Elsewhere Book Review

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Published in 2005, originally published by Farrar,Straus and Giroux

288 pages

Genre-YA and Fantasy

“No one actually needs another person or another person's love to survive. Love is when we have irrationally convinced ourselves that we do.”

Liz Hall had an overall average life before she died. She had normal friends, a normal family, a normal dog. Liz had a bright future and big dreams, but all that was crushed one day when she was hit by a car on her way to the mall.

That was the last thing Liz remembered before waking up on a mysterious cruise ship with all of her hair shaved off, all her clothes gone and instead was replaced by a white robe, and the only thing to occupy her time was to wonder why the boat had so many elderly people on it.

Liz soon realizes that she has died. Her car accident was a hit and run and she needs to leave behind the ones she loved so dearly.

Now Liz must struggle to cope with her new life in Elsewhere ( a mysterious land where people age backwards until they are infants again, and from there are sent back to Earth) and must realize that her life is not over, but a new one has just begun.

Liz soon becomes interested in a man named Owen Wells, who is the same age as her in Elsewhere, but is really much older then she thinks. Owen and Liz struggle as they try to discover themselves, but can love exist is the eerie world of Elswhere?

My Thoughts

Elsewhere was, and still to this day, if one of the most magical and amazing books I have ever read. Gabrielle Zevin is a true genius and creates a believable afterlife where love can exist and dreams can come true. It gives me hope to think that one day I will see all my loved ones again who had been deceased while I continued my life on Earth and the image she portrays in her characters is truly and utterly amazing.

Liz is also one of the most inspirational characters I have eve read about. Even though she is only fifteen she grows (or i guess anti-grows) into such and a beautiful and amazing person, even after she had lost everything.

This book is an amazing read and I would give it a 5/5 on any scale in my book. Go pick this up if you haven't already!