What do you think?
Rate this book
The Everafter
Madison Stanton doesn't know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this - she is dead. And alone in a vast, dark space. The only company Maddy has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things she lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that, with these artifacts, she can reexperience - and even change - moments from her life.
Her first kiss.
A trip to Disney World.Her sister's wedding.
A disastrous sleepover.In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and frightening truths about her life - and death.
248 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2009
95 people are currently reading
8450 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 704 reviews
October 14, 2009
This book was sad and depressing and it makes me wonder where the author's head was at when she wrote this.
Madison Stanton is dead and in a sort of limbo where the only things there with her are all the items she lost during her life. When she comes into contact with an item it sends her back to the moment in her life when she lost it and she can then relive or watch the scene as it plays out. Madison can't remember when or how she died and she hopes that by reliving all the moments of the lost items she'll be able to solve the mystery and move on.
SPOILERS BELOW!!!
In the book, when you're in the limbo where Madison starts out, you can relive moments of your life only through lost items. Once you get to a certain point though you go to the Everafter where everyone is. Time in the Everafter doesn't work the same as it does in the real world, every single person in the world is dead and already in the Everafter. It really felt like the author was trying to say that death is the ultimate existence and it really makes me wonder if she's Buddhist. The reason all of this is depressing is because it makes you question the point of living if everyone is so happy in death. And if everyone is already dead in the Everafter then why do they even live in the first place?
Another problem I had was that the characters were underdeveloped, but I think because we only get glimpses of Madison's life this can be expected. The book is also short and the ending leaves a few loose ends. Although, that's really what I think the author was trying to point out, that when we die there are loose ends and the world keeps spinning without us.
I did like this book, I just wish there had been a little more substance. I also wish that it hadn't been as depressing and pro-death as it was.
Madison Stanton is dead and in a sort of limbo where the only things there with her are all the items she lost during her life. When she comes into contact with an item it sends her back to the moment in her life when she lost it and she can then relive or watch the scene as it plays out. Madison can't remember when or how she died and she hopes that by reliving all the moments of the lost items she'll be able to solve the mystery and move on.
SPOILERS BELOW!!!
In the book, when you're in the limbo where Madison starts out, you can relive moments of your life only through lost items. Once you get to a certain point though you go to the Everafter where everyone is. Time in the Everafter doesn't work the same as it does in the real world, every single person in the world is dead and already in the Everafter. It really felt like the author was trying to say that death is the ultimate existence and it really makes me wonder if she's Buddhist. The reason all of this is depressing is because it makes you question the point of living if everyone is so happy in death. And if everyone is already dead in the Everafter then why do they even live in the first place?
Another problem I had was that the characters were underdeveloped, but I think because we only get glimpses of Madison's life this can be expected. The book is also short and the ending leaves a few loose ends. Although, that's really what I think the author was trying to point out, that when we die there are loose ends and the world keeps spinning without us.
I did like this book, I just wish there had been a little more substance. I also wish that it hadn't been as depressing and pro-death as it was.
October 14, 2009
Really unique book on life after death. Not going to spoil anything but what I loved about it was the ending. I was afraid the author was going to pull one of those cheesy Happily Ever After endings, which wouldn't have fit the book at ALL. But no, it was handled beautifully, it left me with a bittersweet feeling inside, and I was nodding when I closed the book, thinking "yes, that's exactly how it should be." I loved it. Highly recommended.
January 26, 2011
The Everafter is one of those books that defies summarization. It’s neither boring nor particularly compelling. The writing is simple, yet the concept is complex and alluring.
Madison is neither alive nor dead. She begins consciousness lacking memories, physical form, or words and yet she “is”. Distracted by a perceived brightness, Madison happens upon random objects that she understands as past possessions that she once lost. These lost objects are scattered across “is” and are able to transport Madison to the time when she lost the item. Over the course of the book, we see Madison at various life stages and gradually assume her memories. It doesn’t take long to discover that Madison’s memories don’t extend beyond the age of 17, therefore making us aware that Madison’s life must have ended at 17, but how?
I’ll be honest, I didn’t find any of these characters particularly affecting. They were likeable enough, but they didn’t pop off the pages. Madison’s life was ordinary and when the end came, I couldn’t cry over its loss. However, I found the author’s concept of life after death fascinating. The thought that we all continually exist in various planes both in life and death simultaneously is unbelievably comforting and makes thoughts of death seem like less of a loss.
Madison is neither alive nor dead. She begins consciousness lacking memories, physical form, or words and yet she “is”. Distracted by a perceived brightness, Madison happens upon random objects that she understands as past possessions that she once lost. These lost objects are scattered across “is” and are able to transport Madison to the time when she lost the item. Over the course of the book, we see Madison at various life stages and gradually assume her memories. It doesn’t take long to discover that Madison’s memories don’t extend beyond the age of 17, therefore making us aware that Madison’s life must have ended at 17, but how?
I’ll be honest, I didn’t find any of these characters particularly affecting. They were likeable enough, but they didn’t pop off the pages. Madison’s life was ordinary and when the end came, I couldn’t cry over its loss. However, I found the author’s concept of life after death fascinating. The thought that we all continually exist in various planes both in life and death simultaneously is unbelievably comforting and makes thoughts of death seem like less of a loss.
September 15, 2010
Well, I chewed this one up and spit it out! I didn't want to put the book down until it ended. This is such a different story, an interesting and fascinating view of what death could be like and dealing with change and letting go. You want Maddy to find out how she died yet you don't want to find out how she died because you're afraid that will be the end for her. READ IT! You will not be disappointed. Thanks for the great review and recommendation Mrs. Stewart!!
February 19, 2010
Okay, this book creeped me out just a little bit, more towards the middle to the end, but I was definitely creeped out. The Everafter by Amy Huntley is a supernatural, ya mystery/romance coupled with a ghost story. Sounds like quite the eclectic mix, right? Well no worries, it all blends very well together and takes you on a journey of the afterlife as Huntley perceives it.
Madison Stanton is sure about one thing, she is dead and in a place she calls "is," which is an oblivion where lost things swirl around her spirit. As she captures these items and holds them, it takes Maddy back to the moment when she lost the object. As long as the object remains lost, she can continue to return to that time in her life. In her new existence she revisits random times in her life from infancy but never past the age of seventeen. So you wonder, did she die at seventeen? How did she die? Why was another ghost apologizing to Maddy? And more importantly who killed her? Was it Tammy the drug dealer? The crazy ex-girlfriend of her boyfriend Gabriel? Her best friend's mother? The final scene takes her to the moment of her death, and the ending is climactic and riveting. The epilogue will leave you with the perfect sense of closure with a hint of regret for the final character in the book.
Great story that has you pondering the existence of life after death, what that might look like and where do we come from considering the basic law of Physics claims that energy is neither created nor destroyed. This ghost story kind of had me looking over my shoulder as I got the sense that someone was watching. Creepy, but good creepy!!
Madison Stanton is sure about one thing, she is dead and in a place she calls "is," which is an oblivion where lost things swirl around her spirit. As she captures these items and holds them, it takes Maddy back to the moment when she lost the object. As long as the object remains lost, she can continue to return to that time in her life. In her new existence she revisits random times in her life from infancy but never past the age of seventeen. So you wonder, did she die at seventeen? How did she die? Why was another ghost apologizing to Maddy? And more importantly who killed her? Was it Tammy the drug dealer? The crazy ex-girlfriend of her boyfriend Gabriel? Her best friend's mother? The final scene takes her to the moment of her death, and the ending is climactic and riveting. The epilogue will leave you with the perfect sense of closure with a hint of regret for the final character in the book.
Great story that has you pondering the existence of life after death, what that might look like and where do we come from considering the basic law of Physics claims that energy is neither created nor destroyed. This ghost story kind of had me looking over my shoulder as I got the sense that someone was watching. Creepy, but good creepy!!
April 15, 2015
Well, this was an interesting take on life after death. Here, you sort of float in a space that's empty of everything except for what you lost over the course of your life, reliving your memories by interacting with those objects. Lost keys? Touch them to see where and how and why you lost them. It was this concept that got me to read this book. It was just so unusual that I had to see how it played out.
As it turned out, the concept was the best part. This is the sort of book that's really, really light on plot. Even for a short book, it felt meandering, wandering from one memory to the next without any sort of attempt to build a story. It's more of a character portrait than anything else. The shame of that is that most of the characters are really quite ordinary, and not terribly interesting. Nothing against the main character, Madison, but she's kind of boring to read about. The one interesting thing about her life is actually her best friend's mother. I would have much rather read a book from Sandra's perspective that dealt more completely with her clinging, codependent, seemingly Munchausen affected mother.
That said, Madison's relationship with her boyfriend, Gabriel, was sweet and realistic. In fact, I'd say that Huntley has a knack for writing relationships in general. Friends, family, boyfriends, they all were written in a very convincing way. The dialog, too, made sense for these characters.
There are serious loose ends left over. Some don't bother me, and some do, but there are plenty. It kept the ending from being entirely satisfactory. But then again, the book as a whole wasn't entirely satisfactory, so I guess it fits.
As it turned out, the concept was the best part. This is the sort of book that's really, really light on plot. Even for a short book, it felt meandering, wandering from one memory to the next without any sort of attempt to build a story. It's more of a character portrait than anything else. The shame of that is that most of the characters are really quite ordinary, and not terribly interesting. Nothing against the main character, Madison, but she's kind of boring to read about. The one interesting thing about her life is actually her best friend's mother. I would have much rather read a book from Sandra's perspective that dealt more completely with her clinging, codependent, seemingly Munchausen affected mother.
That said, Madison's relationship with her boyfriend, Gabriel, was sweet and realistic. In fact, I'd say that Huntley has a knack for writing relationships in general. Friends, family, boyfriends, they all were written in a very convincing way. The dialog, too, made sense for these characters.
There are serious loose ends left over. Some don't bother me, and some do, but there are plenty. It kept the ending from being entirely satisfactory. But then again, the book as a whole wasn't entirely satisfactory, so I guess it fits.
May 24, 2009
The first thing I'd like to say about The Everafter is that it's unique and I loved reading it! It's different than anything I've ever read before, and I'll never forget it. Amy Huntley's creativity and originality shines in this novel.
The novel is based on a girl, Madison, and she is dead. She is dead and bored. Bored, because she is trapped in a space that she calls Is. Is is the empty space that she is in. And when Is presents her with objects she lost when she was alive, she is able to go back to the moment she lost the item and relive it. Madison thrives on these objects and memories. They allow her to see Gabe, her family and her best friend.
I loved the idea of The Everafter, especially being able to relive moments after dying. When the novel travels back to a certain time, there's no knowing what could happen. Some of the objects took her back to times that were funny, sad, confusing, and/or happy. All of the memories were easily enjoyable, in my opinion.
And now to my favorite part. The ending. I know what you're thinking when you see that. The ending? What was she happy for? The novel to end? No! I love the ending so much because there is a very big event that happens then, and it is a shocker. So props to Amy for writing such an amazing debut novel. I'm sure everyone will love Amy and her writing immediately! I know I did, and I'll be looking forward to her future works.
The novel is based on a girl, Madison, and she is dead. She is dead and bored. Bored, because she is trapped in a space that she calls Is. Is is the empty space that she is in. And when Is presents her with objects she lost when she was alive, she is able to go back to the moment she lost the item and relive it. Madison thrives on these objects and memories. They allow her to see Gabe, her family and her best friend.
I loved the idea of The Everafter, especially being able to relive moments after dying. When the novel travels back to a certain time, there's no knowing what could happen. Some of the objects took her back to times that were funny, sad, confusing, and/or happy. All of the memories were easily enjoyable, in my opinion.
And now to my favorite part. The ending. I know what you're thinking when you see that. The ending? What was she happy for? The novel to end? No! I love the ending so much because there is a very big event that happens then, and it is a shocker. So props to Amy for writing such an amazing debut novel. I'm sure everyone will love Amy and her writing immediately! I know I did, and I'll be looking forward to her future works.
February 16, 2012
This is a fiction book. This is a fiction book. This is a fiction book.
I was constantly having to remind myself this was just story otherwise this would have been extremely depressing.
Bear with me here... I'm not trying to get all religious on you. But, man I can't imagine thinking that all was waiting for me in the 'afterlife' was objects I had lost over here and brief moments with the scene where I had lost them.... I can't imagine an "IS" that doesn't have some sort of superior power. To be a book about afterlife without a God of some sort felt a little like "What's the point??".
To die at a young age is a serious matter and this book is just too fluffy. It is an emotional subject so how in the world this author just wrote this and I didn't feel hardly anything for the main character is beyond me. Given personal reasons it doesn't take me much to get all sappy or atleast teary eyed when reading about teen death, but this just didn't do it for me.
Blah.
The only character I halfway felt for was Sharon (or Shannon, whatever her name was) whose mother was a psycho. But, I hated her epilouge!!!!
And, I have to ask... why did you choose to put something that looks like ovaries on your book cover Mrs. Huntley?
2.5 stars
P.S. who killed her flipping cat??!?!?
I was constantly having to remind myself this was just story otherwise this would have been extremely depressing.
Bear with me here... I'm not trying to get all religious on you. But, man I can't imagine thinking that all was waiting for me in the 'afterlife' was objects I had lost over here and brief moments with the scene where I had lost them.... I can't imagine an "IS" that doesn't have some sort of superior power. To be a book about afterlife without a God of some sort felt a little like "What's the point??".
To die at a young age is a serious matter and this book is just too fluffy. It is an emotional subject so how in the world this author just wrote this and I didn't feel hardly anything for the main character is beyond me. Given personal reasons it doesn't take me much to get all sappy or atleast teary eyed when reading about teen death, but this just didn't do it for me.
Blah.
The only character I halfway felt for was Sharon (or Shannon, whatever her name was) whose mother was a psycho. But, I hated her epilouge!!!!
And, I have to ask... why did you choose to put something that looks like ovaries on your book cover Mrs. Huntley?
2.5 stars
P.S. who killed her flipping cat??!?!?
February 28, 2012
There is so much to like about this poignant little novel about life, death, loss, and love. It had hooked me from the first sentence and swept me along until I found myself at the end in one sitting. I have a passive interest in theoretical physics, and so I especially enjoyed the quantum theory that was woven into the story. Okay, so maybe most high school chemistry teachers aren't going to launch into a lecture on wave-particle duality, but I still ate it up.
This is one of the best novels I have read in recent memory. It makes me want to better myself, live life to the fullest, and remember that even if I have regrets, each one of them have shaped me into who I am today.
This is one of the best novels I have read in recent memory. It makes me want to better myself, live life to the fullest, and remember that even if I have regrets, each one of them have shaped me into who I am today.
August 28, 2017
The Everafter is one of those books that sticks with you after you read it. You turn the last page and go 'huh, that was interesting!'.
The story is told from the point of view of Madison. Madison's dead. She doesn't know how she died, or where she is, or even who she is at first. She just is. She's not a body or a person but more like a ball of energy. As she explores the endless space-like place she's in, she encounters objects she's lost in life. When she touches one, she's sucked back to that moment in her life where she lost it. The items vary from keys to jewelry, homework to a rattle. Since the items vary with age, we're brought back to different moments in Madison's life in no order. She goes from toddler to teenager to adolescent, even baby (which is kind of creepy to read!)
The concept isn't something I've ever read and it's so intriguing just to think about. Death and what comes after is such a huge mystery and this version is almost...wistful. You can feel Madison's longing as she remembers what it's like to be alive and how much she misses her parents, best friend and boyfriend. All she's got is these rare moments that she lost something, and though they weren't important in life, they're so meaningful in death. On top of that, she's trying to find out how she died and she's so confused. It was just so sad!
Madison's death isn't revealed until the end (and it's a shocker), so you're constantly thinking of all the possibilities along with Madison. She comes into contact with other people who are also dead that give her direction in terms of discovering what she can do with her 'lost memories' and how she can unlock the moment of her death. Until she does that, she can't move into the Everafter, a mysterious place that sounded beautiful, where you're happy and everyone you love is with you.
Beautiful is how I'd describe this book. Beautiful and imaginative and intriguing and sad but in a 'smile-through-your-tears' sort of way. It's one that makes you wonder. I'm absolutely terrified of death and what comes after, but The Everafter makes it seem not so scary. It makes you hope that maybe this is what'll be there on the other side.
At the end, there's also an extra page or two from another character (2 actually!) that played an important role, and you find out their actions had a huge impact in how Maddy's and this person's life played out, and it's one of those smiling-tears scenes again *Sniff* so sad )':
Bottom Line
The Everafter's a hopeful glimpse into what the afterlife could be. Madison's trying to figure out how she died and learns a lot about herself and others along the way. It's definitely got its sad moments but there are also moments of joy and in the end you really just hope for the best for Maddy and her loved ones. If you're a fan of ghost stories or mysteries or any sort of speculative fiction please check this one out, it's fascinating!
The story is told from the point of view of Madison. Madison's dead. She doesn't know how she died, or where she is, or even who she is at first. She just is. She's not a body or a person but more like a ball of energy. As she explores the endless space-like place she's in, she encounters objects she's lost in life. When she touches one, she's sucked back to that moment in her life where she lost it. The items vary from keys to jewelry, homework to a rattle. Since the items vary with age, we're brought back to different moments in Madison's life in no order. She goes from toddler to teenager to adolescent, even baby (which is kind of creepy to read!)
The concept isn't something I've ever read and it's so intriguing just to think about. Death and what comes after is such a huge mystery and this version is almost...wistful. You can feel Madison's longing as she remembers what it's like to be alive and how much she misses her parents, best friend and boyfriend. All she's got is these rare moments that she lost something, and though they weren't important in life, they're so meaningful in death. On top of that, she's trying to find out how she died and she's so confused. It was just so sad!
Madison's death isn't revealed until the end (and it's a shocker), so you're constantly thinking of all the possibilities along with Madison. She comes into contact with other people who are also dead that give her direction in terms of discovering what she can do with her 'lost memories' and how she can unlock the moment of her death. Until she does that, she can't move into the Everafter, a mysterious place that sounded beautiful, where you're happy and everyone you love is with you.
Beautiful is how I'd describe this book. Beautiful and imaginative and intriguing and sad but in a 'smile-through-your-tears' sort of way. It's one that makes you wonder. I'm absolutely terrified of death and what comes after, but The Everafter makes it seem not so scary. It makes you hope that maybe this is what'll be there on the other side.
At the end, there's also an extra page or two from another character (2 actually!) that played an important role, and you find out their actions had a huge impact in how Maddy's and this person's life played out, and it's one of those smiling-tears scenes again *Sniff* so sad )':
Bottom Line
The Everafter's a hopeful glimpse into what the afterlife could be. Madison's trying to figure out how she died and learns a lot about herself and others along the way. It's definitely got its sad moments but there are also moments of joy and in the end you really just hope for the best for Maddy and her loved ones. If you're a fan of ghost stories or mysteries or any sort of speculative fiction please check this one out, it's fascinating!
August 11, 2021
This was a weird book for me. I enjoyed some parts immensely, while others annoyed me because they felt too juvenile, but as a whole, I enjoyed this strange take on life after death. The ending was bittersweet and I'm glad.
July 5, 2011
"In The Everafter, Maddy relives moments from her life which broke her heart, made her laugh uncontrollably, and forced her to grow. Amy Huntley’s book will do the same for you." - Jay Asher
Me: I am really happy for you, imma let you finish, but I think no one actually cried or laughed... or has broken his/her heart... while reading this book.
Kanye West ftw :P xD
Readers who likes to read thriller, scary books or want to read one,
this book wasn't:
1)Creepy
2)Horrifying
3)or Haunting kind of stuff
Eh?! Its not even a scary book!
"Learns frightening truths about her life - and death."
Huh?! Are you kidding me?! What was frightening in this?! Even a 13 year old girl can read this and be like, Pssshh! was this book supposed to be scary or something?! ^_-
This book was everything I didn't expect. Let me get this straight. This girl, Maddy just died and went to "IS" (Its just this random place which is really dark and then theres some shiny bright light in the corner) and then shes freaking out, like duh what do you expect, lol, then she sees her stuffs, which she lost and had meaning indirectly in her life and then every-time she touches them, she went to those moments and experience them, again, she finds out how she died and goes to the light thingy in the end and then, the end. lol! xD
The style was so choppy, so uncomfortable, so flat and I was like, Really?! ^_- but I had to keep reading, I just can't seem to leave a book unread, the want to continue to read this, despite the lack of interest not too, this book was definitely not those kind of books in which I sat down glued to, reading continuously and I have finished this book after 2-3 weeks.
I thought Maddy was too whinny in the beginning, I didn't like her that much there was no chemistry between the her and Gabe.
Trust me, the story was flat, I really had a hard time finding the plot interesting, It was mixed together quickly with not a lot of detail, there were no emotions in me, the author did not explore the topic enough, it was a slow build, with secondary characters that never become fully fleshed out, The Everafter doesn't pack the emotional punch of similar not-quite-dead titles Elsewhere or If I Stay did. I was like this:
*Reading the last line*
*turning the next page founding it blank*
Me: Ohh, this book ended... awwn, *throws the book up in the air* "which book am I gonna read next?! xD"
Yeah. My sadness was for, about, 1 minute.
My Problem. The ending.
In the end I was thinking to myself "That's it?". Somehow the ending was very anti-climatic for me. It wrapped up too abruptly. IF more of the book was focused on the mystery of Maddy's death and her relationship with Sandra's mother, and Gabe, than of her going back to moments in her boring life where she lost things, I would have actually rated 4 stars. We do find out the cause of her death, and it made me want to roll my eyes. It was a tad too dramatic, and ridiculously sad and needless. After harping about how attached Madison is to objects I don't see the journey that teaches her to let go or anything. And soooo many questions are still left yet to be answered!
1)Was her sister's baby a boy or a girl?
2)Who killed Maddy's cat?
3)Dana really steal Gabe's sweatshirt?
4)Did Dana really hit Maddy on purpose?
5)What happened to Sandra and her mom?
I just wanted the ending to be epic. =[
Why I rated 3 stars:
1) The concept was somehow, interesting. Interest was the only thing that made me kept reading this book.
2) The Story develops.
3) The main character develops alot. :)
4) The very end was swweeeet!
5) Gabe :DD
So, umm, yeah I rate this book 3/5 stars, the book was okay,okay and I seriously dono If you guys would like to read this book or not.
And theres a second book!? ^_- I thought It was a stand out book...
Me: I am really happy for you, imma let you finish, but I think no one actually cried or laughed... or has broken his/her heart... while reading this book.
Kanye West ftw :P xD
Readers who likes to read thriller, scary books or want to read one,
this book wasn't:
1)Creepy
2)Horrifying
3)or Haunting kind of stuff
Eh?! Its not even a scary book!
"Learns frightening truths about her life - and death."
Huh?! Are you kidding me?! What was frightening in this?! Even a 13 year old girl can read this and be like, Pssshh! was this book supposed to be scary or something?! ^_-
This book was everything I didn't expect. Let me get this straight. This girl, Maddy just died and went to "IS" (Its just this random place which is really dark and then theres some shiny bright light in the corner) and then shes freaking out, like duh what do you expect, lol, then she sees her stuffs, which she lost and had meaning indirectly in her life and then every-time she touches them, she went to those moments and experience them, again, she finds out how she died and goes to the light thingy in the end and then, the end. lol! xD
The style was so choppy, so uncomfortable, so flat and I was like, Really?! ^_- but I had to keep reading, I just can't seem to leave a book unread, the want to continue to read this, despite the lack of interest not too, this book was definitely not those kind of books in which I sat down glued to, reading continuously and I have finished this book after 2-3 weeks.
I thought Maddy was too whinny in the beginning, I didn't like her that much there was no chemistry between the her and Gabe.
Trust me, the story was flat, I really had a hard time finding the plot interesting, It was mixed together quickly with not a lot of detail, there were no emotions in me, the author did not explore the topic enough, it was a slow build, with secondary characters that never become fully fleshed out, The Everafter doesn't pack the emotional punch of similar not-quite-dead titles Elsewhere or If I Stay did. I was like this:
*Reading the last line*
*turning the next page founding it blank*
Me: Ohh, this book ended... awwn, *throws the book up in the air* "which book am I gonna read next?! xD"
Yeah. My sadness was for, about, 1 minute.
My Problem. The ending.
In the end I was thinking to myself "That's it?". Somehow the ending was very anti-climatic for me. It wrapped up too abruptly. IF more of the book was focused on the mystery of Maddy's death and her relationship with Sandra's mother, and Gabe, than of her going back to moments in her boring life where she lost things, I would have actually rated 4 stars. We do find out the cause of her death, and it made me want to roll my eyes. It was a tad too dramatic, and ridiculously sad and needless. After harping about how attached Madison is to objects I don't see the journey that teaches her to let go or anything. And soooo many questions are still left yet to be answered!
1)Was her sister's baby a boy or a girl?
2)Who killed Maddy's cat?
3)Dana really steal Gabe's sweatshirt?
4)Did Dana really hit Maddy on purpose?
5)What happened to Sandra and her mom?
I just wanted the ending to be epic. =[
Why I rated 3 stars:
1) The concept was somehow, interesting. Interest was the only thing that made me kept reading this book.
2) The Story develops.
3) The main character develops alot. :)
4) The very end was swweeeet!
5) Gabe :DD
So, umm, yeah I rate this book 3/5 stars, the book was okay,okay and I seriously dono If you guys would like to read this book or not.
And theres a second book!? ^_- I thought It was a stand out book...
August 19, 2009
The Everafter was a pleasant surprise. I seem to gravitate towards the book even after I finished.
The Everafter talks of the afterlife (hence the title) and what to expect. Despite the philosophical upbringings the book still manages to have the hidden sparkle of sweet, sad, and sultry. We follow Madison as journeys back to her life from age 4 to the infantile stage of goo-goo ga-ga to her last moments on earth.
We watch the progression of the relationship with her older sister. This is something all too knowing for me. At the age of 7 I was already threatening to chop my brother to pieces with me glaring at him at the couch, butcher knife in hand (no comment). But just like Madison whom at her later teens the relationship with her sister becomes gentler, I admit that my brother watches out for me. We argue less, fight (I really do mean like with pouches) less, and become better siblings.
Then we follow Maddy and Gabe as they fall in love. There seems to be more scenes of these two than most. Tender, sweet, and still managing to never overstep the boundary of being just too much.
The ending was weird for me though. I mean yes, I thought it was shocking, but it was this overly dramatic death that left me doubting if something like this can truly happen. The epilogue was a very nice touch though. One that answered a very important question: Boy or girl?
Like many others, the first person point of view is very unreliable as many questions are left unanswered. For example, who was the one that mangled Maddy’s cat? And who ratted Tammy out?
Overall: The Everafter was packed full of humor, anguish, and surprise.
The Everafter talks of the afterlife (hence the title) and what to expect. Despite the philosophical upbringings the book still manages to have the hidden sparkle of sweet, sad, and sultry. We follow Madison as journeys back to her life from age 4 to the infantile stage of goo-goo ga-ga to her last moments on earth.
We watch the progression of the relationship with her older sister. This is something all too knowing for me. At the age of 7 I was already threatening to chop my brother to pieces with me glaring at him at the couch, butcher knife in hand (no comment). But just like Madison whom at her later teens the relationship with her sister becomes gentler, I admit that my brother watches out for me. We argue less, fight (I really do mean like with pouches) less, and become better siblings.
Then we follow Maddy and Gabe as they fall in love. There seems to be more scenes of these two than most. Tender, sweet, and still managing to never overstep the boundary of being just too much.
The ending was weird for me though. I mean yes, I thought it was shocking, but it was this overly dramatic death that left me doubting if something like this can truly happen. The epilogue was a very nice touch though. One that answered a very important question: Boy or girl?
Like many others, the first person point of view is very unreliable as many questions are left unanswered. For example, who was the one that mangled Maddy’s cat? And who ratted Tammy out?
Overall: The Everafter was packed full of humor, anguish, and surprise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2015
For such a short book, I just struggled. I think the writing was very vague and never let me really like the am/is of Maddy. Also, I wasn't a fan of the age jump/skipping around where she'd be 7 and then 17 and 15 and then the is again. It just felt distracting and I wasn't interested enough to enjoy it.
March 23, 2018
The Everafter was a peculiar yet exciting read that kept me fascinated with the characters.
It’s a young adult fiction romance novel that introduces the character Madison Stanton, who doesn’t have any idea where she is or how she got there; all she knows is that she’s dead and alone.
The character i’ve grown interest in is Madison, and her words of describing her paranormal experience. Throughout the book she shares childhood memories, and continuously revisits a memory from each year of her life. As she visits a memory she says, “Those other moments that I’ve been re-retuning to seem to fade a bit every time I go to them. It’s kind of like reading the same book over and over. You keep trying to capture what you felt when you first read it, but the feelings just aren’t ever as…magical” (Huntley, 47). Maddy starts realizing the meaning of life, and death as she states, “The way you’re feeling right now makes you appreciate all the good times you have. All the pain of change and loss… those make you realize how much you love the things you have” (Huntley, 113). As the novel starts to close, Madison develops into a much mature character, than the 17 year old she was before.
I really enjoyed reading about Madison, and following her paranormal yet romantic story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in romance, or those who like reading different points of views from different characters types of reads.
March 24, 2018
I don't quite know what to say about this book.. the idea of it had my interest, but the book fell short. I just think that the author took a really simple approach to it, this book could have been a 400-pager easily. The description of pretty much every scene was rushed and vague, I'm big on imagery descriptors, and this one lacked that.
The book is targeted towards YA, other than one violent scene it is a middle grade book.
Now I didn't like this book, but I can't hate it. It was just kind of there. Would recommend if you have a high reading challenge I guess, because it was a very easy and quick read. Not mentally stimulating or challenging.
The book is targeted towards YA, other than one violent scene it is a middle grade book.
Now I didn't like this book, but I can't hate it. It was just kind of there. Would recommend if you have a high reading challenge I guess, because it was a very easy and quick read. Not mentally stimulating or challenging.
September 6, 2022
This was a very good book. It was kind of mind boggling and it left me thinking a lot. I highly recommend this book.
February 28, 2017
amazing book.
March 8, 2010
The story is told through the different vignettes of Madison going back to the moments when she lost a a particular item. At first it's just to experience being alive and seeing her loved ones but then she realizes she can use these moments to unravel the how ans why of her death.
The format is unusual.
It jumps back and forth from her dead self to times in her life where she can be anywhere in age from an infant to seventeen.The style was choppy and uncomfortable but I kept reading and got into the flow. I liked Maddy and felt compelled to go along for the ride, wanting fo find out more about her and how her life ended.
Humor and sadness weave in and out. Lots of Emily Dickinson references so if you like her poetry, you should really enjoy this book because it is clear the author is a fan.
The characters are believable but where I think Huntley really shines is making the various relationships realistic and honest - friends, rivals, sisters, boyfriend/girlfriend, parent/child.
This is paranormal, technically, but not in the usual sense.
Yes, you're reading about her as a ghost, but his is a story about Maddy's life and how she comes to understand herself and the people around her, with the side note of finding out the mystery of how she died. There's no woo-woo, creepy, haunting kind of stuff.
The author does put in life messages about, the afterlife and how you should live and enjoy your life when you are alive, but all that doesn't come in until the very end so it doesn't bog down the story and it isn't heavy handed. I thought the ending fell a bit flat but it wasn't a high energy kind of book anyway, and it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment.
I liked and recommend The EverAfter. There isn't a big time commitment- I finished it in a couple hours - so it's a fast read if not fast paced. The story weaves and lingers in a good way. If you have a short block of time and would like to finish an interesting and thought provoking book, give The EverAfter a whirl.
The Cover: I know this is a common style these days but I think it's beautiful.
First Line: I’m dead. Not my-parents-told-me-to-be-home-by-twelve-and-it’s-two-o’clock-now dead. Just dead. Literally. I think.
Fabulous first line! Great voice. I like the character immediately and am interested to read more. Well done Ms Huntley!
The format is unusual.
It jumps back and forth from her dead self to times in her life where she can be anywhere in age from an infant to seventeen.The style was choppy and uncomfortable but I kept reading and got into the flow. I liked Maddy and felt compelled to go along for the ride, wanting fo find out more about her and how her life ended.
Humor and sadness weave in and out. Lots of Emily Dickinson references so if you like her poetry, you should really enjoy this book because it is clear the author is a fan.
The characters are believable but where I think Huntley really shines is making the various relationships realistic and honest - friends, rivals, sisters, boyfriend/girlfriend, parent/child.
This is paranormal, technically, but not in the usual sense.
Yes, you're reading about her as a ghost, but his is a story about Maddy's life and how she comes to understand herself and the people around her, with the side note of finding out the mystery of how she died. There's no woo-woo, creepy, haunting kind of stuff.
The author does put in life messages about, the afterlife and how you should live and enjoy your life when you are alive, but all that doesn't come in until the very end so it doesn't bog down the story and it isn't heavy handed. I thought the ending fell a bit flat but it wasn't a high energy kind of book anyway, and it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment.
I liked and recommend The EverAfter. There isn't a big time commitment- I finished it in a couple hours - so it's a fast read if not fast paced. The story weaves and lingers in a good way. If you have a short block of time and would like to finish an interesting and thought provoking book, give The EverAfter a whirl.
The Cover: I know this is a common style these days but I think it's beautiful.
First Line: I’m dead. Not my-parents-told-me-to-be-home-by-twelve-and-it’s-two-o’clock-now dead. Just dead. Literally. I think.
Fabulous first line! Great voice. I like the character immediately and am interested to read more. Well done Ms Huntley!
June 28, 2009
This book was absolutely amazing. Five stars doesn't even begin to cover it. Amy Huntley more then just outdoes herself with this book. Though you know form the very beginning that that Madison Stanton is dead, you don't know how, why, or anything else about her for that matter, until she goes on a trip to find all the things she's lost over her lifespan. It shows the beauty of how important the little things can be, how important things people take for granted everyday can be, whether it's a first kiss, a charm bracelet, or even physics homework, it's what happens because of these things, what happens around these things that makes this story come to life, in a way that Maddy can't anymore. This story blew me away and there is absolutely nothing that should be changed about it, from the first word to the epilogue, the story is just spun so well, so precise, that it is as close to perfect as anything can be. I honestly have to say that I LOVED this book and would read it over and over if I could stand crying everytime. This story puts beauty to shame, it makes the reader appriciate more of life then ever before, and it was definitely a novel no one would be able to put down from beginning to end.
November 8, 2009
THE EVERAFTER is a truly original take on life after death, but it doesn’t quite live up to its high potential, with underdeveloped characters, a complex but slow-moving plot, and an anticlimactic ending.
In one sense, a work of fiction is only as good as the sum of its parts, and readers only know of the characters what is essential. THE EVERAFTER takes this literally, as the character of Madison is shown to us readers via a series of seemingly random scenes from her life, some of which have more significance than others. It’s a different way of approaching telling a story, and it may or may not work for you. For me, it didn’t really help me better understand Maddy, which was disappointing.
The concept presented in THE EVERAFTER is very unique, but I’m always cautious about exciting-sounding ideas with mediocre execution, which is what this book turned out to be for me. Gabe and Maddy’s romance, which is supposed to be an important part of the story, felt underdeveloped and unfamiliar to me, and I never really connected with any of the characters, nor believed in the ending, which was shocking, but not necessarily in a good way.
Still, fans of Gabrielle Zevin’s ELSEWHERE and Alice Sebold’s THE LOVELY BONES may find this book interesting and hard to put down.
In one sense, a work of fiction is only as good as the sum of its parts, and readers only know of the characters what is essential. THE EVERAFTER takes this literally, as the character of Madison is shown to us readers via a series of seemingly random scenes from her life, some of which have more significance than others. It’s a different way of approaching telling a story, and it may or may not work for you. For me, it didn’t really help me better understand Maddy, which was disappointing.
The concept presented in THE EVERAFTER is very unique, but I’m always cautious about exciting-sounding ideas with mediocre execution, which is what this book turned out to be for me. Gabe and Maddy’s romance, which is supposed to be an important part of the story, felt underdeveloped and unfamiliar to me, and I never really connected with any of the characters, nor believed in the ending, which was shocking, but not necessarily in a good way.
Still, fans of Gabrielle Zevin’s ELSEWHERE and Alice Sebold’s THE LOVELY BONES may find this book interesting and hard to put down.
August 30, 2009
Buy at left-bank.com
First, just let me say I had the hardest time finding this book in here or on Google because the ARC is called "The After", not the "Everafter", which sounds worse, I think. Anyway, this book is alright. It's actually sort of depressing -- not just because the story is about a girl who is dead and figuring her way around the after-space she's in. It sort of winds up with this point that everyone is going to die anyway, and we just live in our memories, and pretty much every moment we have alive, we are also dead at the same time because the memory is still there of us alive while we can see it when we're dead. So then what the hell is the point of life and all that?! So yeah, this sends my head into an not happy place, and gives me the same fears of "what if there's nothing, just emptiness and blankness everywhere" that used to grip me as a child lying in bed at night.
So the three stars comes from the fact that all that I just said was prompted by this little bundle of words.
First, just let me say I had the hardest time finding this book in here or on Google because the ARC is called "The After", not the "Everafter", which sounds worse, I think. Anyway, this book is alright. It's actually sort of depressing -- not just because the story is about a girl who is dead and figuring her way around the after-space she's in. It sort of winds up with this point that everyone is going to die anyway, and we just live in our memories, and pretty much every moment we have alive, we are also dead at the same time because the memory is still there of us alive while we can see it when we're dead. So then what the hell is the point of life and all that?! So yeah, this sends my head into an not happy place, and gives me the same fears of "what if there's nothing, just emptiness and blankness everywhere" that used to grip me as a child lying in bed at night.
So the three stars comes from the fact that all that I just said was prompted by this little bundle of words.
August 9, 2010
oh my goodness. chewed this one and spit it out. I started going to a chiropractor last Friday to try and fix some issues, and started this book while waiting. The doctor had to tell me it was time to put the book down and come on back. Today I asked if I could please read while I did my lower back stretches on the ball since I only had 40 pages left! The answer was no! I just finished it. Loved every page of it. I know I am relatively new to YA Fantasy, but I haven't seen this premise before. Maddy is dead. On page 1. That's how the book starts. She would like to find out how she died. With the help of some ghostlike objects from her life, she tries to fit the puzzle pieces together for an answer. This is a book I will talk about to anyone who will listen, because it just makes you think: Will it be like that? Are there ghosts here in this room right now?
Can't WAIT for my students to start reading this book. LOVED LOVED LOVED IT! I wish there were more than 5 stars to give this book!
Can't WAIT for my students to start reading this book. LOVED LOVED LOVED IT! I wish there were more than 5 stars to give this book!
August 10, 2015
It was hard for me to get into this book until about 30 pages from the end. It took me 3 or 4 days to read it, and every night I picked it back up I only vaguely remembered what had previously been written. I think that had a lot to do with the storyline jumping around from different time periods in Maddy's life.
The ending though, you don't see it coming until it starts being played out. Pretty unpredictable which was nice.
The ending though, you don't see it coming until it starts being played out. Pretty unpredictable which was nice.
August 20, 2014
A very interesting idea coupled with a more-often-than-not irritating main character filed with OMGProblems and very, very short chapters equals out to a decent romp in teenage land. To be fair though, I'm pretty sure my 13 year old would, like, tots luv how Amy, like, gets her. In the words of Roger Murtaugh, "I'm too old for this sh*t".
July 12, 2011
A cute story that, with flaws (for one, a lack of any major interesting plot), wraps up with a satisfying and bittersweet ending and is somewhat memorable.
October 22, 2023
This book took a while for me to get into. I shelved it 'to read' four years ago and have grown into a different kind of reader, but I'm determined to get through my TBR backlog and it didn't sound so far out of my wheelhouse that I wouldn't be able to get through it, so I picked it up. It helped that it wasn't a very long book either. The reveal is good but not stunning and the language and writing style are simple and a bit plain for my taste. I think it's good for its target audience of high school kids, but it isn't the kind of young adult novel that translates across demographics. I don't think that docs from its value as I believe it does the job it sets out to do, but I don't think I would have loved this book even if I had read it four years ago when I found it.
March 1, 2017
Crying, crying, and more crying... Still a great read though.
May 22, 2024
if books about truly noticing and appreciating the small facets and interactions of life have no fans i'm dead
April 3, 2019
it was a very good book there were things that you wanted to find out it is kind of a mystery in a way.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 704 reviews