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ar13l's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
bugmancharles's review against another edition
4.0
I read this first about three years ago and just re-read it and actually appreciated it more on re-read! I think part of it is that I'd already read the two following books so I know where the story's going.
I think the world-building in this series is well-considered and clever, and the establishment of stakes and conflict in a post-death situation works really well.
I think I rated it only 3 stars the first time b/c the interpersonal dynamics don't necessarily work super well for me - in particular, I think the felt the Nick/Mary romance was contrived - but it's a small enough part of the story [in terms of actual space it occupies on the page] that I can get past it.
The only other thing is that Nick is half-Japanese, and the way he's described towards the beginning (like, "a touch of Asian to his features" etc.) felt weird to me (a white person). If I were Neal Shusterman's editor I might have asked him to change that, especially since it happens like five times.
I think the world-building in this series is well-considered and clever, and the establishment of stakes and conflict in a post-death situation works really well.
I think I rated it only 3 stars the first time b/c the interpersonal dynamics don't necessarily work super well for me - in particular, I think the felt the Nick/Mary romance was contrived - but it's a small enough part of the story [in terms of actual space it occupies on the page] that I can get past it.
The only other thing is that Nick is half-Japanese, and the way he's described towards the beginning (like, "a touch of Asian to his features" etc.) felt weird to me (a white person). If I were Neal Shusterman's editor I might have asked him to change that, especially since it happens like five times.
bwithers310's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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? Yes
5.0
chanelearl's review against another edition
This book really came through in the end. I have been having a hard time reading anything (I blame the pandemic and systemic racism for taking up my mind space). This is the first book I have finished in a while, and I was able to finish it because it is a quick, interesting read. I am excited to read the sequel.
impossiblegirl21's review against another edition
4.0
Everlost is a place in between the world of the living and the true afterlife. It is place children sometimes wind up in on their way to the other side. This what happens to Allie and Nick, who die together in a car crash and bump into each other on their way into the light. As they begin to figure out the rules of Everlost, the more and more unhappy Allie becomes realizing she is stuck for eternity in a place in between. Yet, Nick seems content, as do many other Afterlights, to find a routine and settle in. An interesting read.
shidoburrito's review against another edition
3.0
Not only was this book recommended by a fellow friend and Goodreads user, I needed something to read of Shusterman as I eagerly awaited the release of "UnWholly". I super-loved "Unwind" so much. This book series, also by Shusterman, was also unique and a fun read, but what started off great kinda just took a turn for silly and ridiculous. This is a story about two teens dying in a car wreck and getting knocked off course away from the light, ending up in a sort of limbo for children. It's a dark plot and it starts off really great, and the theme of "skinjacking" or possession was also a creepy twist. So why are they fighting a pirate who sounds like Sloth from the Goonies who strings up children from their feet to "chime" them? No one feels pain in this limbo. Another strange turn was when two of the main characters get sealed inside a pickle barrel for a couple weeks. Uh, okay. Anyway, it was a brilliant idea, and it does play out pretty nicely, but the dark vibe I got from it at first was ruined by too many juvenile and goofy happenings. It ended on a note that I can accept and not feel I have to read any more in the series. Oh well, on to "UnWholly"!
carlosortiz's review against another edition
4.0
Como siempre, Neal Shusterman juega en otra liga diferente al resto de autores de novela juvenil.
Aquí tenemos una historia sorprendente y muy por encima de la media de los títulos para este público. ¡Y eso que no es, ni de lejos, su mejor libro!
La reinterpretación (más) oscura que ha hecho de Alicia en el pais de las maravillas y otros clásicos como, El señor de las moscas, es de altísima calidad.
Aquí seguimos las peripecias de varios adolescentes atrapados en un limbo misterioso y desconocido, tras su muerte. Referencias continúas a Alicia, a El señor de las moscas, a Laberinto, a historias de piratas, u otras históricas como el Hindenburg o Amity Ville, se mezclan para proporcionarnos un mundo muy original y propio, con una historia muy sorprendente y ampliamente recomendable.
Para adolescentes a partir de 13 años que quieran dejarse asombrar por una historia muy fresca y bien escrita.
Aquí tenemos una historia sorprendente y muy por encima de la media de los títulos para este público. ¡Y eso que no es, ni de lejos, su mejor libro!
La reinterpretación (más) oscura que ha hecho de Alicia en el pais de las maravillas y otros clásicos como, El señor de las moscas, es de altísima calidad.
Aquí seguimos las peripecias de varios adolescentes atrapados en un limbo misterioso y desconocido, tras su muerte. Referencias continúas a Alicia, a El señor de las moscas, a Laberinto, a historias de piratas, u otras históricas como el Hindenburg o Amity Ville, se mezclan para proporcionarnos un mundo muy original y propio, con una historia muy sorprendente y ampliamente recomendable.
Para adolescentes a partir de 13 años que quieran dejarse asombrar por una historia muy fresca y bien escrita.
pamelabaker's review against another edition
3.0
A formulaic journey story with borderline annoying/flat characters but enough plot to keep me reading.
jenibo's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure I will finish this book. I am not really a casual reader - I read for my work, and I have an everchanging but never diminishing tower of books that attract me sitting beside my bed to read, so I've always got plenty of options to move on to if I'm not very involved in what I'm reading. And, I'm an adult who is constantly reading YA literature, so I guess I'm not really the intended audience, probably more critical and harder to please than most YA readers. So I'm a bit sheepish when I want to be critical about a book for these reasons. Anyhow.. I was very keen to read this Shusterman series, as I absolutely loved Unwind by him, but I'm finding Everlost boring and predictable. The characters don't especially attract me, and what they are doing, and even where they are, doesn't seem that interesting or imaginative.
Well...that was a few hours ago, and I'm now finished this book. The characters do take some more interesting twists and turns towards the end, certainly more than is usual for most writers, and that was delicious, but at the end of the day, I feel that the setting and world of Everlost just lacked interest and challenge and imagination. I won't bother reading the rest of this series, and I'm not sure that there will be many who I'd recommend it to. There are just so many good titles out there. Shusterman is an excellent writer, but this is not his best work.
Well...that was a few hours ago, and I'm now finished this book. The characters do take some more interesting twists and turns towards the end, certainly more than is usual for most writers, and that was delicious, but at the end of the day, I feel that the setting and world of Everlost just lacked interest and challenge and imagination. I won't bother reading the rest of this series, and I'm not sure that there will be many who I'd recommend it to. There are just so many good titles out there. Shusterman is an excellent writer, but this is not his best work.