Tag: death and dying

REVIEW: Layoverland by Gabby Noone

REVIEW: Layoverland by Gabby Noone

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When Bea died, she was driving her car around, aimlessly, thinking about her little sister – her best friend, Emmy – and how she ruined Emmy’s life. One moment she’s looking into the eyes of the kid who hit her. The next, she’s on a weird airplane with strangers.

Turns out, Bea is in purgatory. And because of the abrasive, disagreeable way she lived her life, she has to work in the Memory Experience department, helping other souls deal with the regrets of their lives that have kept them from going to Heaven. Bea just has to help 5,000 others work through their issues, and then she gets to go to heaven, too.

But Caleb is one of the first soul’s assigned to Bea. And she realizes he’s the one from the accident. The guy who killed her. There’s no way she’s going to help him move onto Heaven after that! She’ll just have to find a way to sabotage him. Not enough so she gets into trouble and gets sent to Hell, but just enough to push him back into the lottery to wait for another chance at Heaven.

Review

This was SO quirky! The whole premise is a hoot! Bea spends the entire book in the “airport” of purgatory, with its gross food and odd characters and blank books. Periodically there’s a chapter about what happened before the accident on the day Bea died. It’s actually pretty tragic to think of what things could have been like for her family after her death.

Caleb’s a nice guy who has no idea about the connection to Bea. He goes along with every question she asks, trusting her completely in the Memory Experience process. Which leads to an interesting dynamic between them.

This is a pretty secular view on the afterlife. There’s no reference to Jesus. And people can move out of purgatory when their number is called if they cooperate with the process to figure out what repressed issue has gotten in their way. Bea is freakishly good at discerning what people need to help with that process. The ending of this was interesting.

While this was quirky from start to finish, it was also compelling. I was curious about what happened between Bea and her sister. I wondered what would happen with Caleb when he discovered the truth. I had to know if a loophole would get Bea to Heaven sooner or if she’d really have to work with 5,000 souls first.

If you enjoy odd, existential stories, don’t miss this one! (Language, references to underage drinking and abortion)

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Finding Orion by John David Anderson

REVIEW: Finding Orion by John David Anderson

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

“Seriously?” I shouted, my voice carrying through the amphitheater. “This freakin’ family can’t even DIE normally.”

Rion (Orion) Kwirk has a unique family. His little sister’s favorite book is the dictionary. She has a better vocabulary than most adults. His older sister can quote Shakespeare and challenges him to sword fights. His mom is into astronomy and named all three kids after constellations. And his dad, a scientist by education, comes up with chemical formulas for jelly bean flavors. His latest – fried chicken – is stunningly accurate.

The Kwirk’s quirkiness hits new heights, though, when a singing clown shows up to tell them Rion’s grandfather, Frank, has died.

It’s obvious to Rion that his dad and grandfather had a strained relationship. They rarely visited his grandfather’s home or his dad’s hometown. When Papa Kwirk and his sister Gertie would ride into town on Papa’s motorcycle for the holidays, Rion’s parents seemed to brace themselves for the visit rather than look forward to it. Rion figures the funeral will be just as tense as those visits.

But Aunt Gertie informs the family that Papa Kwirk had very specific instructions for the celebration of his life. Rather than a funeral, they are having a “funneral” complete with food trucks and a marching band. And that’s just the beginning of the journey Rion and his family will undertake as they say goodbye to Frank.

Review

Absolute perfection! Rion is probably my favorite character from a John David Anderson novel so far. He’s bright – and hilarious – and awkward in all the best ways. He’s observant and a thinker – he notices things. And he feels out of step with his unusual family. Spending time with Rion was my favorite part of reading this book.

The rest of the characters are just as fun. The sibling dynamics are delightfully normal. There’s all the usual teasing, but there’s real care and understanding in there, too.

The story is wild. When was the last time you heard of a funeral with food trucks and a marching band? And the journey Rion and his family take after the “funneral” – the real journey of the book – is beautiful. When Rion hears from the people who knew Frank in his day-to-day life, he feels like he didn’t really know his grandfather at all. The journey they take is a chance for everyone in the family to know Frank better. It’s a rare chance at some degree of reconciliation for Rion’s dad even after Frank is gone. And it’s a bonding opportunity for Rion’s family. They will never be the same after this trip.

I can’t recommend this highly enough. It’s both funny and touching. It’s anchored by a fantastic point of view character. And the heart of the story is lovely. This was perfect!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥