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The Skinjacker Trilogy #1
Everlost
Nick and Allie don't survive the car accident...
...but their souls don't exactly get where they're supposed to get either. Instead, they're caught halfway between life and death, in a sort of limbo known as Everlost: a shadow of the living world, filled with all the things and places that no longer exist. It's a magical, yet dangerous place where bands of lost children run wild and anyone who stands in the same place too long sinks to the center of the Earth.
When they find Mary, the self-proclaimed queen of lost kids, Nick feels like he he's found a home, but Allie isn't satisfied spending eternity between worlds. Against all warnings, Allie begins learning the "Criminal Art" of haunting, and ventures into dangerous territory, where a monster called the McGill threatens all the souls of Everlost.
In this imaginative novel, Neal Shusterman explores questions of life, death, and what just might lie in between.
...but their souls don't exactly get where they're supposed to get either. Instead, they're caught halfway between life and death, in a sort of limbo known as Everlost: a shadow of the living world, filled with all the things and places that no longer exist. It's a magical, yet dangerous place where bands of lost children run wild and anyone who stands in the same place too long sinks to the center of the Earth.
When they find Mary, the self-proclaimed queen of lost kids, Nick feels like he he's found a home, but Allie isn't satisfied spending eternity between worlds. Against all warnings, Allie begins learning the "Criminal Art" of haunting, and ventures into dangerous territory, where a monster called the McGill threatens all the souls of Everlost.
In this imaginative novel, Neal Shusterman explores questions of life, death, and what just might lie in between.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2006
About the author
Neal Shusterman
86 books27.7k followersAward-winning author Neal Shusterman grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing at an early age. After spending his junior and senior years of high school at the American School of Mexico City, Neal went on to UC Irvine, where he made his mark on the UCI swim team, and wrote a successful humor column. Within a year of graduating, he had his first book deal, and was hired to write a movie script.
In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.
As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.
Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.
Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”
Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.
Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.
Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."
And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.
Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!
In the years since, Neal has made his mark as a successful novelist, screenwriter, and television writer. As a full-time writer, he claims to be his own hardest task-master, always at work creating new stories to tell. His books have received many awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, as well as garnering a myriad of state and local awards across the country. Neal's talents range from film directing (two short films he directed won him the coveted CINE Golden Eagle Awards) to writing music and stage plays – including book and lyrical contributions to “American Twistory,” which is currently playing in Boston. He has even tried his hand at creating Games, having developed three successful "How to Host a Mystery" game for teens, as well as seven "How to Host a Murder" games.
As a screen and TV writer, Neal has written for the "Goosebumps" and “Animorphs” TV series, and wrote the Disney Channel Original Movie “Pixel Perfect”. Currently Neal is adapting his novel Everlost as a feature film for Universal Studios.
Wherever Neal goes, he quickly earns a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. Much of his fiction is traceable back to stories he tells to large audiences of children and teenagers -- such as his novel The Eyes of Kid Midas. As a speaker, Neal is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give Neal a unique approach to writing. Neal's novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor.
Of Everlost, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman has reimagined what happens after death and questions power and the meaning of charity. While all this is going on, he has also managed to write a rip-roaring adventure…”
Of What Daddy Did, Voice of Youth Advocates wrote; "This is a compelling, spell-binding story... A stunning novel, impossible to put down once begun.
Of The Schwa Was Here, School Library Journal wrote: “Shusterman's characters–reminiscent of those crafted by E. L. Konigsburg and Jerry Spinelli–are infused with the kind of controlled, precocious improbability that magically vivifies the finest children's classics.
Of Scorpion Shards, Publisher's Weekly wrote: "Shusterman takes an outlandish comic-book concept, and, through the sheer audacity and breadth of his imagination makes it stunningly believable. A spellbinder."
And of The Eyes of Kid Midas, The Midwest Book Review wrote "This wins our vote as one of the best young-adult titles of the year" and was called "Inspired and hypnotically readable" by School Library Journal.
Neal Shusterman lives in Southern California with his children Brendan, Jarrod, Joelle, and Erin, who are a constant source of inspiration!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,281 reviews
April 27, 2016
I honestly don't have the luxury of time to read novels as much as I want to because pre-med is draining the life out of me. That being said, I carefully choose the novels that I read because a bad novel would make me avoid reading even more. Everlost is one of those novels that destroys the reading slump. It also makes you want to read despite the draining day you've just had. My trust in the YA genre is slowly growing again.
Everlost is about being in a state of limbo. The catch though is that it only works on kids. Anyone above the age of fifteen would just continue on in their journey to wherever they are destined to go. It may sound interesting, but Everlost is not a nice place to live in. There are rules that you need to follow if you don't want to end up falling, or being stuffed in a pickle barrel. There are people you need to avoid messing with, or your already miserable life will become even worse. It's a matter of survival and finding a way to escape the place.
Allie and Nick are the main characters in the novel. They are not related, but they did arrive at Everlost at the same time. For every person there is a different personality. One of the two is a hard headed kid who would stop at nothing for answers, and the other is a easy-go-lucky kid who'd rather follow the rules. It's interesting how different the two of them are but I still learned to like them both.
The characters in the novel are pretty good. You wouldn't expect such developed characters in a YA novel, but Everlost managed to deliver what it promised. Even the villains are interesting, and the usual corny ones.
The plot itself is also great. I liked the flow of the story and how the first book ended. it's a trilogy so it's normal to have a slight cliffhanger coming from the first book. Everything wrapped up nicely though, and the author managed to fill in the plot holes in this novel. Most would wrap things up in the last book, but Shusterman knows how to write.
I saw reviews stating that this book is far too similar to some other YA books. Luckily for me, everything seemed new to me, and nothing felt like something I've read before.
4.5/5 stars. One of the best YA novels I've read ever. Highly recommended if you want a short but great read. Can't wait to read the second novel.
Everlost is about being in a state of limbo. The catch though is that it only works on kids. Anyone above the age of fifteen would just continue on in their journey to wherever they are destined to go. It may sound interesting, but Everlost is not a nice place to live in. There are rules that you need to follow if you don't want to end up falling, or being stuffed in a pickle barrel. There are people you need to avoid messing with, or your already miserable life will become even worse. It's a matter of survival and finding a way to escape the place.
Allie and Nick are the main characters in the novel. They are not related, but they did arrive at Everlost at the same time. For every person there is a different personality. One of the two is a hard headed kid who would stop at nothing for answers, and the other is a easy-go-lucky kid who'd rather follow the rules. It's interesting how different the two of them are but I still learned to like them both.
The characters in the novel are pretty good. You wouldn't expect such developed characters in a YA novel, but Everlost managed to deliver what it promised. Even the villains are interesting, and the usual corny ones.
The plot itself is also great. I liked the flow of the story and how the first book ended. it's a trilogy so it's normal to have a slight cliffhanger coming from the first book. Everything wrapped up nicely though, and the author managed to fill in the plot holes in this novel. Most would wrap things up in the last book, but Shusterman knows how to write.
I saw reviews stating that this book is far too similar to some other YA books. Luckily for me, everything seemed new to me, and nothing felt like something I've read before.
4.5/5 stars. One of the best YA novels I've read ever. Highly recommended if you want a short but great read. Can't wait to read the second novel.
May 1, 2011
Everlost reminded me of several books I felt rather lukewarm about - Elsewhere, Lord of the Flies and Gone. It deals with afterlife (specifically, the limbo between life and death) and kids behaving badly when left on their own.
I can see why fans of Unwind would be underwhelmed by Everlost. I was too, a little. It is a good book, but it is clearly a children's book. There are no adults in it, the characters are all under 15. Even when the story handles very serious matters (that scared and creeped me out BTW), it does so in a manner suitable for children - the villains, the torture devices (a pickle barrel?) and violence are of a milder type.
Even though I knew from the get-go Everlost would never be one of my favorite books, once I made a decision to stick with the story anyway, I came to like it a lot and even developed a good amount of affection for its characters. Shusterman's vision of mid-existence struck my imagination. The boredom, uneventfulness, the obliteration of one's identity - DEPRESSING! If this is what being stuck in a limbo would be, I don't see how it is better than hell.
For those who dropped the book early on asked me if it gets better, here is my answer - it doesn't really. But I eventually got interested enough in the story to want to read the sequels and to see how it all ends. I just wish this series was written with an older set of characters and gorier details to go along with already sufficiently disturbing and mature concept.
I can see why fans of Unwind would be underwhelmed by Everlost. I was too, a little. It is a good book, but it is clearly a children's book. There are no adults in it, the characters are all under 15. Even when the story handles very serious matters (that scared and creeped me out BTW), it does so in a manner suitable for children - the villains, the torture devices (a pickle barrel?) and violence are of a milder type.
Even though I knew from the get-go Everlost would never be one of my favorite books, once I made a decision to stick with the story anyway, I came to like it a lot and even developed a good amount of affection for its characters. Shusterman's vision of mid-existence struck my imagination. The boredom, uneventfulness, the obliteration of one's identity - DEPRESSING! If this is what being stuck in a limbo would be, I don't see how it is better than hell.
For those who dropped the book early on asked me if it gets better, here is my answer - it doesn't really. But I eventually got interested enough in the story to want to read the sequels and to see how it all ends. I just wish this series was written with an older set of characters and gorier details to go along with already sufficiently disturbing and mature concept.
July 20, 2016
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Let me begin by saying that . . . .
Nope. When I saw Will’s review and that Everlost was written by Shusterman I was all in. Unfortunately I was still floating on an Unwind high and failed to pay attention to the fact that this wasn’t quite going to push the envelope like that one did.
What we have here is an unfortunate meet and greet between Nick and Allie . . .
When they “wake up” they discover something new about themselves . . .
They’re also left with the question of whether or not they made it to heaven . . .
Okay, not really, but it is a state of limbo. The remainder of the story is a quest to find others like themselves and a way to possibly make it back home.
As I said before, Everlost was extremely tame compared to my previous Shusterman experience. However, it was still a pretty decent read. If you or your children enjoyed Miss Peregrine, this might be a selection for you.
Let me begin by saying that . . . .
Nope. When I saw Will’s review and that Everlost was written by Shusterman I was all in. Unfortunately I was still floating on an Unwind high and failed to pay attention to the fact that this wasn’t quite going to push the envelope like that one did.
What we have here is an unfortunate meet and greet between Nick and Allie . . .
When they “wake up” they discover something new about themselves . . .
They’re also left with the question of whether or not they made it to heaven . . .
Okay, not really, but it is a state of limbo. The remainder of the story is a quest to find others like themselves and a way to possibly make it back home.
As I said before, Everlost was extremely tame compared to my previous Shusterman experience. However, it was still a pretty decent read. If you or your children enjoyed Miss Peregrine, this might be a selection for you.
July 23, 2024
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Everlost, the first book in Neal Shusterman's Skinjacker Trilogy was originally published in 2006. I was in grad school at that time and wasn't doing much free reading, so missed it.
In 2020, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers re-released the entire trilogy with beautifully-redesigned covers. Like the publisher's dream that I generally am, I promptly bought them all and they've been sitting on my shelves ever since. Staring at me, begging to be loved.
On a recent whim, I decided to finally dive in. In this story we follow Nick and Allie, who right at the beginning of our story die in tragic car accident. Unfortunately, their souls don't get where they need to go and now they are stuck in a limbo land known as Everlost.
Everlost is like an eerie, distorted image of our own world. It's filled with things, including places, that no longer exist in our world. There's also a lot of other souls trapped there.
At the beginning, navigating their dangerous new circumstances, Nick and Allie meet a lot of people who help to teach them about the functioning of Everlost.
There's bands of roaming kids and a girl named Mary, the self-proclaimed queen of lost souls. Nick is taken by her, but Allie refuses to believe in the fate that Mary is trying to sell her. Refusing to live for the rest of time trapped between two worlds, Allie begins investigating ways to make a change.
This was a solid start to a trilogy and actually, the more I have thought about it since I have finished, the more I have come to appreciate the depth of the story.
I feel like if I would have read this years ago, when it was released, I would have been crazy, mad, nuts about it, but it did feel a little dated in some sections, as far as the writing style is concerned.
However, with this being said, I still really enjoyed the world-building and will be continuing with the second book in the series next month. I'm very interested in digging further into some of the concepts Shusterman explored.
I was impressed with how quickly this kicked off. We're immediately dropped off where we should be, there's no time wasted digging into character's lives prior to Everlost. Perhaps that will come into play later in the series, but as far as this first book, I feel like that was a great choice.
I also enjoyed the atmosphere and eerie nature successfully carried throughout. It made me think of many darker fairy tale elements; like the kids as Lost Boys, the Peter Pan ones, not the vampire ones, as they have a bit of a feral nature. Also, Mary as a bit Queen of Hearts. Then I also picked up low-key Wizard of Oz sort of vibes.
Overall, I found this premise intriguing, the plot fast-paced and I think it's a great base to continuing building out this world. I'm really looking forward to continuing on with the characters and seeing where it goes from here!
Everlost, the first book in Neal Shusterman's Skinjacker Trilogy was originally published in 2006. I was in grad school at that time and wasn't doing much free reading, so missed it.
In 2020, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers re-released the entire trilogy with beautifully-redesigned covers. Like the publisher's dream that I generally am, I promptly bought them all and they've been sitting on my shelves ever since. Staring at me, begging to be loved.
On a recent whim, I decided to finally dive in. In this story we follow Nick and Allie, who right at the beginning of our story die in tragic car accident. Unfortunately, their souls don't get where they need to go and now they are stuck in a limbo land known as Everlost.
Everlost is like an eerie, distorted image of our own world. It's filled with things, including places, that no longer exist in our world. There's also a lot of other souls trapped there.
At the beginning, navigating their dangerous new circumstances, Nick and Allie meet a lot of people who help to teach them about the functioning of Everlost.
There's bands of roaming kids and a girl named Mary, the self-proclaimed queen of lost souls. Nick is taken by her, but Allie refuses to believe in the fate that Mary is trying to sell her. Refusing to live for the rest of time trapped between two worlds, Allie begins investigating ways to make a change.
This was a solid start to a trilogy and actually, the more I have thought about it since I have finished, the more I have come to appreciate the depth of the story.
I feel like if I would have read this years ago, when it was released, I would have been crazy, mad, nuts about it, but it did feel a little dated in some sections, as far as the writing style is concerned.
However, with this being said, I still really enjoyed the world-building and will be continuing with the second book in the series next month. I'm very interested in digging further into some of the concepts Shusterman explored.
I was impressed with how quickly this kicked off. We're immediately dropped off where we should be, there's no time wasted digging into character's lives prior to Everlost. Perhaps that will come into play later in the series, but as far as this first book, I feel like that was a great choice.
I also enjoyed the atmosphere and eerie nature successfully carried throughout. It made me think of many darker fairy tale elements; like the kids as Lost Boys, the Peter Pan ones, not the vampire ones, as they have a bit of a feral nature. Also, Mary as a bit Queen of Hearts. Then I also picked up low-key Wizard of Oz sort of vibes.
Overall, I found this premise intriguing, the plot fast-paced and I think it's a great base to continuing building out this world. I'm really looking forward to continuing on with the characters and seeing where it goes from here!
September 11, 2010
I swear on my dog's life that Neal Shusterman's Everlost is pure awesomeness.
Kids who die go to a sort of place but not a place existing between life and death called Everlost. If they stay there instead of passing on, they have to stay in areas called "dead spots", where a significant death has happened. (Main kids Allie and Nick's car accident took place by a forest that has burned down. Sometimes a spot is massive, such as the entire city of Atlanta (seen in the second in the Skinjacker trilogy, Everwild). These spots are what is still real to the kids, and the "live" spots they will sink right through if they stay there for any time. [I loved the details, like Shusterman thought of everything.] Food passes through if it had some special meaning to a person, like birthday cakes. That doesn't happen often. Fortune cookies are everywhere (there's more to this I shall say nothing about, lest I become too spoilerific), however. (Shusterman put a lot of thought into realizing the world of Everlost. The detail is half the fun.) Kids who have made their er living in Everlost trade in a black market (there's no law but it still feels black market all the same. Probably 'cause the trading gets dirty) of rare goods such as food, or vehicles that have passed through (one character drives the Hindenburg. I must say I enjoyed the way he played with disasters from the past).
Every kid has a coin on them (representing the payment to pass on). If they have no unfinished business, their coin will take them back. An older kid Mary Hightower (her name comes from her dominion of the world trade center) thinks she knows what is best for everyone else, and it is in her best interest to keep kids from passing on. She loves to be needed. One way she does this is ensure that kids forget themselves by installing them in meaningless routines (she'd get along great with The Terrible Trivium from The Phantom Tollbooth). The coins? Mary Her High and mighty Highness has them throw away in a wishing well. (Evil isn't she.)
Mary Hightower is one of my favorite villains of ya fiction. She means well, but lord is she infuriating. Mary Hightower publishes manifestos to lead lost kiddos to her cause. Her propaganda is far reaching.
The lost kiddos have to remind themselves constantly of themselves. Most cannot remember their old names for long, let alone what they really looked like. They become what they feel like they look like, and that can lead to becoming something of a darker nature. If they can't remember themselves, they'll be in Everlost forever (under that hoity toity Mary Hightower? Yikes!). The other baddie of the book is the monster McGill, another Everlost legend, with a decidedly less than friendly reputation than that of Mary Hightower. There is more to Everlost than the inhabitants will have Nick and Allie believe. (It's a bit like prison in that the worst part is the other inhabitants. The whole black market thing put me immediately in mind of prison. Something might be wrong with my mind.) I enjoyed their story in this bizarre little death world.
Nick is determined to stop Mary Hightower (too bad he's also in love with her). Allie wants to see her family again, and is still stuck to her old life. Their friend Leif from the forest is something like one of Peter Pan's Lost Boys.
I wouldn't lie where this little guy is concerned. (Even if he is a ventriloquist pooter. The crafty little devil blames me for all his farts, from silent but deadly to the musical variety.)
Kids who die go to a sort of place but not a place existing between life and death called Everlost. If they stay there instead of passing on, they have to stay in areas called "dead spots", where a significant death has happened. (Main kids Allie and Nick's car accident took place by a forest that has burned down. Sometimes a spot is massive, such as the entire city of Atlanta (seen in the second in the Skinjacker trilogy, Everwild). These spots are what is still real to the kids, and the "live" spots they will sink right through if they stay there for any time. [I loved the details, like Shusterman thought of everything.] Food passes through if it had some special meaning to a person, like birthday cakes. That doesn't happen often. Fortune cookies are everywhere (there's more to this I shall say nothing about, lest I become too spoilerific), however. (Shusterman put a lot of thought into realizing the world of Everlost. The detail is half the fun.) Kids who have made their er living in Everlost trade in a black market (there's no law but it still feels black market all the same. Probably 'cause the trading gets dirty) of rare goods such as food, or vehicles that have passed through (one character drives the Hindenburg. I must say I enjoyed the way he played with disasters from the past).
Every kid has a coin on them (representing the payment to pass on). If they have no unfinished business, their coin will take them back. An older kid Mary Hightower (her name comes from her dominion of the world trade center) thinks she knows what is best for everyone else, and it is in her best interest to keep kids from passing on. She loves to be needed. One way she does this is ensure that kids forget themselves by installing them in meaningless routines (she'd get along great with The Terrible Trivium from The Phantom Tollbooth). The coins? Mary Her High and mighty Highness has them throw away in a wishing well. (Evil isn't she.)
Mary Hightower is one of my favorite villains of ya fiction. She means well, but lord is she infuriating. Mary Hightower publishes manifestos to lead lost kiddos to her cause. Her propaganda is far reaching.
The lost kiddos have to remind themselves constantly of themselves. Most cannot remember their old names for long, let alone what they really looked like. They become what they feel like they look like, and that can lead to becoming something of a darker nature. If they can't remember themselves, they'll be in Everlost forever (under that hoity toity Mary Hightower? Yikes!). The other baddie of the book is the monster McGill, another Everlost legend, with a decidedly less than friendly reputation than that of Mary Hightower. There is more to Everlost than the inhabitants will have Nick and Allie believe. (It's a bit like prison in that the worst part is the other inhabitants. The whole black market thing put me immediately in mind of prison. Something might be wrong with my mind.) I enjoyed their story in this bizarre little death world.
Nick is determined to stop Mary Hightower (too bad he's also in love with her). Allie wants to see her family again, and is still stuck to her old life. Their friend Leif from the forest is something like one of Peter Pan's Lost Boys.
I wouldn't lie where this little guy is concerned. (Even if he is a ventriloquist pooter. The crafty little devil blames me for all his farts, from silent but deadly to the musical variety.)
October 4, 2016
“But we can't choose what we forget. The more we try to forget something, the more we end up remembering it.”
I should've read Everlost before. Even I idolized and worshipped Neal Shusterman, I stalled myself to read this book because I thought I will not enjoy an afterlife novel. Guess, I was wrong. I really did enjoy reading this one.
Everlost is a limbo between life and death. It's where the dead children go. No adults. Just children up to the age of 14. It's like the afterlife but it is not?
As a novel, Everlost is a fun but haunting one. Fun because there's a great adventure and mysteries to solve. Haunting because it reminds us about the complexity of life and death and everything in-between.
It looks like a book about children playing and doing stuff but it's actually a dark one that convey lessons and realization about existing and not existing. Seriously when I think about it, I got scared of what is waiting for me in the other side or is there really a destination after all of these? What is the feeling of being stucked in a miserable place? Yep, I got scared with those thoughts.
Anyway, I liked how the characters had grown into me, major or minor. Their characterization had been developed so well, I ended up liking them all and very much anticipating what they will do in the sequel. The world-building were superb also. I pictured it fine in my mind and found it truly interesting and disturbing. Shusterman described the Everlost like it was real. But, he left some mysteries to be pondered upon. There are still holes to fill and questions to answer about this bizarre world of the dead children.
As a whole, Everlost is an engrossing read. It captures the child in me and makes me appreciate the fun, adventure, dread, hopes, dreams and worry and everything else experienced by the characters. It lures me to an intriguing and haunting world without having me oriented to what I will stumble upon. And it makes me think about life and death and to what will happen next.
February 4, 2024
Con cero expectativas me sumergi en esta lectura, pero como me ha pasado con los anteriores libros del autor, Neal Shusterman no decepciona, creando tramas originales y personajes entrañables.
La historia va dirigida a un público middle grade, pero aún asi es adictiva y tiene tenebrosos. Si bien la primicia es innovadora, ¿a qué nos enfrentamos después de la muerte? o ¿o realmente existe esa luz al final del túnel? Y es en este punto en donde aparece Evelost:
“ Everlost permanecería eternamente verde, a punto de amarillear, justo como le hubiera gustado verlo a los poetas si no se hubieran ido a donde tenían que ir. Puede decirse, pues, que Everlost es el cielo. Tal vez no para la gente, pero sí para los lugares que se han ganado un rincón en la eternidad.”
Sin embargo, el desarrollo tiende a ser algo, un tanto, conocido; algo así como, el conocido libro “el señor de las moscas” o la saga “olvidados”, pero el autor le entrega su sello, sobretodo en la construcción de sus personajes y en la ambientación oscura que da a la historia.
Un libro totalmente recomendado, rápido de leer, con una trama original y con unas últimas páginas de infarto.
La historia va dirigida a un público middle grade, pero aún asi es adictiva y tiene tenebrosos. Si bien la primicia es innovadora, ¿a qué nos enfrentamos después de la muerte? o ¿o realmente existe esa luz al final del túnel? Y es en este punto en donde aparece Evelost:
“ Everlost permanecería eternamente verde, a punto de amarillear, justo como le hubiera gustado verlo a los poetas si no se hubieran ido a donde tenían que ir. Puede decirse, pues, que Everlost es el cielo. Tal vez no para la gente, pero sí para los lugares que se han ganado un rincón en la eternidad.”
Sin embargo, el desarrollo tiende a ser algo, un tanto, conocido; algo así como, el conocido libro “el señor de las moscas” o la saga “olvidados”, pero el autor le entrega su sello, sobretodo en la construcción de sus personajes y en la ambientación oscura que da a la historia.
Un libro totalmente recomendado, rápido de leer, con una trama original y con unas últimas páginas de infarto.
April 17, 2009
Well there's one lesson I learned from this book, never teach your kids to stay put when they get lost. This book taught me the importance of trying to find your way to where you're going no matter what the challenges or obstacles you're faced with. I picked up Everlost because I was captivated by Shusterman's book Unwind. It's good, just not Unwind's caliber of great.
This story is about two souls, Allie and Nick, that are in a fatal car accident. Upon their death and on their way to the 'light' they collide and lose course, ending up in an intermittent state of existence, a land called Everlost. Through their adventure in Everlost they come across other souls, as well as monsters, haunters and all things slightly bizarre. Their journey to get where they need to go is one of struggle, frustration, and ultimately accomplishment. I rooted for the two main characters all the way through to the end.
This book had the feel of a dead man's version of Peter Pan and The Lost Boys. I enjoyed it, but it was a little too young for my reading preference. There are some great lessons though that anyone can pull from the book including, the responsibility of power, what is truly important in life, what happens after death and the meaning of friendship, loyalty and choices. If you enjoy adventure, fantasy, with a sprinkle of science fiction, you'll enjoy this book. If I had the option to give it three and a half stars, I would. It's a good book, just maybe for a younger crowd.
This story is about two souls, Allie and Nick, that are in a fatal car accident. Upon their death and on their way to the 'light' they collide and lose course, ending up in an intermittent state of existence, a land called Everlost. Through their adventure in Everlost they come across other souls, as well as monsters, haunters and all things slightly bizarre. Their journey to get where they need to go is one of struggle, frustration, and ultimately accomplishment. I rooted for the two main characters all the way through to the end.
This book had the feel of a dead man's version of Peter Pan and The Lost Boys. I enjoyed it, but it was a little too young for my reading preference. There are some great lessons though that anyone can pull from the book including, the responsibility of power, what is truly important in life, what happens after death and the meaning of friendship, loyalty and choices. If you enjoy adventure, fantasy, with a sprinkle of science fiction, you'll enjoy this book. If I had the option to give it three and a half stars, I would. It's a good book, just maybe for a younger crowd.
February 2, 2010
Addicting, creative, fascinating tale that weaves something that could have been either cliched or overly creepy into something brilliant and original.
Allie and Nick are dead, killed instantly in a car crash that involved their respective family's cars. According to the laws of the universe, they should have crossed over. But the thing is, not all children cross over. Some trip, stumble, or resist the journey into the light...and end up in Everlost, just like Allie and Nick have.
Everlost is a between-place, and Shusterman throws it wide open in amazing, utterly commendable style. Rarely does an author have the talent to make a world their own so fully, as well as flesh the characters that inhabit it. There are rules to be followed, monsters to be feared, leaders to be looked to. It is a full and fascinating world in its own right.
Allie and Nick are different from most Afterlights; they're not content simply to wander eternally, forgetting their lives and falling into ruts of endless patience. They want answers, they want life, and they refuse to take no for an answer.
But their quest will take them into the heart of New York and up and down the East Coast as they become enmeshed among Everlost's most well-known characters; Mary Hightower, who zealously protects the Afterlight children who come under her care; the Alter Boys, a rough and tumble gang who only respect might; the Haunter, who knows all kinds of tricks for interacting with the living; and the McGill, the horrific monster whose very name terrifies everyone who hears it. And the further the two go, the more they realize what powers they possess, and how they fit into the grand scheme of Everlost.
Weaving all these and more together, and exploring their relationships, their motivations and personalities, and in the end their destinies, Shusterman has truly made a stunning beginning novel to this trilogy. None of Everlost's components are heavy-handed or ridiculous. Any religious or scientific quarrels are neatly circumvented, as reaching the afterlife beyond Everlost is simply referred to as "getting where you're going." Real world places, things, and events are cleverly and tastefully referenced, often in unexpected and amusing ways (I especially found the significance of the Twin Towers to be creative and well-handled, and keep an eye out for a hilarious Amityville Horror reference.)
All in all, I can't wait to return to Everlost in the sequel.
Allie and Nick are dead, killed instantly in a car crash that involved their respective family's cars. According to the laws of the universe, they should have crossed over. But the thing is, not all children cross over. Some trip, stumble, or resist the journey into the light...and end up in Everlost, just like Allie and Nick have.
Everlost is a between-place, and Shusterman throws it wide open in amazing, utterly commendable style. Rarely does an author have the talent to make a world their own so fully, as well as flesh the characters that inhabit it. There are rules to be followed, monsters to be feared, leaders to be looked to. It is a full and fascinating world in its own right.
Allie and Nick are different from most Afterlights; they're not content simply to wander eternally, forgetting their lives and falling into ruts of endless patience. They want answers, they want life, and they refuse to take no for an answer.
But their quest will take them into the heart of New York and up and down the East Coast as they become enmeshed among Everlost's most well-known characters; Mary Hightower, who zealously protects the Afterlight children who come under her care; the Alter Boys, a rough and tumble gang who only respect might; the Haunter, who knows all kinds of tricks for interacting with the living; and the McGill, the horrific monster whose very name terrifies everyone who hears it. And the further the two go, the more they realize what powers they possess, and how they fit into the grand scheme of Everlost.
Weaving all these and more together, and exploring their relationships, their motivations and personalities, and in the end their destinies, Shusterman has truly made a stunning beginning novel to this trilogy. None of Everlost's components are heavy-handed or ridiculous. Any religious or scientific quarrels are neatly circumvented, as reaching the afterlife beyond Everlost is simply referred to as "getting where you're going." Real world places, things, and events are cleverly and tastefully referenced, often in unexpected and amusing ways (I especially found the significance of the Twin Towers to be creative and well-handled, and keep an eye out for a hilarious Amityville Horror reference.)
All in all, I can't wait to return to Everlost in the sequel.
October 29, 2009
I'm having a hard time trying to determine how I feel about Everlost. After reading and greatly enjoying "Unwind", I was eager to read another book Shusterman had written.
On the one hand, as an adult reading it, I definitely found the writing style geared for juvenile readers around the age of 10-13 (which is who the book is marketed for). On the other hand, I also continually wondered at the appeal to these same readers based on the way Shusterman presented his ideas on the afterlife of dead children.
Personally, I would have been disturbed at that age to read about dead children wandering around in another dimension and not being "where they were supposed to be". Even as an adult, I was creeped out by some of the visuals and ideas that this book forced me to explore regarding the afterlife. Books on death for young adults aren't necessarily a bad thing at all, I'm just on the fence as to whether Everlost is one of the better examples a kid in that age range could read.
I think that I would have had less ambivalence about Everlost had it been written for an older juvenile reading audience and contained an older group of characters in the book.
Little lost dead kids are just...wrong, somehow.
On the one hand, as an adult reading it, I definitely found the writing style geared for juvenile readers around the age of 10-13 (which is who the book is marketed for). On the other hand, I also continually wondered at the appeal to these same readers based on the way Shusterman presented his ideas on the afterlife of dead children.
Personally, I would have been disturbed at that age to read about dead children wandering around in another dimension and not being "where they were supposed to be". Even as an adult, I was creeped out by some of the visuals and ideas that this book forced me to explore regarding the afterlife. Books on death for young adults aren't necessarily a bad thing at all, I'm just on the fence as to whether Everlost is one of the better examples a kid in that age range could read.
I think that I would have had less ambivalence about Everlost had it been written for an older juvenile reading audience and contained an older group of characters in the book.
Little lost dead kids are just...wrong, somehow.
January 1, 2016
3-3.5 stars
Similar to Neal Shusterman's other books, this one has a very unique and thought-provoking concept. Unfortunately, this one put me at a bit of a disadvantage as a reader due to my own personal reasons. Not long after picking up Everlost, I had a moment of pure, terrible clarity in facing my biggest fear: death. It still terrifies the wits out of me to think about for too long, but after that I couldn't pick this up for several weeks. So already partway into the book, I was battling with my own thoughts as I read. It got distracting and I often had to set the book aside in favor of something that wouldn't leave me shaking.
Several months later, I'm proud to say I've finished the book. It turned out to be not as good as I'd hoped, but not quite what I had expected either. For that, it gets a middle-ground rating. I honestly don't know if it would have gotten a higher rating had I not had that episode early on. By the end of the book things really picked up and we finally got some answers in this hazy, purgatory-like world. I'll probably finish the trilogy, but it's not a huge priority right now. As it is, I'm glad to be finishing 2015 with a read I'm proud I got through.
Similar to Neal Shusterman's other books, this one has a very unique and thought-provoking concept. Unfortunately, this one put me at a bit of a disadvantage as a reader due to my own personal reasons. Not long after picking up Everlost, I had a moment of pure, terrible clarity in facing my biggest fear: death. It still terrifies the wits out of me to think about for too long, but after that I couldn't pick this up for several weeks. So already partway into the book, I was battling with my own thoughts as I read. It got distracting and I often had to set the book aside in favor of something that wouldn't leave me shaking.
Several months later, I'm proud to say I've finished the book. It turned out to be not as good as I'd hoped, but not quite what I had expected either. For that, it gets a middle-ground rating. I honestly don't know if it would have gotten a higher rating had I not had that episode early on. By the end of the book things really picked up and we finally got some answers in this hazy, purgatory-like world. I'll probably finish the trilogy, but it's not a huge priority right now. As it is, I'm glad to be finishing 2015 with a read I'm proud I got through.
May 14, 2023
Stars: 3.5 out of 5.
Upon second reread, I still like this series. It's a fascinating world, and now I own the other 2 books as well, so onward!
Original review:
With Everlost, the first book in the Skinjacker series, Neal Shusterman created a fascinating world that I enjoyed exploring.
Nick and Allie die in a car crash, but instead of going all the way to the light at the end of the tunnel, they collide with each other and go of course. So they end up stuck in a world called Everlost – a place that permeates our real world, but in which things that had meaning in our world, but were for some reason destroyed, still remain. It’s a world where the Twin Towers are still standing in New York, the Titanic still sails the seas, the Hindenburg soars through the skies, and all the fortunes in the fortune cookies are always true.
Nick and Allie soon find out that only places that don’t exist in the real world anymore, that are solid in Everlost only, are safe for them. Everywhere else they start sinking into the ground if they stand still for too long. They also discover that this world is only populated by children, the oldest of which was barely 17 when she died, and that monsters do exist, even if they are man-made.
I absolutely loved the world of Everlost. The idea that the ghosts exit in this world that is near ours, but not entirely like ours, is fascinating. Also loved the fact that landmarks, buildings and objects that had some significance or importance to somebody pass into the Everlost as well when they are destroyed. Or that the Afterlights (because they don’t want to call themselves ghosts) are only safe in those places that passed into the Everlost too.
I loved following the main characters, but most of the supporting characters were just as fun to read about. Mary, and the McGill, and Leaf were all very real and well-portrayed characters with their own personalities and goals. They all are basically in the same boat – trying to make sense of what happened to them and figure out how to spend eternity in this strange place.
I was also happy with the fact that the author didn’t chose to go the easy way and populate this world with monsters or other creepy things. The only monsters our heroes encounter are man-made. In fact, this is one of the messages of the book – that you can chose what to be in Everlost, whether you will have the strength to stay human, or lock yourself in a mindless routine that you would be repeating forever, or even become a monster. Every soul copes with the circumstances differently. There is no right or wrong way. But this world is not sad and gloomy at all, because in the end, there is a coin for every lost soul to get to their final destination. They just have to be ready to take that last step.
I really enjoyed this first book and I can’t wait to dive into Everwild, the next book in the series. So if you enjoy a well-thought world and engaging characters, pick up Everlost and read it. Go, do it now!
Upon second reread, I still like this series. It's a fascinating world, and now I own the other 2 books as well, so onward!
Original review:
With Everlost, the first book in the Skinjacker series, Neal Shusterman created a fascinating world that I enjoyed exploring.
Nick and Allie die in a car crash, but instead of going all the way to the light at the end of the tunnel, they collide with each other and go of course. So they end up stuck in a world called Everlost – a place that permeates our real world, but in which things that had meaning in our world, but were for some reason destroyed, still remain. It’s a world where the Twin Towers are still standing in New York, the Titanic still sails the seas, the Hindenburg soars through the skies, and all the fortunes in the fortune cookies are always true.
Nick and Allie soon find out that only places that don’t exist in the real world anymore, that are solid in Everlost only, are safe for them. Everywhere else they start sinking into the ground if they stand still for too long. They also discover that this world is only populated by children, the oldest of which was barely 17 when she died, and that monsters do exist, even if they are man-made.
I absolutely loved the world of Everlost. The idea that the ghosts exit in this world that is near ours, but not entirely like ours, is fascinating. Also loved the fact that landmarks, buildings and objects that had some significance or importance to somebody pass into the Everlost as well when they are destroyed. Or that the Afterlights (because they don’t want to call themselves ghosts) are only safe in those places that passed into the Everlost too.
I loved following the main characters, but most of the supporting characters were just as fun to read about. Mary, and the McGill, and Leaf were all very real and well-portrayed characters with their own personalities and goals. They all are basically in the same boat – trying to make sense of what happened to them and figure out how to spend eternity in this strange place.
I was also happy with the fact that the author didn’t chose to go the easy way and populate this world with monsters or other creepy things. The only monsters our heroes encounter are man-made. In fact, this is one of the messages of the book – that you can chose what to be in Everlost, whether you will have the strength to stay human, or lock yourself in a mindless routine that you would be repeating forever, or even become a monster. Every soul copes with the circumstances differently. There is no right or wrong way. But this world is not sad and gloomy at all, because in the end, there is a coin for every lost soul to get to their final destination. They just have to be ready to take that last step.
I really enjoyed this first book and I can’t wait to dive into Everwild, the next book in the series. So if you enjoy a well-thought world and engaging characters, pick up Everlost and read it. Go, do it now!
January 11, 2020
"There's no easy way to tell new arrivals to Everlost that, technically, they are no longer alive."
If you like ghost stories and chocolate, you will love this book.
First, I'll say that I love the cover. It's simple, different and I just adore it.
Now, Everlost had me hooked from the first chapter. It was an amazing attention getter. Two children die in a car accident. Yes. And the story was just so intriguing and crazy. The whole premise of this book is about children dying, and the world they get lost in; the world between Earth and heaven/hell, Everlost.
So, Nick and Allie are stuck in Everlost and just want to find a way home. The book follows their trials and errors in trying to do so.
It was pretty easy reading, but the plot was intricate. I just felt like it was slow in places and I think some more action would have helped a lot.
This wasn't as thought-provoking and gripping as Unwind but it does challenge a little.
3.5 stars
If you like ghost stories and chocolate, you will love this book.
First, I'll say that I love the cover. It's simple, different and I just adore it.
Now, Everlost had me hooked from the first chapter. It was an amazing attention getter. Two children die in a car accident. Yes. And the story was just so intriguing and crazy. The whole premise of this book is about children dying, and the world they get lost in; the world between Earth and heaven/hell, Everlost.
So, Nick and Allie are stuck in Everlost and just want to find a way home. The book follows their trials and errors in trying to do so.
It was pretty easy reading, but the plot was intricate. I just felt like it was slow in places and I think some more action would have helped a lot.
This wasn't as thought-provoking and gripping as Unwind but it does challenge a little.
3.5 stars
January 24, 2016
Everlost is a book that is written about the in-between stage of life and death. Not all souls leave the living world and head straight to heaven or hell. Some get stuck in this world known as Everlost and these souls that are trapped here are known as Afterlights.
I found the book captivating in the beginning portions and the plot was magnificent. I liked the excerpts that were written at the ends of each chapter. It gave more details on the Everlost world. The Everlost world is a place that is jam-packed with mystery and the depth of unknown is unimaginable. Even those who claim to be experts in the world take refuge and hide out in their own safe haven; avoiding the dangers that lurk in Everlost. Everlost is filled with Monsters, Haunters, Finders and Gangs. Everyone who is trapped in Everlost wander aimlessly in search of a purpose or safety.
The story follows the main characters Allie and Nick who are Greensouls; new souls that have arrived in Everlost. Being Greensouls, they're unaware of the dangers that lurk in Everlost. They find another Afterlight named Lief and they seek out to find out more about the new world that they're in. This adventure leads them in meeting monsters, haunters, finders and also brings them to find true love.
The adventures in the book were rather thrilling at points but after a certain point it just got repetitive for me. The same sinking to the centre of the earth ordeal, the same routines that they carried out and the whole pickle barrel torture thing was just....... I don't have any words for that. Seriously, you're a ghost that is also skilled with some magic and you torture your victims by locking them up in a pickle barrel? Ghosts can't feel pain and they can't die. I was just confused by it.
I was like WHAAAAAAAAAT?!
I also wished for mature characters. I could not relate to the main characters in any way as all the characters in this book were of ages 15 and below. Why don't any adults make it to Everlost? The whole love that bloomed in the book also was a little shrilling. I just don't like it when my mind processes the thought of 14 year olds kissing. I just feel a disgusted when I do that.
Other than these few flaws, I found the book enjoyable and the creativity displayed in this book is brilliant. Creating an entire new world and having it being written with such poise is truly outstanding. Everlost is a scary place to end up in if you're unsure of any of the dangers that lurk. I will definitely read up the following books in the skinjacker series as I am curious in reading their new adventures.
I found the book captivating in the beginning portions and the plot was magnificent. I liked the excerpts that were written at the ends of each chapter. It gave more details on the Everlost world. The Everlost world is a place that is jam-packed with mystery and the depth of unknown is unimaginable. Even those who claim to be experts in the world take refuge and hide out in their own safe haven; avoiding the dangers that lurk in Everlost. Everlost is filled with Monsters, Haunters, Finders and Gangs. Everyone who is trapped in Everlost wander aimlessly in search of a purpose or safety.
The story follows the main characters Allie and Nick who are Greensouls; new souls that have arrived in Everlost. Being Greensouls, they're unaware of the dangers that lurk in Everlost. They find another Afterlight named Lief and they seek out to find out more about the new world that they're in. This adventure leads them in meeting monsters, haunters, finders and also brings them to find true love.
The adventures in the book were rather thrilling at points but after a certain point it just got repetitive for me. The same sinking to the centre of the earth ordeal, the same routines that they carried out and the whole pickle barrel torture thing was just....... I don't have any words for that. Seriously, you're a ghost that is also skilled with some magic and you torture your victims by locking them up in a pickle barrel? Ghosts can't feel pain and they can't die. I was just confused by it.
I was like WHAAAAAAAAAT?!
I also wished for mature characters. I could not relate to the main characters in any way as all the characters in this book were of ages 15 and below. Why don't any adults make it to Everlost? The whole love that bloomed in the book also was a little shrilling. I just don't like it when my mind processes the thought of 14 year olds kissing. I just feel a disgusted when I do that.
Other than these few flaws, I found the book enjoyable and the creativity displayed in this book is brilliant. Creating an entire new world and having it being written with such poise is truly outstanding. Everlost is a scary place to end up in if you're unsure of any of the dangers that lurk. I will definitely read up the following books in the skinjacker series as I am curious in reading their new adventures.
April 29, 2021
3.5 stars*
May 4, 2023
4/5
Hoy os traigo...reseña triple 🤭 os hablo de una de las mejores trilogías que he leído en mi vida. Y yo he tardado tanto en descubrirla... Mil gracias a @nocturnaed por reeditarla y mil gracias a @nealshusterman por escribir esta historia tan maravillosa
🌹Nos encontramos con tres libros que nos hablan de Allie y Nick, dos adolescentes que mueren en un accidente de coche y sus almas viajan hasta el llamado Everlost, un lugar, una especie de limbo, entre el mundo de los vivos y el más allá definitivo
🌹Pero este mundo es muy inquietante ya que solo pasan las almas de los niños y de las niñas. ¿Por qué no hay adultos?
🌹Este solo es uno de los misterios de Everlost, un mundo lleno de aventuras y emociones
🌹De verdad que me han encantado estos libros. Están centrados en un público bastante juvenil pero el autor tiene una forma de contar las cosas...hace magia con las palabras y los sentimientos. Por lo que es una historia para todas las edades y , para mí, es imprescindible. Todo el mundo debería leerlos alguna vez en su vida
🌹Se tocan temas tan importantes como el de la muerte, el duelo, la esperanza, la amistad, el amor...
🌹Y qué personajes más maravillosos. Les he cogido tanto cariño que van a tener siempre un hueco en mi corazón. (Mikey, te amo)
🌹El final me ha dejado un vacío tremendo y estaba con los sentimientos a flor de piel. He sufrido para no llorar y no soy de lágrima fácil. Creo que ha sido un final de lo más correcto. Me ha encantado
La única pega que le pongo es que:
🥀En los dos primeros libros los protagonistas son Allie y Nick, aunque salen muchísimos personajes más, pero en el tercer libro el autor le da más protagonismo a otros y deja un poco de lado a nuestros compañeros favoritos y eso me ha molestado un poco.
En definitiva, una trilogía maravillosa que explora la vida más allá de la muerte a través de niños/as, una historia que nos da esperanza, un mundo lleno de lugares y personajes inolvidables que se va a quedar conmigo muchísimo tiempo ⏱️ de lo mejorcito que hay actualmente en la literatura juvenil 📚
https://www.instagram.com/p/CrysXY2LL0I/
Hoy os traigo...reseña triple 🤭 os hablo de una de las mejores trilogías que he leído en mi vida. Y yo he tardado tanto en descubrirla... Mil gracias a @nocturnaed por reeditarla y mil gracias a @nealshusterman por escribir esta historia tan maravillosa
🌹Nos encontramos con tres libros que nos hablan de Allie y Nick, dos adolescentes que mueren en un accidente de coche y sus almas viajan hasta el llamado Everlost, un lugar, una especie de limbo, entre el mundo de los vivos y el más allá definitivo
🌹Pero este mundo es muy inquietante ya que solo pasan las almas de los niños y de las niñas. ¿Por qué no hay adultos?
🌹Este solo es uno de los misterios de Everlost, un mundo lleno de aventuras y emociones
🌹De verdad que me han encantado estos libros. Están centrados en un público bastante juvenil pero el autor tiene una forma de contar las cosas...hace magia con las palabras y los sentimientos. Por lo que es una historia para todas las edades y , para mí, es imprescindible. Todo el mundo debería leerlos alguna vez en su vida
🌹Se tocan temas tan importantes como el de la muerte, el duelo, la esperanza, la amistad, el amor...
🌹Y qué personajes más maravillosos. Les he cogido tanto cariño que van a tener siempre un hueco en mi corazón. (Mikey, te amo)
🌹El final me ha dejado un vacío tremendo y estaba con los sentimientos a flor de piel. He sufrido para no llorar y no soy de lágrima fácil. Creo que ha sido un final de lo más correcto. Me ha encantado
La única pega que le pongo es que:
🥀En los dos primeros libros los protagonistas son Allie y Nick, aunque salen muchísimos personajes más, pero en el tercer libro el autor le da más protagonismo a otros y deja un poco de lado a nuestros compañeros favoritos y eso me ha molestado un poco.
En definitiva, una trilogía maravillosa que explora la vida más allá de la muerte a través de niños/as, una historia que nos da esperanza, un mundo lleno de lugares y personajes inolvidables que se va a quedar conmigo muchísimo tiempo ⏱️ de lo mejorcito que hay actualmente en la literatura juvenil 📚
https://www.instagram.com/p/CrysXY2LL0I/
June 11, 2011
Wow, this one took me by surprise. I've read Neal Shusterman before, but that didn't leave me prepared for this. There are lots of books out there that have takes on the afterlife, but I think this one is my favorite so far. There's a sense of mystery and discovery that some other great afterlife versions lack. By the end of the book, I didn't feel like I knew everything about the afterlife, but that I was willing to keep reading to find out more. One of the author blurbs on the book describes it as beautifully written, and it truly is. A great cast of characters, and a storyline that is both satisfying and leaves me wanting more. This is how to write the first book in a series!
September 5, 2024
☆Rating: 4.5☆
PEAK.
PEAK.
May 30, 2021
I'd like to be honest. I think the ending was great as well as the beginning. However, I think I'm too old for this kind of reading. I mean, the story was great, I loved the plot, Everlost was impressively well described and built, in fact I loved the idea about some buildings and ships and piers (I don't want to spoil anything, that's why I'm not being specific) were implemented in the story. The characters were too young, though. I know they were children and they had to act like that so I suppose that was my problem, that's why I didn't connect to them because I was expecting more action, more drama I think. I would have liked to feel more in awe of.
Nevertheless, although I felt in this way, I have to say that I'll probably read the second book. I think this story have much more to tell.
3,5 stars
Nevertheless, although I felt in this way, I have to say that I'll probably read the second book. I think this story have much more to tell.
3,5 stars
October 5, 2019
3.5/5
I'm obsessed with all things Shusterman, so of course I had to pick this one up. It involves two teenagers who die in a car accident and end up in a sort of afterlife. Nick and Allie are essentially ghosts in a purgatory on Earth. There are some interesting concepts, like objects, food and even buildings coming through to "Everlost", becoming ghostly versions of themselves. The Twin Towers themselves are even available to the ghost children to live in. It reminded me a lot of Peter Pan and his lost boys in that the children are never aging. This is definitely more lighthearted than Scythe or Unwind, more for younger teens, I'd say.
I'm obsessed with all things Shusterman, so of course I had to pick this one up. It involves two teenagers who die in a car accident and end up in a sort of afterlife. Nick and Allie are essentially ghosts in a purgatory on Earth. There are some interesting concepts, like objects, food and even buildings coming through to "Everlost", becoming ghostly versions of themselves. The Twin Towers themselves are even available to the ghost children to live in. It reminded me a lot of Peter Pan and his lost boys in that the children are never aging. This is definitely more lighthearted than Scythe or Unwind, more for younger teens, I'd say.
January 6, 2022
Not my favorite Shusterman series but still enjoyable. Will most likely complete the series.
November 18, 2014
I imagine the center of the Earth must be a crowded place by now, but perhaps it is the spirits of those of us residing there that keep the Earth alive and green.
It's really hard to find a good young adult novel. That's the genre I read most. However, it is also the one that displeases me most, because almost all of its books contain the same repetitive, tediuos and boring story that it's focused on a chiclé teenage romance. Neal Shusterman has done that weird thing: he wrote a young adult book that doesn't fit into that category; whose characters are atractive and well-developed. An unpredictable and adventurous first book on a series.
I'm a huge fan of this author. Ever since the Unwind Distology finished, I¿ve wanted to read more from Shusterman -- and so I did. I started with Bruiser, and it became one of the most wonderful stories I've read. And then I picked Everlost up, thinking it wouldn't be as good as Bruiser. Once again, I was wrong. What I like about Shusterman is how well he knows what's he's writing about. His books handle very polemic and serious matters, but he knows exactly how to give you a new sort of perspective with his stories. He provides us with reflexions about life and death.
There are mysteries in Everlost. Some of them are wonderful, and others scary. They should all be explored, though- perhaps that's why we're here: to experience the good and the bad that Everlost has to offer.
Credit for:
One: Creativity and originality. Life and Death. What happens when we die?, ¿where do we go? That's something I hadn't read before.
Two: Main Characters. I loved Allie, Nick and Lief, though they don't compare to Connor, Risa and Lev. What I like about them is the fact they're not completely good or bad people. They're all in a intermedial point, where you don't know whether they'll become the villains or the heros.
Three: The story of Everlost is nostalgic, but also moving and funny, because its characters are kids. Kids who are struggling with the place they find themselves at.
It can be said, then, that Everlost is heaven...for the places that deserve a share of forever.
It might be disturbing to read about dead children who are trying to get their lives back, but Everlost is more than that: it is a imaginitive story about what might lie between life and death; a thought-provoking, memorable and magical book.
November 3, 2015
Actual Rating: 3½ stars!
For the first half of this book I wasn't really enjoying it. I was just kind of reading and hoping I would start enjoying it more soon. I'm really glad I finished this and did not give up on it.
This book reminded me of Percy Jackson and the Lighting Theif, with the quests and adventurous feel to the story. It also reminded me of Shusterman's Unwind series. I really liked the Unwind series but I was not happy with how similar it felt to this series. Nick, Allie, and Leif reminded me of Risa, Connor, and Lev. And even the pacing of the story felt similar to Unwind to me. So yeah, this was my main annoyance with the book.
I kind of like the side characters in this book more than the main characters, to be honest. They were more interesting to me. And I really became wrapped up in the story when we meet Speaking of Mary, daaaamn. I love the character transformation she makes throughout this book. Little by little we learn more about her and...let's just say the next book should be good.
I was also a bit surprised by what happens to Leif, but it definitely makes sense and I'm glad it happened. He was kind of getting on my nerves there at the end lol.
I was pretty nervous I would have no interest in continuing this series (especially since I bought the whole box set before reading the first one) but I liked this. The idea of Everlost is very good. I've even caught myself thinking randomly if I'd be satisfied spending eternity wearing the outfit I picked for the day lmao. I definitely liked this enough to continue but not quite yet.
For the first half of this book I wasn't really enjoying it. I was just kind of reading and hoping I would start enjoying it more soon. I'm really glad I finished this and did not give up on it.
This book reminded me of Percy Jackson and the Lighting Theif, with the quests and adventurous feel to the story. It also reminded me of Shusterman's Unwind series. I really liked the Unwind series but I was not happy with how similar it felt to this series. Nick, Allie, and Leif reminded me of Risa, Connor, and Lev. And even the pacing of the story felt similar to Unwind to me. So yeah, this was my main annoyance with the book.
I kind of like the side characters in this book more than the main characters, to be honest. They were more interesting to me. And I really became wrapped up in the story when we meet Speaking of Mary, daaaamn. I love the character transformation she makes throughout this book. Little by little we learn more about her and...let's just say the next book should be good.
I was also a bit surprised by what happens to Leif, but it definitely makes sense and I'm glad it happened. He was kind of getting on my nerves there at the end lol.
I was pretty nervous I would have no interest in continuing this series (especially since I bought the whole box set before reading the first one) but I liked this. The idea of Everlost is very good. I've even caught myself thinking randomly if I'd be satisfied spending eternity wearing the outfit I picked for the day lmao. I definitely liked this enough to continue but not quite yet.
May 5, 2024
2024
2022
2020
2019
Nick and Allie die together... And then wake up together in Everlost, a place between life and death. Together (and with their new friend, Lief) they travel the Everlost world.
Nick and Allie may not be the most likable characters at first, but they do start to grow on you. Especially when you realize how loyal they are to each other. Even though they were strangers before their deaths, they treat each other like long time friends. I suppose when you die with someone a certain bond must be shared. Nick does his fair share of complaining. And Allie does her fair share of arguing. Plus, she's fairly stubborn. But both have their redeeming characteristics, too. Nick is noble (especially towards the end, you'll see what I mean). And Allie is willing to give everyone a chance (including the McGill - the scariest monster in all the land). And they are both very clever (the fortune cookie thing and the chime escape).
Shusterman really thought out the world of Everlost, too. And he described it without being overbearing about it. I loved the "death spots" (even though if you think about it, it's more than a little sad). And the whole water is air thing is actually incredibly clever. I know there is more to come about everyone's special talents, too (like skinjacking) and I'm really excited to learn more about that in the future books.
Mary is also a pretty decent villain/do-gooder (you'll see what I mean). She just wants everyone to view her as a benevolent mother figure. Which I totally get, but when the big ending is revealed (coins!) I couldn't find any sort of way to side with her. I completely understood where Allie was coming from with her instant dislike of Mary. Allie is a pretty good judge of people, if you ask me.
2016
2022
2020
2019
Nick and Allie die together... And then wake up together in Everlost, a place between life and death. Together (and with their new friend, Lief) they travel the Everlost world.
Nick and Allie may not be the most likable characters at first, but they do start to grow on you. Especially when you realize how loyal they are to each other. Even though they were strangers before their deaths, they treat each other like long time friends. I suppose when you die with someone a certain bond must be shared. Nick does his fair share of complaining. And Allie does her fair share of arguing. Plus, she's fairly stubborn. But both have their redeeming characteristics, too. Nick is noble (especially towards the end, you'll see what I mean). And Allie is willing to give everyone a chance (including the McGill - the scariest monster in all the land). And they are both very clever (the fortune cookie thing and the chime escape).
Shusterman really thought out the world of Everlost, too. And he described it without being overbearing about it. I loved the "death spots" (even though if you think about it, it's more than a little sad). And the whole water is air thing is actually incredibly clever. I know there is more to come about everyone's special talents, too (like skinjacking) and I'm really excited to learn more about that in the future books.
Mary is also a pretty decent villain/do-gooder (you'll see what I mean). She just wants everyone to view her as a benevolent mother figure. Which I totally get, but when the big ending is revealed (coins!) I couldn't find any sort of way to side with her. I completely understood where Allie was coming from with her instant dislike of Mary. Allie is a pretty good judge of people, if you ask me.
2016
May 7, 2012
3.5 stars An interesting spin on the afterlife from a teen perspective. The protagonists are stuck in a kind of in between place. Well written and the teen heroes are less annoying and better written than many others I've read. Their decisions for the most part make sense. I enjoyed it but think I would have liked it more when I was 12;)
September 17, 2024
A decent book. A strange mix of intriguing ideas, petty shortcuts, really good plot twists, and less-than-fully-satisfying-and-yet-too-much-potential-to-give-up, LOL.
July 27, 2019
The thing that attracted me to this book was its fascinasting idea and the name of the writer. I really loved his "Unwind" series so I went excitedly to this book.
I would say I got what I wanted from this book, be it an interesting story idea, a great setting, likeable characters or smooth writing. However there were some sides to the book which needed improvement. I feel like the idea of Everlost could have been explored more deeply, not within 300+ pages. Besides the character decisions and feelings were sometimes cringy, such as Nick being suddenly in love with Mary, or Mary's desire to have all children in Everlost. Allie is such a good character, but can make hasty decisions that contradicts with her smartness. Lief remained kind of underdeveloped in my opinion.
But these are minor issues and I want to continue reading the trilogy to find out what happens to those children. I am in love with the writer, and I guess the same obsession that happened with Rick Riordan will happen again with Neal Shusterman and I will devour all of his books in a matter of time.
I would say I got what I wanted from this book, be it an interesting story idea, a great setting, likeable characters or smooth writing. However there were some sides to the book which needed improvement. I feel like the idea of Everlost could have been explored more deeply, not within 300+ pages. Besides the character decisions and feelings were sometimes cringy, such as Nick being suddenly in love with Mary, or Mary's desire to have all children in Everlost. Allie is such a good character, but can make hasty decisions that contradicts with her smartness. Lief remained kind of underdeveloped in my opinion.
But these are minor issues and I want to continue reading the trilogy to find out what happens to those children. I am in love with the writer, and I guess the same obsession that happened with Rick Riordan will happen again with Neal Shusterman and I will devour all of his books in a matter of time.
September 8, 2014
3.5 stars
Plot- 7/10
Characters- 7/10
Writing- 7.5/10
World Building- 9.5/10
TOTAL- 7.4/10
Quickie Review (no spoilers)- Neal Shusterman wowed me with Unwind. I seriously loved that book; the action, the great characters, and the scary, almost 1984-esque world building captivated me. So I went into Everlost with very high expectations, and I expected Neal Shusterman to deliver again.
I was disappointed. Now, 3.5 stars is by no means bad. But I guess I was expecting a bit more from the same author who wrote Unwind. I think the biggest problem for me with this book was that I am NOT part of the target audience for this book. Basically, I'm too old to be reading it.
The number one issue I had with this book was the juvenility (is that a word?) of a number of factors. To start with, the writing was juvenile. The sentences were simple, a bit choppy, and the sentence structure was lacking in variety. Even though the main characters are 14-15, the almost childish writing lent itself to 11-12 year old readers, and for me, it kind of detracted from the book.
While we're on the topic of writing, another thing that really got to me was the narrating. Now, I had a friendly argument with another person who I was reading this with (Everlost was a buddy read with 3-4 other people), but one of the problems I had was the narrator. In my opinion, the narrator's job is very much like that of a sports umpire in that their job is to do their job and nothing else. The less attention is paid to you, the better. In a buddy read discussion, I brought up the narrator of Gone by Michael Grant as a comparison. The narrator of Gone simply tells the story. The narrator never mentions or introduces himself/herself, and focuses entirely on the characters of the novel. This helps to make the reader feel very close to the characters and as if they are in the story with them. However, the narrator of Everlost was a bit more... shall we say, prominent. The narrator was almost like a storyteller in that his/her presence was noticeable, and I as a reader could tell that someone was actually telling us the story. I found this to detract from the book, as I felt more detached from the characters and their journeys with a more in-your-face narrator. Now, this is PURELY personal preference. Other people who read this with me liked the narrating style of this book. It just didn't work for me.
Another minor problem that I had with the narrating was that the character perspective changed sometimes without any warning or notice. Usually there's some kind of page break when the perspective changes, but in this book, the narrator would kind of jump back and forth between the thoughts of different characters in a particular scene without any warning. It was a bit disorienting and a bit confusing.
The other issue I had with the book was the characters. Nick was practically useless throughout most of the book. He was just... there to pis off Allie with his stubbornness and his naivety. He finally did something about 250 pages in, and at the end, he AT LAST seemed to find a true purpose for himself. Hopefully this leads to a lot of character development in the next book. Allie REALLY annoyed me early on in the book. So she ignores the warnings of Mary to go find some creepy dude named HAUNTER (warning bell number 1) and drags her friends along with her. She's stupid enough to believe the HAUNTER will give her what she wants and let her go, EVEN THOUGH no one has returned from a visit to his lurking place. She gets her friends trapped and then has the NERVE to beg Mary to essentially sacrifice her hundreds of kids to attempt a futile rescue of her friends. Wow. She redeemed herself at the end, though, so that's what matters. Mary was an interesting character, though I have no idea why she so strongly insists on people staying in Everlost. She figures to be a major part of the second book, but I question her motives. Why is it so important for her to lead people in Everlost? Why can't she just "get where she's going" too? Hmm. I thought the McGill was a good villain- smart enough, complex, and thoroughly disgusting.
The plot was excruciatingly slow for the majority of the book. Really, it was sluggish and slow for the first 250 pages. The last 50 pages were, however, exciting and full of twists. And you know what they say. It's not how you start, it's how you finish. And even though Everlost wasn't consistently plotted, it certainly finished strong. I want more action and drama in the next book.
The BEST part of this book was easily the world building. If there's one thing Neal Shusterman is good at, it's creating a complex, detail-oriented world. He did it in Unwind, and he did it in Everlost. The idea of a world trapped between life and death was really interesting, and some of the details (the dead spots, the skinjacking, the Chinese restaurants [LOL!], and the crossing buildings/vehicles) were all really interesting, and my curiosity about this world was what kept me reading. I also enjoyed the little tidbits from Mary's book at the end of each chapter- they were a fun way of slowly unraveling the details of Shusterman's created world.
I think that the main reason why I didn't enjoy Everlost as much as I wanted to was that I wasn't the target audience for this book. The book as a whole struck me as a bit juvenile, but I could see how it would appeal to readers slightly younger than me. Even though Everlost began with a whimper, and even though I did find that there were numerous flaws, it did end strongly, and left me with enough curiosity as to what will happen next that I might just end up reading the second book.
Plot- 7/10
Characters- 7/10
Writing- 7.5/10
World Building- 9.5/10
TOTAL- 7.4/10
Quickie Review (no spoilers)- Neal Shusterman wowed me with Unwind. I seriously loved that book; the action, the great characters, and the scary, almost 1984-esque world building captivated me. So I went into Everlost with very high expectations, and I expected Neal Shusterman to deliver again.
I was disappointed. Now, 3.5 stars is by no means bad. But I guess I was expecting a bit more from the same author who wrote Unwind. I think the biggest problem for me with this book was that I am NOT part of the target audience for this book. Basically, I'm too old to be reading it.
The number one issue I had with this book was the juvenility (is that a word?) of a number of factors. To start with, the writing was juvenile. The sentences were simple, a bit choppy, and the sentence structure was lacking in variety. Even though the main characters are 14-15, the almost childish writing lent itself to 11-12 year old readers, and for me, it kind of detracted from the book.
While we're on the topic of writing, another thing that really got to me was the narrating. Now, I had a friendly argument with another person who I was reading this with (Everlost was a buddy read with 3-4 other people), but one of the problems I had was the narrator. In my opinion, the narrator's job is very much like that of a sports umpire in that their job is to do their job and nothing else. The less attention is paid to you, the better. In a buddy read discussion, I brought up the narrator of Gone by Michael Grant as a comparison. The narrator of Gone simply tells the story. The narrator never mentions or introduces himself/herself, and focuses entirely on the characters of the novel. This helps to make the reader feel very close to the characters and as if they are in the story with them. However, the narrator of Everlost was a bit more... shall we say, prominent. The narrator was almost like a storyteller in that his/her presence was noticeable, and I as a reader could tell that someone was actually telling us the story. I found this to detract from the book, as I felt more detached from the characters and their journeys with a more in-your-face narrator. Now, this is PURELY personal preference. Other people who read this with me liked the narrating style of this book. It just didn't work for me.
Another minor problem that I had with the narrating was that the character perspective changed sometimes without any warning or notice. Usually there's some kind of page break when the perspective changes, but in this book, the narrator would kind of jump back and forth between the thoughts of different characters in a particular scene without any warning. It was a bit disorienting and a bit confusing.
The other issue I had with the book was the characters. Nick was practically useless throughout most of the book. He was just... there to pis off Allie with his stubbornness and his naivety. He finally did something about 250 pages in, and at the end, he AT LAST seemed to find a true purpose for himself. Hopefully this leads to a lot of character development in the next book. Allie REALLY annoyed me early on in the book. So she ignores the warnings of Mary to go find some creepy dude named HAUNTER (warning bell number 1) and drags her friends along with her. She's stupid enough to believe the HAUNTER will give her what she wants and let her go, EVEN THOUGH no one has returned from a visit to his lurking place. She gets her friends trapped and then has the NERVE to beg Mary to essentially sacrifice her hundreds of kids to attempt a futile rescue of her friends. Wow. She redeemed herself at the end, though, so that's what matters. Mary was an interesting character, though I have no idea why she so strongly insists on people staying in Everlost. She figures to be a major part of the second book, but I question her motives. Why is it so important for her to lead people in Everlost? Why can't she just "get where she's going" too? Hmm. I thought the McGill was a good villain- smart enough, complex, and thoroughly disgusting.
The plot was excruciatingly slow for the majority of the book. Really, it was sluggish and slow for the first 250 pages. The last 50 pages were, however, exciting and full of twists. And you know what they say. It's not how you start, it's how you finish. And even though Everlost wasn't consistently plotted, it certainly finished strong. I want more action and drama in the next book.
The BEST part of this book was easily the world building. If there's one thing Neal Shusterman is good at, it's creating a complex, detail-oriented world. He did it in Unwind, and he did it in Everlost. The idea of a world trapped between life and death was really interesting, and some of the details (the dead spots, the skinjacking, the Chinese restaurants [LOL!], and the crossing buildings/vehicles) were all really interesting, and my curiosity about this world was what kept me reading. I also enjoyed the little tidbits from Mary's book at the end of each chapter- they were a fun way of slowly unraveling the details of Shusterman's created world.
I think that the main reason why I didn't enjoy Everlost as much as I wanted to was that I wasn't the target audience for this book. The book as a whole struck me as a bit juvenile, but I could see how it would appeal to readers slightly younger than me. Even though Everlost began with a whimper, and even though I did find that there were numerous flaws, it did end strongly, and left me with enough curiosity as to what will happen next that I might just end up reading the second book.
November 8, 2023
Pues empezó que me parecía que iba a ser flojo y me acabó resultando la mar de entretenido. Al final ni los buenos ni los malos se mantuvieron en su sitio. Nada se mantuvo en su sitio.
Los fantasmas me suelen aburrir soberanamente, así que el que lo disfrutara tanto, es un gran mérito para la novela. No sé cómo pudo sacarle tanto partido, desde unas premisas de salida tan limitadas.
Una historia curiosa, ágil y entretenida. Original. (Goodreads lectores. Neal Shusterman)
Los fantasmas me suelen aburrir soberanamente, así que el que lo disfrutara tanto, es un gran mérito para la novela. No sé cómo pudo sacarle tanto partido, desde unas premisas de salida tan limitadas.
Una historia curiosa, ágil y entretenida. Original. (Goodreads lectores. Neal Shusterman)
September 24, 2022
Waking up in Everlost is like jumping into a cool pool. It’s a shock at first, but once you’re in, the water is fine.
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