Line #15 Literature/Everlost


1	[[quoteright:190:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Everlost.jpg]]
2
3	->''"Linger or light; the choice will be yours."''
4
5	A novel by Creator/NealShusterman. The first novel of ''Literature/TheSkinjackerTrilogy''.
6
7	Nick and Allie don't survive the car accident, but their souls [[ReroutedFromHeaven don't exactly get to where they're supposed to]] either. Instead, they're caught halfway between life and death, in a sort of limbo known as Everlost: a shadow of the living world, filled with things and places that no longer exist. It's a magical, yet dangerous place where bands of lost children run wild and anyone who stands in the same place too long sinks to the center of the Earth.
8
9	When they find Mary, the self-proclaimed queen of the lost kids, Nick feels like he's found a home, but Allie isn't satisfied spending eternity between worlds. Against all warnings, Allie begins learning the "Criminal Art" of haunting, and ventures into dangerous territory, where a monster called the [=McGill=] threatens all the souls of Everlost.
10
11	In this imaginative novel, Neal Shusterman explores questions of life, death, and what just might lie in between.
12
13	Has a [[{{Characters/TheSkinjackerTrilogy}} Character Sheet.]]
14
15	----
16	!!This novel provides examples of:
17
18	* AlliterativeName: [[spoiler:Megan [=McGill=] and Mikey [=McGill=].]]
19	* AndIMustScream: For some reason, The Screamer kid who gets captured along with [[spoiler: Nick and Lief]]. Allie shuts him up.
20	* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: [[spoiler:When Nick kisses Mary and is seemingly rejected by a non-reacting Mary.]]
21	* BatmanGambit: [[spoiler:Allie and the [=McGill=] on each other.]] [[spoiler:Throughout Allie's ScheherezadeGambit and BlatantLies, she knows she has some sort of power over the [=McGill=] and enjoys it, which causes her to have some ConflictingLoyalty because while she strongly desires to rescue [[TrueCompanions Nick and Lief]], she feels [[StockholmSyndrome a little sympathetic]] towards the [=McGill=]]]. [[spoiler:Meanwhile, the [=McGill=] develops a strong case of LimaSyndrome for Allie, which is troubling for him because he knows Allie will abandon him and escape with her friends, if given the chance. However, because of the [=McGill's=] {{Blackmail}} over Allie, he also knows that she would do what he wants for the sake of her [[ThePowerOfFriendship friends]].]]
22	* BeastAndBeauty: [[spoiler:[=McGill=]]] and Allie (even Allie [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this):
23	--> '''Allie:''' "Don't try to charm me. The 'Beauty and the Beast' thing doesn't work with me, okay?"
24	* BecomingTheMask: [[spoiler:According to Nick, Allie likes it with the [=McGill=] and having power over him (since her big plan has been taking quite a number of weeks to accomplish). After this accusation, when Allie growls at Nick for making a plan of his own, she doesn't want to admit her growl even sounds like the [=McGill's=] growl.]]
25	* BewareOfHitchhikingGhosts: [[spoiler:When Allie {{body surf}}s into a nineteen year old jogger, and they fight for control of the girl's body while Allie's driving. They crash into a guard rail along the road. The jogger ends up frightened and bruised but all right, but Allie literally falls out of the body and almost sinks in the water below. Mikey [=McGill=] saves her.]]
26	* BewareTheNiceOnes: [[spoiler:Mary.]]
27	* BigApplesauce: A good portion of the story takes place in New York.
28	* BigBad: [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast The [=McGill=]]]. [[spoiler:Mary Hightower, though she is more of a {{Well Intentioned Extremist}}]]. [[spoiler:Until ''Literature/{{Everwild}}'', that is.]]
29	* BigBadFriend: See spoiler on {{Big Bad}}.
30	* BigNo: [[spoiler: The [=McGill=] when Mary shows him a picture of who he really is - Mary's brother, Michael Edward [=McGill=], which changes him back from an {{Eldritch Abomination}} to the fifteen year old boy he once was.]]
31	* {{Blackmail}}: Twice for [[spoiler:Allie]] by [[spoiler:the Haunter]] and [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]]. The former, she [[TakeAThirdOption took a third option]], but with the latter, Allie agrees [[ScheherezadeGambit for the most part]].
32	* BlatantLies: [[spoiler:[[{{The Hero}}ine Allie]] teaching [[{{Big Bad}} the McGill]] the [[BlatantLies twelve steps to be able to skinjack]].]]
33	** At least half the things [[spoiler:Mary writes in her books. For example: fortune cookies are toxic and the coin in your pocket is worthless junk.]]
34	* BodySurf: [[spoiler:Allie]] does this [[{{Rule of Three}} three times.]]
35	* BoyMeetsGirl:
36	** Nick meets [[CrashIntoHello Allie]], and then Nick meets [[MeetCute Mary]].
37	** Gender-reversed when Allie is the first to meet [[{{Tagalong Kid}} Lief]].
38	%%* BrattyHalfPint: Vari can be seen as this at times.
39	%%* BrokenBird: Mary.
40	* ButNotTooForeign: Nick is half-Japanese.
41	%%* CharacterDevelopment
42	* CharacterFocus: Interchanges between Nick, Allie, Lief, Mary, and the [=McGill=] (with a bit of Vari on the side).
43	* ChasteHero: Johnnie-O when he says, [[GirlsHaveCooties "I don't like girls much."]] According to Allie, it's because he died [[ObliviousToLove a year too young]].
44	%%* TheChessmaster: Allie seemed to have been getting there.
45	* ChekhovsGun: [[spoiler:The coin Afterlights have when they first enter Everlost is revealed to be their ticket to returning to the tunnel to the light.]]
46	%%* Cliffhanger
47	%%* ClingyJealousGirl: Vari.
48	* CloudCuckoolander: Lief, half way through the story.
49	* ConflictingLoyalty: [[spoiler:Despite [[BlatantLies "helping" the [=McGill=]]] in order to free [[JamesBondage Nick and Lief]], it is subtly shown that Allie at times sympathizes with and secretly likes the power she has with the [=McGill=], which is probably why her master plan is prolonged for weeks.]]
50	%%* CoolAirship: The ''Hindenburg.''
51	%%* CoolBoat: The ''Sulphur Queen.''
52	%%* CoolHorse: [[spoiler:Shiloh, the Famous Diving Horse.]]
53	* CrashIntoHello: Nick and Allie literally first meet when they bump into each other, causing them to sidetrack from the tunnel to the light and end up in Everlost instead.
54	* CreepyChild: Vari, especially in the beginning of the story when he's a [[ClingyJealousGirl Clingy Jealous Boy]].
55	%%* DeadpanSnarker: Allie.
56	%%* DefeatMeansFriendship: [[spoiler:Johnnie-O and the [=McGill=]/Mikey [=McGill=] to Allie.]]
57	* {{Delinquents}}: The Altar Boys (Johnnie-O and his gang).
58	%%* DidNotGetTheGirl: [[spoiler:Nick after he betrays Mary.]]
59	%%* DidYouJustScamCthulhu: [[spoiler:Allie]] tricking [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]] into beliving that she was teaching him how to [[spoiler:{{Body Surf}}]].
60	%%* DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu: Whenever [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]] begins showing genuine kindness towards [[spoiler:Allie]].
61	* TheDogBitesBack: [[spoiler:When the kids who the [=McGill=]/Mikey [=McGill=] chimed create an angry mob and beat him up. Mikey [=McGill=] escapes them thanks to his CoolHorse to chase after Allie, who he wants to "bite back" for betraying him.]]
62	%%* DoggedNiceGuy: Nick at first.
63	%%* EarnYourHappyEnding
64	* EasilyForgiven:
65	** [[spoiler:Allie]] after [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]] catches her opening his fortune cookies, thanks to a fortune cookie predicting forgiveness.
66	** Within a couple of hours of chasing [[spoiler:Allie]] for betraying him, [[spoiler:Mikey [=McGill=]]] has a change of heart from vengeance to admiration towards [[spoiler:Allie]] for being a {{Worthy Opponent}}. [[spoiler:This is probably why he [[RescueRomance rescues]] her.]]
67	%%* EldritchAbomination: [[spoiler:The [=McGill=].]]
68	* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: [[spoiler:According to the [=McGill=], this is what the Afterlights who sink to the center of the earth are waiting for.]]
69	%%* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: [[spoiler:The Haunter.]]
70	%%* FishOutOfWater: Nick and Allie.
71	%%* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler:The fortune cookies.]]
72	%%* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Johnnie-O and his gang. And Mikey [=McGill=].]]
73	* HesitationEqualsDishonesty: When [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]] catches [[spoiler:Allie]] opening his fortune cookies (see {{Foreshadowing}}) in a {{Look Behind You}} moment and demands an explanation, [[spoiler:Allie]] opens her mouth and hesitates answering, so [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]] automatically assumes she will lie (and if she does he won't be able to control his temper any longer). When [[spoiler:Allie]] finally answers him, it smells of honesty, but [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]] opens a fortune cookie with [[spoiler:Allie]] to see what to do. It reads, "Forgiveness keeps destiny on track," so [[spoiler:Allie]] is then {{Easily Forgiven}} by [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]]. Because of this, [[spoiler:Allie]] does a {{Pet The Dog}} moment by saying that forgiveness is the fifth step to [[spoiler:skinjacking.]]
74	* HomeSweetHome: Initially Nick's and especially Allie's goal in the beginning of the story.
75	%%* IChooseToStay: [[spoiler:Nick, Allie, Mary, and Mikey.]]
76	* IDidWhatIHadToDo: [[spoiler:When Nick betrays Mary by helping the kids go to the light.]]
77	%%* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: Allie almost/could have become this.
78	* ILoveYouBecauseICantControlYou: [[spoiler:The [=McGill=]]] takes a growing interest in [[spoiler:Allie]] not only because of [[spoiler:her skinjacking ability]] but also because she doesn't fear him (she secretly does).
79	%%* ImpliedLoveInterest: Thanks to the {{Ship Tease}}, Allie and [[spoiler:the [[{{Big Bad}} McGill]]/[[{{Heel Face Turn}} Mikey McGill]].]]
80	* InterruptedSuicide: Subverted. [[spoiler:When the [=McGill=] sees Allie staring off at the horizon from the deck and approaches her, Allie was actually looking at the horizon in hopes of finding the [[{{HomeSweetHome}} New Jersey]] shore. She senses the [=McGill's=] [[{{PetTheDog}} concern]] and accuses him of trying to pull a BeastAndBeauty. The [=McGill=] actually thought Allie was going to jump and wanted to make sure she wasn't going to.]]
81	* {{Irony}}: Allie lies to Johnnie-O's gang that if they hurt her, she'll call the [[{{BigBad}} McGill]], who will protect her. [[spoiler:Guess who she eventually meets, fools into comradeship and betrays, and finally becomes allies with.]] [[spoiler: [[{{HeelFaceTurn}} The [=McGill=] rescues Allie]] after [[{{RoaringRampageOfRevenge}} he tries to hunt her down]].]]
82	* ItsAllMyFault: [[spoiler:Allie after Nick and Lief get captured by the Haunter.]]
83	* JacobMarleyApparel: Afterlights are forced to wear the clothes they died in.
84	* JamesBondage: [[spoiler:Nick and Lief get captured by the Haunter and then [[{{Big Bad}} the McGill]].]] Guess who comes to save them twice.
85	%%* JustFriends: Nick and Allie.
86	%%* KidHero
87	* LimaSyndrome: [[spoiler:The [=McGill=]/Mikey [=McGill=] to Allie. This, along with his PetTheDog moments and considering her a WorthyOpponent, causes him to he makes a HeelFaceTurn and become TheSixthRanger.]]
88	%%* LimitedWardrobe: Justified, due to JacobMarleyApparel.
89	* LivingLieDetector: The [=McGill=] believes he is this, but his arrogance blinds him from seeing [[spoiler:Allie's BlatantLies.]]
90	* TheLoad: Nick and Lief through most of the story.
91	%%* LookBehindYou
92	%%* LoveAtFirstSight: Nick towards Mary.
93	%%* LoveHurts: Nick and Mary oh so much, [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]] could count too.
94	%%* LoveMakesYouDumb: Nick, for the most part, when it comes to Mary.
95	* LuminescentBlush: When Allie names the unnamed boy she and Nick meet "Lief," his happiness causes him to blush as if he had been kissed.
96	** Nick whenever he's around Mary.
97	%%* MeaningfulName
98	%%* MeetCute: Meet Mary.
99	%%** [[BoyMeetsGirl Nick meets Allie]] first, but they are PlatonicLifePartners.
100	* MinorMajorCharacter: Johnnie-O and his gang, the Haunter, Pinhead.
101	%%* MoodWhiplash
102	* MoralityChain: Arguably Allie for [[spoiler:the [[BigBad [=McGill=]]] / [[HeelFaceTurn Mikey [=McGill=]]].]]
103	* MostWritersAreWriters: Mary Hightower and [[spoiler:Allie the Outcast.]]
104	* {{Motifs}}: Books, the fortune cookies.
105	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: See ItsAllMyFault.
106	* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: [[BigBad The [=McGill=]]].
107	* NeverLand: The titular Everlost is populated by ghost children who are ReallySevenHundredYearsOld. One of the oldest-looking children was fifteen at the time of death.
108	* NoSwastikas: The Hindenburg's are denied admission into Everlost.
109	* NonActionGuy: Nick [[spoiler:until he {{Took A Level In Badass}}]].
110	%%* OddCouple: Nick and Lief.
111	* OfficialCouple: Nick and Mary until [[spoiler:Nick betrays her and they become enemies]]. They turn into [[spoiler:Foe Yay]] since they still love each other.
112	* OhCrap: When [[spoiler:Allie]] gets chased by [[spoiler:Mikey [=McGill=] on a horse]] for betraying him.
113	%%* OlderThanTheyLook
114	* OnlySaneMan: Allie, Nick at times (especially in comparision to {{Cloud Cuckoo Lander}} Lief.)
115	* OnlyTheWorthyMayPass: To the Haunter. And if you're ''unworthy''... let's just say the cost isn't pretty.
116	%%* OurGhostsAreDifferent
117	* OutGambitted: [[spoiler:Allie when the [=McGill=] realizes she betrayed him.]]
118	* PetTheDog: Subtle moments between Allie and [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]], especially when [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]] starts to like her.
119	* PlatonicLifePartners: Nick and Allie. You'd think they'd become the OfficialCouple because they're the [[BoyMeetsGirl main characters]], but they're just friends.
120	* PleaseDontLeaveMe: "Please don't go." - Lief to Nick and Allie when they decide to leave the forest to find their homes.
121	** It's all right, though because [[spoiler:Lief secretly follows them to make sure they don't get hurt, and he even rescues them when Johnnie-O and his gang ambush Nick and Allie.]]
122	%%* PluckyComicRelief: Lief after he becomes a CloudCuckoolander.
123	* PrecociousCrush: Nine year old Vari's "crush" on fifteen year old Mary.
124	%%* ProphecyTwist: See {{Foreshadowing}}.
125	%%* ThePunishment: Getting chimed.
126	%%* QuirkyMinibossSquad: Johnnie-O and the Altar Boys.
127	%%* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: See QuirkyMinibossSquad.
128	%%* RedOniBlueOni: Allie and Mary, Vari and Nick
129	%%* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: [[spoiler:The Haunter.]]
130	* RescueRomance: [[spoiler:Quite possibly between Mikey [=McGill=] and Allie when he rescues her after he makes a HeelFaceTurn because she is a WorthyOpponent. Because Mikey ''does'' like Allie, this is one-sided at best... ''so far''.]]
131	* TheReveal: [[spoiler:The [=McGill=] is Michael "Mikey" Edward [=McGill=], Mary's younger brother.]]
132	** [[spoiler:That coin you have with you when you first enter Everlost? It's your ticket to going to the light. And [[WellIntentionedExtremist Mary]] knew that all along.]]
133	** [[spoiler:The reason why the [=McGill=] never goes to Atlantic City is because that is where he suffered his first defeat at the hands of the Twin Pier Maradaurs, who captured him. One of the members of the Maradaurs later turned traitor and set the [=McGill=] free. Pinhead, the [=McGill's=] chief associate, knows of this crucial information because ''he'' was the traitorous Maradaur who set the [=McGill=] free.]]
134	* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: When an angry mob of kids chase after [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]], who chases after [[spoiler:Allie.]]
135	* RomanceEnsues: Nick and Mary, obviously.
136	* RuleOfThree: [[spoiler:Allie]] {{body surf}}s [[RuleOfThree three times]] and [[spoiler:Nick]] goes to the Twin Towers [[RuleOfThree three times]].
137	* SequelHook
138	* ScheherezadeGambit: Allie convinces [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]] she can teach him the twelve steps on how to [[spoiler:skinjack]] so she won't get thrown overboard. [[spoiler:They're all BlatantLies.]]
139	* ShipTease: Allie and [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]/Mikey [=McGill=].]]
140	* ShotgunWedding: Lampshaded and averted. [[spoiler:The [=McGill=] suggests for Allie to search in his treasure trove for nicer clothes to wear, even though Allie literally has a LimitedWardrobe and cannot take off the clothes she died in, but the [=McGill=] reminds her she could always wear the new clothes over it. The [=McGill=] finds a wedding dress in a cabinet. Allie gasps and the [=McGill=] turns, thinking she gasped because of the wedding dress - it's really because Nick is hiding behind the wedding dress.]]
141	-->'''[[spoiler:Allie]]:''' I won't be a monster's bride.
142	-->'''[[spoiler:The [=McGill=]]]:''' Who said I'd ask you?
143	* ShoutOut:
144	** Quite a bit (mostly said by Allie because she's our resident DeadpanSnarker / LittleMissSnarker):
145	-->'''Allie:''' Great. I'm playing Wendy to a delinquent Literature/PeterPan and the lost boys of Juvie Hall.
146	-->'''Allie:''' Don't try to charm me. The 'Literature/BeautyAndTheBeast' thing doesn't work with me, okay?
147	-->'''Allie:''' 'Ghost' implies a whole lot of things that I am NOT. Do I look like [[WesternAnimation/CasperTheFriendlyGhost Casper]] to you?
148	-->'''Allie:''' Thank you, [[Website/{{Google}} Mr. Google]]. The next time I need crucial information, I'll type in some keywords.
149	-->'''Vari:''' Soon everyone'll just call you Chocolate. Or ''Hershey''. Yeah, that's it. You'll be ''Hershey''.
150	-->'''Lief:''' This game's stupid. Who the heck is [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]], anyway?
151	** There's also a pair of afterlights in the Twin Towers who died on Halloween, dressed as a skeleton and a zombie. Their names are [[Series/TheXFiles Skully and Molder]].
152	%%* SmokingIsCool: Johnnie-O.
153	* StalkerWithACrush: After [[spoiler:the [=McGill=]]] starts to like [[spoiler:Allie]], he has a habit of [[LookBehindYou appearing behind her]] a few times.
154	%%* StockholmSyndrome: [[spoiler:Allie does grow to sympathize with the [=McGill=] a little.]]
155	%%* SugarAndIcePersonality: Mary, kind of.
156	* TagalongKid: Lief for Nick and Allie, Vari for Mary [[spoiler:until she accidentally leaves Vari behind and then he becomes the new [=McGill=].]]
157	%%* TakeMyHand: [[spoiler:"Hold on to me, and don't let go."]]
158	%%* TeamMom: Mary.
159	* TeenGenius: Mary is a know-it-all about everything Everlost, which is a reason why Allie dislikes her.
160	* ThereAreNoAdults: Or adolescents 17 years old and above in Everlost.
161	%%* TitleDrop
162	%%* TookALevelInBadass: [[spoiler:Nick, who foils Mary's scheme in the end of the novel.]]
163	%%* TrappedInAnotherWorld
164	%%* TrueCompanions: Nick, Allie, and Lief.
165	%%* TwoGuysAndAGirl: Nick, Lief, and Allie; Nick, Vari, and Mary.
166	%%* UnresolvedSexualTension: Nick and Mary.
167	%%* {{Utopia}}: The Twin Towers, where Mary takes in Afterlights and give them a perfect-like home.
168	%%* UnwillingSuspension: Chiming
169	%%* WhatTheHellHero: See {{Becoming The Mask}}.
170	* WellExcuseMePrincess: Occasionally between Nick and Allie because they are both {{foil}}s for each other.
171	%%* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler:Mary.]]
172	%%* WorthyOpponent: Allie to the [=McGill=]. [[spoiler:It's one of the reasons why he decides to rescue her in the end.]]
173	* YouSaidYouWouldLetThemGo: A variation.
174	-->'''Allie:''' Now tell me about the Afterlights on your ship.
175	-->'''The [=McGill=]:''' No.
176	-->'''Allie:''' You promised.
177	-->'''The [=McGill=]:''' {{I lied}}.
178	-->'''Allie:''' Then I won't teach you what I know.
179	-->'''The [=McGill=]:''' Then I'll throw your friends over the side.
180	%%* ZeppelinsFromAnotherWorld: The ''Hindenburg'' (or Zeppelin LZ-129).

Context Literature / Everlost