The Skinjacker Trilogy by Neal Shusterman

I will never look at those little moments of forgetfulness or those unexplained chills in the same way ever again.  Now that I have schema for the possibility of skinjacking and for the idea that I am just a fleshie for some Afterlight in Everlost, how can I ever see those everyday anomalies in the same way ever again?   

The creative mind of Neal Shusterman has once again planted ideas for seeds that I rationally know to be fictional, yet those seeds somehow sprout some semblance of what reality might be in the back of my mind.  Shusterman knows how to play with the questions that people have about life, death, and an afterlife and build on our fears about ghosts and loss.  He takes all of that and then spins it into an unbelievable fantasy world filled with rivalries, heroes, villains, and battles. He does all of this in Everlost, Everwild, and Everfound…the Skinjacker trilogy.  Intrigued?  Well, before I give you more of the details, let me take you back a step or two first. 

These three books are older than Unbound and the rest of the Unwind Dystology that I wrote about in a previous blog.  So, this is not Shusterman’s latest, although I have seen the cover for his latest…Scythe (think The Giver meets the Skinjacker trilogy meets The Hunger Games), which will be released on November 26, 2016.  The Skinjacker trilogy is a book series that my son had been trying to get me to read for years.  Over the years, I have read about 10 Shusterman books, but I was not looking forward to reading these.  The word skinjacker just made me feel creepy.  Well, I finally did it.  I conquered my fear, and I can now say that I know both the good and bad of skinjacking, I know that not all Afterlights are good, and I know that I do not always have to fear monsters and chocolate. 

  

As is obvious from above, the Skinjacker trilogy has a vocabulary of its own.  Even the book’s antagonist makes up new vocabulary as the book moves along, thus highlighting her arrogance.  It is a fun read for those who like adventure mixed with the perfect amount of eeriness.  There are so many creative characters with special powers that a reader will be captivated by the possibility of what might come next in the series. 

Everlost begins with two children who are in a car accident and then wake up on the forest floor being watched by an unusual tree-dwelling boy.  They soon learn that they have “died” and are now living in a state between life and the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.  The two struggle to learn the rules of this new world (reserved only for children) and meet others who have failed to cross over into the light.  They soon learn that they have to watch out for an egomaniacal Sky Witch who has lured many children into the “safety” of her care and the McGill, a monster who is powerful enough to banish an Afterlight to the center of the Earth or sentence her to chiming. 

The first book shows readers how Nick and Allie manage in Everlost, and Everwild begins with new adventures for each character.  Allie finds new powers that can be used for good or bad and even drags a monster on her journey.  Nick begins his mission to stop his foe and deliver as many mysterious, and freeing, coins to Afterlights as he can.  Both come back together in the end to battle the antagonist, which sets the stage for a much greater confrontation in the third book, Everfound. 

There are so many fascinating characters and interesting stories introduced as Allie and Nick find their place in Everlost that it is easy to see why this series is my son’s favorite Shusterman work.  It is also the favorite of many other young tweens and teens, as a quick search on the Internet will reveal many, many Skinjacker fandom blogs.  And, while it was not my favorite Shusterman book, I can see how the story line will draw in readers.  I think that this series would be a great one to offer reluctant readers, both boys and girls alike.  If they like it, they will be hooked.  If they are hooked on Everlost, they will have to read the other two in the series.  If they get hooked on the series, then they will want to read the Unwind Dystology.  Then, they will want more and more Shusterman (As I said in a previous blog, the man has written a lot of books.).  By the end of their Shusterman travels, they will consider themselves readers and move into other authors and other genres.  This is the beauty of a series like the Skinjacker trilogy.  It has the power to turn our staunchest reluctant readers into book-loving fanatics! 
    

Everlost, Everwild, and Everfound by Neil Shusterman, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (2009, 2010, & 2012); ISBN: 9781416997498, 9781416958642, & 9781416990505

Ideal for older tweens and young teens (or readers who aren't afraid to grapple with the afterlife or love adventure and unimaginable characters or just love Neal Shusterman or...)