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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
A decent read for me, not sure of its kid appeal. Of course, it depends on the kid. I feel, if not for the cover, it could easily be shelved in YA. Seemed somewhat didactic at times. Not overtly, it's quite subtle, but still contains an instructional tone somehow.
This is such a well crafted story of a boy's journey to understanding and coming to terms with his brother's death. Along the way, he meets characters who force him to think differently about life and make the appropriate changes needed to cope with the loss of Eli.
Rupp does a fantastic job weaving in humor and unique characters that help foil Danny's sadness into acceptance. The book comes full circle in the end and Danny's life is heading in a more meaningful direction.
Rupp does a fantastic job weaving in humor and unique characters that help foil Danny's sadness into acceptance. The book comes full circle in the end and Danny's life is heading in a more meaningful direction.
This book was absolutely nothing like what the summary says. So I was mostly disappointed with it. If the summary had actually said what it was about, I probably wouldn't have checked it out.
Eyes still swollen from some soft crying that I write this review. Is someone cutting onions?! Sniffs.
This book is just great. It's one of those stories that you'd want to see in a movie. The characters are very lovable - every one of them. And then the author writes this book with just the right humor and drama which makes it such an enjoyable read.
The story deals with the loss of a loved one and the kind of a deeper realization that comes with it. It's a book for young readers but I found myself easily glued to it as well. It's a light read but I highly recommend this for everyone. It's just... dreamy. There's some dreamy sense of sadness in this book which, I think, everyone has a fondness for.
And, oh, loved the twins so much.
This book is just great. It's one of those stories that you'd want to see in a movie. The characters are very lovable - every one of them. And then the author writes this book with just the right humor and drama which makes it such an enjoyable read.
The story deals with the loss of a loved one and the kind of a deeper realization that comes with it. It's a book for young readers but I found myself easily glued to it as well. It's a light read but I highly recommend this for everyone. It's just... dreamy. There's some dreamy sense of sadness in this book which, I think, everyone has a fondness for.
And, oh, loved the twins so much.
genre: realistic fiction
summary: Told in first person, Daniel looks back at the summer he spent after his older brother, Eli's death. Eli, 22, died from an IED in Iraq. Daniel's parents are completely destroyed and retreat into their grief leaving Daniel to figure things out for himself. Daniel searches for meaning and closure while he deals with growing older. The group of guys he's been hanging out with since kindergarten aren't fun to hang out with anymore. The school weirdo, Walter and the beautiful new girl that moved into the haunted house.
notes: think "Looking for Alaska" for tweens: manic pixie dream girl, strange friends that form a family, grief, coming of age, infatuation
for kids who like: books about animals
age group: age 12+
my review: really liked this except for Isabelle. i know she would keep the tweens interested but i kept rolling my eyes whenever she talked.
summary: Told in first person, Daniel looks back at the summer he spent after his older brother, Eli's death. Eli, 22, died from an IED in Iraq. Daniel's parents are completely destroyed and retreat into their grief leaving Daniel to figure things out for himself. Daniel searches for meaning and closure while he deals with growing older. The group of guys he's been hanging out with since kindergarten aren't fun to hang out with anymore. The school weirdo, Walter and the beautiful new girl that moved into the haunted house.
notes: think "Looking for Alaska" for tweens: manic pixie dream girl, strange friends that form a family, grief, coming of age, infatuation
for kids who like: books about animals
age group: age 12+
my review: really liked this except for Isabelle. i know she would keep the tweens interested but i kept rolling my eyes whenever she talked.
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3.5-4.0 stars
9/11 happened and Eli wanted to help at ground zero but Eli’s dad said no. Feeling that he had to do something to help he enlisted in the army instead. About a year or so after he dies in Iraq while on duty. Eli’s death has left Danny alone, his dad even less sociable and mom has checked out. While coping with the death of his brother, Danny begins the “Book of the Dead” a book where he records famous people and the cause of their deaths.
I think the most interesting part of this book was the “Book of the Dead” and how the author used it to tie it back to certain events in Danny’s life and/or to show his thought process on the topic of death. This definitely made After Eli a very unique story.
I liked the story well enough. I thought it was written well. I liked the characters especially the twins who were a hoot! I especially liked that you could noticeably see the growth within these characters. The flow of the story was right on point and the ending was just right. Yet something didn’t sit well with me.
I’ve read a few contemporaries as of late and they were heart wrenching and I guess I was expecting this book to be that way. It’s not. There are some moments and I did cry during those moments but it was hard for me to connect in that way the entire time.
Another thing, I felt like I was reading the wrong era. The book reads like the TV show the Wonder Years. This is not a negative, people. I loved Wonder Years. My thing was that this is supposed to be the present, you know 2012. Although there were parts that felt like 2012, there were other parts that felt like the 1960’s.
I don’t know. It could just be the emotional overload I’ve felt reading other types of books in the last few months. Also, it could just be a figment of my imagination about the era switch up I felt often in this book…figment or lack of sleep. Or it could just be that this book is just a different type of grief and it doesn’t always have to be over the top and the town is rural and could possibly still feel like the 1960’s even if it is 2012.
Bottom line: I still recommend this read to everyone because it was an overall enjoyable read. After reading it let me know your thoughts on it.
ARC was provided by Candlewick via NetGalley.
3.5-4.0 stars
9/11 happened and Eli wanted to help at ground zero but Eli’s dad said no. Feeling that he had to do something to help he enlisted in the army instead. About a year or so after he dies in Iraq while on duty. Eli’s death has left Danny alone, his dad even less sociable and mom has checked out. While coping with the death of his brother, Danny begins the “Book of the Dead” a book where he records famous people and the cause of their deaths.
I think the most interesting part of this book was the “Book of the Dead” and how the author used it to tie it back to certain events in Danny’s life and/or to show his thought process on the topic of death. This definitely made After Eli a very unique story.
I liked the story well enough. I thought it was written well. I liked the characters especially the twins who were a hoot! I especially liked that you could noticeably see the growth within these characters. The flow of the story was right on point and the ending was just right. Yet something didn’t sit well with me.
I’ve read a few contemporaries as of late and they were heart wrenching and I guess I was expecting this book to be that way. It’s not. There are some moments and I did cry during those moments but it was hard for me to connect in that way the entire time.
Another thing, I felt like I was reading the wrong era. The book reads like the TV show the Wonder Years. This is not a negative, people. I loved Wonder Years. My thing was that this is supposed to be the present, you know 2012. Although there were parts that felt like 2012, there were other parts that felt like the 1960’s.
I don’t know. It could just be the emotional overload I’ve felt reading other types of books in the last few months. Also, it could just be a figment of my imagination about the era switch up I felt often in this book…figment or lack of sleep. Or it could just be that this book is just a different type of grief and it doesn’t always have to be over the top and the town is rural and could possibly still feel like the 1960’s even if it is 2012.
Bottom line: I still recommend this read to everyone because it was an overall enjoyable read. After reading it let me know your thoughts on it.
ARC was provided by Candlewick via NetGalley.
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Would love to get someone opinion on MG or YA for this one. Great story. Lots of research you could add to it: places, names, writers mentioned in book. Could also design Tshirt. Good school tie-ins.
The author did a great job of capturing the feelings of a young teenager dealing with lose, grief, and the evolution of relationships.