What happens when you die before your time?
Thirteen-year-old Kathleen “Kat” Gallagher has had it with her family. The eldest of three children, Kat feels trapped ever since her parents’ separated and she has had to take on more responsibility than she feels prepared for. Everything changes on a frigid morning in mid-December when an accident propels Kat into unfamiliar territory.
Stuck in the place where people go when they have died before their time, Kat must face obstacles she could never have imagined.
With the help of other young inhabitants of the Realm of the Lost, Kat learns the true meaning of friendship and family.
-From Goodreads
I was given this book to review (my first!) by the author and was looking forward to starting it. After reading a bit more about it on Goodreads I was very excited as it was a plot that I had not encountered before, although this also made me a little sceptical. I didn’t have to worry though, as it was brilliant right from the start!
The plot was completely original and very interesting. It was fast-paced and kept me interested throughout. I just wish it was longer as I felt that it would have added the depth it needed to be amazing. It shows another side to what happens after we die. I was answering questions from the first paragraph and already wanted to know more.
When Kat Gallagher gets run over she visits the Realm of the Lost, a place where people go if they died before their time.
When visiting the Realm of the Lost, Kat meets Rosaria and Mikey, who befriend her quickly and show her around the Realm. I really loved Mikey, who was funny and a typical naughty eight year old, even though he was born in the 1940’s. I found that he really added something which would have been lost if he hadn’t have been in the book.
I didn’t immediately warm to Rosaria but once I’d read a few pages of her then I began to understand her and actually quite liked her.
The main character, Kat, was interesting and she quickly gained my sympathy. The story was written in her point of view which felt personal and meant that I could get closer to her. It really raised the question in my head: ‘How would I react in that situation?’ She’s incredibly caring at the start of the book, looking after her younger brother and sister, so you can really see the change when she arrives in the Realm a bit panic-stricken. I think I would be the same!
I really liked the cover and if I were to see it in a bookshop would pick it up out of curiosity. The deserted forest tells that the book is going to be quite lonely and not exactly normal.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book, although I do wish it was longer so I could feel more attached to the characters and really get interested in the book, as I think it would be greater than it currently is!
RATING: 4/5
Thank you to Emma Eden Ramos, the author, for sending me this book to review!
