Neverworld Wake

Could press stop. Groundhog Day meets Veronica Mars, intended in the best way possible. A great teen mystery, with a Groundhog Day twist that gives the characters a huge canvass on which to grow and figure out their complicated lives and the complications of life. Don’t be turned off by the YA designation, while this book would be great for teen readers (I imagine devouring this book as a kid again and again), a terrific, meaty and suspenseful tale with Pessl’s unique voice and trademark wit and turn of phrase. It may be PG-13, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable or compelling. Great performance, too, if you can (and should) forgive the narrator’s lamentable genteel southern accent. Get past it, and you’ll be rewarded!

I thought Pessl could do no wrong, but I was wrong. This is a young adult novel, so perhaps they will like it better than I. Pessl\’s trademark wordplay was absent from this book, so that was a disappointment, but also it was just plain boring. Sheesh. It was a sort of interesting idea, not totally original, but a unique take. (To explain it would be spoilers.) Though not a long book, it felt endless. The first half was essentially the same day lived over and over again and not in an interesting way. Unfortunately, I chose this as a \”long car ride\” book, so we kept at it. I did want to find out what happened. The second half was definitely more interesting than the first, but in such a basic way – the good guy isn\’t really good, the mean girl isn\’t really a mean girl and she\’s doing it all for you, etc. The mystery, once solved, was overly complex. Just was not good. (The narrator, however, was great.)

Marisha Pessl, business as usual. Everything I wanted and more. Every book she writes asks curious questions, lays out thought provoking observations, and always adds the perfect amount of mystery and intrigue in her genre blending story. Pessl has become a favorite author and she exceeded my expectations with this one. Not as outlandish as Special Topics and not as complex as Night Film, but thoroughly enjoyable with dynamic characters, fascinating plot twists and concepts, and a story about life and death and the relationships within them. The narrator does a wonderful job. Well done all around.

I enjoyed this book. It deals with the afterlife and has several interesting ideas about what goes on after we die. I realize that this book is intended for a young adult audience but some parts of it felt a bit flat or unbelievable to me. I LOVE Marisha Peel\’s other books, especially Night Film, and this one just didn\’t quite reach that level for me but it was still an enjoyable read.

So different than anything I have read recently. Unique story with a great life message!!

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