Review: Neverworld Wake, by Marisha Pessl

Rating: ★★★★★

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Mystery

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I am not sure even how to start this review: how do I write about this book without just yelling to you all to just read it because it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year and I can’t get it out of my mind?

Neverworld Wake tells the story of five teenagers. Beatrice hasn’t seen her friends since the mysterious death of her boyfriend Jim a year before. They decide to see each other and go for a concert, and Beatrice hopes she can get answers out of them: they are all hiding secrets and know more about Jim than they tell. It all goes terribly wrong when they drive back and get into an accident – and enter the Neverworld Wake. A man knocks on the door, explaining they are all hanging between death and life, and must choose only one to survive.

This book is not very long, a little over 300 pages, and it’s packed with twists, explosive emotions, secrets, scheming. Beatrice tries to find the truth about Jim’s death, but no one wants to talk about it. Each character felt very unique in their own personality and even “Saint Bee” is an interesting one. I loved the pacing, how the author explores how being forever reliving the same day, neither dead nor alive, can make someone lose it. How, if there are no consequences, people will do anything.

I’m completely obsessed with this book and I want to re-read it immediately. The mystery was great, I loved everything about it! It’s an atmospheric, gripping, intense read.

TW: abuse of substance, drunk driving, attempted suicide, violence, mentions of sex (not explicit), grieving

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