Review: Hereafter

HEREAFTER (Hereafter #1)
Tara Hudson
Paranormal Young Adult
400 Pages
HarperCollins
Available June 7th
Received for review via NetGalley and through a tour by Teen Book Scene

THE STORY
Amelia's dead. Her death has not brought her peace however, instead she roams the area around the river in which she drowned, completely invisible and alone. She also suffers through nightmarish visions in which she relives the last moments of her life, waking up after an indeterminate amount of time to find herself in the graveyard in which she's buried.

So, when she finds herself choking and sputtering while sinking beneath the water yet again, she expects to awaken to the dry grass of the graveyard, only this time she's back in the river for real. And she's not alone. There's a boy about her age who's been in an accident and she knows he's dying. By some miracle, Amelia startles him back to life, and in doing so, changes her entire existence.

Joshua, the boy she saved, can see her. He talks to her, touches her, and she can actually feel again. After being alone for quite some time, Amelia's life is suddenly bustling with social activity when Eli, a spirit himself, makes his presence known shortly after her rescue of Joshua. He has the answers she's looking for about her life and death, as Amelia herself cannot remember anything except quick flashes here and there, but what he expects in return for his knowledge may be more than Amelia has left to give.

MY THOUGHTS
Hereafter is a story that drops us right into the action, introducing us to Amelia significantly after her death and well into her afterlife, thereby creating an instant curiosity about her past as we hit the ground running in the present. Normally, the lack of history and a certain haziness regarding the specifics of Amelia's ghostly existence would be somewhat frustrating, but because Amelia herself shares in our uncertainty, we are able to bond with her as we uncover bits and pieces about her life before and after her drowning together. Instead of being alone in the dark scrambling for purchase, we are provided the comforting presence of both Amelia and Joshua, friends to us in fiction, whom we gladly let navigate our way through the Hereafter as we learn about the past, embrace the present, and eagerly anticipate the future. Ms. Hudson has written a well-rounded story where a sweet, believable romance is beautifully interwoven with all the mysterious elements that surround the idea of life after death.

Amelia is a likeable character from her very introduction, the terror of her nightmares instantly connecting us with her as we share her memories of sinking beneath the dark water, wanting to reach through the pages and soothe her with our presence so she knows she doesn't have to face her demise alone yet again. She possesses a wry sense of humor, joking with Joshua about her current spectral predicament and earning our respect as she faces so many unknowns with a good attitude, never resigning herself to a fate not of her choosing. We can't help but smile at her interactions with Joshua, their conversations often permeated with that adolescent awkwardness with which we are all extremely familiar, and we laugh quietly to ourselves as we realize not even death can make those moments disappear entirely.

The relationship between Joshua and Amelia is done extraordinarily well, progressing at an incredibly satisfying pace after the intensity of their initial meeting. Their time alone is fraught with such palpable romantic tension we practically burn holes in the pages with the weight of our heated stare as we wait in bated breath for a look, a touch, or an impossible kiss. While there is an instant attraction, the draw on Amelia's side extends far beyond Joshua's pretty face–her interest one of curiosity and an underlying hope that is far more interesting and poignant than a mere undying declaration of everlasting love. With him, she goes from simply existing, hovering between worlds, to feeling as though she has a life again. His touch breaks through the unbearable numbness of her ghostly being, giving her fleeting moments of true sensation and creating for her new memories to replace the ones of a life she can no longer recall. Theirs is a relationship of impossibilities, and we read each page willing elements into place to help them conquer the seemingly insurmountable odds of their success as a couple.

There are so many unique aspects to Ms. Hudson's imaginings of the Hereafter, and she provides us with a tale where questions arise but are also blissfully answered as the colossal gaps in Amelia's memories begin to fill in. This (I think) first installment is nicely concluded, leaving us with plenty of potential for the future yet we are completely at peace with the state of affairs as they stand–a rare occurrence for the first book in a series and a trend that will hopefully continue in book two if there is one.

Rating: 4.5/5