Okay, I'm actually going to put the summary/analysis thing. And for this book, a book report I wrote about it. Okay the book is Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin.
Okay here is the summary: (from allreaders.com)
"Fifteen-year old Elizabeth "Liz" "Lizzie" Marie Hall has found herself in ELSEWHERE after dying in a bicycle-meets-taxi accident. After taking a long ride on the SS Nile, Liz has finally realized that she's not in a dream after all, but really, truly dead. When she arrives on Elsewhere, she meets her maternal grandmother, Betty, for the very first time. A woman who died at fifty from breast cancer, Betty is now a woman in her thirties--one of the first surprises Liz is in for is the fact that, on Elsewhere, lives are lived backward from the age of a person's death. Needless to say, this thought depresses Liz. She'll never be sixteen, never have a Massachusetts driver's license, never go to the prom or graduate from high school or go to college or get married. The only thing
she has to look forward to is growing younger, until she returns to being an infant and is sent back to Earth to be born again.
Liz spends her first month on Elsewhere spending all of her time to
watch her family, friends, and classmates back on Earth. She's soon a regular at the OD's, or Observation Decks, watching life
on Earth pass her by. She's upset that her best friend, Zooey, didn't attend her funeral. Her parents are inconsolable, her younger brother, Alvy, tells jokes to get through the day, and her dog, Lucy, refuses to accept that Liz isn't coming back.
It takes awhile, but Liz finally realizes that spending hours upon hours at the OD's is not helping her adjust to life on Elsewhere. She finds a new friend in Owen, one of the detectives in charge of keeping the inhabitants of Elsewhere away from the Well, where contact with people on Earth is possible, but illegal. She once again befriends Thandi, a young girl killed on Earth by a stray bullet, who was her bunkmate on the SS Nile. She gets closer to grandmother Betty, finally takes a job in the Division of Domestic Animals helping recently departed pets find new owners, and seems to be finding a place on Elsewhere.
she has to look forward to is growing younger, until she returns to being an infant and is sent back to Earth to be born again.
Liz spends her first month on Elsewhere spending all of her time to
watch her family, friends, and classmates back on Earth. She's soon a regular at the OD's, or Observation Decks, watching life
on Earth pass her by. She's upset that her best friend, Zooey, didn't attend her funeral. Her parents are inconsolable, her younger brother, Alvy, tells jokes to get through the day, and her dog, Lucy, refuses to accept that Liz isn't coming back.
It takes awhile, but Liz finally realizes that spending hours upon hours at the OD's is not helping her adjust to life on Elsewhere. She finds a new friend in Owen, one of the detectives in charge of keeping the inhabitants of Elsewhere away from the Well, where contact with people on Earth is possible, but illegal. She once again befriends Thandi, a young girl killed on Earth by a stray bullet, who was her bunkmate on the SS Nile. She gets closer to grandmother Betty, finally takes a job in the Division of Domestic Animals helping recently departed pets find new owners, and seems to be finding a place on Elsewhere.
And here is my paper:
Reading Reflection
11/6/10
I really enjoyed reading Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin. I enjoyed reading my book because of the atmosphere of the story, the setting, and the theme.
The first reason why I enjoyed my book was because of the atmosphere. The atmosphere at first was mysterious because she didn’t know where she was. Then it became scary and shocking when she discovered she was dead. After that, the atmosphere was gloomy and hopeless because she didn’t see the point in “living.” The book ended with an atmosphere of happiness because she finally felt comfortable in the land of Elsewhere, got her dog back, and fell in love.
The second reason why I liked my book was because of the setting. This book took place in a land called Elsewhere. It is where people go when they die. It is very much like Earth. Elsewhere is a wonderful setting.
The third reason why I enjoyed my book was because of the theme. This book has taught me that no matter where you are, always be confident. Also, to never give up on life, just keep going and you will discover many new things. Third, I learned to always open your eyes to new things. Elsewhere taught me a lot through the theme of the book.
In conclusion, I enjoyed reading Elsewhere very much. I enjoyed reading it because of the atmosphere, the setting, and the theme of the book.
