Texting the Underworld

by Ellen Booraem

Perpetual scaredy-cat Conor O'Neill has the fright of his life when a banshee girl named Ashling shows up in his bedroom. Ashling is--as all banshees are--a harbinger of death, but she's new at this banshee business, and first she insists on going to middle school. As Conor attempts to hide her identity from his teachers, he realizes he's going to have to pay a visit to the underworld if he wants to keep his family safe.

"Got your cell?"
"Yeah . . . . Don't see what good it'll do me."
"I'll text you if anything happens that you should know."
"Text me? Javier, we'll be in the afterlife."
"You never know. Maybe they get a signal."

Discover why Kirkus has called Booraem's work "utterly original American fantasy . . . frequently hysterical." This totally fresh take on the afterlife combines the kid next door appeal of Percy Jackson with the snark of Artemis Fowl and the heart of a true middle grade classic.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Paranormal, Young Adult, Fiction, Mythology, Supernatural

320 pages, Hardcover

First published August 15, 2013

About the author

A former small-town newspaper reporter and editor, Ellen Booraem is the author of three fantasies for ages 10 and up: TEXTING THE UNDERWORLD (Penguin/Dial Books for Young Readers, 2013) SMALL PERSONS WITH WINGS (Penguin/Dial, 2011) and THE UNNAMEABLES (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Books, 2008).

SMALL PERSONS has received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, and Kirkus Reviews. THE UNNAMEABLES was listed on ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2010 and the Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books of 2008.

Ellen lives in Downeast Maine with a cat, a dog, and an artist, in a house they (meaning the humans) built with their own hands.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another clever and witty fantasy from Booraem, again set in New England and dealing with family history. This time, the family is the O'Neill's, living in South Boston. Conor, a seventh grader who loves maps and dislikes conflict, is plunged into adventure when he meets Ashling, a girl his age who happens to be dead. Not only is Ashling dead, she is his family's personal banshee, and she has come to keen a death and take the dear departed to the underworld. If she succeeds in her mission, she'll get to be born again and escape the afterlife. But someone in Conor's family is going to die - and soon - unless he can prevent it. The reserved boy, who's terrified of spiders, ends up taking risks he never imagined in order to save the people he loves.

you may or may not like Booraem's vision of the afterworld,(it involves a host of pagan gods, and reincarnation) but Conor and his family are likeable and believable. And Ashling is a doll, and I laughed out loud a few times while reading this. A strong addition to most middle grade-early YA collections. Recommended.

[Brittany]

Nope. Contrived and ill-concieved and poorly-written to boot.
Nope nope nope.
Also, kdz do not txt lik diz u got it? k h8rs 2 the lft

[Izcalli Gamez]

Have you ever read a book that starts off with a quote that makes the book sound so deep, but then it all of a sudden goes to when a kid named Conor tries to kill a spider, but fails. I have and that's how the book I'm reading (Texting The Underworld) starts. The genre of this book is fantasy-fiction. To be honest this book wasn't my favorite, it didn't interest me at all.
The book starts off with a boy named Conor, living his normal awkward teenage life. He receives a visit from his family's banshee(if you don't know what a banshee is you'll find out in the book). Her name is Ashling, she told that she was there to collect the soon to be dead loved one of Conor. She explained to Conor that if she did this she would be given another chance at her life that she failed at. Ashling said that she'd have to wait with Conor until the loved one passed, she insisted that she go to school with Conor. When conor found his loved one would die soon and gone forever, he tries to do everything in his power to help that loved one stay alive. He even plaid a visit to the underworld with his new friend Ashling while trying to keep her a secret from everyone and everything. The story takes place in various places, such as Conor's home, school, underworld, also it take place in modern time. The setting is relevant to the story because Ashling is from the underworld and Conor tries to keep her a secret in school and everything starts in his own home. The conflict is person vs. self because Conor through out the book has to keeping thinking and running it over that it might not be such a great idea about what he's doing and how he feels. The theme is loyalty because Conor has to stay loyal to Ashling because he wants her regain her life back but he doesn't want to lost own loved.
The point of view of the story is first person, this helps the reader understand more about Conor's thoughts and feelings. The title can relate to story because Conor is trying to helps everyone and he tries to fix that by visiting the underworld. The narrator is reliable because he is in the story and he shares he feelings and thoughts with the reader. The author's word choice was very interesting, he used a teenagers vocabulary to connect better with Conor and Ashling's age. The author was creating tension by having Conor keep Ashling a secret and making it difficult from the moment she got there to when the book ended. Conor's motivation through out the story was trying to keep his soon to be dead loved one alive but also get Ashling's life back.
I thought the ending of the book was really confusing and somewhat weak it just didn't clearify anything. I was shocked when Ashling was explaining why she was there and how it happened. I was confused at the beginning of the book and why they started the book off how they did. I was sad when I found out witch family member was going to die because it must have been really hard for Conor when he found out.
I would rate this book 2 stars out of 5 just because it didn't interest me as much as I thought it would. I would recommend this book to people whom enjoy fantasy fiction with some realistic-fiction with it. I thought this book would be a very poetic and sympathetic book but it didn't turn out to be like that.

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

2019
2.5 stars

It was actually a pretty okay story, but I didn't have as much information about it as I should have had. I hadn't realized it was written for such a young audience. I was prepared for a more young adult novel, not a children's story, so I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have.

That being said, it is a fun story. The characters are great, they want what's best for everyone they love. Loyal to a fault. Conor is a great hero because he doesn't see himself that way. Grump couldn't handle another death in the family, so he was prepared to do what he could to save her. Glennie was the perfect version of a slightly annoying, but well loved, younger sister.

In all honesty, it touched on a very tricky subject: death. It's not an easy one to approach with children, so I think this book opens doors to that topic. Even if you wanted to avoid talking about that for a little longer, it's a good book about love and protecting those you care about.

[Xavier · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was pretty good

[Ariana Fitz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book-Texting the Underworld

Have you ever read a book that starts off with a quote that makes the book sound so deep, but then it all of a sudden goes to when a kid named Conor tries to kill a spider, but fails. I have and that's how the book I'm reading (Texting The Underworld) starts. The genre of this book is fantasy-fiction. To be honest this book wasn't my favorite, it didn't interest me as much as I hoped.

The book starts off with a boy named Conor, living his normal awkward teenage life. He receives a visit from his family's banshee(if you don't know what a banshee is you'll find out in the book). Her name is Ashling, she told that she was there to collect the soon to be dead loved one of Conor. She explained to Conor that if she did this she would be given another chance at her life that she failed at. Ashling said that she'd have to wait with Conor until the loved one passed, she insisted that she go to school with Conor. When Conor found his loved one would die soon and gone forever, he tries to do everything in his power to help that loved one stay alive. He even plaid a visit to the underworld with his new friend Ashling while trying to keep her a secret from everyone and everything. The story takes place in various places, such as Conor's home, school, underworld, also it take place in modern time. The setting is relevant to the story because Ashling is from the underworld and Conor tries to keep her a secret in school and everything starts in his own home. The conflict is person vs. self because Conor through out the book has to keeping thinking and running it over that it might not be such a great idea about what he's doing and how he feels. The theme is loyalty because Conor has to stay loyal to Ashling because he wants her regain her life back but he doesn't want to lost own loved.

The point of view of the story is first person, this helps the reader understand more about Conor's thoughts and feelings. The title can relate to story because Conor is trying to helps everyone and he tries to fix that by visiting the underworld. The narrator is reliable because he is in the story and he shares he feelings and thoughts with the reader. The author's word choice was very interesting, he used a teenagers vocabulary to connect better with Conor and Ashling's age. The author was creating tension by having Conor keep Ashling a secret and making it difficult from the moment she got there to when the book ended. Conor's motivation through out the story was trying to keep his soon to be dead loved one alive but also get Ashling's life back.

I thought the ending of the book was really confusing and somewhat weak, it just didn't clarify anything. I was shocked when Ashling was explaining why she was there and how it happened. I was confused at the beginning of the book and why they started the book off and how they did. I was sad when I found out witch family member was going to die because it must have been really hard for Conor when he found out.

I would rate this book 2 stars out of 5 just because it didn't interest me as much as I thought it would. I would recommend this book to people whom enjoy fantasy fiction with some realistic-fiction with it. I thought this book would be a very poetic and sympathetic book but it didn't turn out to be like that.

[Adji · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt that this book really brought the out the Irish culture which was very interesting to read about. This really a book kids can relate to especially kids that have recently started Middle School. Ellen Booraem has taught me through this book that it's okay to have fears and that once you can overcome anything

[Brandy Painter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.

I adored Small Persons with Wings by Ellen Booraem, so when I discovered that Booream had a new book coming out about a Banshee and a trip to the Underworld I was excited as could be. I was even more excited when I won a copy of Texting the Underworld via a giveaway at Charlotte's Library.

Conor is not a kid looking for adventure. He likes his world safe and predictable. And spider free. He is not a coward however, no matter how much he thinks he is (and his sister claims he is). When push comes to shove, he rises to the challenge and I liked him all the more for his certainty that he was not cut out for this. Conor is faced with a crazy situation and a horrifying choice that could possibly break anyone. Watching as he found his inner strength to do what was required was fascinating. He has just the right amount of snarky humor to keep a reader like me smiling all the way through too. I loved Ashling, the banshee, too. She has a job, a reward coming to her if she finishes it, and is being manipulated by the Lady who controls the Underworld (for the Irish). I loved how enthusiastic for life she was and how much she craved the world and all it had to offer. She and Conor made great foils for one another, and a great team.



The story is one that plays with Irish mythology and the idea of reincarnation. There are interesting flashbacks to Ashling's life in the world and how it connected with a past life of Conor. I enjoyed how the story moved between this and Conor's life in the modern world, with its typical middle school problems. I appreciated the interactions of Conor's family, the parents who cared, and the role is grandfather played as well.

Texting the Underworld is a fun adventurous mix of myth, modern technology, humor, and hard choices. I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys any of these.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beyond the supernatural hijinks with a banshee and trips to the underworld - which were all pretty fun - was a story of a boy trying to figure out who he is while trying to live up to the expectations and needs of his father, who is trying to resolve his own childhood disappointments. Not an easy task, especially when dad can't see past his own disappointments and realize that his son may have different plans. While Conor's father loves his son and has the best of intentions, he discards Conor's interests as childish distractions, and pushes his son who isn't ready to leave his comfort zone for new schools, new worlds.

Conor lives with his mother, father and younger sister in the Southie neighborhood of Boston, and next door to his grandfather, Grumps. His father's goal is for Conor to 'get out' of Southie, first through Latin School, then Boston College, where Conor will study economics. All the things that he didn't get to do because his father, Grumps, let him down. The more his father focuses on where he wants Conor to go, ignores Conor's own dreams - and these are still forming - and scoffs at Conor's maps, the more Conor holds on to his neighborhood, and the comfort of knowing exactly where he is. In the GPS sense of knowing exactly where he is.

Ashling, the banshee, provides a useful distraction that helps Conor finally make his own choices clear, but I found the use of death and the idea of control over death distressing and disturbing. I would not recommend this for a young person who has had to deal with the death of someone close, at least not without supervision.

[Chris Mclean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conor O'Neill is afraid of so many things - in the first few pages he is terrified of the spider on the ceiling of his bedroom. His sister, two years younger, is a lot braver. His grandfather (affectionately called Grump) is always hoping Conor will toughen up (as is his father). What happens to scared little Conor changes his world -

....he actually hears and then meets a banshee, who is sent to announce an imminent death in the O'Neill family.

Conor decides that he wants to confront Fate and his journey to the Other World builds his character.

This is a great book for middle grade students who love to read books that touch on mythology, as there is a great deal of Gaelic mythology (mixed with some Babylonian as well) in this book. It takes a while to build to its climax, so students who are put off by longer books will not enjoy this.

Students who can commit to a lengthy book (the kids in my class who love Percy Jackson, for example)will love this - and there are some great opportunities for discussion about love, strength and courage. I could see using this book in a fifth or sixth grade gifted/talented setting. This could easily become a movie, which would definitely bring more readers to it.

[Abigail Levine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Texting the Underworld by Ellen Booraem is fantasy and not part of a series. Have you ever wondered about visiting another world? Twelve year old Conor O'Neill thought there were no other terrifying monsters in the world besides spiders, until a banshee named Ashiling decided to pay a visit. This leads Conor to finding out that someone in his family was going to die, and he had to be the one to stop it. Now stuck in Conor's bedroom for several days, Ashling still refuses to say a word about who the Death is. Before Ashling gets too comfortable with this new world, Conor decides that the only way to stop the Death from happening is by visiting the Underworld. With the weight of his curiosity on his shoulders, Conor soon realizes that he can no longer keep Ashling's identity a secret. Not only will he have to visit the Underworld, but Conor will soon come to the conclusion that whoever the Death is-he will find it harder and harder to accept what lies ahead of him. Will Conor be able to keep his family safe from the Death, but also hide Ashling's true identity? I rate this book a 9 out of 10 for Conor's hero-like personality that will make this book hard to put down.
If you like whimsical twitsts and strong characters, you will like Texting the Underworld by Ellen Booraem.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this story was so satisfying, I'm reluctant to start another. I just don't want to leave Conor's family, as imperfect as it is, just yet. I laughed deeply and heartily. I sighed wistfully. As usual, Ellen Booraem has constructed a unique, complex story featuring fully realized and flawed characters. While set in contemporary south Boston, she weaves the Irish mythology of death, the Banshee, along with a few other mythologies so hilariously and convincingly that the reader feels a bit guilty about forgetting to feel sad for, you know, the person about to die. This is due in August. Please don't miss it.

[Emily P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was actually a lot better than I thought it would be. The beginning isn't so great but it kicks in.

[Mikey · Rating 4 out of 5]

One word, "weird".

[Stephanie Ellingham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written story about growing up and dealing with loss.

[Laurel Decher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this funny adventure story would be excellent for reluctant readers. I laughed out loud because of the wonderful one-liners. Tricky and believable plotting, laugh-out-loud lines, and the warmest Trivial-Pursuit-loving banshee character I never thought I'd read about.

Conor, the rule-following, fantasy mapmaking, spider-phobic hero is endearingly smart and funny. It was a treat to watch him become the hero he never thought he could be.

The father-son-grandfather and the brother-sister relationships are well-drawn and add to the story.

Tiny niggle: I didn't care for the phonetic spelling of the Irish names. I don't know if reincarnation is a little too weird as a theme for a kid's book, but it made a great plot device.

A few favorite quotes:
"particularly if you needed help faking a sudden inability to determine the speed of Train A in relation to Train B. The right answer required brains, but a believeable wrong answer? That took real talent."

"Nobody took Javier seriously--he was way too smart, his face too angelic, his eyelashes too long. He often spent recess fixing the computer in the principal's office--an act that was so far beyond nerdy that it left most of his classmates speechless."

"Well then, dying is unacceptable," Ms. Wright said. "Back to class now."

"To make himself feel better, Conor located himself on his cell phone GPS. Sure enough, there he was at Barbara McMichael Middle School, one-point-seven miles from 36A Crumlin Street."

[Dominic · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is fictional, and very excited and interesting to read i never wanted to put it down when i started reading it. The book is about a family that is haunted by banshees that demand a death to happen for them to be re born into a new life. this becomes a problem because Conor does not want anyone in his family to die so they go to the underworld and try to work out a way to make it so they don't have to and he has to face the birds. facing the birds means that you have to give the main bird with the gold beak so Conor has to guess and he says that it is the spiders but it is wrong, he failed but the mother (the lady that runs the whole place) gives him a second chance for being brave enough to come to her an he gets it right. this gives him the power to control who dies because it can not be stopped so when a racing car comes down his road and his old sick grandfather says it is his time Conor has to point to him as he goes out on to the middle of the rode and it is all over for his grandfather but it is all for a good cause.
This book made me laugh a lot because even during the hardest time for the family they always manage to have fun. One example is when Conor makes a joke about how there are spiders as one of the food for the birds and as previously stated in the book he hates spiders a lot.
I would totally recommend anyone to this book it is really funny and interesting, thsi book is really awesome anyone can read it and enjoy it.

[Kara Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for Texting The Underworld

5 stars


“Which is worse, mockery or death?After profound inner struggle Conor decided he’d rather be teased than dead.”


“Banshees don’t stick around long. The death’ll be soon.”

“Conor,kiddo, we’re going up against death, the stubbornest rule in the universe. Time to stop worrying about what’s allowed.”

“We are too comfortable as we are, perhaps.”


“A kick doesn’t hurt a banshee,but it gets its point across.”



I am not the target audience for this book. That being said I loved it. I love books that play with death and or elements of it and what comes with it like grief and all that this was wonderful. This an absolutely wonderful ride. It was so cute and even though it is centered around death it does it a fun way for maybe middle grade readers to not fear death if it’s a thing that they fear. At some point in time everyone will have a worry if not a fear of death but most important take away from this absolutely wonderful book is that you can’t delay or cheat death. I highly highly recommend reading this book if you want a fun time spooky mixed with a lot of comedy good time reading experience probably will be on my top 10 for the end of the year. I feel like this a book that all ages can read and get something out of it. I also love how family is a key factor in this book and what would you do for those you love most in the world?

[Ayre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Texting the Underworld follows a boy named Connor of Irish decent who accidently meets his family Banshee. Someone in his family is going to die and Connor wants nothing more than to save them.

I want to start out saying that I am not the target audience for this book. This is directed to early teens (around 12). This book has a lot of things I don't like this genre. The main one being bad parenting. Can authors not write books about teens where they have decent parents? The story itself is ridiculous but might appeal to a younger audience.

Looking at this from an adult prospective there are a few things I'm uncomfortable with. I don't think I like how this book handles death. I cant really go into detail but the gist is that a 12 year old boy is forced to decide who in his family is going to die, and I cant imagine that is a good lesson for children. The other thing is Conor has an obsession with numbers, specifically distances. He is written as autistic without ever saying on page that he is autistic. His obsession with numbers is written as something he can/should "grow out of". I'm in no way a disability expert but the treatment of those aspects of his personality didn't sit right with me. Please read own voices reviews.

In the end I wouldn't recommend this to anyone but it wasn't the worst thing I've ever read.

[Brittany Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't read many middle-grade standalone's so I was excited to start this book. In all honesty, the book was entertaining, but I had a few problems with it that made me drastically lower my rating.

The main one being how the death was going to happen. We had this very tense moment that was completely ignored in favor of everyone on the street gathering around and talking for no real reason. And I wonder if this moment happened because of Ashling being there or if it still would have happened just in a different way. Regardless it went from having to choose who would die to a block party in a matter of pages and it felt unrealistic after everything that had happened so far in this book.

Even though this book did get better as the story progressed and I liked the idea of all religions in the same underworld, but I really didn't care for Conor getting his memory back, and I honestly didn't care for Ashling at all. She was actually very annoying, I get that she's basically 12 and she's interested in the world, that was all fine, but for someone who's creature states needs to be kept a secret she has no problem saying things that if Conor hadn't been there would have been enough to get her locked up.

The relationship was very weak as well. Conor spent most of the book calling Ashling a monster and believing it only to in the end help her get what she wants and I'm assuming get together in the end. (Can't say 100% that they do since it never says and they are only 12). If there had to be a romantic relationship in the book I felt Conor and Javier made a better pair.

I would have liked to spend more time getting to know Javier, but he and Conor were my favorite characters. I loved Javier being a techie and that Conor makes maps of places real and fantastical.

[Mandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute little book. I started it and then my sister and I did a challenge so I had to pause but I picked right back up. Easy read. Fun story line. Love her concept for the plot on this. I recommend reading as an in between when you’re getting readers block.

[Marianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Angela De Groot]

DNF

[Shari Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, one of my favorite middle grade novels in a long time. I loved the characters and the writer's voice was so specific and funny and tender. Highly recommend!

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good book for middle grade. But not as an adult.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Texting the Underworld is about twelve year old Conor O'Neill who lives in South Boston with his parents, younger sister and next door is his Grandpa or Grump as he is lovingly called. Conor's little Irish neighborhood is home to the frequent sounds of car alarms and the screech of owls, but Grump knows that those sounds are really the “keen” of a banshee come to weep for the person about to die. So when red-blond headed Ashling appears to Conor foretelling that someone in the O'Neill family is going to die, he knows that he must come up with a plan to protect them. Poor Conor though doesn't know who it is and Ashling isn't telling either. Ashling just wants to experience as much as she can of current time before completing her task for the Lady of the Other Land. But, how will Conor keep Ashling a secret from everyone else while making sure that no one sees her keen, because if they do they too will drop dead.

One of the strengths of Texting the Underworld is the characters. We have Conor, who is scared of spiders and is afraid to sneak out at night with his Grandpa. Despite his flaws he is really a likable guy and grows throughout his journey. Booraem also introduces Grumps, who I really liked the best. Grumps brings with the Irish history and traditions of the O'Neill family and fills in all the necessary gaps about the lore. And then there is Ashling, who provides the humor as she tries to learn about modern day society via Trivial Pursuit cards no less. Booraem doesn't hold back in Texting the Underworld with its themes of death and going so far as to place Conor in the difficult position of determining someones fate. Overall a great story that incorporated lots of mythology from Babylonian to Irish to Scottish when delving into the afterlife. Review copy received as a part of authors blog tour giveaway at http://www.fromthemixedupfiles.com/

[Sophia F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the back of the book strangely captivated me enough to pick it up off the shelf and read it, but I am extremely glad it did!
A story involving Conor, (AKA Pixie) who is easily frightened and deathly afraid of spiders, encounters his family's Banshee Ashling, who is supposed to turn into a wraith and kill one of his family members. He decides to venture into the Underworld to make a deal with the 'Lady', and save one of his family members.
The beginning, although interesting, was rapidly becoming slower and slower, (if that makes any sense), but was JUST interesting enough to keep me reading.
I'm glad I stuck through to the end though, because the concept of it all and the difficult decisions made were exciting and surprisingly i was content with the end result.
I loved how there was a constant cycle of souls once someone died, and how Conor was slowly remembering bits and pieces of his past life from 16 hundred years ago. The added plot change of Ashling and Conor's intertwining pasts was the real spark to this book though.
Description was great, and gave a vivid image, but certain words used in this book bothered me very much.
It might just be me, but does the word 'floated' make any sense? It sounds fine if it's something like: "The bubble floated away," but the way this word was chosen to be used was: "You floated ME." (If you've already read this book, you know the context makes sense, trust me) but it just doesn't make sense to me!!
Another word I disliked reading was 'lighted'. Such as: "The hospital was all lighted up." O.o Wouldn't it sound so much better if you say 'lit'? "The hospital was all LIT up"?
It might just be me, but it didn't sound right in my brain.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a good book, but if you dislike stories of Banshee's, spiders, Greek Gods, and/or dead people, this book might not be right for you.

[Kristen Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Texting the Underworld starts off with the reader meeting Conor, a boy who is afraid of spiders and definitely not seeking out adventure. When a banshee named Ashling shows up in his room, he knows there will be a death in his family. Ashling is there to stay, curious about middle school and may not enjoy her new job as a banshee, but she knows she must go through with it or go crazy. Conor decides to talk to his grandfather about what is going on and he assumes he will be the one that will be called by the banshee. Of course, that is not set in stone and they go to measures to make sure it's not one of the younger family members.

Conor steps up as a character and shows his own courage in the face of danger. I love the relationship that grows between Ashling and Conor as she is more than just a banshee waiting to take a family member away. She has her own memories that she must face with the help of Conor. I love the twist at the end of the book as well, which I won't reveal here. Irish mythology ties this book into an interesting read that strays from the usual paranormal and fantasy elements. The aspect of death is very real and I loved getting a full look at the underworld and the Lady who runs it.

I like when books tackle a different type of mythology and supernatural creatures. Texting the Underworld was a unique book in that aspect, add in the interesting characters and Ashling mysterious background and it was quite a compelling read.

Final Verdict: Texting the Underworld had a great blend of mythology, mystery and adventure. It is a book I would suggest to young readers who love something a bit different from the norm in fantasy.

[Summer Rosswog · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you do when you're an average kid from South Boston with a banshee from the Irish underworld hiding out in your game closet? In "Texting the Underworld," Ellen Booraem melds fantasy and realism brilliantly drawing upon Irish and other cultural lore surrounding death and the afterlife. Visiting with Conor and then rest of his family, the O'Neills of 36A and 36B Crumlin Street, is worth the read. However, a daring trip to the underworld is included, and Conor, who is predisposed to being nervous and fearful, finds the hero within. And, who knew that you can get a cell phone connection between the world of the living and the world of the dead? Comes in very handy when you need to call a friend. Ultimately, Conor is faced with making the most difficult decision with which anyone could be faced and draws upon bravery he never knew he had.

Though not quite Newberry caliber writing, Booraem tells a seamless story with a good dose of stylish humor. From page 296,
"The residents of South Boston said Brian O'Neill could talk with anyone. Sure enough, Dad had no trouble at all chatting with Nergal, Babylonian lord of the dead and recycling tycoon."

And, who knew that Celts were Buddhists? In no way is "Texting the Underworld" an accurate depiction of Celtic or other cultural mythologies, but children may enjoy the mythological elements of the story and want to learn more about the true mythologies of various cultures. A fun, smart read--an adventure with a lot of heart!

[Karen Maurer · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I found myself tearing up this morning just thinking about this book - something the intended readers will most likely NOT do - I realized it deserved 5 stars.

It's not like Conor doesn't have problems already. He's short - so short that his nickname is Pixie. His father wants him to be a hockey player and go to BU. Conor is not fond of hockey and has no idea where he wants to go to college. His younger sister is a pain. And now a 1600 year-old redheaded female banshee, who died when she was around 12, has moved into his game closet.

Conor knows a lot about banshees, thanks to his Grump who lives next door. Grump is an expert on Irish mythology and obsessed with banshees. So Conor knows that each family has a banshee and this girl is in his room waiting for someone in his family to die.

This is a complex book with details that make the characters fully realized. The cause of Grump's obsession with banshees made me tear up this morning. And that cause explains Conor's painful choice at the end of the book. Problems with friends, the banshee's irrepressible personality, the mixture of world mythologies with present day technology - so many things add up to make this an enjoyable read.

Older readers may be touched by the impossible things Conor is forced to do - younger readers, too, perhaps. But we can all be grateful that he has a cell phone and knows when to use it!!!