Take a photo of a barcode or cover
2.91 AVERAGE
2.91 AVERAGE
Chuy is a normal teenage guy who has grown up in the barrios of Fresno, California. He is an ordinary guy whose most pressing thought is of catching the attention of a pretty girl. He is happy--combing his hair in the restroom at Club Estrella, when he is murdered by a punk wearing yellow shoes after he compliments the punks shoes.
Chuy bleeds to death on a dirty restroom floor and soon finds himself looking down on his body. He floats through Fresno for about a week, doing many of the things he didn’t when he was alive--understanding how much his family and friends loved him, saving a man's life, and even falling in love (with a fellow ghost).
The ending was a bit of a letdown, but otherwise the story was wonderful. I loved the way Soto wove in Spanish words here and there. Kind of a Lovely Bones for guys.
Chuy bleeds to death on a dirty restroom floor and soon finds himself looking down on his body. He floats through Fresno for about a week, doing many of the things he didn’t when he was alive--understanding how much his family and friends loved him, saving a man's life, and even falling in love (with a fellow ghost).
The ending was a bit of a letdown, but otherwise the story was wonderful. I loved the way Soto wove in Spanish words here and there. Kind of a Lovely Bones for guys.
The fantasy story of a boy, after his death, exploring his neighborhood is very unique and interesting. He ends up visiting his family, meeting other ghosts, chasing down his killer, and asking questions about right and wrong, life and death.
This was a good book mostly because I have never read a story like this before. I liked the original idea and the main character was interesting in how he dealt with his new afterlife. This is a good story for young adults of all ages and parents or teachers don't have to worry about the delicate subject of life after death because it is presented in a non-biased way, that leaves children the ability to decided for themselves.
This was a good book mostly because I have never read a story like this before. I liked the original idea and the main character was interesting in how he dealt with his new afterlife. This is a good story for young adults of all ages and parents or teachers don't have to worry about the delicate subject of life after death because it is presented in a non-biased way, that leaves children the ability to decided for themselves.
Disappointing, not nearly enough character development of any character, even the main one, and lackluster plot :(
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Chuy is an average, high school aged, Latino boy in Fresno. He thinks about girls. He's not great at sports but tries to do them just to hang out with his friends. He's got a best friend and family members that he likes and while he's not a over achiever, he's still a good kid.
And then he gets randomly killed at a club. (Not a spoiler - that's the whole premise of the book).
Now he's a ghost, figuring out how to be a ghost, and figuring out what it means to be dead (as well as what it meant to be alive, in the first place). Folks compare this to [b:The Lovely Bones|12232938|The Lovely Bones|Alice Sebold|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457810586s/12232938.jpg|1145090] since the narrator is a young ghost reflecting on life - but I think the books had some different goals. For me, The Lovely Bones was more about the crime itself and the families pursuit of justice. In many ways, that book is really ALL about the family and how those characters adapt and grow and move on, while the ghost just observes.
In the Afterlife, the story is really all about Chuy and his process of learning to be a ghost and his discussion of his life. There isn't a lot of focus on the crime itself (though we do get to see the killer several times) - but the focus is actually more about the neighborhood that Chuy grew up in, the community that he was surrounded by, and generally exposing readers to the experiences of a young Latino.
For full enjoyment, don't plan for a great reveal or conclusion, but simply absorb the environment - it's a POV that isn't very common in YA. It's written simply and well, with some hidden gems in turn of phrase.
This short book is more likely to be appreciated by actual teenagers (unlike TLB, which I think is geared towards an adult audience).
And then he gets randomly killed at a club. (Not a spoiler - that's the whole premise of the book).
Now he's a ghost, figuring out how to be a ghost, and figuring out what it means to be dead (as well as what it meant to be alive, in the first place). Folks compare this to [b:The Lovely Bones|12232938|The Lovely Bones|Alice Sebold|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457810586s/12232938.jpg|1145090] since the narrator is a young ghost reflecting on life - but I think the books had some different goals. For me, The Lovely Bones was more about the crime itself and the families pursuit of justice. In many ways, that book is really ALL about the family and how those characters adapt and grow and move on, while the ghost just observes.
In the Afterlife, the story is really all about Chuy and his process of learning to be a ghost and his discussion of his life. There isn't a lot of focus on the crime itself (though we do get to see the killer several times) - but the focus is actually more about the neighborhood that Chuy grew up in, the community that he was surrounded by, and generally exposing readers to the experiences of a young Latino.
For full enjoyment, don't plan for a great reveal or conclusion, but simply absorb the environment - it's a POV that isn't very common in YA. It's written simply and well, with some hidden gems in turn of phrase.
This short book is more likely to be appreciated by actual teenagers (unlike TLB, which I think is geared towards an adult audience).