Meg Cabot - Abandon

How did we cross paths?

There's no way I'd miss Meg Cabot's books. I just love her style and stories. It's as simple as that.

My booklove?

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Mythology

It's based on a time-worn Greek mythology that gives both mysticism and obscurity to the core of the plot loaded with a sugar-sweet love story, eternal battle against dark forces, the author's peculiar I-tell-you-what sort of style added to the seasoning. All in all, everything you need to get as far as possible from dull reality, which is the point of reading I guess.

According to the Greeks, Hades god of the Underworld snatched Persephone and made her live with him for the end of time in a damp, shadowy, desolate nether world. It wasn't very nice of him as far as I can tell. It's not in the air whether Persephone was fond of the idea or she considered it repulsive. At the same time her mother, the goddess of Spring and Harvest, Demeter was a bit on the edge. She didn't like the gimmick of off-world forces assuming that her daughter was involved. As a consequence, her wrath descended upon humans and chastised them with drought and famine. It's quite ponderous to worship someone specifically while you're starving. For this reason, Hades had no choice but to release his unworldly princess. Too bad.

"Anything can happen in the blink of an eye.
One.
Two.
Three.
Blink."

What is like being dead?

Pierce Oliviera is definitely an NDE. But what the heck does it mean?

NDE : expression, near-death experience. Statistics say NDEs could suffer from profound personality changes and difficulties readjusting to life after death.

It would be nice to know what happens to us after entering the Pearly Gates. Valhalla? Heaven? Or our next - hopefully, less horrible - life?

Well, Pierce certainly has some ideas concerning the topic since two years ago she fall into a pool of water in the freezing winter. Then the defibrillators, along with a massive dose of epinephrine, brought her back to life. Science is amazing. Though she explains the conditions of her death otherwise.
And it has nothing to do with science. Yet when she clarifies certain events that occurred to her while she was unconscious, the big-brains of erudition refuse to believe her fantasies of being captured in a somber cave by a twenty-some boy who seems to be in charge of the Underworld.

Welcome to Isla Huesos

She moves to Island of Bones (the name itself doesn't bode well) with her mother to make a fresh start and get away from her haunting memories of I-almost-died not to mention him who always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most. But if she depends upon a restart, she couldn't be more wrong. In spite of making her best efforts to avoid him, they still tend to come across in the cemetery (a passage to the other realm) which is apparently ranked first in their Best Dating Venues Top List.

She did meet him first when she was seven and she was brought to her grandfather's funeral in Isla Huesos. She happened to find an injured dove while wandering among the graves. Well, not exactly a Disneyland for kids, I should say. She stepped forward like an animal protectionist but the more she tried to help the more it tried to escape and finally ended up dead. Then a tall, storm-gray eyed stranger walked up to her and recalled the dove to life in an instant. Naturally, the seven-year-old Pierce had faith in Santa and Toothfairy so what would have prevented her from believing in the birds-reviving (Hot) Guy? That decisive moment determined both of their future lives.

Hayden - god of the dead (sort of)

"And in what fairy tale would John ever be any sane person's idea of Prince Charming anyway? He was the opposite of charming. More like Prince Terrifying."

Their next get-together passed off less fruitful when Pierce bit the dust. She didn't foresee it coming. If you think she got immediately to Heaven, Valhalla or her next life, you're damn wrong. Death sucks.

She emerged in an awful damp, shadowy, desolate place where people aren't particularly being very nice to her. You may as well think after death you could be at ease at least for a little while but it's obviously not carved in stone. The superpowers must handle the what-now-with-the-dead? situaton better. Not only did you tragically die but godforsaken foul souls find you even there? Not a sympathetic clap on your shoulders or the appreciation of having been able to live so many years in the wickedness society. Better get use to disappointment guys.

Well, thanks but I don't think I want to deal with Earth after I'm dead! I prefer the-riding-on-rainbow-unicorns version. ;)

Having recognized the disconcerted Pierce, Hayden appearing on his formidable black stallion offered her sanctuary in the Underworld. It's a nicer way to put it because he rather played her out to stay with him there for eternity. Not very chivalrous. Damn right she escaped from him at the age of fifteen!

Being locked up in Nowhereland with flat-out manhood freaked her out. Underworld was not a priority destination of her college application at that time, however, it solved a bunch of troubles. Lodgement? Medieval castle with a soft four-poster bed. Majors? Major of selecting the dead to boats leading either to future happiness or eternal suffering. Flatmate? Hot, dark-haired, six Abs. Future goals?...well, not dying again would help.

"And eternity is a long time. So if you have to spend it with someone I could see wanting to spend it with someone impossible...but interesting...."

Despite the fact that Hayden saved her life several times (even if he was a stalker while appearing out of the blue from time to time) Pierce is afraid of him. He's a wild thing. No wonder, though. His job is made up of shepherding a herd of souls towards their well-deserved peace or rightful punishment of purgatory. If it came to me, I wouldn't kick up my heels either. Unless it'd pay well.

Nonetheless, her life is in constant danger since the Furies (souls who are not a bit satisfied with their equitable destination of the afterlife and are able to occupy any human bodies of feeble character) are determined to hurt John through her. Obviously, Pierce is his Achilles tendon, and Hayden is the most vulnerable when it comes to her.

Mythology comes to the house

"He let his mouth linger on mine, neither possessively nor sweetly... like his mouth just belonged there on mine. And he was right. It did. It always had."

Basically, we get mixed up in the Hades-Persephone-love-affair. John claims his empress who is reluctant to oblige....for a while. But it's hard to resist for a lonely sulky cat who only needs some caress to purr. I bet many of you would love to take this homeless catty to your place just for snuggling ;)

While Pierce struggling with the school and Coffin Night Hayden does his best to eliminate the immediate threat of the Furies who are becoming more and more aggressive lately. He has no other choice left but took Pierce to the last place she'd like to be. The Underworld.

Rating

5 out of 5