Scan barcode
kryogenic's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
hannahelizabooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
bookph1le's review against another edition
5.0
I have become an enthusiastic consumer of YA literature. Like all literature, it is not all created equal. Everlost is one of those books that stands above the rest, for a multitude of reasons.
The world of Everlost is very well developed, very nuanced, and really intriguing. There is a logic to it. It has its own rules to which all characters are subject. I also found it a very poignant universe, one in which deep emotions leave a lasting impression. I loved this concept and loved the depiction of the objects that cross over. There is something so lovely in the thought that a beloved building, a cherished book, or an adored stuffed animal goes on to lead a sort of second life, providing comfort to those who find themselves stuck in a sort of in between.
As wonderful as the setting is, the real gem and mastery of this book (indeed, of the whole series) is in the characters. Shusterman has a wonderful ability to create varied, nuanced, interesting characters. Using a third person narrative is something of a risk, but I'm glad he used this particular device because I was endlessly fascinated by each of the characters and always enjoyed getting to see inside their heads.
Allie and Nick are both simply wonderful. I really liked the fact that they initially don't get along and band together simply because there is safety in numbers. I also loved that neither of them was perfect. Each has their own flaws: with Allie, it's a tendency to being somewhat overbearing and prickly while with Nick, it's a tendency toward being whiny. I found them both exasperating at times, but this only served to make me love them more because of this important point: Shusterman shows the reader that there is more to Allie and Nick than what we first see. They are both complex and show a great deal of growth over the course of the novel.
As great as Allie and Nick are, I thought the McGill was even better. I loved the fact that he starts out as being something of a caricature, but is revealed to have many surprising layers. Far too often, I think authors rely on very cardboard villains, so it's always a delight to me to find a bad character who I grow to like and about whom I care. This doesn't excuse the McGill's actions, and I don't think that's Shusterman's intent. Instead, I think that the McGill serves to show that it's not necessary to remain stuck in a rut.
On the other side of the coin, we have Mary, who is a perfect foil for the McGill. Where he appears to be awful, she appears to be wonderful. Again, it is delightful to observe as her layers are peeled back. In some ways, Shusterman has inverted the traditional structure of good versus bad, and I think that's a wonderful thing. He's showing the reader that it's important to dig deeply rather than accepting everything at face value.
I was also very happy with the handling of the romances within the book. I felt there was chemistry between the characters, and I liked that not everything worked out the way they hoped it would. Love is messy and difficult at times, and I think Shusterman captures it perfectly. He's also very good at creating passionate, heart-felt romances that are also very chaste, which I think is a particular challenge. What happens between the characters is deeply, deeply emotional, which is how a love story really should be. While physical passion is certainly an important part of a romance, I feel that far too many authors rely so heavily on this aspect that there is no real foundation of feeling to provide support. I'm so glad Shusterman isn't that sort of author.
I really loved the ending of this book. I thought it built up into a very suspenseful and satisfying crescendo that also included several curveballs I didn't see coming. While there is a definite sense of an ending to this phase of the story, Shusterman also does a nice job of setting the stage for the next installment. This is truly top notch fiction that provides a satisfying read with a myriad of complex themes for everyone from teens on up.
The world of Everlost is very well developed, very nuanced, and really intriguing. There is a logic to it. It has its own rules to which all characters are subject. I also found it a very poignant universe, one in which deep emotions leave a lasting impression. I loved this concept and loved the depiction of the objects that cross over. There is something so lovely in the thought that a beloved building, a cherished book, or an adored stuffed animal goes on to lead a sort of second life, providing comfort to those who find themselves stuck in a sort of in between.
As wonderful as the setting is, the real gem and mastery of this book (indeed, of the whole series) is in the characters. Shusterman has a wonderful ability to create varied, nuanced, interesting characters. Using a third person narrative is something of a risk, but I'm glad he used this particular device because I was endlessly fascinated by each of the characters and always enjoyed getting to see inside their heads.
Allie and Nick are both simply wonderful. I really liked the fact that they initially don't get along and band together simply because there is safety in numbers. I also loved that neither of them was perfect. Each has their own flaws: with Allie, it's a tendency to being somewhat overbearing and prickly while with Nick, it's a tendency toward being whiny. I found them both exasperating at times, but this only served to make me love them more because of this important point: Shusterman shows the reader that there is more to Allie and Nick than what we first see. They are both complex and show a great deal of growth over the course of the novel.
As great as Allie and Nick are, I thought the McGill was even better. I loved the fact that he starts out as being something of a caricature, but is revealed to have many surprising layers. Far too often, I think authors rely on very cardboard villains, so it's always a delight to me to find a bad character who I grow to like and about whom I care. This doesn't excuse the McGill's actions, and I don't think that's Shusterman's intent. Instead, I think that the McGill serves to show that it's not necessary to remain stuck in a rut.
On the other side of the coin, we have Mary, who is a perfect foil for the McGill. Where he appears to be awful, she appears to be wonderful. Again, it is delightful to observe as her layers are peeled back. In some ways, Shusterman has inverted the traditional structure of good versus bad, and I think that's a wonderful thing. He's showing the reader that it's important to dig deeply rather than accepting everything at face value.
I was also very happy with the handling of the romances within the book. I felt there was chemistry between the characters, and I liked that not everything worked out the way they hoped it would. Love is messy and difficult at times, and I think Shusterman captures it perfectly. He's also very good at creating passionate, heart-felt romances that are also very chaste, which I think is a particular challenge. What happens between the characters is deeply, deeply emotional, which is how a love story really should be. While physical passion is certainly an important part of a romance, I feel that far too many authors rely so heavily on this aspect that there is no real foundation of feeling to provide support. I'm so glad Shusterman isn't that sort of author.
I really loved the ending of this book. I thought it built up into a very suspenseful and satisfying crescendo that also included several curveballs I didn't see coming. While there is a definite sense of an ending to this phase of the story, Shusterman also does a nice job of setting the stage for the next installment. This is truly top notch fiction that provides a satisfying read with a myriad of complex themes for everyone from teens on up.
mbenzz's review against another edition
4.0
I've had this series on my TBR list for years, but for some reason kept passing it by as I thought it would be childish and silly, but I actually really enjoyed it! This year I'm determining what books I'll read next by using a random number generator on my Goodreads 'To Read' list, and this was the book that popped up, so this was the book I read!
I love life after death books. FICTION life after death books (Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin being one of my favorites). I was not expecting this to be such a spot-on-book for me! I enjoyed learning more about the Afterlights and the things they were and were not able to do.
Nike and Leif's plight and the sheer determination of Allie and the McGill to manipulate people and space to work in their favor made for very entertaining reading.
Overall, I really liked this book and, while I feel there were a few 'dead-spots' (see what I did there...) that were a little slow-going, I thoroughly enjoyed the story as a whole. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in Book 2 with our new 'Villian'!
I love life after death books. FICTION life after death books (Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin being one of my favorites). I was not expecting this to be such a spot-on-book for me! I enjoyed learning more about the Afterlights and the things they were and were not able to do.
Nike and Leif's plight and the sheer determination of Allie and the McGill to manipulate people and space to work in their favor made for very entertaining reading.
Overall, I really liked this book and, while I feel there were a few 'dead-spots' (see what I did there...) that were a little slow-going, I thoroughly enjoyed the story as a whole. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in Book 2 with our new 'Villian'!
trishav22's review against another edition
4.0
Hm. I have no words for this book. I can't think of a single thing I can say that would sell this book accurately. Well, I liked it anyway. That's a start.
linzthebookworm's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely adored Everlost by Neal Shusterman. I felt like it was a really unique approach to what the afterlife is like. There was so much world-building that gave the story a lot of interesting details. I really liked the way the characters had to interact with those details. I liked Allie, Leif, and even The McGill (towards the end...) Nick kind of grew on me after annoying me for a lot of the book, and I found Mary kind of snobby and fake. Overall I really liked the story and can't wait to continue on with the series.
For my full review check out https://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2021/03/book-review-everlost-by-neal-shusterman.html
For my full review check out https://linzthebookworm.blogspot.com/2021/03/book-review-everlost-by-neal-shusterman.html
frostybee_bookcase's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this book. The story was well told and kept you enthralled with what would happen next.
tasteslikeoranges's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Honeslty, very racist undertones. Wouldn’t reccomend.
betseyboo's review against another edition
4.0
This is geared towards YA, but I always like books that surprise me and this one did. I saw this book while trying to pick up a few selections for my stepson and I thought I should give it a go to make sure the recommendation is not far off. Quick read that I would recommend to younger readers and to those adults that just want a fun time.