“Every so often a book comes along with a premise so fresh and arresting it seems to exist in a category all its own. “Elsewhere,” by Gabrielle Zevin, is such a book. Zevin’s touch is marvelously light even as she considers profundities, easily moving among humor, wisdom and lyricism… No plot synopsis can convey what a rich, wise spell this book casts.”—The New York Times Book Review
Welcome to Elsewhere. It is warm, with a breeze, and the beaches are marvelous. It’s quiet and peaceful. You can’t get sick or any older. Curious to see new paintings by Picasso? Swing by one of Elsewhere’s museums. Need to talk to someone about your problems? Stop by Marilyn Monroe’s psychiatric practice.
Elsewhere is where fifteen-year-old Liz Hall ends up, after she has died. It is a place so like Earth, yet completely different. Here Liz will age backward from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth. But Liz wants to turn sixteen, not fourteen again. She wants to get her driver’s license. She wants to graduate from high school and go to college. And now that she’s dead, Liz is being forced to live a life she doesn’t want with a grandmother she has only just met. And it is not going well. How can Liz let go of the only life she has ever known and embrace a new one? Is it possible that a life lived in reverse is no different from a life lived forward?
This moving, often funny book about grief, death, and loss will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.
Also available in audiobook from Listening Library. Read by Cassandra Morris.
I found this book on holiday in the Dominican Republic in January 2016, it is beautifully & realistically written from Lizs’ teenage point of view , but gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, there is somewhere like this, when it’s my time , I’m going Elsewhere 🌠
what was your reasoning to write this novel.
Elsewhere – I’m surprised how many people liked this book. If I’m being fully honest it was one of the worst books I’ve ever read. For school, it was an independent reading book, but so disappointing. The main plot happened in the first 4 chapters or so, and then the problem was resolved. After that the book got incredibly boring. The love story between Liz and Owen is so unrealistic, the fact get younger, but still are in love is so awkward . – the only amusing part was when they have fights in their relationship. Some people might think it’s cool to talk animals, but oh my god how could one book be so bad. When Owen’s wife is dead and comes to Elsewhere the book got even worse. The boringness dragged on and I was making myself read just to fall asleep. As you can see, I clearly did not like this book.