Elsewhere
by Gabrielle Zevin
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Book Reviews of Elsewhere
Book Review: Real, Raw Emotion
Summary: 5 Stars
Elsewhere is about Elizabeth Marie Hall, a fifteen-year-old girl, who is dead. Killed by a hit and run taxicab, Liz wakes up on the SS Nile on her way to Elsewhere. Elsewhere is a unique version of the afterlife where everyone becomes younger until they are babies and are sent down the river to be reborn. Coming to terms with her death is not the easiest thing for Liz, especially with her chipper grandmother telling her that everything is going to be alright. Liz becomes even more depressed when she thinks of the life she will never have, no prom, no college, no boyfriend. She eventually comes to terms with her death, and continues her life (or death) in Elsewhere, but not without a few bumps.
The emotion in this book is completely real. As Liz's general mood changes, so does the tone of the story. Zevin does an amazing job answering everyone's questions about what happens after someone dies. She does a fantastic job at tying up loose ends and making everything come across so clearly. Though this may sound like a depressing book, it is far from it. This rarely talked about topic, and fresh outlook, just adds another element to this great story. Recommended for readers 13 and over, Zevin's Elsewhere will change the way you look at everyday things and make you wonder "Is there really an Elsewhere?"
Book Review: I'm Dead?
Summary: 5 Stars
Liz, a sixteen year old girl got hit by a taxicab and died. She ended up in a place called Elsewhere, where she has a new job, falls in love, and does normal things she would do back on earth. Liz wants to go back to earth really badly, but gets used to her new home and surroundings after a while.
My favorite part of the book is when Liz and Owen start to fall in love, but then all of a sudden Owen's wife arrives at Elsewhere. Owen was so happy she arrived, but Liz was not pleased at all because she knew Owen was madly in love with her first. Liz was very upset that Owen left Liz alone for a little while and went straight back to his wife. Owen's wife eventually left him anyways because by the time she got to Elsewhere Owen was too young for her. After that, Liz and Owen fell happily in love again.
Elsewhere is one of my favorite books I have read in my lifetime. It keeps you on the edge of your seat while you are reading. I recommend this book to anyone because it gives you a different idea on where you go when you idea. In the beginning of the book, you think you might be confused on what you're reading, but then every part of the story falls into place. It is really interesting and each chapter never gets boring. Something exciting happens each chapter.
Book Review: I'm sitting in school, but my soul is Elsewhere.
Summary: 5 Stars
Elsewhere is the magical story about Elizabeth Hall's life in Elsewhere. Elsewhere is the place to live up your death where everyone gracefully ages... back to childhood. Watch Liz relive her life with new, and some familiar, faces.
Liz zipped up her wet suit and with Owen, the man she met and fell in love with, she took a dive. The two of them swam, deeper and deeper untill they reached the Well. Liz sends a message to Zooey, her best friend from Earth, at her wedding. Liz's message via bottle told her where to watch Zooey and her husband on their big day. Liz tried every running water source until finally Alvy heard her. Alvy, Liz's little brother always hears her no matter where she may be screaming from or when.
I really think every child afraid of death should be forced to read this book untill they've changed their minds. Miss Gabrielle Zevin's description of how after life should be is mind blowing and, while entertaining, should be taken seriously. Elsewhere is beautifully written and is a perfect example of how someone in that position may react to their death. It's a wonderful book and I highly reccomend it to people 11 and up. You'll love reading about Liz aging backward to childhood and [barely] being sent back down the river back to Earth.
Book Review: Elsewhere
Summary: 4 Stars
Elsewhere
Where do we go when we die? Doesn't everyone ask themselfs that? Some people think they go to a better place. Some people think the opposite. Well, in this book Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin tells you a place where you could only dream of going to.
This book is about this girl named Liz that gets hit by a car at the age of 15 while riding a bicycle to the mall to pick out a dress for prom. She wakes up on a boat that is taking her to a place called Elsewhere. She finds out that she died and is in shock. She can't except the fact that she is dead. She feels that there was so much that she wanted to do and so much left unsaid. But Elsewhere is an extraordinary place where it is always sunny and is on the beach. There, instead of getting older you get younger until you get so young you start your life all over again on Earth. You also get to have what ever job you want. I thought it sounded pretty amazing but that is not what Liz thinks. She misses Earth and all her friends.
I highly recommend this book to whoever likes science fiction and asking themselves questions about the unanswerable. The words used in this book describe everything perfectly. Elsewhere, the unimaginable, the unthinkable, the afterlife, it is something else.
Book Review: Great Premise, Horrible execution
Summary: 2 Stars
I really enjoyed the premise of the book. However, I didn't like that the writing style was in the present tense through-out the entire book. I thought the characters weren't developed enough and felt very flat to me. Each character had the same manner of speaking and same sense of humor, so they all were basically the same characters but with different names or genders and different backgrounds. But then again, I'm an adult reader and well aware that the book was intended for young-adults. In all, I did find it gripping enough to read all the way through (in one day no less) and I did find some interesting nuances about it. Unfortunately (and this is probably because of the age range that the book targeted), I found more annoyances than gems.
That said, for a children's book, this would be an excellent read. I could see how it could bring comfort to a child dealing with the loss of a loved one and I can also see how it would be entertaining to a child who is interested in the author's creation of the afterlife. Some of the sub plots and developments in the book itself outside of the characters would make for a very gripping read for years 4th grade - 9th grade (depending on the maturity level of the child; there is some mild cussing).