shooting. Her mother wrote the book and talks about the morning and how she watched her daughter go off to school, just a few hours later, Cassie was gone. This book talks about how Cassie had went through a rough time in her life and often thought of suicide. After her mother found notes Cassie had wrote to a friend, Cassie got help and worked through it and became a believer in God.
The book is called "She said yes" because it was said that when one the killers saw Cassie praying under a table, he said if she believed in God and she said yes, then he shot her from very close range. This book is very intense and heartbreaking at times, but the reader will come out of it feeling very good. This book talks about a young girl's personal snare through her faith and her family's love . I choose to rate this book a 4 out of 5 because I think it was a worthwhile read.
Deals with: Suicide, Life, God, Love, Family, Friends, School Shooting
The book is called "She said yes" because it was said that when one the killers saw Cassie praying under a table, he said if she believed in God and she said yes, then he shot her from very close range. This book is very intense and heartbreaking at times, but the reader will come out of it feeling very good. This book talks about a young girl's personal snare through her faith and her family's love . I choose to rate this book a 4 out of 5 because I think it was a worthwhile read.
Deals with: Suicide, Life, God, Love, Family, Friends, School Shooting
November 3, 2012
"She Said Yes" was one of those books that i had a hard time putting down.It is one of the most amazing stories to come out of the shooting at Columbine High School.
A 17 year old girl by the name of Cassie Bernall was one of the 13 killed along with Rachel Scott, and 11 others.
Like most teenage girls, Cassie Bernall didn't really tell her mom much about her life once she turned 17. She thought what her mom didn't know wouldn't hurt her, but that turned out for the worst when Cassie Bernall died in April 1999.
After Cassie died, her mother, Misty Bernall, found multiple letters written to and from one of her friends. These letters weren't what you would most often see. Her mother knew of these letters being sent, but didn't know what they were about. One letter, written by Cassie's friend, told about her being upset with her parents, and how she didn't like one of their teachers. Mrs. Bernall found that letter and decided to read it while rummaging through Cassie's old room. Like any mother of a deceased child, she read the letter, and later found out that at one point Cassie was told that she should kill her parents and the teacher they both did not like.
But it didn't start out like this, Cassie moved from school to school, because of multiple reasons; grades, friends, or just because she wanted to. When Cassie arrived at Columbine High School, she had just taken the path to follow the devil. One of her greatest friends then, Cassandra, somehow convinced Cassie to go to her Sabbath School. In the end of this class, Cassie was changed.
We had taken the privilege from Cassie to go out with her friends, and one time it wasn't her who asked to go somewhere with Cassandra, but it was Cassandra herself. She wanted to know if Cassie could go to this camp with her, only for three days, but that would be a huge step of trust for us to take with Cassie, but we agreed.
When we picked Cassie up from the church parking lot the day she got back, the people that surrounded her were not the people we wanted her to be with, but just the opposite of that. We didn't expect a change, but Cassie did change those three days. Cassie was back to her normal self. And that is when it all went downhill.
Cassie was then held at gunpoint with others around her, but they decided to go to her. With her newly-found faith, Cassie was asked if she believed in God. She Said "Yes".
As you can see this book in it's self is a very inspirational and encouraging message. I highly recommend you to read "She Said Yes"!
A 17 year old girl by the name of Cassie Bernall was one of the 13 killed along with Rachel Scott, and 11 others.
Like most teenage girls, Cassie Bernall didn't really tell her mom much about her life once she turned 17. She thought what her mom didn't know wouldn't hurt her, but that turned out for the worst when Cassie Bernall died in April 1999.
After Cassie died, her mother, Misty Bernall, found multiple letters written to and from one of her friends. These letters weren't what you would most often see. Her mother knew of these letters being sent, but didn't know what they were about. One letter, written by Cassie's friend, told about her being upset with her parents, and how she didn't like one of their teachers. Mrs. Bernall found that letter and decided to read it while rummaging through Cassie's old room. Like any mother of a deceased child, she read the letter, and later found out that at one point Cassie was told that she should kill her parents and the teacher they both did not like.
But it didn't start out like this, Cassie moved from school to school, because of multiple reasons; grades, friends, or just because she wanted to. When Cassie arrived at Columbine High School, she had just taken the path to follow the devil. One of her greatest friends then, Cassandra, somehow convinced Cassie to go to her Sabbath School. In the end of this class, Cassie was changed.
We had taken the privilege from Cassie to go out with her friends, and one time it wasn't her who asked to go somewhere with Cassandra, but it was Cassandra herself. She wanted to know if Cassie could go to this camp with her, only for three days, but that would be a huge step of trust for us to take with Cassie, but we agreed.
When we picked Cassie up from the church parking lot the day she got back, the people that surrounded her were not the people we wanted her to be with, but just the opposite of that. We didn't expect a change, but Cassie did change those three days. Cassie was back to her normal self. And that is when it all went downhill.
Cassie was then held at gunpoint with others around her, but they decided to go to her. With her newly-found faith, Cassie was asked if she believed in God. She Said "Yes".
As you can see this book in it's self is a very inspirational and encouraging message. I highly recommend you to read "She Said Yes"!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2016
For those of faith, this may be uplifting, but it has been debunked in the book Columbine by. Dave Cullen, that it was in fact a different girl who said she believed in God (note: she survived) during the shooting in the library.
So as far as accuracy, it isn't spot on -and although I was not crazy about this book- I think it was probably an important tribute to this young woman and helpful in the grieving/healing process of her loved ones.
I make no claims of having been there or knowing what anyone felt/said/did/etc. but I do believe in the incredible job Dave Cullen did to find out all the facts and interview everyone possible without bias.
So as far as accuracy, it isn't spot on -and although I was not crazy about this book- I think it was probably an important tribute to this young woman and helpful in the grieving/healing process of her loved ones.
I make no claims of having been there or knowing what anyone felt/said/did/etc. but I do believe in the incredible job Dave Cullen did to find out all the facts and interview everyone possible without bias.
December 12, 2022
A powerful read and I sympathize with Cassie and her family's struggles. But most accounts say that Cassie was never asked about her faith and she never said yes that day, so I question the decision to perpetrate this mistake belief. I sincerely wonder whether her family knew that when this book was published and if they did, why they perpetrated this lie.
I was given this book as a teenager and it had a profound effect on me and for that I give it 4 stars.
As an adult, I question the validation of this book and the motive behind publishing it so soon after the tragedy, especially after conflicting reports raised the question of who said yes that day.
I was given this book as a teenager and it had a profound effect on me and for that I give it 4 stars.
As an adult, I question the validation of this book and the motive behind publishing it so soon after the tragedy, especially after conflicting reports raised the question of who said yes that day.
April 21, 2012
I bought this book and finished it - all today. I found it eerie that although I didn't know, I picked this book up on the anniversary of the shootings at Columbine. I can't even begin to tell you how in awe I am of how it was exactly what I needed to hear today. God works in profound ways. I think we are all a little bit like Cassie and like Misty (her mother) said, her story did not end when she said yes. Her story (and most importantly God's story) continues on into what we take and use from her story. I highly recommend that everyone read this.
May 29, 2009
I've read a lot of books regarding the Columbine tragedy and this book is on the bottom of the list. I found it to simply perpetuate myths and force feed faith to readers. While I feel for both the victims and their families, I found myself unable to find a true connection here. Read this along with Brooks Brown's "No Easy Answers" and Dave Cullen's "Columbine" and compare.
March 18, 2013
The book was an OK read - the struggles of adolescence addressed and overcome - however, the basis of the book is a fallacy, so I had a difficult time really believing it. Her mother knew it was a lie before the book was published and went ahead with it anyway. For me, it really took away from what might have been an inspiring story.
February 8, 2025
This book broke my heart, knowing what it’s like to both have a troubled teen and losing a child to death. I can feel their pain. (No, my child wasn’t murdered. But the loss of a child is all the same) I can relate.
Her poor parents went through hell with her just to get her back on track to have her life taken.
BUT…GOD is good is taking care of her
Her poor parents went through hell with her just to get her back on track to have her life taken.
BUT…GOD is good is taking care of her
March 9, 2012
I enjoyed this book, and it actually made me question my own beleifs on my own life, how I act around my parents, friends and basically everyone I know. This book even made me question my beleifs in god, and religion in general. Although we think that when a martyr is named we don't always know their whole back-story and what they have gone through in their life. I respected Cassie Bernall that much more after completely reading through this book. It was a little repetitive at times, but it was a good read and I would recommend it to anyone.
November 9, 2013
Wow. This book was so sad. It was amazing how her life was, but it was so sad. She was only 17 when she was murdered. She never got the chance to go to college, or even graduate from High School. She was never able to get married, or have kids or have a life. But she died for a worthy cause. How many people would have said "Yes" if someone put a gun to their head and asked them if they believed in God? I recommend this book, but if you get really emotional over sad stories, this is one of them.
October 16, 2023
This book is a crock of shit that has been proven false over years of research on Columbine. What happened to Cassie is awful, but the exploitation done by her church and family is just as bad. Her church went to great lengths to claim her to be a martyr and turn this terrible tragedy into a religious opportunity. Frustrating for the survivors that witnessed her death and see these lies spun over decades.
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December 17, 2022As an atheist, I was so surprised how much I liked this book. Of course, one must take into account that it is based on a lie, however, unlike Rachel Scott's family (insert eye roll here), Misty Bernall paints a very truthful picture of her daughter's life. Not preachy at all. Would recommend for readers of all faiths.
January 31, 2024
Rated PG-13 for violence, discussions of the occult, self-harm, and (censored) strong language.
I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, though, it is an insightful glimpse into the spiritual warfare that enveloped Cassie Bernall’s teenage years, and the lives of many teens and pre-teens, even before the Columbine shooting that took her life. It’s clear that Misty was right — the spiritual darkness that Cassie’s parents fought against on her behalf is terribly strong, and something only Christ could save her from. The book ultimately concludes that Cassie and her killers were at one point on the same trajectory, and it was only by the grace of God that (a) the Bernalls discovered it, (b) that they intervened, and (c) that Christ pulled Cassie from her darkness.
There are many reviewers criticizing Misty for her parenting choices. The question shouldn’t be whether she and her husband handled the problems perfectly (that is impossible) but whether they were right in treating evil words and intent as seriously as they did. And the answer seems clear; they were right, and Cassie’s soul was at stake. As are all people’s!
I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, though, it is an insightful glimpse into the spiritual warfare that enveloped Cassie Bernall’s teenage years, and the lives of many teens and pre-teens, even before the Columbine shooting that took her life. It’s clear that Misty was right — the spiritual darkness that Cassie’s parents fought against on her behalf is terribly strong, and something only Christ could save her from. The book ultimately concludes that Cassie and her killers were at one point on the same trajectory, and it was only by the grace of God that (a) the Bernalls discovered it, (b) that they intervened, and (c) that Christ pulled Cassie from her darkness.
There are many reviewers criticizing Misty for her parenting choices. The question shouldn’t be whether she and her husband handled the problems perfectly (that is impossible) but whether they were right in treating evil words and intent as seriously as they did. And the answer seems clear; they were right, and Cassie’s soul was at stake. As are all people’s!
June 7, 2014
I read an abridged version of this story in reader's digest as a kid and it stuck with me so I thought I'd better read the official version. The book was published the same year as the tragedy and it mentions that it was being written about a month after the event. The bonus to that is all the emotions and recollections are fresh, the downside is that there is no perspective because only time gives that, and some of the events were still jumbled as of the writing. She is candid that all the details were not known and that accounts of the events differ.
I have mixed feelings on this book. I found Misty Bernall's perspective easy to understand and I liked that she wasn't one of those over-the-top fundamentalist Christians. Even so, I found myself rolling my eyes in parts. You think your child had given her soul to Satan (her words) because she listened to Marilyn Manson and wore clunky necklaces? (It seriously mentions the necklaces and her clothing style way too much).
Her references to the "occult" seemed painfully ignorant and vague. Leaving aside that real Wicca has nothing to do with the Christian Satan, her daughter didn't seem to actually be into Wicca or any of its associated religious beliefs. It doesn't sound like she was actually into the occult, or even real Satanism. The references mostly seemed like teenage rebellion cloaked in terms most likely to scare fundamentalist Christian parents.
I also had misgivings about her account of her and her husband's intervention with Cassie. They put her under house arrest, cut her off from all of her long-term best friends (all friends actually), tapped her phone, and changed her school to one where she knew no one and didn't share the beliefs the school expounded. And then they wonder why she felt isolated and angry. I appreciate that they felt that she was hurting and in tonic relationships that were keeping her from getting better, but their choice of intervention made me deeply uneasy.
That episode also made me wonder about how the girl they refer to as "Mona" (also seriously, you couldn't come up with a better pseudonym than Mona the Vampire?) felt about the whole affair. Clearly both girls were hurting and cutting her off from her best friend of five years probably didn't help. I'd love to know her side of things and how she felt when she heard about Columbine. I wonder how she feels now that she's in her thirties. Now that's a book I'd like to read, if it exists.
A huge red flag for me was that Mona's parents had offered to take Cassie in if she felt she had to to runaway. In my experience other parents don't suggest that a teenager run away unless they feel they're in an unsafe environment. It made me wonder what Misty left out in her account if other parents felt so strongly that Cassie might need a safe place to go.
I initially thought I'd give this three stars. I still think Cassie is inspirational (whether she actually said yes or not) and I think that by all accounts she was a wonderful person whose life was cut far too short. What dragged down my rating was Bernall's obvious belief that their parenting choices 'saved' Cassie and that somehow if only other parents did likewise other teenagers would also be better off. Given their questionable parenting choices (phone taps?) and there class status (they can afford two private school tuitions on a single income, even with sacrifices that's more than a lot of American parents can do) I found this distasteful. I also disliked her ignorant statements about certain genres of music and her lumping paganism in with "drinking the blood of kittens" and self-harm.
I have mixed feelings on this book. I found Misty Bernall's perspective easy to understand and I liked that she wasn't one of those over-the-top fundamentalist Christians. Even so, I found myself rolling my eyes in parts. You think your child had given her soul to Satan (her words) because she listened to Marilyn Manson and wore clunky necklaces? (It seriously mentions the necklaces and her clothing style way too much).
Her references to the "occult" seemed painfully ignorant and vague. Leaving aside that real Wicca has nothing to do with the Christian Satan, her daughter didn't seem to actually be into Wicca or any of its associated religious beliefs. It doesn't sound like she was actually into the occult, or even real Satanism. The references mostly seemed like teenage rebellion cloaked in terms most likely to scare fundamentalist Christian parents.
I also had misgivings about her account of her and her husband's intervention with Cassie. They put her under house arrest, cut her off from all of her long-term best friends (all friends actually), tapped her phone, and changed her school to one where she knew no one and didn't share the beliefs the school expounded. And then they wonder why she felt isolated and angry. I appreciate that they felt that she was hurting and in tonic relationships that were keeping her from getting better, but their choice of intervention made me deeply uneasy.
That episode also made me wonder about how the girl they refer to as "Mona" (also seriously, you couldn't come up with a better pseudonym than Mona the Vampire?) felt about the whole affair. Clearly both girls were hurting and cutting her off from her best friend of five years probably didn't help. I'd love to know her side of things and how she felt when she heard about Columbine. I wonder how she feels now that she's in her thirties. Now that's a book I'd like to read, if it exists.
A huge red flag for me was that Mona's parents had offered to take Cassie in if she felt she had to to runaway. In my experience other parents don't suggest that a teenager run away unless they feel they're in an unsafe environment. It made me wonder what Misty left out in her account if other parents felt so strongly that Cassie might need a safe place to go.
I initially thought I'd give this three stars. I still think Cassie is inspirational (whether she actually said yes or not) and I think that by all accounts she was a wonderful person whose life was cut far too short. What dragged down my rating was Bernall's obvious belief that their parenting choices 'saved' Cassie and that somehow if only other parents did likewise other teenagers would also be better off. Given their questionable parenting choices (phone taps?) and there class status (they can afford two private school tuitions on a single income, even with sacrifices that's more than a lot of American parents can do) I found this distasteful. I also disliked her ignorant statements about certain genres of music and her lumping paganism in with "drinking the blood of kittens" and self-harm.
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February 20, 2015The 17 year old Martyr
By:Allison
February 17th, 2015
Do you believe in God? Because Cassie Bernall said “Yes”
In this book She Said Yes Cassie Bernall, a 17 year old girl stood up for what she believed in even with a gun pointed directly at her. This book’s author was Cassie’s mother Misty Bernall.
Two high school boys named Dylan and Eric were the shooters and bombers at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. They killed 15 people including themselves. Many people were injured and almost close to death. This book talks about what Cassie did in her life and when she was gone how family and friends got over their loss.
Cassie’s family and friends all joined in to write about her, and how she changes from being and unbeliever to a strong Christian. Friends told how Cassie affected them during her life and her death. One friend named Jordan says “April 20th changed the way I look at just about everything.” (pg. 36). At the end of the story Misty (mother of Cassie) and Brad (father of Cassie) gives us the story of their daughter. They said “… Cassie’s story is not only mine and Brad’s. It is yours…” (pg. 140).
In this book overall it was pretty depressing in my personal opinion. But at the end it was inspiring and hopeful. In the beginning of the story Misty feels upset. She said “… to bury my face in the pillows until I ache.” (pg. 136). Another inspiring quote to remember “…My death is not my own, but yours, and its significance depends on what you do with it.”(pg.140).
Cassie died because her relationship with God was so strong. She could’ve lied but she didn’t. She could have had a family, a great career, and so much more. But she chose to say “Yes”.
By:Allison
February 17th, 2015
Do you believe in God? Because Cassie Bernall said “Yes”
In this book She Said Yes Cassie Bernall, a 17 year old girl stood up for what she believed in even with a gun pointed directly at her. This book’s author was Cassie’s mother Misty Bernall.
Two high school boys named Dylan and Eric were the shooters and bombers at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. They killed 15 people including themselves. Many people were injured and almost close to death. This book talks about what Cassie did in her life and when she was gone how family and friends got over their loss.
Cassie’s family and friends all joined in to write about her, and how she changes from being and unbeliever to a strong Christian. Friends told how Cassie affected them during her life and her death. One friend named Jordan says “April 20th changed the way I look at just about everything.” (pg. 36). At the end of the story Misty (mother of Cassie) and Brad (father of Cassie) gives us the story of their daughter. They said “… Cassie’s story is not only mine and Brad’s. It is yours…” (pg. 140).
In this book overall it was pretty depressing in my personal opinion. But at the end it was inspiring and hopeful. In the beginning of the story Misty feels upset. She said “… to bury my face in the pillows until I ache.” (pg. 136). Another inspiring quote to remember “…My death is not my own, but yours, and its significance depends on what you do with it.”(pg.140).
Cassie died because her relationship with God was so strong. She could’ve lied but she didn’t. She could have had a family, a great career, and so much more. But she chose to say “Yes”.
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