The Catastrophic History of You & Me

Gr 9 Up—Shortly before her 16th birthday, Brie Eagan dies of a broken heart (literally) when her boyfriend, Jacob, tells her that he doesn't love her. What happens after her death, as narrated by Brie, carries readers to a complex afterlife full of surprises and challenges. At the Little Slice of Heaven pizzeria, aka "Forever," she meets charming Patrick, who gives her a handbook offering advice for dealing with eternity. Although Brie largely ignores the guide, she can't escape passing through the messy stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, sadness, and acceptance) as she returns to view her family and friends. When she learns that Jacob lied to her, she's determined to get revenge for what she originally interprets as his betrayal despite feeling powerless to set things right. Fortunately, she does figure out her relationship with Patrick in time to save him from spending eternity as a lost soul. Brie's recollections of life on Earth and her reactions to her new reality blend humor, uncertainty, anger, and hope. While travels through various regions of the afterlife are intriguing, the book's more valuable insights concern how people misinterpret the motives, actions, and emotions of others. In her debut novel, Rothenberg supplies readers with an imaginative and intriguing vision of what might happen after death.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato