My So-Called Afterlife by Tamsyn Murray had me at the first line. I knew it was time to move on when a tramp peed on my Uggs. I mean, how could you not want to read the rest after that?
Lucy Shaw is fifteen and also dead. Trapped in the men's toilets as a ghost. She has been down there for six months, unable to get out above ground, invisible to the men who come down there for a comfort break. Until, that is, Jeremy comes along. Wonder of wonders, he can actually see her. After the initial shock, on both sides, Jeremy decides to help her. And gradually Lucy starts to make sense of her new world.
The first thing he does is to find a way for her to leave the stinking toilets. Then she goes with him to a spiritualist church and sees there are hundreds of other ghosts out there. Friendships are made including with an odd Emo girl and a rather gorgeous boy.
Despite the fact I had to look up the word Emo (yes, I am that old and out of touch) I thoroughly enjoyed this Young Adult book. I tried to read it slowly as I was just enjoying it and wanted to savour every page but soon I was racing towards the end, being swept up by the wave of emotions which eventually just broke all over me.
Lucy has got attitude, gumption and some great one liners. But it isn't all about the wisecracks. She has died in awful circumstances and has a traumatic journey ahead of her if she wants to move on. But a journey that actually may not be all bad.
Tamsyn has written a rather gorgeous book. It fizzles with energy, emotion and adventure.
If you'd like to read the first chapter, go to her website here.
Finished this myself last night and I LOVED IT too - you're right, pure joy from beginning to end. One slight problem was that the last page said 'the end' and I didn't want it to be!
Posted by: Debs | 22 February 2010 at 02:02 PM