BIBLIOGRAPHY
Soto, Gary. 2003. The Afterlife. Florida: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0-15-204774-3
PLOT SUMMARY
Set in California, The Afterlife is the story of Chuy, a seventeen year old Mexican boy who is brutally murdered in the opening chapter of the book. He rises up from his body as a ghost. In his new ghostly form, he laments his death and all the things in life he will never get to experience. He visits his parents and other friends and family members and shares in their grief.
But Chuy realizes that being a ghost isn't all bad. He discovers he has some newfound abilities, including flying and walking through solid objects, and he has some fun experimenting with what he is now capable of. He comes across a couple other ghosts of the recently departed and even encounters true love.
As he slowly starts to fade away, will Chuy leave this earth with regrets or at peace?
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
While this YA book includes a random act of extreme violence and a host of characters who are devastated by their losses, Soto manages to keep the tone of the novel light and humorous. Chuy is a sarcastic, self-deprecating teen who causes the reader to laugh more than to feel sorry for him. His moments of grief are balanced with mischief and fun, including knocking down the door of a thug's house so the local children could "steal" the stolen bikes he was stashing there. His voice comes across as that of a realistic teenager. Readers will root for him as his feelings for Crystal grow, and they will relate to his jealousy over her past boyfriends.
Soto interweaves many Spanish words in with the English text, which adds to the cultural authenticity of the story. In keeping with Mexican tradition, Chuy's family has a rosary for him the day before his funeral. When Chuy realizes that Crystal is half Mexican, he finds her to be even more lovely.
What will stay with me after finishing The Afterlife is not that it was a story about death, but that it was a story about hope and taking the time to enjoy each moment, even if you are a ghost.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
BOOKLIST Editors' Choice
From BOOKLIST - "He not only paints the scenery brilliantly but also captures the pain that follows an early death. In many ways, this is as much a story about a hardscrabble place as it is about a boy who is murdered. Both pulse with life and will stay in memory."
From KIRKUS REVIEWS - "Soto writes with a touch as light as Chuy's ghost and with humor, wonderment, and generosity toward life."
From PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - "Filled with hope and elegance."
CONNECTIONS
If your students enjoyed Soto's writing, share some of his other books with them. Click this link to peruse his catalog of titles.
Chuy and his family did not have a lot of money, and he describes himself as completely average, even feo. Still, he was a happy teenager who was content with his life. Crystal, on the other hand, was rich, beautiful, and popular, but she was so unhappy that she killed herself. Have a discussion about the stark differences between these two characters' overall satisfaction with their lives and what the implications are.
While Chuy is a ghost, he fulfills a lifelong dream of going to a Raiders game. He was able to float in and go right down onto the field without being noticed. Ask your students to write about where they would go if they were in the same ghostly form as Chuy and explain why.
Have your students take a quiz to check their understanding of this novel. Click on this link to find a quiz that you can print and administer to your students.
Ask your students if they were satisfied with the ending of the book. If not, how do they think it should have ended?
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