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Average rating4
Jennifer Yu’s Grief in the Fourth Dimension is a moving and unique speculative YA novel about the afterlife and the unexpected connections that can be made in death.
In life, high school classmates Caroline Davison and Kenny Zhou existed in separate universes—Caroline in one of softball practices and family dinners; Kenny in one of NASA photo books and late-night shifts at his parents’ Chinese restaurant.
But after their deaths, they find themselves thrown together as roommates in a mysterious white room—one that seems to exist outside of time and space, shows them their loved ones’ lives on a large hi-def TV, and grants their wishes with a sardonic sense of humor.
As Caroline and Kenny watch life continue to unfold back on Earth, they realize they can influence events through radio signals, psychic mediums, and electromagnetic interference. In their efforts to console their families, they also start to understand the tragic depth of how their lives and deaths were connected and how to help their families—and themselves—heal from the losses.
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Two teenagers meet in an extra-dimensional space after their deaths. Through a TV in this room, they watch the lives of their loved ones following their passing, communicate the best they can, and learn how their lives were intertwined.
This was a tender book that wormed its way into my heart. The cast was strong; Kenny and Caroline are sweet and loving people, and seeing their stories unfold along with them was more affecting on me than I expected. I especially liked the characterization of Caroline, who wears her heart on her sleeve and chooses kindness after moments of desperation, as well as her brother and father.
I would've liked to see more of Kenny's past; I understand depression, especially as a second-gen immigrant, and feel like I was told more about Kenny's rather than shown. His father was also a favorite.
All in all, a strong character-driven book about grief that I would recommend for book clubs.
I was given a free audiobook download of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review. Thank you!