It's a Wonderful Death

Gr 9 Up—Rowena "RJ" Jones never expected to die. Indeed, a sly gypsy at a carnival pushes her into the Grim Reaper's path unexpectedly. RJ soon learns that dying is a very bureaucratic process, fraught with paperwork and waiting. How does one appeal death? As RJ attempts to undo her ultimate sentence, she is aided by two guardian angels who substantiate her claims. She is granted a reprieve if she can prove to a higher authority that reliving her life will lead to a positive change in the world. How the heck is she supposed to do that? The novel presents the afterlife as a mainly Judeo-Christian concept, which isn't ultimately saved by mentioning the Buddha in a single line of dialogue. RJ can be an infuriating main character. Supporting characters tend to be zany and unpredictable. RJ never knows who is truly friend or foe whenever she meets anyone new. Things are further complicated when Death Himself becomes her advocate yet seems to have an ulterior motive that isn't entirely clear. Death is more concerned with surfing waves than collecting guilty souls, just one example of the quirky behavior many of the secondary characters exhibit. RJ's journey is an interesting adventure—particularly when she revisits and changes pivotal moments from her past.