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Stopgap
For Luke Stevenson, an otherwise simple afterlife has become catastrophic. He’s been paired with Safia, an angry, deceased teenage girl who can not only affect the living — unheard-of among ghosts like them — but can actually end human lives. With the best intentions, Luke becomes ensnared in her operation to rid the world of all violent crime. Safia’s Operation Stopgap bridges the gap between crime and punishment. The rule is simple: attempting a violent crime, of any kind, means a sentence of instant death.
With Luke’s help, Safia prevents acts of violence before they occur, leaving the world in a state of joy, shock, panic, and looking for answers as the body count rises. Perhaps Safia has made the world a safer place. However, when Safia’s plan begins to change, Luke must find a way to derail it, as billions of lives hang in the balance.
With Luke’s help, Safia prevents acts of violence before they occur, leaving the world in a state of joy, shock, panic, and looking for answers as the body count rises. Perhaps Safia has made the world a safer place. However, when Safia’s plan begins to change, Luke must find a way to derail it, as billions of lives hang in the balance.
- GenresFiction
216 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 14, 2016
This is the story of Luke Stevenson, a cynic if there ever was one. He's been fascinated with the idea of death since he was a child, but being crushed in a car accident on his way to his forced birthday party wasn't how he imagined dying. Nor did he bank on being appointed ghost mentor of recently deceased teenager Safia, a spirit so full of rage over her baby sister's death that unlike any other ghost roaming the Earth, she has the ability to affect, and thus kill people. As Safia sets out to punish criminals all over the world and gets sucked in by her fury and hatred, Luke must find a way to stop her from extinguishing humanity altogether.
This book had such a different and unique concept, I don't even know which shelves to add it to.
Fiction? Most definitely. Paranormal? Since it's told from the POV of a ghost... well yeah, I guess so. Mindfuck? It certainly is kind of wacky, but most of all thought-provoking. Humor? Hell yeah, there was tons of very subtle, dark humor. The end was even pretty suspenseful, too.
Liam Card's writing is both sober and compelling and he manages to blend a serious underlying topic with fine humor and irony, and I was taken by surprise as to how much I enjoyed this book.
Recommended!
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 6, 2016
Luke Stevenson was always preoccupied with death and what happens after death. When Luke is cheated out of his life by an unfortunate accident he meets the Bookeeper who gives him the choice of finishing out what should have been his life on Earth as a ghost or continuing on to What's Next. Luke chooses to return as a ghost and part of that involves mentoring another incoming ghost after he himself has been trained.
When Sofia shows up to be mentored by Luke it is found that through her anger she can affect the living. Sofia then decides that it's her mission to stop all violence on Earth and she forms Operation Stopgap with Luke to terminate anyone attempting a violent act. But just how far will Sofia go and should Luke stop her or what she doing the right thing?
Stopgap is certainly a bit different in what I would normally read so I was a little hesitant on how I wanted to rate this book with not having much to compare it to. I wasn't a huge fan of the overall writing style in the book but that doesn't necessarily make it bad, just different to what normally would appeal to me.
However, I did for the most part enjoy the story. There are certainly plenty of funny parts but along with that it really gets you thinking. The whole afterlife in the story was certainly creative and the story only got more intriguing as it went along.
In the end I decided on three stars, I did enjoy this as something different, a bit of a dark comedy that gives one a bit to think about with human nature.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
When Sofia shows up to be mentored by Luke it is found that through her anger she can affect the living. Sofia then decides that it's her mission to stop all violence on Earth and she forms Operation Stopgap with Luke to terminate anyone attempting a violent act. But just how far will Sofia go and should Luke stop her or what she doing the right thing?
Stopgap is certainly a bit different in what I would normally read so I was a little hesitant on how I wanted to rate this book with not having much to compare it to. I wasn't a huge fan of the overall writing style in the book but that doesn't necessarily make it bad, just different to what normally would appeal to me.
However, I did for the most part enjoy the story. There are certainly plenty of funny parts but along with that it really gets you thinking. The whole afterlife in the story was certainly creative and the story only got more intriguing as it went along.
In the end I decided on three stars, I did enjoy this as something different, a bit of a dark comedy that gives one a bit to think about with human nature.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
March 19, 2016
3.5 Stars
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I liked it.
When Safia starts roaming the world as a ghost, her mentor Luke will have many a sleepless night trying to figure out what to do as Safia discovers that she can kill people and wants to become Kira*.
Like I said, I really enjoyed this story. It has been years since I read/watched Death Note, and it is difficult not to see some similarities, although they mostly focus on questions like 'What kind of crimes are punishable?' and 'Who are you to judge?'. Safia's full of rage and this clouds her thoughts and actions more than Luke, who's very passive by nature, is willing to admit to himself.
Stopgap provides some interesting questions and a nice story without ever feeling too heavy. Due to the fact that it's a relatively short novel, it's also a fast read. I would like to read more books by this author.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
* Kira is the name for the serial killer in the Death Note series who wants to kill all criminals in the world.
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I liked it.
When Safia starts roaming the world as a ghost, her mentor Luke will have many a sleepless night trying to figure out what to do as Safia discovers that she can kill people and wants to become Kira*.
Like I said, I really enjoyed this story. It has been years since I read/watched Death Note, and it is difficult not to see some similarities, although they mostly focus on questions like 'What kind of crimes are punishable?' and 'Who are you to judge?'. Safia's full of rage and this clouds her thoughts and actions more than Luke, who's very passive by nature, is willing to admit to himself.
Stopgap provides some interesting questions and a nice story without ever feeling too heavy. Due to the fact that it's a relatively short novel, it's also a fast read. I would like to read more books by this author.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
* Kira is the name for the serial killer in the Death Note series who wants to kill all criminals in the world.
June 6, 2016
Thank you Netgalley! I received a copy of this book for an honest review.
I think I would give this more like 4.5 stars. This was an enjoyable book. The premise was interesting- once you die you enter the post death line and connect with any number of people and share stories as a way to gain perspective. You then end up at the Bookkeeper and if you're time on Earth is at an end you go on to What's Next. If you are a spirit that was taken early you have a choice- spend your remaining time on Earth then go on to What's Next or just go now. If you do become a ghost then there is a rule book to follow, you get a mentor spirit, and you cannot interfere with what was meant to be.
Well, of course interference with what was meant to be was going to happen. So in come Luke and Safia. I liked Luke's character. The guy no girl noticed who aimed for more. He got more and hated it. He dies, gets his Required Perspective in the Post Death line and ends up at the Bookkeeper. He chooses to stay a ghost all with good intentions. He's very likable- a good character coming from a good place, wanting to do what's right even if he's a little misguided. This is what makes him more likable. Then in comes Safia.
I also liked Safia's character and her sense of vengeance. She truly wanted to make the world a better place. Having been taken from the Earth by violence, and, unbeknownst to her at the time, her little sister. She never acquired the Required Perspective in the Post Death Line. Possibly her anger at what happened prevented this. When she got to the Bookkeeper, she wasn't given all the proper information to make a good decision whether to move on or become a ghost. She chooses to become a ghost, have Luke as a mentor, and wreak havoc on humanity. During the course of the story you almost forget how young she is. For being so young, her plan is almost brilliant. Almost because she starts to carry it to far, but this is good as it causes Luke to finally take a stand and do something. Luke always seemed to feel powerless- with girls, with mounting debt, with not going after his first love. Now that he isn't, he realizes this, but what will he do?
It's interesting that the Bookkeper is none other than Cain- the first human and the first one to kill- kill his brother Abel. One can imagine how long he has been in this position- being the first human with this being his punishment for killing his brother, well it's safe to say he's been there a very long time. He wants nothing more than to move on and after centuries finally found a way. If it wasn't for Luke. I like this little twist to the story.
The author's style is good too. You get a lot of information, yet it is not confusing in the least. The dark humor is great. I also liked how at first, it reads almost like those humorous memoirs- kind of like David Sedaris and those types. Then it takes a turn and we see life after death.
Overall- good concepts, easy to read, and enjoyable.
I think I would give this more like 4.5 stars. This was an enjoyable book. The premise was interesting- once you die you enter the post death line and connect with any number of people and share stories as a way to gain perspective. You then end up at the Bookkeeper and if you're time on Earth is at an end you go on to What's Next. If you are a spirit that was taken early you have a choice- spend your remaining time on Earth then go on to What's Next or just go now. If you do become a ghost then there is a rule book to follow, you get a mentor spirit, and you cannot interfere with what was meant to be.
Well, of course interference with what was meant to be was going to happen. So in come Luke and Safia. I liked Luke's character. The guy no girl noticed who aimed for more. He got more and hated it. He dies, gets his Required Perspective in the Post Death line and ends up at the Bookkeeper. He chooses to stay a ghost all with good intentions. He's very likable- a good character coming from a good place, wanting to do what's right even if he's a little misguided. This is what makes him more likable. Then in comes Safia.
I also liked Safia's character and her sense of vengeance. She truly wanted to make the world a better place. Having been taken from the Earth by violence, and, unbeknownst to her at the time, her little sister. She never acquired the Required Perspective in the Post Death Line. Possibly her anger at what happened prevented this. When she got to the Bookkeeper, she wasn't given all the proper information to make a good decision whether to move on or become a ghost. She chooses to become a ghost, have Luke as a mentor, and wreak havoc on humanity. During the course of the story you almost forget how young she is. For being so young, her plan is almost brilliant. Almost because she starts to carry it to far, but this is good as it causes Luke to finally take a stand and do something. Luke always seemed to feel powerless- with girls, with mounting debt, with not going after his first love. Now that he isn't, he realizes this, but what will he do?
It's interesting that the Bookkeper is none other than Cain- the first human and the first one to kill- kill his brother Abel. One can imagine how long he has been in this position- being the first human with this being his punishment for killing his brother, well it's safe to say he's been there a very long time. He wants nothing more than to move on and after centuries finally found a way. If it wasn't for Luke. I like this little twist to the story.
The author's style is good too. You get a lot of information, yet it is not confusing in the least. The dark humor is great. I also liked how at first, it reads almost like those humorous memoirs- kind of like David Sedaris and those types. Then it takes a turn and we see life after death.
Overall- good concepts, easy to read, and enjoyable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 29, 2016
Stopgap, a short novel by Canadian Liam Card, was quippy, witty…and thought provoking. I think ultimately it asks the reader to question what is right and wrong – and what you should do when the right looks wrong and the system is stacked against your good intentions to stop it.
It's mostly set in the hereafter but a short and (sometimes overly) snarky set up of how Luke, our protagonist, got that way, with a lesson of ‘be careful what you wish for’ making an obvious, if feeble, attempt to show the worst that can happen: a shitty wife, a shitty life, and a best friend who isn’t actually shitty but can’t seem to help himself.
After Luke dies and meets the Bookeeper (think Al from Quantum Leap but mixed with Billy Bob Thornton thrown in – creepy, right?), he is sent back to earth to check out what happens with his family and friends for the next 55 years. After the typical funeral and ‘wow, you don’t say’ events, he is given mentorship of a young ghost named Safia, but Safia isn’t like another other bored (and very nosy) ghost. Safia has figured out how to kill people. And she takes this special skill to exact punishment on all the criminals and war-mongers in the world, using Luke's special skills to locate them. The rest…you’ll just have to read.
What I found the most interesting was that after Perspective, even a 12 year old sounds middle aged, complete with a fully rationing thought system. It was a really lovely touch. I’m not sure if I bought that a 12 year old would have so much hate – even when her sister (and thousands of others in Perspective) is killed. Children tend to see the good, no matter what. That said, what would have been an even more interesting leap would have been if Luke could have used her vigilante rules to see that she was flawed too. That vengeance comes from a dark place and thus, she would have been forced to take herself out of the vigilante game.
Also, I really wanted to find out what happened with the psychic.
I thought this was a great way to waste an evening and a very creative way to untangle our thoughts on what it means to be human, and the responsibility of being part of the spiritual cosmos.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dundurn who gave me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
It's mostly set in the hereafter but a short and (sometimes overly) snarky set up of how Luke, our protagonist, got that way, with a lesson of ‘be careful what you wish for’ making an obvious, if feeble, attempt to show the worst that can happen: a shitty wife, a shitty life, and a best friend who isn’t actually shitty but can’t seem to help himself.
After Luke dies and meets the Bookeeper (think Al from Quantum Leap but mixed with Billy Bob Thornton thrown in – creepy, right?), he is sent back to earth to check out what happens with his family and friends for the next 55 years. After the typical funeral and ‘wow, you don’t say’ events, he is given mentorship of a young ghost named Safia, but Safia isn’t like another other bored (and very nosy) ghost. Safia has figured out how to kill people. And she takes this special skill to exact punishment on all the criminals and war-mongers in the world, using Luke's special skills to locate them. The rest…you’ll just have to read.
What I found the most interesting was that after Perspective, even a 12 year old sounds middle aged, complete with a fully rationing thought system. It was a really lovely touch. I’m not sure if I bought that a 12 year old would have so much hate – even when her sister (and thousands of others in Perspective) is killed. Children tend to see the good, no matter what. That said, what would have been an even more interesting leap would have been if Luke could have used her vigilante rules to see that she was flawed too. That vengeance comes from a dark place and thus, she would have been forced to take herself out of the vigilante game.
Also, I really wanted to find out what happened with the psychic.
I thought this was a great way to waste an evening and a very creative way to untangle our thoughts on what it means to be human, and the responsibility of being part of the spiritual cosmos.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dundurn who gave me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 15, 2016
This is a highly imaginative story that is remarkable for dealing with life after death in a manner that should be acceptable to all religions. The first portion of the story reveals an intimate knowledge of human nature and the inner lies we tell ourselves to support the life we are living. Death transforms the protagonist into a spirit that undergoes "Required Perspective," before being given the option to return as a spirit in the world instead of proceeding to "What's Next." The rest of the book stirs up questions of morals, ethics, and the future of mankind. The story is both entertaining and thought-provoking. It is so engrossing I read it in one sitting. Now I want to go back and read it again.
May 9, 2016
After thoroughly enjoying Exit Papers From Paradise, I couldn't wait to read Liam Card's next novel--and I definitely wasn't disappointed. Although Stopgap is a different flavour, it is clear that Card has an acerbic talent for using humour to alleviate some of the tension he creates by asking the reader to examine difficult and sometimes uncomfortable subjects.
Stopgap is a quick read, but the book left me thinking for days. It delves mostly into death and beyond, and through an exquisitely crafted afterlife, Card manages to ask the reader hard questions about ethics and the future of humanity.
Stopgap is in large part about What's Next, and after reading Liam Card's first two books, I find myself eagerly waiting for exactly that.
Stopgap is a quick read, but the book left me thinking for days. It delves mostly into death and beyond, and through an exquisitely crafted afterlife, Card manages to ask the reader hard questions about ethics and the future of humanity.
Stopgap is in large part about What's Next, and after reading Liam Card's first two books, I find myself eagerly waiting for exactly that.
March 31, 2017
I received this book for free from a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
WOW! I mean really, wow. This book was great. It was original, well written and the characters were fully developed. I really enjoyed this author's style of writing. It was humorous and relatable and well paced. The story line was exceptional. I've never read a plot like this before! Liam Card managed to talk about death and the afterlife without involving any religious themes or ideas and it seemed logical. I've already had one friend read this book and he loved it and another borrowered it as soon as I was done. Highly recommend!!!
WOW! I mean really, wow. This book was great. It was original, well written and the characters were fully developed. I really enjoyed this author's style of writing. It was humorous and relatable and well paced. The story line was exceptional. I've never read a plot like this before! Liam Card managed to talk about death and the afterlife without involving any religious themes or ideas and it seemed logical. I've already had one friend read this book and he loved it and another borrowered it as soon as I was done. Highly recommend!!!
January 31, 2017
A fascinating read!
Stopgap is not easy to comment on.
Essentially it's a philosophical fantasy with religious overtones. Imagine a ghost or two, not-so- passing references to Thought Crimes, a pertinent reference to Cain and Abel, the prisoner's dilemna , a "Messenger" and a "Bookeeper", essential or absolute justice, difficult ethical and moral questions
with little to no character development at all. And yet a thought-provoking and weirdly compelling read. Many, many shades of grey but activity mostly "black or white". Dark.
C.S. Lewis would never have written, could never have written Stopgap. I'm glad that Liam Card did.
Stopgap is not easy to comment on.
Essentially it's a philosophical fantasy with religious overtones. Imagine a ghost or two, not-so- passing references to Thought Crimes, a pertinent reference to Cain and Abel, the prisoner's dilemna , a "Messenger" and a "Bookeeper", essential or absolute justice, difficult ethical and moral questions
with little to no character development at all. And yet a thought-provoking and weirdly compelling read. Many, many shades of grey but activity mostly "black or white". Dark.
C.S. Lewis would never have written, could never have written Stopgap. I'm glad that Liam Card did.
November 20, 2016
One of the most interesting versions of the afterlife I've seen in a while. I was very engrossed in the story, more then I thought I would be when I started. I knew the ending was going to be the thing that determined how many stars it would get and how I felt about the entire book and I was not disappointed.
I also really liked the metaphor about Death and Life in a car. I know the description of Death was more zombie like, but all I pictured was Death, Discworld style, or Book Thief style. Two of my favourites.
Death rambling aside, this was a good book.
I also really liked the metaphor about Death and Life in a car. I know the description of Death was more zombie like, but all I pictured was Death, Discworld style, or Book Thief style. Two of my favourites.
Death rambling aside, this was a good book.
March 12, 2016
I had a little trouble getting into this novel at first but then after about fifteen pages I was hooked. Stopgap kept me reading and I found it a pleasure to go back to during the two days it took me to finish it. I enjoyed the brief background sketches into the lives of the people Luke and Safia affect. I especially liked Safia and her goal of ridding the world of violent offenders. This book was a very enjoyable read.
September 8, 2017
4.5 stars. I can just imagine this author being asked that time honoured question so often put to fiction writers: "Where do you find your ideas?!" Stopgap is one of the most novel of novels I've read in a long time. It also had me reading between the lines and pondering the nature of God'ness. Neat humour too, the thought communication between spirits who make use of elaborate emojis is especially fun. Fascinating. I'll be looking out for more stories by Liam Card.
April 24, 2016
Not the DEATH I love, but one of the more interesting takes on the topic that I've read. Obviously there are rules about What's Next, so what happens when those rules get bent? And when it's being changed by the people at the top of the chain? Might be a good book group discussion.
September 25, 2015
Clever dark comedy -- I don't want to give anything away, but the author's concepts of some of life's big unanswerable questions are very imaginative.
March 23, 2016
I liked Stopgap a lot. It was an interesting take on what happens after death, and raised a large number of moral questions.
March 24, 2016
An extremely satisfying and poetic take on death and the afterlife.
March 30, 2016
What do I think of this book? This could be the most original concept transformed into a great story I have ever read.
July 18, 2017
Musings about life and death. Quite enjoyed it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2016
This is a great imaginative quick read that will leave you thinking for days. Thank you Goodreads giveaways for introducing me to this author and book!
August 30, 2016
This was received from a Goodreads giveaway. This is a great book- Full review available at http://www.stateofliberation.com/2016...
February 4, 2018
Continuing in my goal in 2018 to actually read more of the books that I win as Goodreads Giveaways than I actually win (I'm fighting a losing battle, believe me), I picked up this one as it was the oldest one that was as of yet unread.
That first night of reading, I was angry with myself for not reading it earlier. Reasons for this are varied, from something as aesthetic as the cover being not very eye-catching (I freely admit that cover actually does play a part in my decision to read or not to read a book), to the fact that I read more books in ebook format these days because it's easier to carry my Kobo or tablet around.
All in all this book surprised me. I absolutely loved the concept of a story about the afterlife and what happens when people die and what ghosts are and do. The writing was playful and very easy to read.
The only real reason I couldn't give this book a 5 star rating was because I found the dialog of Safia a little too mature for her age (problem solved by making her a tiny bit older), as well as that of other characters there supposed to be youths when they passed, and more importantly because the end was a little bit telegraphed (not that this is wholly a bad thing, but I kinda still like to be surprised a little). I also would have loved to have had that characters had more interaction with the medium Catherine.
What I truly was waiting for, considering all the other tongue in cheek humor in this book, was maybe a little homage paid to Terry Pratchett... Certainly would have remained in the spirit of the story as Death played a fairly large part in the first quarter of the book as well as Luke being a fairly well read bibliophile himself. I'll admit that if there was such a homage, this book would have gotten the full five stars despite my misgivings from the previous paragraph.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable read that I really, really should have read sooner.
That first night of reading, I was angry with myself for not reading it earlier. Reasons for this are varied, from something as aesthetic as the cover being not very eye-catching (I freely admit that cover actually does play a part in my decision to read or not to read a book), to the fact that I read more books in ebook format these days because it's easier to carry my Kobo or tablet around.
All in all this book surprised me. I absolutely loved the concept of a story about the afterlife and what happens when people die and what ghosts are and do. The writing was playful and very easy to read.
The only real reason I couldn't give this book a 5 star rating was because I found the dialog of Safia a little too mature for her age (problem solved by making her a tiny bit older), as well as that of other characters there supposed to be youths when they passed, and more importantly because the end was a little bit telegraphed (not that this is wholly a bad thing, but I kinda still like to be surprised a little). I also would have loved to have had that characters had more interaction with the medium Catherine.
What I truly was waiting for, considering all the other tongue in cheek humor in this book, was maybe a little homage paid to Terry Pratchett... Certainly would have remained in the spirit of the story as Death played a fairly large part in the first quarter of the book as well as Luke being a fairly well read bibliophile himself. I'll admit that if there was such a homage, this book would have gotten the full five stars despite my misgivings from the previous paragraph.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable read that I really, really should have read sooner.
April 11, 2018
Clever, thoughtful and thought-provoking.
The beginning -- all the way until Luke meets his mentee Safia and they launch Operation Stopgap -- felt slow and my interest kept waning.
Some things also got annoying after a while -- like all the jazz hands effects every time the ghosts communicated with each other (sending elaborate animations, showing legal documents that they read a million times in a split second). It was like the author came up with a clever and amusing way to communicate and then just kept pounding it in until it became tiresome rather than funny.
Still, the idea of eradicating evil on earth was intriguing... particularly as Safia started going down the slippery slope towards eugenics and thought policing. Her decision at the end made me sad, and I thought the last few sections of the book -- once Luke makes his fateful climactic decision -- were the strongest and make the book worth sticking with.
The beginning -- all the way until Luke meets his mentee Safia and they launch Operation Stopgap -- felt slow and my interest kept waning.
Some things also got annoying after a while -- like all the jazz hands effects every time the ghosts communicated with each other (sending elaborate animations, showing legal documents that they read a million times in a split second). It was like the author came up with a clever and amusing way to communicate and then just kept pounding it in until it became tiresome rather than funny.
Still, the idea of eradicating evil on earth was intriguing... particularly as Safia started going down the slippery slope towards eugenics and thought policing. Her decision at the end made me sad, and I thought the last few sections of the book -- once Luke makes his fateful climactic decision -- were the strongest and make the book worth sticking with.
February 15, 2023
I found this a difficult book to rate and review. On the positive side it deals with some really big issues both in society and also moral issues of crime and punishment - hence the three stars
On the negative side, without giving spoilers, the author comes dangerously close to trivializing certain things and issues, which is sad as with better editing and some rewriting this could be a classic novel. My other issue is that this is a bleak novel, not dark as in dark fantasy but gray with a pervading sense of hopelessness al the way through, The feeling that humanity is essentially doomed to be bloody and violent forever.
A good read and if you are into afterlife fantasy you will likely enjoy it
On the negative side, without giving spoilers, the author comes dangerously close to trivializing certain things and issues, which is sad as with better editing and some rewriting this could be a classic novel. My other issue is that this is a bleak novel, not dark as in dark fantasy but gray with a pervading sense of hopelessness al the way through, The feeling that humanity is essentially doomed to be bloody and violent forever.
A good read and if you are into afterlife fantasy you will likely enjoy it
November 27, 2017
I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. So that others may also enjoy this book, I am paying it forward by donating it a local library.
December 18, 2020
Very interested book. I read it for school but ended up finishing it extremely early, I just could not put it down. The reason I did not give it 5 stars is becuase the ending wasn't exactly what I was looking for! :)
March 29, 2019
Interesting look at a futuristic account of what happens after death. I say futuristic just because it’s so different from anything I’ve ever heard about or even considered.
March 12, 2017
Weird, weird book. Takes the whole "avenging ghost" thing to a whole new level. I found myself unable to really immerse in this book, and although the characters were okay, I couldn't bond with them. Still, it was an okay read. Not YA, though. Definitely NOT for teens, even though one of the ghosts is a teen. My biggest complaint was the ending. Not the end-end. That was fine. But the almost-the-end part. I hated it. And that soured my rating.
December 4, 2018
Absolutely hated it. Interesting concept, but unfortunately poorly written with little to no character development and a cliché ending. A great message was contained within the pages of this book, but simply did not come out loudly enough. It could have been so much better, more beautiful; the topic and themes of the book deserve so much better. Overall very bland, although it had so much potential. (i’m almost angry that such a good idea could have been written so badly!)
February 7, 2017
Original Review Here
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Starting a book with someone haunting their own funeral, witnessing break-downs (that have nothing to do with his death), affairs and fantasies made me think I was going to be in for a fun read with Stopgap.
That was true for the first half. Luke accepts what happened in his life and moves on. But the novel takes a very sharp turn towards serious themes with attempts at comedy (characters telepathically sending each other medals) and the huge question of good and evil comes into play.
Luke must decide whether millions should die because of a crime, past crime or even thinking a violent thought. Light-heartedness disappeared!
Luke was a good character; he had his flaws and doubts but ultimately had a good heart. He questioned things, leading the reader to empathise with him.
Safia wasn’t the bad guy in the traditional sense; she just had a messed up moral compass and no incentive to change, not even at the end given her alternative choice. Their relationship was a fun dynamic to read and stopped the plot from becoming too serious.
With a first-person narration, this could have been an intense book as Luke weighs up the right course of action. The pace was slow and at times, didn’t feel like it was progressing forward. Given the themes being contemplated, this made the book drag at times.
While I enjoyed Stopgap, it annoyed me. The telepathic sending of gifs, memes, documents, medals and anything else you can think of was fun to start with, but it grew tiresome, especially when it was used to replace dialogue.
Stopgap is full of moral themes. Responsibility, the death penalty, good vs evil etc to name just a few. This book could be good for book clubs, for instance, as a way of sparking off a potentially heated debate depending on whether readers think Safia is justified in her actions or not. Personally, I think she went too far.
The fact the characters are ghosts helps the reader distance themselves from the themes – and again is a way of stopping the book being too heavy-going. Popping to the moon for a quick chat helps break the tension!
This book was not what I expected, but I enjoyed it for the most part.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Starting a book with someone haunting their own funeral, witnessing break-downs (that have nothing to do with his death), affairs and fantasies made me think I was going to be in for a fun read with Stopgap.
That was true for the first half. Luke accepts what happened in his life and moves on. But the novel takes a very sharp turn towards serious themes with attempts at comedy (characters telepathically sending each other medals) and the huge question of good and evil comes into play.
Luke must decide whether millions should die because of a crime, past crime or even thinking a violent thought. Light-heartedness disappeared!
Luke was a good character; he had his flaws and doubts but ultimately had a good heart. He questioned things, leading the reader to empathise with him.
Safia wasn’t the bad guy in the traditional sense; she just had a messed up moral compass and no incentive to change, not even at the end given her alternative choice. Their relationship was a fun dynamic to read and stopped the plot from becoming too serious.
With a first-person narration, this could have been an intense book as Luke weighs up the right course of action. The pace was slow and at times, didn’t feel like it was progressing forward. Given the themes being contemplated, this made the book drag at times.
While I enjoyed Stopgap, it annoyed me. The telepathic sending of gifs, memes, documents, medals and anything else you can think of was fun to start with, but it grew tiresome, especially when it was used to replace dialogue.
Stopgap is full of moral themes. Responsibility, the death penalty, good vs evil etc to name just a few. This book could be good for book clubs, for instance, as a way of sparking off a potentially heated debate depending on whether readers think Safia is justified in her actions or not. Personally, I think she went too far.
The fact the characters are ghosts helps the reader distance themselves from the themes – and again is a way of stopping the book being too heavy-going. Popping to the moon for a quick chat helps break the tension!
This book was not what I expected, but I enjoyed it for the most part.
May 5, 2016
Initially I didn't think I would finish this book. I had to force myself through the first couple of chapters and I couldn't care less about our hero Luke telling us about his life and how he died. But as soon as he got to the actual death part and what happened then, I was intrigued.
I've rated this book 3 stars. I'm not sure if that is the right call, but 2 felt to harsh. I thought it both fascinating and boring at the same time, and that's a strange combo. I loved this version of the afterlife and there were so many cool and awesome things that impressed me. I especially liked "the line" that Luke ended up in right after dying and how he experienced the life of everyone he met there to "gain perspective". That was fascinating. By the time he reached the end of the line to decide what to do - become a ghost on earth for the remaining years he should have lived, or continue to What's Next, he had lived through almost 20000 lives.
Well, he decides to become a ghost and that's when life (death?) becomes troublesome for him. He has to mentor a newly made ghost, Safia, and she is angry with basically everything and everyone. Their meeting turn into world changing events and and that's where this book got interesting. I don't want to give things away, but remember Ultron in Avengers? He came to mind a couple of times reading this.
This is a book I would love to discuss, as it has so many interesting topics, but at the same time I'm not sure I would recommend it. There are plenty of interesting thoughts here on humanity, moral, ethics, power and hidden agendas, it was very thought provoking. But do I care for either Luke or Safia? Not so much.
Conclusion: I loved the ideas, not so much the actually story.
I've rated this book 3 stars. I'm not sure if that is the right call, but 2 felt to harsh. I thought it both fascinating and boring at the same time, and that's a strange combo. I loved this version of the afterlife and there were so many cool and awesome things that impressed me. I especially liked "the line" that Luke ended up in right after dying and how he experienced the life of everyone he met there to "gain perspective". That was fascinating. By the time he reached the end of the line to decide what to do - become a ghost on earth for the remaining years he should have lived, or continue to What's Next, he had lived through almost 20000 lives.
Well, he decides to become a ghost and that's when life (death?) becomes troublesome for him. He has to mentor a newly made ghost, Safia, and she is angry with basically everything and everyone. Their meeting turn into world changing events and and that's where this book got interesting. I don't want to give things away, but remember Ultron in Avengers? He came to mind a couple of times reading this.
This is a book I would love to discuss, as it has so many interesting topics, but at the same time I'm not sure I would recommend it. There are plenty of interesting thoughts here on humanity, moral, ethics, power and hidden agendas, it was very thought provoking. But do I care for either Luke or Safia? Not so much.
Conclusion: I loved the ideas, not so much the actually story.
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