Life in a Neon Knapsack

by Michael Evanichko, Thomas Gaadt (Illustrator)

In 1986 with only days until summer break, high school freshman Mamie Blackhead finds herself under the path of a small exploding plane while walking to school. Fighting to avoid the raining debris she discovers a neon knapsack with a journal detailing the life of a boy who may have perished in the sky above. As she digs deeper into the journal she uncovers a mystery that will haunt her the rest of her life.

301 pages, Paperback

Published January 19, 2023

About the author

Michael Evanichko began to write at a very young age. Inspired by the early works of Stephen King and the schlocky horror and suspense books of the eighties, he attempted his first novel at age twelve. It wasn't until much later in life that he actually completed his first novel, Life in a Supermarket Basket. Life in a Savage Landfill, and Life in a Neon Knapsack soon followed, and his "Trilogy of Life" was completed. Each novel is connected by a character and is unique in its tone and story. Terrific, Fantastic, Amazing, and Compelling are actual words used to describe Michael's books and he didn't pay anyone for those reviews! He is extremely grateful for the love and support received over the years.

Reviews

[Ginger Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second audiobook I've purchased by this author and I enjoyed it just as much as the last.
This story is a sort of coming of age tale full of awkward situational humor as main character Mamie recounts her teenage years and the events that defined them.

While walking to school during her freshmen year, a small airplane explodes in the sky above her. As she dodges the falling debris, she finds a neon knapsack full of personal items from what she suspects is one of the now-dead passengers. Instead of turning it in, she keeps it and discovers the contents appear to be from a boy who wasn't listed as a passenger on the plane. As she reads through his journal, she learns about this boy's tragic life story, including a twist that will change her life forever.

This author's humor perfectly matches my own, which is why I enjoy his books so much. I love how he creates these wonderfully flawed characters who are so relatable. If you enjoy family sitcoms with mature themes, you will enjoy this book.

I also highly recommend the audiobook, Carol did a phenomenal job narrating the story.

[Emily Diem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the first half of this book in audiobook format and then switched to the ebook version for the second half. I highly recommend both formats, and this story as a whole.

Carol Anne Shaw did a wonderful job narrating this story, and as I read the book on my kindle, I imagined her voice as the voice of Mamie. I really enjoyed the inclusion of the journal entries in the book, and I loved being able to switch back and forth between the regular story font and the pages of the journal. It helped immerse me even deeper into the story.

Each book in the Trilogy of Life series has a special magic to it, and this third book is no different. Michael does a wonderful job creating characters that you instantly feel connected to. As Mamie told her story, I was completely invested in what would come of her unique and incredible experience. This coming-of-age story brings you straight into the 80's with the main character's personality, dialogue, and concerns being perfectly in-line with what I would imagine a teenager would experience during that time.

Not only that, but the part of Mamie's life this book covers include huge defining experiences that shape her future not only for herself, but for her loved ones as well. This book beautifully combines humor with tragedy, hope with despair, and so much in between.

I cannot recommend this book, or this entire Trilogy of Life series, enough. Thank you to the author, Michael Evanichko, for another amazing story!

[Carol Anne Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life in a Neon Knapsack is the story of middle-aged Mamie, a woman with a deep wound from her childhood that never healed properly.

The story opens the 50-year-old protagonist beginning the monumental task of cleaning out her recently deceased father's home. While doing so, she uncovers something that transports her back to being fifteen years old, a year in which her world changed dramatically. The year a neon green knapsack fell from the sky and into her path. Inside the knapsack she finds a journal written by a teenage British boy named Martin. Martin, an orphan, writes about his life in the not-so-wonderful orphanage that is his "home," and it isn't long before Mamie is fully invested in his story. What she doesn’t realize is how her life is so deeply connected with Martin’s. And so the story begins...

Michael Evanichko's writing is brilliant. His characters are deeply flawed yet relatable, and the dialogue is oh-so-authentic. The book is hilariously funny in places but also deeply moving. It is a story of love, loyalty, grief, and struggle. Ultimately, it is a story about discovering your place in the world and finding peace with the people within it. I loved everything about this book, and its characters will stay with me for a long time.

I will definitely be reading more of this author's work.

[Ethan Hensley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Evanichko has done it again! His Life trilogy is the series that keeps on giving, and Life in a Neon Knapsack is an incredible achievement that highlights all of Evanichko's strongest attributes as a storyteller. An intricately woven narrative of mystery and self-growth, Knapsack grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let go until you've flown through the pages.
The finale of this series hits all of the notes that it needs to, and brings forth relatable characters, deep emotions, compelling mystery, amusing humor, and a haunting ending that will leave you whirling at the center of an introspective hurricane.
Life in a Neon Knapsack is a winner.
I tip my hat to Michael Evanichko, and can't wait for the next book in his writing career!

[Books_n_critters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish it were possible to give more than five stars. This book is amazing. The best of the Life Trilogy. I can't begin to do it justice, all I can say is that it is simply a fantastic book. I would highly recommend the entire trilogy.

[Justin Perucca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty mysterious and pretty limited character growth, but still had a pretty good message and road to recovery for the main character. A decent read and makes me want to read the other in the series.

[Amy Lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a story. The power of twins is always a mystery and this story continued demonstrating that power. Great read!