Review: Excellent comic/symbolic representation of the miseries of hell
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 8, 2012
Kim Jewell's creative imagination never fails to astound. The originality of this story begs for a wide, universal readership and although it targets a YA audience, it's nevertheless an entertaining read for the older generation as well--a thing always recommended as it keeps one in touch with his or her "younger days"!Grant the MC, dies in an arson episode after his sister is killed through gang banging criminal activity and he ends up in hell. Strange activities and misadventures there set the stage for Grant's being sent back to the fiery pits of high school, triggering further humourous development of the plot as one wonders which is worse, hell or high school. Though comic in many places, there are deeper, darker underlying features to this novel which make the issues or themes that arise profound in nature--there's something here for everyone. Does hell exist? This fantasy version of that dreaded place is a riot--the characters in administration, like Angelo, Grant's demon caseworker, Zap, the Russian rehabilitator/therapist as well as the inmates are all so interesting--and the writing so effective to clothe them with realism--one is almost convinced such a place might exist, imbuing this with a lot of food for thought as the story unfolds.The familial theme in this novel is handled expertly--Grant and his sister growing up neglected by their mother, leaving them to take care of each other paints a touching, sentimental picture of the siblings' relationship, providing the basis for Grant's utter outrage and heartbreak when his sister is murdered and explaining his desire to seek revenge on the main culprit responsible. The human motivations are weaved into this story expertly making so much identifiable; equally, the fantasy aspects, the humour, the justice/good vs evil/right vs wrong themes against the covert mystical/religious background of whether there's a hell (or heaven) all leaven this with wonderful literary substance.  I'm impressed with this author's imagination and literary skills and I'll definitely be reading more of her work.