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Beyond

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What happens when we die? Is this really all there is? What exists beyond this life?

Alex Duncan is just an ordinary 14 year old boy.

His main worries are homework, girls, the school bully...

...and his sister, Jenna who has ovarian cancer, stage B.

As his parents retreat into themselves, Alex is desperate to find a way to help, a way to make things better for his sister. After all, it’s the not knowing that’s the worst thing.

Whilst he tries to untangle the ultimate question, life still goes on: his best friend seems oblivious to his feelings about her, the school bully has taken a special interest in him, and everything he does just makes him feel more and more awkward and out of place.

What Alex learns on his journey helps him to come to terms with not only his sister's mortality but also how he and his family and friends cope with that most compelling of questions: what lies beyond?

Georgia Springate’s debut novel, Beyond, is a touchingly compelling and uplifting coming-of-age story about love, loss and discovery. Get it today, and take an emotional journey through one boy’s quest to understand that most tricky of questions: what lies beyond this life?

308 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2019

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103 people want to read

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Georgia Springate

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5 stars
33 (41%)
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26 (32%)
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13 (16%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Leo.
4,984 reviews627 followers
June 3, 2021
The book is about a 14 year old Alex Duncan in his struggles with his sister being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Incredibly heartfelt and moving story that is both very well written but very emotional.
Profile Image for Nicole.
889 reviews330 followers
April 14, 2019
Wow! This is such a beautiful, moving and emotionally impactful debut novel.

It follows a boy called Alex, whose sister has stage three ovarian cancer and who is getting bullied at school.

You follow Alex, his family and friends trying to come to terms with his sisters illness and what death means, is there something beyond.

I would have never of guessed this was Georgia's debut novel.

The writing, the story, the characters, everything about it was so beautiful and moving.

It's such an important and heart breaking story. Highly recommend

Trigger warnings: death, cancer and dicussions around abuse and suicide
1 review
March 6, 2019
I was lucky enough to get a preview of this book and WOW!!! In the first few chapters I cried and laughed (good sign of a good book) I am not a 14 year old boy, but Georgia Springate has written this so beautifully I could easily relate to him. What I liked most about the book is it's concept. I do not know what happens when we die, and we have many options on what to believe, so it was refreshing and interesting to hear a 14 year olds boy perspective along with acceptance of others beliefs. This sure was an interesting read.
I also loved the family element of this book. Looking back on my childhood and family dynamics, Georgia has got this spot on!!!
Profile Image for med_ksiazkara.
242 reviews61 followers
January 29, 2024
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The book is about a 14 year old boy whose sister is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. We follow him as he comes to terms with his sisters illness and what death means, wondering if there is something beyond. I really enjoyed the fact that we also Alex's life as a typical teenager including balancing school, relationships & bullies with the diagnosis of his beloved sister. This is not an easy story to read but I am really glad that I have experienced it.
Profile Image for Ciara O’Donoghue.
12 reviews4,991 followers
March 2, 2019
Beyond is an incredible and emotional insight into a young boy’s struggle to come to terms with his sister’s cancer diagnosis. Focusing on a family member, rather than the patient allows an interesting insight into the way that illness can affect so many people in a variety of ways. Georgia Springate does a fantastic job of capturing the mind of a 14 year old protagonist and clearly shows his struggle throughout the story as he wavers between feeling mature enough to handle the situation and feeling to young to cope with such a difficult thing. While the book mainly focuses on the ways that Alex (and those around him) try to cope with Jenna’s illness, it also nuances these themes with Alex’s life as a typical teenager and shows the difficulties he faces in balancing school, relationships & bullies with the devastating reality of Jenna’s diagnosis.

In summary, Beyond managed to be a funny, emotional, relatable and thought provoking insight into a situation that impacts many people and I’d recommend it to everyone!
3 reviews
March 2, 2019
A beautiful story following a young boy dealing with the tragic news of his sisters cancer. A very moving, compellingly written book
Profile Image for Carmen.
735 reviews23 followers
June 19, 2023
I received a copy from Burning Chair Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alex Duncan is just your average teenager concerned about his friends, getting bullied, and whether or not the girl he likes feels the same way. Then his older sister, Jenna, finds out that she has ovarian cancer. When she’s informed that it’s terminal, everyone starts cracking, and Alex begins having terrible nightmares about her death. Alex realizes these dreams may be trying to tell him something. He needs to know where Jenna will go when she passes away because it’ll make them both feel less scared about the future. It’s the least he can do for his sister even if his nightmares stick around. The only problem? No one seems to know the answer, but Alex and his friends are determined to find out where we all go when we die.

I’m not sure what possessed me to pick up this book when I’m very sensitive to stories where there’s a character dying from cancer. However, I’m glad I did because it’s an incredible book that’s well written and captures how difficult it is when a loved one is dying from cancer. We follow Alex, a 14-year-old who has been struggling ever since his sister was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It only gets worse when it turns out it’s terminal, and he doesn’t really know what to do with himself. Alex feels out of place everywhere. At school, he’s a moving target in the eyes of the school bully, but he’s also dealing with the whispers about him being the kid with the dying sister. At home, his parents are struggling and trying not to let Jenna know that they are having a very difficult time coming to terms with the fact that the cancer is there to stay. The only person who is bothering to check in on Alex is Jenna, and she’s the one person he doesn’t want to bother with his feelings.

Like I said, this is very well written. We see how much every person involved is affected, and that the truth is that there’s no right or wrong way to deal with things. Everyone is dealing with Jenna’s impending death differently, and sometimes people clash because they feel like no one is checking in on them or that the way they’re handling things is bad. We see Alex clashing with his mom and making up later, Alex and Jenna getting closer than ever, and this family being torn apart and coming back together over and over again.

Almost all of the characters are wonderful. I say almost all of them because there are some nasty folks. For example, there’s the school bullies, Bruce and his friends. While we never get to know Bruce, we do get a small glimpse at his own home life, and it’s clear that the author put a lot of work into planning the characters and how their lives intertwine with each other even if they only play a small part in the story. Otherwise, the majority of the characters are absolutely wonderful and many of them are very well developed.

It’s a truly incredible book that I think is very important because I think the target audience needs books like this. When a loved one is dying, it’s one of the most depressing and upsetting periods of your life. I know this from experience, and I can tell you that if you’ve experienced this yourself, you’re going to be crying from the opening chapter all the way to the final page. However, it’s important for books like this to be around, especially for young readers who will identify with Alex down to not always being told everything because of his age.
Profile Image for Adrianna Schuh.
Author 9 books25 followers
March 6, 2019
First of all I need to say this: the cover for this book is just gorgeous. I'm sort of in love with it haha. But anyway, let's get to the actual review!

You may have noticed that this book is not my norm, it's not a romance *gasp*. And I almost didn't want to read it, but I'm so glad I did, because it was just lovely. This book covers such an interesting topic, because it focuses on the family member of someone who's suffering from such an awful illness. 

The story itself is captivating, you're really taken into the mind of this 14 year old boy who's trying to live his life while his sister suffers. It's sort of that thing where someone you love passes away and you have to figure out how to keep on going. Except in this case the person is still here. As someone who has watched 5 of their family members suffer through cancer (3 of which eventually lost their fight) I really appreciated the perspective that this book gave. 

The issues that Alex is facing are in a way typical things that every teen experiences and yet he is also dealing with something that could be considered beyond his maturity level. This is something that is forcing him to grow up way too fast. And really he has no choice. This book was just so well written, nothing felt forced or cheesy. You really take this journey with Alex and the whole thing is incredibly thought provoking. This book was funny and engaging, while still managing to be respectful of the struggles people face when someone they love is suffering. I highly recommend this one!
Profile Image for N.R. Baker.
Author 2 books10 followers
March 3, 2020
This is an accomplished and insightful debut from Georgia Springate.

The book consistently exceeded my expectations, portraying a compelling cast of well-drawn characters and exploring an ambitious and difficult subject with sensitivity and integrity. The complex emotions experienced by the various members of the family were always believable and the author managed to avoid the over-sentimentality that would normally put me off stories like this one. I enjoyed the main character's honest and practical approach to the situation in which he finds himself. Also, the normal teenage issues Alex faces - school, friends, homework, bullies, romance - are skillfully interwoven to add credibility and depth to the main storyline.

I'll definitely be on the look-out for more of Georgia's writing in the future.
Profile Image for Ayla:).
71 reviews
October 26, 2024
This book was really really good and it makes me cry a lot, it makes me think about the feeling of the family of a sick person, it make me think that its not just hard for the person who is sick, it most be more hard and scary for the family and friends, and the feeling of jenna not being there with them anymore, it was so bad and i undrestand how unfair was it.
I really like this book and im happy that i choose to read it, it was very easy to read as well,bc im not really good at eng but i undrestand it very well, and i kinda felt like i lived in every of pages, every words...
It was very very good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Rebecca..
179 reviews30 followers
March 3, 2019
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.


Let's be real here. I went through the same situation as the main character in this book, but with another close family member, 10 month ago. I don't usually read these types of books, and refused to pick anything up with terminal illness in them before, but this time was different. It felt like this was needed for my own personal reasons.

I loved each and every character in this, proving that Alex was just a normal boy, in a normal family, a normal teenager, until his world shattered around him with his sister's diagnosis.

It was a difficult dad, and as I reached the last 40 or so pages, I cried non-stop. Personally I thought I was ready, but emotionally I don't think I was, nor possibly will I ever be.

A poignant read, something that I feel is very realistic and something that I definitely needed to read.

One of the easiest five star ratings I've given.
Profile Image for Amanda Duquette.
25 reviews1 follower
July 31, 2019
I wish I could give this book a 3.5/5 stars. It started off, much like others have said with Al seeming very childlike for an almost fourteen year old. After completing the novel, I do feel as though that was intentional on Springates part. She wanted to show coming of age and the emotional journey of having to grow up too fast. This book drew me in the more I read. The beginning was very slow for me. Until the attachment to the characters happened, I didn't really feel much. By the end though, even if predictable, this book gives you all the feels.
Profile Image for Ami.
2,391 reviews14 followers
March 4, 2019
This is a very emotional journey through a very difficult experience. I enjoyed the storyline even though I shed a few tears. I am very thankful that I don't have to search for answers like these characters but I still feel their pain and confusion. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the publisher, Burning Chair, and this is my honest and freely given opinion.
Profile Image for Elle Springate.
1 review
March 1, 2019
10/10
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for t o m (T.J. Reads the Stars).
132 reviews214 followers
April 28, 2019
DNF’d... I’m SOOOOO sad about this one. Though Georgia is by no means a bad writer and Alex is an endearing main character, I thought his perspective was really juvenile and read a lot younger than a 14-year-old boy. Furthermore, was not a fan of the archetypal characters and the predictable nature of the plot. That being said, I think this book does have the potential to offer a lot of comfort to younger readers. It’s just a shame I was not that reader.

“The answer to Jenna’s happiness and my peace of mind and actually everyone in the world’s peace of mind, is to just find an answer.”
- Alex Duncan
Profile Image for Natalie Alane.
162 reviews11 followers
July 15, 2023
I love teen books that aren’t afraid of tackling difficult topics and situations, because as heartbreaking as it is to think about, that is the reality for some of my students. The teen years can already be turbulent and confusing enough as many changes are happening and they are developing their sense of independence.
~
BEYOND by Georgia Springate follows 14 year old Alex through a change that will be permanent—-his sister’s terminal cancer diagnosis. His disturbing nightmares of Jenna’s looking death, he embarks in a mission to find out what happens when—-after—-people die. He also is dealing with a school bully, developing feelings for one of his friends, and feeling left out of his family.
~
As a matter of personal experience/preference, it just wasn’t a book that “sparked” for me. However, I’m not a teen anymore, and I’ve been drifting from YA more recently. I appreciate Springate’s talent and insight for so vividly and sensitively capturing the many different emotions associated with loss. It was heartfelt and emotional and a reminder that processing grief and loss looks different for everyone.
Profile Image for Megan.
124 reviews1 follower
September 24, 2019
Beyond is brand new and the debut novel of the young and British author, Georgia Springate. I have to say, it’s been a while since I’ve read a book set in England and I found it really refreshing! An insightful, compelling and heart-wrenching novel. I had to take a deep breath once I’d finished reading. It’s an ambitious topic, handled with grace, and steeped in emotion. Springate does an excellent job with the narrative voice, though I felt Alex came across as much younger than 14. There were some issues with proofing, which is annoying because I always notice them, but they’re just minor and I’m just very picky. It had all the goodness of Before I Die by Jenny Downham, but much more appropriate for younger readers, so I’d highly recommend for a school library.
Profile Image for AJ McMinn.
1 review1 follower
January 3, 2021
Scrolling on bookbub over Christmas and found this book, 99p. It only a couple reviews I decided to take the and read it.

It’s a young adult book (deffo didn’t read like one tho), based around a boy trying to find the answers of “beyond” (the afterlife) for his dying sister. She’s got ovarian cancer. As the story develops, my love for the book grew stronger. It felt real, there was raw moments and yes, it was slightly predictable but i cried my eyes out the whole last two pages and couldn’t help but fall in love with every character. I started reading it 24 hours ago and I just finished now, was an emotional read, easy but the whole book felt real.

Honestly would recommend it to anyone! Not very good at the whole review aspect haha
Profile Image for Allison C.
275 reviews63 followers
Read
November 8, 2022
Wow… just wow… This is a debut novel?! This story went ✨beyond✨ my expectations.
*
Following Alex on his journey was an emotional roller coaster. He is 14 and is thrown into a situation that forces him to grow up too fast. To experience nuanced emotions regarding his sister’s diagnosis, and how it shook up his life.
*
To bring a sense of peace and comfort to his sister (and himself), Alex seeks the answer for one of life’s greatest questions… “What happens after?”… “What lies beyond?”
*
I knew Beyond was going to be emotionally devastating, that was a given, but it has such a heartwarming and hopeful ending…. Ahhh! I couldn’t recommend enough.
*
Recommend for those obsessed hallmark movie watchers!
TW: death, cancer, bullying, abuse and suicide.
Profile Image for Natalie Alane.
162 reviews11 followers
July 5, 2023
3.5/5
Heartfelt and emotional, Beyond captures 14 year old Alex as he comes to terms with his older sister’s terminal cancer diagnosis. His disturbing nightmares of Jenna’s looking death, he embarks in a mission to find out what happens when—-after—-people die. He also is dealing with a school bully, developing feelings for one of his friends, and feeling left out of his family.

As a matter of personal experience/preference, it just wasn’t a book that “sparked” for me. However, I’m not a teen anymore, and I’ve been drifting some from YA. I appreciate Springate’s talent and insight for so vividly and sensitively capturing the many different and confusing emotions associated with loss.


CW: cancer, death of a family member, mentions of suicide
Profile Image for Jade.
193 reviews
March 13, 2019
This is a heartbreaking story but also a story of hope and love.

Alex's sister has stage 4 ovarian cancer and months to live. The life of a 14 year old is never easy but when your sister is dying, your family aren't communcating with each other and you're worried about your potentially abused friend, Alex is tormented not only in his waking life but also by the nightmares he endures every night. This is a story built on Alex's search for hope, truth and friendship and a story that will stay with me for a long time.
Profile Image for Luanne.
272 reviews
May 31, 2021
I would like to give this book 4.5 stars. It was difficult to read at first because I just couldn't determine where the story was going. It seemed to have too many subplots. The story does gel and then takes off in a truly unexpected way. I appreciated the realistic angst of Al and the sweet goofiness of his friends. The struggle to make sense of the world as a 14 year old was funny, heart0breaking, and lovely. I enjoyed this book and look forward to more from this author.
Profile Image for MrsB.
710 reviews
January 1, 2020
4.5*

I thought (for some unknown reason) that this book would be less realistic than it is. I think what I loved the most though was how much I identified with the grief and different coping methods used by the various characters. I wanted a strong book to start off this year and I’m so glad I chose this one.
7 reviews1 follower
October 7, 2021
A quest for answers…

I loved the pace and diverse, emotional reactions from all the characters in this story. Al was such a likable brother, son and boyfriend, easily stealing your heart with his candid expression of love towards his sister by seeking answers for her future. It was a thoughtful, insightful read.
Profile Image for Dean Jones.
Author 8 books16 followers
June 25, 2019
I'll admit, this wasn't the story I thought it was going to be, but that wasn't such a bad thing. Characters are well constructed and believable and the whole life from the perspective of a teenage boy was refreshing. Not since Adrian mole has a boys angst been captured so well.

Some difficult subjects have been handled brilliantly in this book. Give it a read.
19 reviews
February 16, 2021
Beyond

Thank you for such a Wonderful read! I will remember these characters for a long time. I’ve lost family and friends to cancer so my emotions were fairly raw while I was reading this.
21 reviews
May 1, 2019
Slow to start but a lovely read which encapsulates all of the worries of the modern day teenager which are conscientiously concluded.
1 review
June 1, 2019
Thought provoking

I enjoyed this book very much. I was able to connect with the characters and enjoyed their dialogue. Well done Georgia.
Profile Image for Julia Cowan.
Author 5 books16 followers
April 20, 2020
A great debut novel. The author has written this sympathetically with regards to the plot. I liked the main character, Alex.
Profile Image for amber.
397 reviews6 followers
June 30, 2020
Wow. What a powerful and emotional book. I was completely hooked, and rooting for all of the characters. Would really highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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