Elsewhere Gabrielle Zevin

Macmillan Publications

Page:- 275 

Overview :-
Elsewhere is a story of Elizabeth Mary Hall, a fifteen year old girl, who dies in a road-accident. Too young to have ended, dead have their own world too, Elsewhere, where you go, age backwards, until you are a baby to be send back again.
Plot 
Ageing backwards when you had arguably the best teen-age years of life ahead is no fun. Neither is dying when you crossed road on a green signal. Hey, but who's counting? Elizabeth is angry, aghast, and thinking she could have been at prom if not for the truck that left her swinging in the air. Elsewhere is where you go to age back-wards, it could mean anything to you,(depending on your religious views). For her, it is like any other ordinary earth city, where her grandmother (who is now age of her mother) lives. People don't die there (Dead already? huh!) They have their own currency, Supernatural Squad, and Avocation, (You choose the kind of work you wanna do!) Elizabeth starts off bad, for she is quite too young, to be dead already. There is a Observation Deck where you get to see your relatives in exchange of few Eternims (currency) Like many, her days are spend there, trying to see her best friend, parents, and how everybody is moving on.
Quotes
'I'll never go to college or get married or get big boobs or live on my own or fall in love or get my driver's license or anything? I can't believe this!'
Liz runs her pinky across the scar where the string used to be. She can barely feel it. She knows the scar will soon be gone, too. And when that happens, it will be like she was never on Earth at all.

My Take
Gabrielle has created a whole new world of the dead, and given whole new meaning to death. She has given Elizabeth a poised character, who first feels cheated, depressed and detached. As the novel progresses, you embrace her with more respect. There were some real good moments. Language, emotions, and plot was kept simple and new. I expected few tear-jerking moments, but they didn't come for me. Sometimes i did feel story was losing it's depth. Overall, when you reach till the end, its not bad at all.
***/***** (3/5)
Who should read?
if vocabulary is your problem, this book is beautifully simple. An easy, beautiful read for all.
Who shouldn't read?
if you are expecting highly sentimental, in-depth master piece.