To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis

Nowhere #2

by Andra Watkins

Merry Lewis died of two gunshot wounds more than two centuries ago. Was it suicide? Or murder? Because no one knows for sure, he’s stuck in an in-between called Nowhere. When he completes a Nowhere assignment, his soul will finally rest. But he’s failed every assignment, and he’s running out of time.

Merry’s last hope for redemption is nine-year-old Emmaline Cagney. Her mother has despicable plans for her tenth birthday, plans that will ruin Em’s life. She longs to run away and be with her father, but how?

When Merry finds Em hiding in a New Orleans alley, he realizes she is his final mission. But his old arch enemy has another horrifying scheme for her. As Em and Merry flee along the Natchez Trace, can they vanquish their mutual foe and find Em’s father before it’s too late?

To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis is the second book in the Nowhere Series, a speculative blend of riveting suspense, forgotten history, and a dash of paranormal fiction. If you like edge-of-your-seat action, compelling characters, and white-knuckle emotion, you’ll love the latest installment in Andra Watkins’ page-turning series.

Buy To Live Forever today and discover your next favorite read!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Supernatural, Historical Fantasy

305 pages, Paperback

First published February 3, 2014

About the author

New York Times Best Selling Author Andra Watkins lives in Charleston, South Carolina. A non-practicing CPA, she has a degree in accounting from Francis Marion University. She’s still mad at her mother for refusing to let her major in musical theater, because her mom was convinced she’d end up starring in porn films.
Andra is also an accomplished public speaker. Her acclaimed first novel To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis was published by Word Hermit Press in 2014. She writes about her experience as one of the first living persons to walk the Natchez Trace as the pioneers did in her memoir Not Without My Father: One Woman's 444-Mile Walk of the Natchez Trace, nominated for the National Book Award for Nonfiction, the Sarton Memoir Award, and the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for Autobiographies and Memoirs. Her latest novel Hard to Die is nominated for the 2016 National Book Award for Fiction. andrawatkins.com.

Reviews

[Cheryl Smithem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andra Watkins has authored a unique work of magical realism that crosses history and unites epic stories as large as America. At once a mixture of “Pretty Baby,” “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” the novel is the story of an epic journey.

If Gabriel García Márquez and Isabel Allende had a North American love child, it would be “To Live Forever - An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis.”

Watkins’ Emmaline Cagney, a child who conjures parental love from one character and wanton covetousness from another, is an innocent on an expedition to reunite with her legally ostracised father. Merry is on a voyage of another sort: to redeem himself.

In Watkins’ novel both accomplish their missions and achieve personal maturity. That Em is only nine years old, is not a barrier to a lively tale of a child who learns that she has strengths she didn’t know she possessed. Neither is it a barrier to the story that Merry is an 18th century historic figure who died in 1809. Together Watkins’ characters unite in redemption and entertain you with meetings of others some all contemporary flesh and some ancient spirits.

Filled with struggle, combat and triumph, the story spins along the Natchez Trace as Emmaline and Merry walk, ride, run and motor along this ancient road.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a book I wasn't too crazy about in the end, I am surprised I finished it. The author had a list of 10 reasons to read it in her promotional materials.

I will try 10 reasons or questions or comments in a list to answer her clever tactics...

1) what does 1977 have to do with anything?
2) the creepy pedophilia was wildly disturbing after a while.
3) for a 9-yo to describe a driver as "reckless" -- that's hifalutin talk.
4) the shifts in POV were OK at first and then became utterly maddening, sometimes not shifting at all, just changing a chapter... When even that wasn't really necessary.
5) the creepy and graphic details of how people died... Not at all relevant.
6) the ending was foretold so many different ways, if could've ended thrice before it actually did.
7) time travel, undead explorers, mothers who pimp, ghosts, cheesy-named country music agents, and the Natchez Trace -- sign me up!
8) it's brain candy. I didn't retain one but of useful information from it other than the questionable death of Merriweather Lewis.
9) the cast of characters who helped this fateful pair make their trek was certainly colorful -- we're talking dwarfism!
10) random stuff. The ending was queso. Apparently EVERYONE LOVES EMMALINE.

[Michael Carnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Live Forever is an adventurous journey into a little girl's future that also explores the past of not only Meriwether Lewis, but also the Natchez Trace. Young Emmaline Cagney must quickly escape a situation in her unhappy and confusing home that has gone from bad to worse. In her quest to find her father she picks up the help of the wandering spirit of Meriwether Lewis - of Lewis and Clarke fame. Along the way from New Orleans to Nashville the reader is taken on their own journey of exploration into some of the most interesting characters in America’s past. Told from the few points of Lewis, Emmaline, and “the Judge” (an unsavory character to say the least), the story unfolds at a quickening rate to an explosive climax. Nicely illustrated in the style of Lewis’s exploration journals, though not overdone, the book is a delight to the eye as well as the mind. Pick it up, get pulled along on a wlld ride, and enjoy the journey.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every once in a while you come across a book that touches something deep inside yourself. In this case it is that yearning to know your life has meaning, to live forever through your deeds, your words, and in the hearts and minds of the people you love. With exquisite writing, characters that break your heart, a touch of mystery, a thrilling adventure, a ghostly presence, and a journey into the historical foundations of our country, Andra Watkins' debut novel introduces a talent worthy of its own immortality, and a story that I will think about for a long time to come.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for something new to read then you should check out this book. I read it in one afternoon as it was that good. Yes, this book did surprise me. I was not sure how much I would like this book. As I stated before, I read this book in one afternoon. Emma, and Meri Jim are what made this story more then just a story. The concept of Meri being like a guardian angel who is tasked with watching over Meri was sweet. It was kind of like Meri got a second chance at life to make something of it and be remembered.

Emma may be a blonde beauty with curls but don't let her looks fool you. She is a tough cookie. The journey that Emma and Meri took made me think of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, mixed with To Kill a Mockingbird, and It's a Wonderful Life. Yeah, what a combination. There were several aspects of the story that made me thing these references. First there was the time period and because Meri was a co-captain of the Lewis and Clark expedition that had me thinking of Sawyer and Finn. Then there was Emma and her tough as cookies attitude that made me think of Scout. Finally cause of the way that the story would change voices and the journal entries of Meri had me picturing him as George and him getting a glimpse of his life.

There was a plot twist involving Emma and a prominent Judge. I think I missed something before when the Judge was around or I did not really pick up on it right away but I was a little confused in regards to why the Judge was pursing Emma. As I got near the end of the story, all the pieces of the puzzle came together for an "Ah, Ha" moment. The book ended on a good, strong ending.

[DJ M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She is such an inspiring author and has a great writing style

[Mary Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five glorious, shining stars for a book that captured my imagination and my heart! Thanks for bringing Meriwether to life once more, Andra. I think Merry would be proud and happy to know that not only was he one of the greatest explorers of our beautiful nation but also an adventurous spirit guide in Nowhere, an imaginary place I wish to steer clear of. Creepy! As I mentioned before, Meriwether Lewis is a relative of my father's family. I grew up with general knowledge about Lewis and Clark but never pulled any of my father's books about Meriwether from the shelves. Such a shame because the life and time of Meriwether Lewis is completely fascinating. Even his death! When I first learned of Andra's books, I was instantly intrigued. I reached out to Watkins on Goodreads and she told me that she had a special interest in Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. I have to believe her, especially when she decided to walk the entire Natchez Trace, the same Natchez Trace that Lewis and Clark traveled, and then write a book about her adventures called Not Without My Father: One Woman's 444-Mile Walk of the Natchez Trace . If that doesn't prove an author's love and belief in her subject, what ever will?! Completely inspiring! I have every intention of reading that book next.

New Orleans, 1977. Emmaline Cagney's mother is awarded full custody of her beautiful nine year old daughter. Emmaline is devastated to be seperated from her father. Had the judge asked for her preference, Em would've chosen to live with her dad. The reader soon learns the reasoning behind the little girl's longings for her father. Emmaline lives with her mother in a boarding house in the French Quarters. Aunt Bertie is Emmaline's caregiver, a nanny of sorts, someone Em loves and trusts as much as her father. When chaos enters Em's home, it's Aunt Bertie that helps Emmaline escape a gruesome fate. In the meantime, Meriwether Lewis is suspended somewhere between life and death. He has one opportunity left to escape Nowhere's eternity, an eternity that is worse than death itself. Lewis and Emmaline Cagney's lives will collide in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It is their journey on the Natchez Trace together that can set them free, returning child to a beloved father and an adventuring hero back to the pages of history.

"My heart twisted. It was a haunted place. A desperate place. The last place I walked in life. Breathed my last breath. A neighborhood I never thought I'd be forced to walk again. What would happen if I stepped across my own grave? The exact spot where I expired? The shallow trench where they threw me? Hasty, like they wanted to blot out the evidence of what they did. What they made me do." --
Meriwether Lewis, To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis by Andra Watkins.


To Live Forever twists and bends all genres. There's enough here for everyone to love. Watkins takes a piece of American history, adds a bit of ghoulish charm, sprinkles in some magical realism, and serves up fiction at it's best. Keeping a space open on my bookshelf for all Andra Watkins' books. I'm planning a trip to Natchez, Mississippi and walk a bit of the Trace myself. I'd also like to pay my respects to Meriwether Lewis, an ancestor that will forever be a living legend.

[Erin Al-Mehairi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This book is a hard one to review. When that happens to me, it is usually because I liked the book so much that I can't find the words to give it justice or that the book was so unique, undefined in genre, and really hard to put your finger on to explain to anyone other than to beg them to read it. In the case of Andra Watkins' To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis, both of these scenarios are the case. Sometimes a book you just feel and hop inside and get lost in--this was one of those books.

With amazing sentence structure and description, original word choices and phrases, and literary techniques that take talent or practice to perfect, this novel is an achievement in fiction. As Watkins' debut novel, An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis reads as if a classic, seasoned author penned it. It's superb plot, subtle nuances, and plot twists and points that left you guessing or thinking all worked together in order to bring out the genius of this book. I applaud Watkins for her stepping out of the box in regards to her fiction writing and taking a chance on marketing to readers. It's pure literary fiction, but one that most readers can enjoy. Literary fiction as this is like art--it's fluid, ornate, and does not like strict boundaries or edges.

With having a bachelor degree in English, I read a lot of literature at the University. It cemented my love for the obscure books that value creative writing rather than cookie-cutter, assembly line mainstream novels that many bestselling authors publish. Watkins novel is definitely one that can be used in classes now in order to teach how creative writing can let go and still be.....well....creative and quirky. The depth and atmosphere of the novel moved me, absorbed me, and I'll be reading this one again (something I rarely do).

So since I've said that it doesn't fit "into a box" or genre, it makes it hard to recommend to readers. Many read only certain types of books in certain genres. I ask you today to think about reading outside your comfort zone. Let the art of her words take you away to a place of enlightened reading. It can be considered historical because one of the main characters is Meriwether Lewis, a very famous man in history (Lewis and Clark, of course), yet really it's his ghost that is helping the protagonist (a little girl) in the novel as she runs from a deranged judge. Yes, I did say his ghost. The story is in the late 1970s so it isn't really set in the exploration days of the celebrity duo. It's more paranormal, but not probably in the way that mainstream is now defining paranormal. It's otherworldly and fantastical, inventive and entertaining, yet not creepy or scary.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone as long as you keep an open mind and don't try to categorize it in any way beyond literary creative fiction. Read for pleasure and taste every word. This is a great for a summer vacation or vacation day because it's so addictive you'll read it without ever getting up.

[Nassem Al-Mehairi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into reading this book a little apprehensive. I do not usually like anything supernatural, but I soon realized that To Live Forever by Andra Watkins was not focused on that, but on a really interesting story intertwining the 1800's and the 1970's.

Meriwether Lewis has been stuck in Nowhere since his death, a mystery whether a suicide or murder, about 170 years ago. Enter Emmaline Cagney: A 9-year-old girl from New Orleans who has just been caught up in a nasty divorce between her parents, and her mother happens to be a madam (mother promoting prostitution) who tries to sell Emmaline out. Em is Merry Lewis' last hope for redemption, and so he must get her to her father in Nashville.

There is one problem: To do this, Lewis must cross his own grave along the Natchez Trace, where he must confront old foes and old sins if he is to save Em and to save himself.

To Live Forever was a very interesting read for me. I was not expecting it to go the way it did, which is the reason why I liked it. So many authors would have been restricted by genres, but Andra Watkins wrote what flowed, and it was truly a great read.

Meriwether Lewis died mysteriously, and so he being condemned to Nowhere in the book is a viable story element. I also found the way Ms. Watkins tied her interest, and where Lewis died, in the Natchez Trace tied in well. The trek Merry and Em had to take, with the corrupt Judge Wilkinson chasing them as he had Lewis for centuries before, worked quite well, and was the central plot of To Live Forever.

One note on the villain, Judge Wilkinson: He is one of those you will love to hate. Convinced that Emmaline is the reincarnation of his beloved wife, we find out that he may have personal connections to Lewis too. He had depth, a true evil, that made him a great literary antagonist.

All in all, To Live Forever by Andra Watkins is an innovative novel encompassing the life, legacy, and destiny of one of America's greatest explorers, Meriwether Lewis. It is a story of redemption, and how sometimes mistakes can be made right. It is also a story of history, written utilizing Lewis' actual life, making, like it often is, past prologue. To Live Forever bends genres to deliver a novel worth reading.

Note: Andra Watkins just became the first person, male or female, to walk all 444 miles of the Natchez Trace since the 1820's! Running from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, this is the trail Lewis actually died on, and the trail this book is centered around. Congratulations to Ms. Watkins on her accomplishment!

[Cameron Garriepy · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Live Forever is an ambitious collision of near-historical fiction, adventure/thriller, and magical realism. Like a well-simmered gumbo, this book is rich, complex and deeply enjoyable, with just enough je ne sais quoi, that crucial pinch of filé that makes the thing just right.

I devoured the story in great gulps, always sad to have to put it down, but the characters and the Natchez Trace stayed with me, pulling me back whenever my Kindle and I had a moment alone.

In Meriwether Lewis, we find not the encyclopedia-page explorer, but a compassionate and desperate soul, caught between his desire to finish the work of his time in Nowhere and his lack of understanding of exactly what is required of him. Merry is competent, wry, and gentle, but not without the steel that brought him across a continent two centuries before. Emmaline Cagney is a captivating little girl, and while her mother and the Judge are despicable in their aims, I completely understood how Em enchanted everyone she met. She is on the knife-edge of growing up, and her time with Merry tests her mettle far beyond her years. While his "page-time" is perhaps less, the Judge is a villain in the best sense. He is vile, corrupt, and unhinged, but as the story winds the characters together, I saw that like Merry, the Judge is searching for what his believes to be his immortality.

As well as being a rollicking good story, To Live Forever is a literary examination of what it means to love, to give yourself  and your legacy over to the keeping of others, to be remembered - to truly live forever.

[Helena Hann-Basquiat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading the novel, To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis last night, and to say that it affected me deeply would be to say too little. The story of a courageous little girl growing up in despicable circumstances resonated too well with me.

So when the focus of the book became the rescue of this little girl, I was understandably captivated.

I have a particularly picky palate for prose, and I found myself absolutely enthralled at the switches in perspective that Andra used, changing the narrative voice from the little girl, Emmaline, to her protector Merry. And then, occasionally, to the slimy, depraved thoughts of the book's villain, The Judge. All of these she handles masterfully and convincingly. The innocence of Emmaline is the bright light of the book, and those moments where she demonstrates the ways in which her childhood has been stolen from her are heartbreaking.

The story itself is fast paced, and full of tension. I can honestly say that I don't think there was ever a point -- not even in the last 50 pages or so -- where I was certain of the outcome.

To Live Forever will be a book that you treasure and share, and when you're done, there's only one question you'll be asking (perhaps in the voice of a certain Dickensian street urchin): Please, Andra, can I have some more?

[Majanka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...

To Live Forever is an inspiring, engaging story about explorer Meriwether Lewis. He’s been stuck in Nowhere since he died over two hundred years ago. He’s on his thirteenth mission to redeem his soul, and is sent to New Orleans of the 1970s where he has to help Emmaline, a 9-year-old girl who was just sold to the highest bidder by her prostitute mother. He offers to help Em finds her father in Nashville. That means crossing his own grave along the Natchez Trace however. Like that’s not bad enough, they’re also chased by the murderous Judge, who has despicable plans for Em.

A lot of things happen along the Natchez Trace, and both Em and Merry grow as characters as the story develops. The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Em, Merry and the Judge. This book is a great example of magical realism that works – this is a difficult genre, but Andra Watkins handles it well. The story is intriguing, and the plot develops with some unexpected twists. The characters are great, but Merry was easily my favorite. The story is fast-paced and the settings are described in great detail.

Recommended to anyone looking for something different. This book is a great choice.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an original, unique and slightly bizarre plot (and I mean that in a really good way). I was fascinated with this story right from the beginning. With the narrative alternating between Emmaline, Merry and the Judge it was interesting to hear their thoughts and feeling about the what and why's of what was taking place.

The author portrayed each of the 3, Emmaline, Merry and the Judge in such a way that I got to know each of them, their motives and what is driving them on this journey. Emmaline is this 9 year old, still a child, but forced to grow up before her time. Merry shows his emotional side in how her cares and protects Emmaline. And well the Judge remembers a love from long ago.

This story was believable in it's supernatural way. It is fast paced and full of tense action, very hard to put down.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It is an "all in one book." It has mystery, love story, good versus evil, and the characters are so alive! Ms. Watkins writes so eloquently and her descriptions paint such dramatic pictures. Each character you have a response to - good, bad, whatever, you have a response to them. She takes you on a journey, my breath caught in my throat many times and many times I literally let out a sigh or two (or a hundred). I cannot recommend this book high enough. I truly, truly enjoyed it. My reading in general doesn't usually expand to anything but mystery and this had everything in it.

[Katie Kasoff Fils · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not my usual choice of genre but I was reading it for book club. One of our members is friends with the author and we had the pleasure of having a Zoom call with her. She had some really awesome insight and some personal stories about her inspiration of characters.
This was a page turner. I really couldn't wait to read about the adventures of Meriweather and the little girl Emmeline he was protecting/helping along the way. The charcters are so full and real. You love some of them and you hate some with a passion. There is some history sprinkled thorughout. This also has some magical aspects that just make this a whimsical read.
Fun fact the author is the only living/documented person to have walked the Natchez Trace!

[Cydney · Rating 1 out of 5]

This wasn't worth the £1.99 I paid for it and even less the time I spent reading until at 40% I decided to abandon it. I did like the way when switching points of view the narrative went forward chronologically. Other than that there is nothing to commend this book. The writing is awful, I kept having to go back to parse previous sentences to see if it helped the current dialog make sense. It never did.

[Kathy Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Live Forever is about a young girl named Emmaline finding her father with the help from Merriweather Lewis who is dead and in the land of Nowhere. It is a great story bringing history and the present together. It is a great story with many fascinating twists and turns. I have become an Andra Watkins fan after reading this book and Not Without my Father. You must read them both! Her father sold me both of the books.

[Chris Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume sat on my bedside table for longer than it deserved. Andra Watkins visited my Rotary Club to seek support for her literary projects, and I bought in, thinking this tale would tie in somehow to Meriwether Lewis' great journey as part of colonial America's expansion. Instead, the fictional, paranormal story sticks much closer to a 1970s timeline and focusses on the harrowing escape of a nine-year-old protagonist from her evil, powerful stalker. To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis is worthy of a read for its suspenseful dialogue and well-described close calls for its characters. It falls short of a fifth star only because I was expecting a more academic approach and some more flashbacks to the Lewis & Clark expedition.

[Lola Marguerita · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is an interesting crossover of historical fiction and fantasy, with a fictional portrayal of Meriwether Lewis—who is best known for his leadership role in the Lewis and Clark expedition. And wow. What a book. I’ve read historical fiction before, and sometimes it can be boring. But this book isn’t just historical fiction—it’s got a fantastic twist (which I’m not going to ruin for you, you’ll just have to get the book).

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not want to read this book. I did not want to like this book. What a surprise when I found myself caught up in a story that I did not want to read! It it a time disruption story where Meriwether Lewis is on a mission tp save a child and get her to safety. It is sad in places, unreasonable in places, and charming.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Attention grabbing interesting of historical fiction and the paranormal. Normally the latter is not something that captivates me, but the author successfully wove the two together in a fashion that was interesting and very entertaining at the same time. An terrific insight in the Natchez Trace with several fascinating characters.

[Mike Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a really great novel! Sympathetic characters, interesting descriptions, a suspenseful plot; the supernatural premise mixed with believable action makes for a splendid read that stays with you.
Looking forward to reading more from Andra Watkins!

[David Quesnel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice book.

This is a well written page turner. It is full of mystery and surprises. I was sad to reach the end.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am absolutely in love with this book. It may have a strange, multi-genre concept, but it works in the most wonderful of ways. Meriweather Lewis, of the famed Lewis and Clark died along the Natchez Trace trail 1809 in a most mysterious way; with two bullet wounds that was ruled a suicide. This is a historic fact, but what Andra Watkins has done with this fact is an incredibly amazing story. Upon his death, Meriweather Lewis, or Merry as we get to know him, believes he is a failure. He did not get to publish is expedition journals and he failed to excel in the governmental position he was given, the governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory, the position that James Wilkinson was kicked out of. Now, Merry is stuck in the Nowhere, a kind a purgatory where he must successfully complete a mission in the real world in order to move on. Merry has failed 12 missions, number 13 will be his last chance. Mission 13 concerns nine year old Emmaline Cagney in the year 1977. Emmaline has gone through a bitter custody battle where she saw her father ripped from her life by a rather odd Judge. Emmaline is forced to live by her mother's strict rules in a rather unusual setting where her mother wants her to serve tea to men with her dress unbuttoned. When the police and the Judge arrive to bust her mother's operation, Em's Aunt Bertie tells her to make a run for it and find her father in Nashville. Merry's quest is to take Emmaline from New Orleans to Nashville to reunite with her father, but he must outwit and outrun the strange Judge who want Emmaline for himself and face his own ghosts along the Natchez Trace.

First of all, Emmaline and Merry's characters and companionship are brilliant. Such a strange pair, but so well done. Andra Watkins writing takes you into the mindset and emotions of a nine year old girl and a thirty-five year old explorer so perfectly that it will break your heart. I had so many favorite quotes from this book to share;
"The door slammed, and it was like a clock stopped. Like I would never be older than that moment.Everything would always be 'Before Daddy' and 'After Daddy.' "
This is Em's defining moment, so perfectly wrapped up as a nine year old would see it. When Merry finds Em, his next assignment, she is desperately trying to outrun the Judge's men. He knows he must help her and gain her trust to complete his assignment. Merry has no idea what he is in for.
"I watched her face and cogitated the meaning behind her words. Imagined who-or what-her mother was, right before she told me. Not in so many words. A nine-year-old girl should never have to say her mother is a prostitute. But, she colored in the picture for me with broken crayons in damaged hues."
I loved the decision that the best way for Em and Merry to get to Nashville is to take the old Natchez Trace trail. Not only do we get to experience part of the trail, but Merry is forced, quite literally and figuratively to face old ghosts that he did not get to vanquish in his life. We also get to see a newly-painted portrait of just how great an explorer and outdoors-man Meriweather Lewis was, which brings him back to life in reader's eyes.
" The Trace was a tunnel through time. Sunlight cast shadows through the timber, and a squirrel scampered across the trail ahead of us. I breathed in the rich smell of earth and rotting leaves and tried to remember what it felt like to lead. To be fearless, decisive. To guide another person through the unknown."
The Judge's character, a villain for both Merry and Emmaline was a great addition. His use of the Nowhere and his quest to seek Emmaline is such a juxtaposition to Merry, that he is the perfect antagonist. Also, Emmaline's descriptions of him are so spot-on, that when I looked up the real James Wilkinson, he was just as I had pictured. Em and Merry's journey is is insightful, adventurous, dangerous, hilarious and heartbreaking all at the same time. I would think anyone who enjoys historical fiction, coming-of-age, paranormal or just plain, old good writing would enjoy this story.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....

This is gonna sound crazy, but I look at the ratings and the reviews for Andra Watkins' To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis and I am half-convinced I've read an entirely different novel. Like other readers I love the idea behind this piece, but the execution left me dazed and confused. Get comfortable friends, this is going to take while. Spoilers ahead, consider yourself warned.

Maybe I'm off base, but the blind trust Emmaline Cagney places in an overwhelmingly male cast seems wrong in a child who's been sexually exploited in front of her mother's clientele. The experience doesn't affect her at all and that annoyed me as her situation is the catalyst for the entire novel.

Emmaline also doesn't sound like a nine year old. Her age places her among the likes of Sara Crewe (7), Scout Finch (8), Lucy Pevensie (8), Pippi Longstocking (9), Liesel Meminger (9), Arya Stark (9), Mary Lennox (10), Anne Shirley (11), and Lyra Belacqua (11), which irked as her mannerisms, outlook and thought processes held a much closer resemblance to my four year old... minus the Wonder Twins thing.

Knowing nothing of the Natchez Trace presented certain challenges to my reading of To Live Forever, but my love for comic book heroes highlighted a recurring issue in Em's infatuation with the Wonder Twins. The pair debuted in Joy Ride, an episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour which first aired in early September 1977. This means the characters had only appeared in four episodes by the time Em escapes her mother. The publication of Super Friends #7 on Oct. 1, 1977 marked their introduction to the comic books, which is even more awkward as the bulk of the story takes place between Oct. 4th and October 11th of that year. I suppose it's possible that Em could be obsessed with the campy comic relief Zan and Jayna provided established icons like Superman, Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman, but it just doesn't seem feasible given the timeline.

My apologies folks. Let's get back to my knowing nothing about the Natchez Trace. Watkins allowed the history of the trail to dictate the story which is great if you are familiar with the material. Unfortunately, she doesn't offer much to those of us who aren't versed in the subject matter, a fact which left me scratching my head on more than one occasion. I don't know why a group of reenactors were playing out the War of 1812 on the trail nor how John James Audubon relates to the location. These stories might be well-known locally, akin to Pompey's Pillar in my own neck of the woods, but nationally Watkins is referencing obscure accounts that aren't universally recognizable. Personally, I feel her failure to acknowledge and compensate for this is a significant oversight, one that made it impossible for me to appreciate the scope of her narrative.

Continuity is another issue. What gives a group of amateur actors the right to arrest and detain civilians? What in Audubon's history qualifies him as a nowhere man because he seems like a pretty normal guy? And why, the nod to Mark Twain in Jim Watson? It's fun for those who actually read Huckleberry Finn, but I don't see how a fictional caricature fits the rest of the story as he is the only exception in a predominately fact based cast.

I agree with other reviewers, there are a lot of great concepts and themes in Watkins' work, but to be entirely honest the mechanics and structure of the book made it both disjointed and incohesive. Bottom line, this one wasn't for me and isn't something I can bring myself to recommend.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had to think long and hard about how to write a review of Andra Watkins’ “historical fantasy” novel, To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis. I put historical fantasy in quotes simply because, to me, it is such an odd juxtaposition. History is supposed to be truth, fact-based; fantasy is its antithesis. At least, that’s what I thought before I read To Live Forever. Watkins’ power with language, character development, and setting was so strong that I basically bought the whole story line—hook, line and sinker. My disbelief was not only suspended. It was hung out to dry.

The story begins in 1977 and shifts seamlessly among the points of view of Meriwether Lewis, who has been doomed to a kind of purgatory (Nowhere) since his death; Emmeline, a little girl whose mother tried to sell her to the highest bidder; and the highest bidder, the Judge, who also happens to be Lewis’ nemesis from his own day. It is Lewis’ mission to rescue Emmeline from the clutches of the Judge (who believes that his dead wife’s spirit resides in the little girl) and bring her to her father, last known to be in Nashville, TN. After managing to get out of New Orleans and up the Mississippi, they set out on the Natchez Trace, a road too familiar to Lewis. The Trace is the pathway to where Lewis met his death at Grinder’s Stand.

Although Meriwether Lewis’ death in 1809 still has not been officially resolved, Watkins draws a picture of a man who was less likely to kill himself than he was to be killed. He had much to be proud of and much to live for; yet, he had enough enemies, political enemies, who would have been happy to see him dead. Even if the reader continues to doubt, in To Live Forever, Lewis names his murderer, as if Watkins wanted to put the matter to rest. I have to admit, given the circumstances of Lewis’ death, calling it a suicide seems more fantasy than anything in the novel.

Lewis and Emmeline's journey is fraught with danger at almost every turn, with cameo appearances by other “ghosts” who aid and abet Lewis and Emmeline, and with the occasional light moments such as the image of Emmeline dancing around in her Wonder Twin costume. The tension in the story is often as thick as the air in a Louisiana swamp so these light moments are welcome. The story's pace is fast, as you would expect when two characters are running from danger to what they hope is safety for one and salvation for the other. As with any psychological journey, though, what stays with the reader is the growth of the characters. Watkins has Emmeline's temper tantrums and endless curiosity down pat, but the little girl's efforts to act mature, to make Lewis and her daddy proud of her are bittersweet because they ring so true. Lewis himself displays such complexity of emotion as he gets closer to having to give up Emmeline that one can't help but think he did choose Watkins to tell his story.

To sum up Lewis and Emmeline's journey is best done in the author’s own words:

“Look, we’ll be roughing it for the next few days. No way around it. It’s going to be hard. I can’t promise it won’t be tough, that your feet won’t hurt, that you won’t get blisters on your hands or bites on your legs, but it will be an adventure. A new experience. Discovery.”

To Live Forever is an adventure. It is a new experience. It is discovery.

I highly recommend purchasing the paperback version of To Live Forever. The illustrations by Helen Rice are lovely and make the printed book itself a work of art.

[Heather C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that this can only loosely be described as historical fiction – it has much stronger elements of the paranormal genre with historical details laced in. Obviously Meriwether Lewis is of the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition – and we get some details of that expedition and his life afterward as governor of the Louisiana Territory and the controversy surrounding his death. However, none of the story is actually set in the past. It takes place in 1977. This I had an issue with because looking back on all of the book blurbs and summaries it never stated that the main portion of the story takes place this recently. I was a little disappointed to be spending so much time in what is still relatively the present. This made me appreciate the above mentioned historical tidbits all the more since they were the morsels I was looking for.

With that out of the way, I really did enjoy this book on its own merits as a lite paranormal story. I liked the way the author opened the novel with an obituary for Meriwether Lewis and a self-reflection by the character on his legacy. The Purgatory type world that the author created (as a run-down bar) and the need to complete some sort of task which was unknown to move on was an interesting plotline. One of the things that kept me guessing was whether or not each person they met was a “real” person or someone like Lewis who was on his quest to be able to pass on. I really feel that there was a Huckleberry Finn reference in one of the characters – which if so, I enjoyed being able to catch, since I always miss those things.

There were a couple of areas of which I found myself confused while reading and these always appeared to be the big action scenes. The two scenes that stood out in my mind were the escape from the steamboat and the re-enactor camp. I had to keep going back to figure out just what happened and then, in the instance of the boat escape, just resolved myself with the notion that they got off of that boat and into the water somehow. I think the author was trying to possibly convey chaos and confusion, but it was not well executed. In contrast, the author’s shining moments were when Em and Lewis were in a scene by themselves. You could really feel what the characters felt for each other and how much each truly depended on the other. They both changed because of the influence of the other. I enjoyed the way the author chose to switch between the narration or Em and Lewis so that as a reader we were able to see events and their perspectives from both sides

My best summary would be that it was a great “buddy story” with instances of sometimes successful action sequences.

This review was previously posted @ The Maiden's Court. Was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[J.R. Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Life Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis is a genre-busting novel encompassing Historical Adventure, Young Adult, Thriller, Fantasy, and Contemporary Fiction. This is a courageous endeavor from the get-go and Andra Watkins, somehow, pulls it off.

The story follows Emmaline, a precocious nine-year-old, as she escapes late-seventies New Orleans, running from her madam of a mother and the clutches of the judge who awarded sole-custody of Emmaline to her mother, forbidding any contact at all with her beloved musician of a daddy. Emmaline’s focus throughout the story is to somehow get to Nashville and reunite with her father. The judge has his own designs on the child for reasons that become darkly clear as the novel progresses.

We meet Meriwether Lewis in a bar in Nowhere, a place where restless spirits wait for chances to help the living navigate trouble. It is a bleak place not for the faint of heart. Watkins makes it seem real enough and opens questions about who we are and where we go when our time among the living is done.

The mystery of how and why Meriwether Lewis died in 1809 at the age of thirty-five on the Natchez Trace in Tennessee in is one of the lynchpins that holds the story together and propels it forward. In a wonderful leap of imagination, Andra Watkins pits two adversarial figures straight out of American history against each other for one last deadly confrontation, with the winner gaining redemption and the loser falling into the eternal abyss.

The character of Emmaline is the fulcrum upon which these two ancient enemies must gain their balance. She is carefully drawn and well crafted. Shirley Temple she’s not. She is delightfully human and it is a pleasure to watch her discover that there is much more to life than her own little world and her own notions of who people are. The repartee between Em and Lewis reads true. It both softens and hardens them as they realize a mutual dependence that each of them must trust in order to survive.

The action follows the Natchez Trace, which runs from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. It is an arduous road through both geography and history. Watkins depicts it as a Southern, and American, treasure, populated with men and women who could arise from any time during the last few hundred years.

To Live Forever is a compelling read. Pages turn of their own volition. The ending is satisfying and opens the door to speculation about how Emmaline’s life will change and grow after we catch our last glimpse of her. That is a foundational trait of excellent storytelling.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is mainly told from two points of view: Emmeline Cagney (Em) and Meriwether Lewis (Merry). There are also chapters every once in a while told from the perspective of the "bad man," or the Judge. These are italicized which I liked as I got going so I would know right away it was coming from him. It took me a while to understand what was happening and the beginning was creepy to me.

Emmaline is 9 years old. Her mother is a madam and her father is a musician. They start with a nasty custody battle in which Em's mother is granted sole custody. Em wants to live with her father since her mother has her dress and act a certain way to attract men's attention. Em figures out that her mom is trying to sell her. There's a raid on her mother's home and Em gets away and meets Merry. She convinces him to take her to Nashville so she can live with her father.

They have lots of adventures along the way and learn to trust each other. They meet people that are trustworthy and willing to help them and others who are helping the Judge track them down. Merry and the Judge have a history and the Judge is especially out to destroy Merry.

It was interesting to learn what happened between Merry and the Judge long ago and what brings them to where they are now. Merry is trying to live a better life and he comes to care deeply about Em. Em has had to grow up quickly so she didn't seem like a 9-year-old to me at times, and some of the things she said made me sad at how young she was to have lost her innocence. She's funny and inquisitive and willing to trust just about anyone but the Judge. She and Merry had a cute relationship and I enjoyed their scenes together.

The Judge was a great villain. He totally creeped me out and I found nothing redeeming in him. He's the perfect example of someone having too much power and using it for selfish purposes. This book was quite different from what I was originally expecting but I liked it! It's different than most paranormal books that I've read which was refreshing. I enjoyed the suspense in it as well which kept me reading one more chapter until I got to the end! ;)

Content: Swearing, including two "f" words; talk of prostitution but no details.

I received a copy of this book to review. My opinion is 100% my own.

Mel's Shelves

[John W. Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story, superbly written from cover to cover.
I stayed up late last night to finish Andrea Watkin’s wonderful book To Live Forever: An afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis. The reason I stayed up late is I could not put the book down for the last 20%. The book is so good the reader is compelled to continue as resolutely as possible to the end to see what happens. Of course, once finished then must deal with the remorse which comes with the realization the adventure is over.
The story is of Meriwether Lewis (yes the explorer from the early eighteen hundreds) finding himself in the 1970’s with a job to do and if he does it well he may be released from his hellish position on Earth which is described in the book as Nowhere. Although to the casual observer who has not read this book this may seem a stretch. Let me assure you the author has done the ample research necessary to not only pull this juxtaposition of history off, but to make it perfectly logical and a story worth telling. The backstory is rich with the sense the author has experienced some out worldly inspiration to bring the kind of detail to the tale. After reading several chapters, the reader can discount any divine intervention and rely on the fact that the author does indeed know exactly what she is doing and has researched the facts thoroughly.
The narrative takes a unique two separate character first person point of view posture which lets the reader know exactly what the two main characters are feeling and thinking without getting into some kind of clumsy third party voice that is unrealistic. The story is told in the present tense which is the best to involve the reader in the action and raise the tension level significantly. Not all authors can pull off this complex arrangement, Ms. Watkins does so flawlessly.
A final note I would like to make about the story. The story itself is action packed and moves along at a pace that is very pleasing. Very little time is wasted on unnecessary prose so the reader is not held hostage to a writer’s own personal quirks on what is thought to be good writing. Trust that this is excellent writing and has all the elements of adventure, love, compassion, anger and compelling protagonists which can’t help, but become endearing to the reader. This book is for anyone who likes a good story well told.