Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

22 reviews

rosalind's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

This was a re-read of a book that left a huge impression on me when I read it for the first time as a pre-teen. Every bit as moving the second time around at 31. I do think the writing quality massively improves about halfway through, but that’s neither here nor there (it’s, if you will, Elsewhere, chortle chortle chortle). Zevin’s gift is in painting the profound specifics in broad brushstrokes. I’m really glad I revisited this sweet gem of a book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, and Car accident

Moderate: Animal death and Abandonment

Minor: Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

fluffy1st's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Death, and Grief

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

vikkiareads's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

wmwmw's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

One of my favourite books! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Car accident

Minor: Animal death

mckenziesbookshelf's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death and Death

moond4ncer's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Terminal illness, Grief, and Car accident

ectotherm10's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Death

ceredonia's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Grief

Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury

janatoktok's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Death

Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use

lostgwennel's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

This had so much potential. I like Zevin’s direct writing style, and the idea of Elsewhere as an afterlife, but the emotion in the story fell totally flat for me.

The main character didn’t feel authentic as a teenager and was oddly unemotional at times, which made it hard to know what I was meant to be feeling.

I didn’t buy the MC’s romance story at all - making her fall in love with a boy who used to be a forty year old man was strange and unnecessary.

I personally would’ve liked more worldbuilding, more curiosity and wonder in exploring Elsewhere. Do all living things go to Elsewhere when they die? What about plants - do trees age backwards into a sapling, then a seed? People from around the world, not just America - what does their Elsewhere look like? 

My overwhelming memory of this book is that it feels extremely *suburban*, with few natural elements or sensations, which is why I couldn’t fully connect to the story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death and Child death

Minor: Drug abuse, Self harm, and Mass/school shootings