Sunday, August 22, 2010

EVERLOST by Neal Shusterman



There was an accident.  Two lives were lost.  Did they travel on into heaven or hell for eternal reward or punishment?  No, they traveled to Everlost - a place not quite where either one wants to be.

Allie and Nick end up in Everlost.  They soon discover it is a place between living on earth and dying and going wherever souls go for eternity.  Everlost is populated by children no longer with the living but not completely with the dead either.

They are forced to quickly learn the rules of this new place.  They must not stand in one spot too long or they will sink to the center of the earth.  There are dangerous monsters to be avoided like the McGill and the Haunter.  There are places where those in Everlost may congregate, but life there may be either dangerous or an endless repetitive cycle of meaningless activity.

More than anything, Allie wants to go home.  Her first wish is to find out if her father survived the crash, and her second hope is that perhaps she isn't truly dead.  Together with Nick and their new companion Leif, they travel beyond their Everlost forest to search for others like them.  They eventually arrive at another Everlost site, the fateful twin towers of New York City, only to discover that this place of promise might not be all that it appears to be. 

EVERLOST is the start of a three part journey created by author Neal Shusterman.  Readers will be fascinated as he reveals this amazing place.  Populated with the spirits of children, it is a place teen readers can well imagine and even envy until they turn the pages and uncover the truth.  Shusterman uses his unique voice to write about a world so realistic, readers will be grabbed by the adventure and captivated as they follow the paths of Allie and Nick.  EVERWILD is the second in this incredible series, with part three yet to come.

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