Level 2: Memory Chronicles

Gr 7–10—What happens when we die? Felicia Ward discovers the answer to this question is very different from what she expected. After being killed in a freak car accident the day before her 18th birthday, Felicia finds herself in a technological afterlife where souls are kept in white, sterile hives and spend much of their time reliving memories of life on Earth. Most of the teen's memories revolve around Neil and Julian and the secrets of her past, which she can hardly face. She floats along in this semi-existence until the day when a glitch occurs in the system, causing the disappearance of one of her friends, followed by the sudden appearance of Julian. What Felicia discovers after this will change her understanding of her life and her death, and thrust her into a divine battle over the fate of the dead. Appelhans's narrative (S & S, 2013) is intriguingly told through the use of flashback memories which fill in Felicia's past in snippets, building the suspense until the last chapter. The use of 21st-century technological jargon, such as "plugging in" and "tagging," transforms the age-old question about the afterlife into a contemporary possibility. Jenna Lamia becomes Felicia and imbues her narration with all the uncertainty, angst, defiance, and vulnerability that teenagers experience. Appelhans leaves enough dangling threads at the end that a sequel can't be far behind. Dystopian fans will find this compelling novel an enjoyable twist on standard futuristic themes, and anyone who has ever fallen in love will enjoy all the romantic bits.—Michaela Schied, Indian River Middle School, Philadelphia, NY