Title: Everlost
Author: Neal Shusterman
Summary: When teenagers Allie and Nick are killed in a two-car collision, they become tangled with each other in a tunnel going toward a light and wind up in "Everlost." Everlost is a limbo between life and death. After a nine-months' sleep, they wake up to find themselves in a forest, watched over by a boy wearing old-fashioned clothes. The boy teaches them a few key points. For one thing, they must always keep moving, or they will sink straight through the earth. They also get information from books written by a "Mary Hightower," and on their trek back to their homes (the best solution they can come up with to get out of limbo) they meet up with Mary herself-calm, kindly, and mother to hundreds of Everlost children though she is only fifteen. Nick begins to fall in love with Mary, but Allie dislikes her determination to keep everyone following old patterns. In Everlost you have to have a very strong mind because otherwise you will forget who you are and you will forget about your past life. You will end up repeating the same routine day after day without even realizing it. Allie is afraid Nick is going to fall into this pattern and she is determined to save him and herself by escaping from Everlost. Throughout their journey, Allie and Nick find themselves in serious trouble. Between running into a gang and meeting the McGill (Everlost's resident monster), they are bound and determined to escape from any danger they may encounter.
Reaction: For not being much of a fantasy reader I actually enjoyed this book. The description on the back of the book really hooked me so I decided to read it. I think Neal Shusterman does a great job explaining the limbo between life and death. I have always been fascinated about other peoples' perspectives about what happens after you pass away. I think this novel would really get teens to question what they believe. It's an interesting story but it was very enjoyable to read.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to students in grades 6 and up. I think both boys and girls would be interested in this book because the main characters are a teenage boy and a teenage girl.
Book talk hook: Nick and Allie don't survive the car accident.....but their souls don't exactly get where they're supposed to go either. Instead, they're caught halfway between life and death, in a sort of limbo known as Everlost: a shadow of the living world, filled with all the things and places that no longer exist. It's a magical, yet dangerous place where bands of lost children run wild and anyone who stands in the same place too long sinks to the center of the Earth.
Neal Shusterman is a wonderful scifi-fantasy author. I have several of his books in my collection and they move pretty well. Sounds like I need to look for this one. Having a book that appeals to both boys and girls is a real plus.
ReplyDeleteLove your hook!
ReplyDeleteI will put this book on my summer reading list.
This sounds like a great story and I love that it can appeal to both boys and girls. The afterlife is something that young people are interested in, come middle school and junior high, and this sounds like it gives them an intersting perspective to add to their knowledge.
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading the summary, I remembered you saying that you weren't a big fan of fantasy so I was interested in reading your reaction. I especially like how the book can appeal to boys and girls through their character and the story line. It doesn't seem to focus on one or the other.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely an original story and it sounds very interesting! Is it sad, I wonder? You say in the hook that they don't survive their car crash and it seems like it would be hard to read about these two characters if we know they are never going to come back to the land of the living again. I might have to check this one out!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds great! My booktalk got rescheduled for Thursday, and I think I'll add this title to my list. Thanks for the engaging hook!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book. It's the second good review I have heard about this book in the last couple of weeks. A girl at Beavercreek High School recommended this book to those who were at the book club.
ReplyDeleteI also find limbo an interesting topic. Great hook.
I keep saying that I don't like fantasy but for some reason I think I might like this one. You did a good job on the summary. At one point I thought it sounded like Hunger Games.
ReplyDeleteI was immediately attracted to the cover of this book. I love fantasy, and the premise of this book sounds very unique. I've never seen it before, so I'll have to check it out and see if it might be good to put on the book order for fall!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like something I would like to read and it is not my favorite genre; you did a great job on the summary and the hook is great. When I read the part - "a shadow of the living world, filled with all the things and places that no longer exist", I thought of the book, The Everafter, whose trailer I just viewed.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great book. I am like you I don't care for fantasy but this is one I see myself getting into!
ReplyDelete