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Showing posts with label Death/Dying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Death/Dying. Show all posts
Friday, January 30, 2026
MG Ghost Novel offers Spooky, Shivery Fun
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
I like a shivery ghost story, but I prefer atmospheric spine-tinglers over the kind of terrifying tales that are bound to give me nightmares. The Last Resort by Erin Entrada Kelly, a horror lite novel written for the middle-grade set, fits that bill quite nicely. It's creepier than your average children's book, but it never gets too dark or graphic for its intended audience. In fact, in spite of its grim subject matter, it's actually a rather upbeat and hopeful read. This is a good place to start for young readers who want to dip their toes into the supernatural/horror genre, or for wimpy adults like me who just want a touch of scary sans night terrors.
The story stars Lila Clement, an 11-year-old Arizona girl who's often accused of being melodramatic, immature, and "too much." And, okay, a lot of the time she is making what turns out to be a big to-do about nothing. Not this time, though. When the eccentric grandfather she never knew dies, she travels with her family to Ohio. After an almost-accident on the road that leaves them all a little shaken, Lila discovers that she can now see ghosts. This is unfortunate considering that she'll be staying in the haunted inn that her Grandpa Clem owned for the forseeable future. When her newly-deceased relation appears to Lila, insisting that he did not die of a heart attack but was, in fact, murdered, she sets out to figure out who killed Grandpa Clem and why. She soon discovers that the Castle Hill Inn isn't just a spooky old hotel, Clem wasn't just an ordinary old man, and she's not just a drama queen who's being left behind by friends who think she's too babyish. In Castle Hill, Lila has an important mission to perform, a new pal to help her accomplish it, and maybe, just maybe, a place where her "too much" is exactly right.
Lila is a fun narrator who will help kids who are labeled "extra" feel seen. She's sympathetic, sensitive, caring, and brave. Her new friend, Teddy, makes an appealing right-hand man with his compassion, curiosity, and reluctant courage. Along with Lila's younger brother, the kids make an unlikely but intrepid team who tackle a murder mystery, a host of ghosts with varying needs, and a malevolent force who doesn't want them to succeed. What unfolds is an exciting story with lots of action, suspense, and ghostly encounters. While it's predictable, it's also a quick, entertaining page-turner that's creepier than you might expect. In spite of that, it teaches some healthy, healing lessons about death that can help kids grappling to understand death or dealing with the loss of a loved one find comfort. The Last Resort may not be the right reading choice for younger middle-graders or those who are particularly sensitive; for the rest of us, though, it's an eerie, enjoyable read that will provide shivers but not nightmares.
The Last Resort is the first installment in a planned series (a trilogy, maybe?). The second book, The Claiming by Jasmine Warga, came out earlier this month. In addition to reading the books, you're supposed to be able to launch an extra "experience" using a phone app that lets readers have their own ghost-hunting fun. By scanning the books' illustrations, you're supposed to be able to "talk' to the ghosts in the stories, solve puzzles within the pictures, and encounter further mysteries. It all sounds super cool. Unfortunately, despite trying multiple times on both my phone and PC, I could not get the "Launch Experience" button to work for me. Maybe it functions better with a paper book than an e-book? I don't know, but I feel like I'm missing out...bummer.
(Readalikes: reminds me of The Inn Between by Marina Cohen)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence and scary situations
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Last Resort from the generous folks at Scholastic via those at NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Thursday, March 02, 2017
A Quirky Girl Meets a Quirky Boy and They Fall in Quirky Love ...
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Two years ago, Petula de Wilde killed her little sister. Intellectually, the 16-year-old knows Maxine's death wasn't her fault—not entirely—but she can't quite convince her aching heart. Nothing's been the same since Max died. Not Petula's parents, who can barely stand each other. Not her friendship with Rachel; the two no longer speak. Not Petula's fragile psyche, which can't stop seeing death in every pothole, germ, and hamburger patty. Petula used to be normal. Now, she's a freak with such limited social skills that she's stuck doing preschool projects in art therapy class with the all other weirdos at her high school.
Then, Petula meets the Bionic Man. Jacob Cohen, a 17-year-old amputee, has just moved to Vancouver from Toronto. For reasons the budding filmmaker refuses to divulge, he has also been placed in "crafting for crazies." For reasons just as mysterious, Jacob seems to find Petula oozing with friend potential. She can't understand why a nice, normal guy like him would think her appealing, but he's slowly pushing through the defenses she throws up against everyone else. Before she knows it, Petula and Jacob have become closer than she could have ever imagined. Petula's told him all her deep, dark secrets, so why is Jacob so reticent with his? What is he hiding? When the truth finally comes to light, everything will change. Including a tenuous relationship between two very broken teenagers ...
Yesterday when I was reading Optimists Die First, a YA tragicomedy by Susin Nielsen, my 15-year-old daughter asked what the book was about. Without really thinking, I replied, "A quirky girl meets a quirky boy and they fall in quirky love." And you know what? That's a pretty apt description, if I do say so myself. Petula, a craft and cat fiend with myriad neuroses, defines quirky. Her oddities keep her interesting, while her voice—which is strong and real—makes her relatable. She's a sympathetic character, one readers want to see succeed. Gentle Jacob appeals in much the same way. In fact, this could be said of all Nielsen's story people. They're a likable lot. Which makes Optimists Die First fun to read. It's a sad book, yes, but it's more hopeful than not. Although there were parts I wasn't so keen on (hello, bizarrely lax parenting!), overall, I enjoyed this novel about friendship, forgiveness, and finding hope in even the darkest of crafting disasters.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs), sexual content, and references to drugs and underage drinking (references are non-graphic and used mostly in a cautionary way)
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Optimists Die First from the generous folks at Random House Children's Books. Thank you!
Tuesday, February 07, 2017
It's Shusterman And Yet ...No, Just No
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
With no disease, no war, no government, no real pain, and virtually no death, life in MidMerica is pleasantly staid. Ambition has become a thing of the past. In fact, "with nothing to aspire to, life had become about maintenance. Eternal maintenance" (44). Citra Terranova is satisfied with her comfortable, unremarkable existence which she knows will evolve into a comfortable, unremarkable future. As just one member of a very large family, 16-year-old Rowan Damisch isn't quite as at ease, but he's not unhappy with his life either. What neither teen expects is to be given the chance to do something important, something extraordinary. Becoming a scythe's apprentice—and eventually, a real scythe—is that kind of assignment. In a pleasant world full of placid people, it's a chance to be stand out, to become something special.
As the harbingers—and executors—of death, scythes are universally feared. Although the random killings performed by scythes are deemed necessary for population control, few are truly comfortable with their presence. Citra and Rowan are no exception. They don't want to become scythes, are appalled by the idea of spending the rest of their lives killing people. Then again, they don't really have a choice, do they? As the teens learn the "art" of performing sanctioned murder, they're awakened to the harsh realities and cruel costs of maintaining a perfect world. Is it worth the heavy price? And how can two kids possibly change things if it's not?
First off, let me say that I love Neal Shusterman. His Unwind series is brilliant, one of my favorites. Shusterman has a way of examining contemporary issues in unique and surprising ways while, at the same time, telling an engaging, exciting story. I'm a fan, for sure. So, naturally, I got excited when I heard he was penning a new series. Even though the book's premise sounded a little odd, I was stoked to read Scythe, the first installment. What did I think? Honestly, I was disappointed. I expected the novel to be chilling. I expected it to be disturbing. I also expected to like it because, well ... it's Shusterman! And yet, I just couldn't get on board with the story's premise (which is, indeed, chilling and disturbing). At no point in the tale did I become convinced of the necessity of scything. Nothing about the job seemed noble or necessary. I mean, if you absolutely had to kill people off every now and then to control the population, why in the world would you make their deaths any more violent or traumatizing than they had to be? Makes no sense to me, not even in a fictional world. So, yeah, I had trouble stomaching the whole idea. Also, considering all the blood and gore, Scythe actually gets boring in places. I can't see teens sticking with it for all 435 pages. The novel does ask some intriguing philosophical questions (Can one truly know pleasure without experiencing pain? Can people really appreciate life if they know nothing of death?) that would make for some excellent discussion. Overall, though, I had a hard time enjoying Scythe. I'm still in awe of Shusterman's impressive storytelling skills, but his new series is just not for me. Bummer.
(Readalikes: Reminds me a little of the Hunger Games series [The Hunger Games; Catching Fire; and Mockingjay] by Suzanne Collins and "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson)
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence, blood/gore, sexual innuendo, and language (no F-bombs)
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Scythe from Costco with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
It's a Disease Novel, So, Yeah ...
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Nora Glass is more Martha Stewart than Martha Stewart. The 44-year-old loves nothing more than reigning over her clean, orderly universe with precision and pride. Her domestic supremacy has earned her legions of fans who turn to her syndicated newspaper column not just for household hints, but also for advice on weathering storms like divorce and single motherhood with grace—things at which Nora excels. So what if her angelic daughter has morphed into a sullen teenager, whose words wound her mother daily? Ellie's antics make Nora's readers laugh just as much as they did when she was a toddler. So what if Ellie hates that total strangers know all the intimate details of her life? Nora's ability to mine their everyday experience for nuggets of publishing gold is what pays the bills.
When Nora receives a devastating diagnosis of Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease (EOAD), she feels her tidy world start to crumble. Losing time, words and memories of things she did just moments ago terrifies her. She can't stand what the disease is doing to her—taking away from her. Knowing that EOAD is almost guaranteed to kill her within a few years doesn't make things any easier. Nora can't stand the thought of 16-year-old Ellie, who has already been abandoned by her father, losing her mother as well. Although Nora's fraternal twin, Mariana, promises to be there for both of them, that doesn't provide much comfort. Marianna can barely take care of herself.
As the symptoms of Nora's disease grow progressively worse, she must learn to let go—of control over her life, of grudges long-held, of perceptions that don't ring true, and of emotions she's always bottled up. With all of it stripped away, Nora will have to put her trust in the very people she's had to care for all her life. People who might fail. People who might let her down. People who will help her see that, sometimes, everything you need is right in front of you—if only you can remember to look.
Disease novels are always a hard sell for me. I'm sure they're not easy to write either—somehow you have to make them touching, but not sappy; affecting, but not melodramatic; realistic, but not depressing. Original, especially surprising, disease novels are tricky to pull off (one of the reasons John Green's The Fault in Our Stars is so popular). Considering all this, I didn't expect a whole lot out of Splinters of Light by Rachael Herron. And that's pretty much what I got. A character-driven story, the novel focuses on the relationships between the three Glass women—Nora, Ellie, and Mariana—and how they evolve in the face of Nora's illness. Plotwise, there are small conflicts (Ellie's older boyfriend, Mariana's inability to commit to a relationship, Nora's romance with her neighbor, etc.), but mostly it's all about Nora's suffering. I'm not going to lie: I got tired of Nora's wallowing. In fact, I didn't find any of the characters that likable. They depressed me, the lot of them. Herron writes well, it's true, but, overall, I just didn't find this overly-long novel that enjoyable.
(Readalikes: Reminded me a little of Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson and a teensy bit of Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord as well as almost every book I've ever read about someone dying of cancer)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, sexual content, and depictions of underage drinking and illegal drug use
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Splinters of Light from the generous folks at Penguin. Thank you!
Friday, March 06, 2015
This Star Won't Go Out: Surviving Thyroid Cancer is Almost Guaranteed—Except When It Isn't
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer back in 2009, I heard a lot of people say, "Well, if you have to have cancer, that's the best kind to have." This is true. With a survival rate of 97-100%, it's a whole lot more common to survive it than otherwise. There are, however, exceptions. Like Ester Earl, a 12-year-old girl from Massachusetts, who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2006. Four years later, it killed her.
Famous because of her friendship with popular YA author John Green (although The Fault in Our Stars is not based on Ester's life, it is dedicated to her), Ester became known for her bubbly personality, her positive outlook on life, and her courage in the face of a devastating illness. She was a prolific writer, crafting many journal entries, as well as stories and letters, in her short life. These pieces, along with some of Ester's sketches, many photos, and essays from family and friends have been collected into a thick, inspiring book titled This Star Won't Go Out. Published last year, it quickly became a New York Times bestseller. My 13-year-old daughter begged me to get it for her for Christmas because it's one of her all-time favorite books.
Although This Star Won't Go Out has been touching people's hearts for awhile now, I only read it a few months ago. For a book about a kid with cancer, it's surprisingly upbeat. It's also heartfelt, affecting, and deserving of the hype it's received. Ester's writing emphasizes the fragility of life and the importance of holding on to faith, family, friends, and hope when trials come into your life. As someone whose world has been changed forever by thyroid cancer, I appreciated these words of wisdom that helped me remember never to take life for granted. It's an important message delivered by a talented writer who continues to share her experiences for the good of others (see tswgo.org).
(Readalikes: Hm, nothing comes to mind except The Fault in Our Stars by John Green)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), mild sexual innuendo, and intense subject matter
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Monday, December 29, 2014
Another Spunky Kagen Narrator = Another Series to Love
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
With their daddy recently deceased, it's Tess and Birdie against the world. Or, at least against their mother. Beautiful, bitter Louise has never quite understood her daughters, whom the neighbors have labeled the "Finley ghouls." If she gets wind of Birdie's newest quirk—believing her father is not dead at all, just living it up in Boca Raton—Louise is sure to lock her younger, slower daughter up in the insane asylum for good. Which is why Tess has to convince Birdie of the truth. Their lighthearted, jokester of a dad is dead. No one knows that better than Tess; after all, she's the one who killed him.
Filled with grief and fear, young Tess must use all her (considerable) pluck and grit to save her aggravating, but beloved little sister. She believes she's on her own until help comes along in the most unlikely of forms ...
With her warm prose and spunky characters, Lesley Kagen has quickly written her way into my heart. I've loved all of the books I've read by her. So, really, it's no surprise that I adored The Undertaking of Tess as well. Although it's just a novella, the story overflows with bright, vivid life. Tess is my favorite kind of child narrator—not only is she funny, brave, and loyal (at least to her sister), but she is authentically so. Seen through her innocent eyes, her story rings ever more true, ever more heart-wrenching, ever more hopeful.
I missed the Finley sisters the minute I finished this novella. Thankfully, Kagen continues their story in her new novel, The Resurrection of Tess Blessing. I seriously can't wait to see what happens to Tess next!
(Readalikes: The Resurrection of Tess Blessing as well as Whistling in the Dark and Good Graces, all by Lesley Kagen)
Grade:
I missed the Finley sisters the minute I finished this novella. Thankfully, Kagen continues their story in her new novel, The Resurrection of Tess Blessing. I seriously can't wait to see what happens to Tess next!
(Readalikes: The Resurrection of Tess Blessing as well as Whistling in the Dark and Good Graces, all by Lesley Kagen)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (no F-bombs) and sexual innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I bought a finished copy of The Undertaking of Tess with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Monday, May 20, 2013
NDEs: Convincing or Ridiculous? What Do You Think?
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Who are we? Where did we come from? What happens after we die? These are some of the greatest, most important questions human beings have ever asked. And, yet, they remain the largest mysteries we'll ever encounter. Because all of us wonder why we're on Earth, how we came to be here and what happens when our lives end, it makes sense that so many people find Near Death Experiences (NDEs) so very fascinating. Many books, television shows, magazine articles, movies, etc. have been created in order to examine what people claim to have experienced when they "died." Even to a skeptic like me, these glimpses into the world beyond can be utterly fascinating.
Considering the religious fervor that existed at the time The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was founded, it is, perhaps, not too surprising that many early Saints had NDEs. These were carefully recorded in letters, journals and oral histories passed down from generation to generation. Marlene Bateman Sullivan has collected 50 of these stories in her new book, Gaze Into Heaven: Near Death Experiences in Early Church History. She presents the accounts in the recipients' own words, using scriptures and quotes by LDS Church leaders to give additional insight into the topics under discussion. What emerges is an interesting picture of NDEs from a uniquely Mormon perspective.
Even though I firmly believe in life after death, I have trouble taking NDEs very seriously. After all, any kind of dream or vision is open to interpretation. And who knows what outside factors may have been in play during the person's "experience"—after all, during a low blood sugar episode several years ago, I became totally and completely convinced my husband was trying to kidnap me and smuggle me aboard his alien spaceship. So, why should I believe a stranger's account of his alleged visit to Heaven, especially if the details feel "off" to me?
Given how I feel about NDEs, I really tried to approach Gaze Into Heaven with an open mind. And, I have to say that, overall, I did find the book interesting. Not convincing, necessarily, but thought-provoking. The biggest problem with the book, for me, was Sullivan's subjective presentation of the material—she spoke about all the NDEs as if they were the iron-clad truth. A more objective approach, one that trusted the reader to come to his own conclusions, would have made the book a much more palatable read for me. Also, Sullivan never answered the biggest question I have about NDEs among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, both in the early days of the church and now—how do they differ from those experienced by non-members? I'm still really curious about that ...
So, while I didn't always agree with the conclusions Sullivan drew about NDEs, I did agree with this one, which neatly sums up my feelings on the subject: "...[NDEs] are not meant to 'prove' that the Church is true. Rather, they are meant to open our eyes to the fact that life will continue, that our sojourn on earth is momentary, and that we ought to refocus our priorities and spend our time productively, with an eye toward the next life" (220).
My husband, who enjoys reading about and learning from NDEs, thinks I'm a terrible cynic on this point. How about you? Do you find them inspiring or ridiculous? Do you think there's anything to be learned from them? What's your opinion? I'd truly love to know.
(Readalikes: I don't normally read books about NDEs, but my husband recommends What's on the Other Side? by Brent L. Top [an LDS professor's perspective on death]; Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander, M.D. [an atheist neurosurgeon's NDE]; and Embraced By the Light by Betty J. Eadie [one non-LDS woman's NDE])
Grade: C
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for subject matter most suitable for older middle graders, teens and adults
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Gaze Into Heaven from the generous Marlene Bateman Sullivan via her publisher, Cedar Fort.
Even though I firmly believe in life after death, I have trouble taking NDEs very seriously. After all, any kind of dream or vision is open to interpretation. And who knows what outside factors may have been in play during the person's "experience"—after all, during a low blood sugar episode several years ago, I became totally and completely convinced my husband was trying to kidnap me and smuggle me aboard his alien spaceship. So, why should I believe a stranger's account of his alleged visit to Heaven, especially if the details feel "off" to me?
Given how I feel about NDEs, I really tried to approach Gaze Into Heaven with an open mind. And, I have to say that, overall, I did find the book interesting. Not convincing, necessarily, but thought-provoking. The biggest problem with the book, for me, was Sullivan's subjective presentation of the material—she spoke about all the NDEs as if they were the iron-clad truth. A more objective approach, one that trusted the reader to come to his own conclusions, would have made the book a much more palatable read for me. Also, Sullivan never answered the biggest question I have about NDEs among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, both in the early days of the church and now—how do they differ from those experienced by non-members? I'm still really curious about that ...
So, while I didn't always agree with the conclusions Sullivan drew about NDEs, I did agree with this one, which neatly sums up my feelings on the subject: "...[NDEs] are not meant to 'prove' that the Church is true. Rather, they are meant to open our eyes to the fact that life will continue, that our sojourn on earth is momentary, and that we ought to refocus our priorities and spend our time productively, with an eye toward the next life" (220).
My husband, who enjoys reading about and learning from NDEs, thinks I'm a terrible cynic on this point. How about you? Do you find them inspiring or ridiculous? Do you think there's anything to be learned from them? What's your opinion? I'd truly love to know.
(Readalikes: I don't normally read books about NDEs, but my husband recommends What's on the Other Side? by Brent L. Top [an LDS professor's perspective on death]; Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander, M.D. [an atheist neurosurgeon's NDE]; and Embraced By the Light by Betty J. Eadie [one non-LDS woman's NDE])
Grade: C
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for subject matter most suitable for older middle graders, teens and adults
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Gaze Into Heaven from the generous Marlene Bateman Sullivan via her publisher, Cedar Fort.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Imagination Needing a Workout? Two Words For You: Neal Shusterman.
(Image from Indiebound)When the cars Nick and Allie are riding in collide one day, the force of the impact throws them both into the forest. Months later, they wake up to discover that not only are they dead, but they're not in heaven. Or in hell. Or really, anywhere at all. As Lief, a young, freckled boy living in the woods, explains, the pair have been flung into Everlost, a kind of middle world between life and death. Not even Lief, who has lived in Everlost for decades, knows why they are all there, what they're supposed to be doing, or how they might escape. All he wants are some friends, other kids to play his favorite games with him.
Allie, however, has no use for playing in the trees, even if the forest offers a safety not assured in other parts of Everlost. She wants to go back home to New Jersey. Convincing Nick and Lief to join her takes a little work, but eventually the trio takes off on an adventure-filled journey through the strange world of which they are now apart. When they reach New York City, they join another band of lost souls, a group led by an enigmatic leader who knows a lot more about the whys and wherefores of Everlost than she's letting on. To "get where they're going" (Leif's term for successfully crossing from life to death) they'll have to pry Everlost's secrets away from those who guard them most fiercely, face the land's most frightening figure, and learn to live their afterlives on their own terms.
For those of you who, like me, think there's too little originality in the world of children's literature, I have two words for you: Neal Shusterman. Everlost, the first book in his highly-acclaimed Skinjacker Trilogy, introduces a world so unique you really have to experience it for yourself. Try as I might, I can't do justice to the wondrous complexity of it. Just as fresh are the characters, who truly come to life as they battle each other to achieve their own purposes. From a religious standpoint (although this is not a religious book, not at all), I appreciated Shusterman's idea of "heaven" as a place of progression instead of stagnation. A vivid setting, engaging characters, subtle philosophy and really, just everything about it, makes this an excellent read that I highly recommend to anyone whose imagination needs a little workout. Mine certainly enjoyed the exercise.
(Readalikes: Although I haven't read them yet, the sequels, Everwild and Everfound [available May 2011]; Also, a little like Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, The Everafter by Amy Huntley and If I Stay by Gayle Forman)
Grade: B+
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for scenes of peril
To the FTC, with love: I bought Everlost with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Elsewhere Puts Fresh, Funny Spin On the Whole What-Happens-After-We-Die Question
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Living in Elsewhere definitely has its perks: the weather's always pleasant, the beaches are pristine, and new work by Picasso is on display at the local museum. There's only one drawback - to live in Elsewhere, you have to be dead. Liz Hall's cool with the weather, the beach, and the local attractions; it's the dying part with which she has an issue. It's fine for all the silver-haired folks who got to experience full lives on Earth, but she was mowed down by a taxi at age 15. She hadn't even begun to live. Now, she's stuck in paradise, aging backward until she reaches infancy and travels back to Earth.
Only Liz doesn't want to be a baby again. She doesn't want to start all over with a new family. She wants her life, the one she left behind in Medford, Massachusetts. She wants to drive, date, go to college, fall in love, get married, and grow old. She wants to live, really live, not just exist in some weird parallel universe. It may be impossible, but Liz won't give up until she finds a way to return to her real life.
Her unhappiness makes everyone around Liz uncomfortable. The grandmother she never knew in life urges her to move on. Her eager-to-please acclimation counselor suggests she needs an avocation to distract her. And a rock star, whose face once graced every magazine cover on Earth, suggests that returning may not be as satisfying as she thinks it will be. Liz knows they mean well, but she also knows they're wrong. Even if it means breaking all the rules - and it definitely does - she's going to get her life back.
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin puts a fresh, funny spin on the whole what-happens-after-we-die question. Refreshingly lighthearted in tone, the story manages to be both entertaining and moving. With a warm, quirky cast, a fascinating setting, and plenty of big questions to ponder, Elsewhere delights in so many ways. Whether or not your version of heaven jives with Zevin's, this lovely little book will make you snicker, sniffle and speculate about the biggest mystery of all: What really happens after we die? We all have our ideas, but Zevin's may be the most entertaining of them all.
Grade: B+
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for mild language and some sexual innuendo/content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Sunday, July 11, 2010
If I Stay: Contemplative YA Novel Asks the Big Questions
(Image from Barnes & Noble)One snowy day, three members of a family perished in a car accident. A fourth lingered, but ultimately succumbed to the same fate. The news haunted Gayle Forman. As the author pondered the incident, still grieving for her friends, a character popped into her head. Her name was Mia. She, too, was involved in a crash. She, too, lingered. Forman's second YA novel, If I Stay, is the story of Mia, a teenager stuck in that murky space between living and dying. It explores the thoughts of a young girl, ideas about living, dying and the choice Mia eventually has to make for herself - should she stay or should she go?
Through flashbacks, we learn about Mia's quirky, bohemian parents; her funny little brother, Teddy; her loyal best friend, Kim; and her rocker boyfriend, Adam. In the one day that she floats between her world and the next, we see exactly why her choice is so difficult. Even though the accident has changed things, Mia has plenty of reasons to return. She also has good reasons to go. As Mia spends the day contemplating her decision, the reader also has the chance to ponder the big questions: What happens after we die? Do families endure beyond the grave? Can comatose patients really choose to fight or let go? How do those left behind cope with the death of a loved one?
While I don't have a problem with contemplative novels like If I Stay, this one dragged quite a bit for me. I'm not sure why, since it had plenty of conflict, but it never really grabbed me. Maybe it's because the story's not terribly fresh, or because the only characters who really stand out are Mia's parents (who are charmingly original), or because Mia's voice isn't strong enough to make her truly come alive (pardon the pun). The ending did surprise me, though, and the sentimentality might have even coaxed a tear or two out of me. Still and all, I found If I Stay disappointing - one of those books that comes nowhere near to living up to its hype. Always a bummer.
(Readalikes: A little like The Everafter by Amy Huntley)
Grade: B-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language (several F-bombs, plus frequent milder invectives) and some sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I bought If I Stay from Amazon.
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