What did I just read? I loved it. No two books of Zevin’s are the same - they couldn’t be more different, yet each and every one of them are extraordinary in their own right.

Zevin tackles the age old question of what happens when you die. She introduces us to Elsewhere, a beyond where people arrive by boat and age backwards until they can return to earth again as newborns. The subject matter is handled carefully, with the right amount of self discovery and grief to make this fantasy world work. Zevin continues to portray 2nd chances as their own beginnings (much like in A.J. Fikry and Young Jane Young), that helps you find hope in hopeless situations. She encourages you to have faith while you’re bawling your eyes out at her writing. As someone who has struggled with grief, I found so much light and comfort in reading someone else’s fantastical answer to this question.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I first read this book as a young teen, and seeing it republished now fills me with so much excitement. This story has stayed with me my entire life it left a mark in a way very few books ever have. The concept absolutely captivated me ..life after death, the fascinating people the main character meets, and the haunting idea of aging backwards until returning to Earth. I still catch myself thinking, What if this were actually real? I will say this once you start reading, it's nearly impossible to put down. The story is gripping, thought provoking, and truly unforgettable.
I would honestly love to have this book in physical copy as I lost mine in a move when I was 14 and I will 100% be getting my hands on it when it hits the shelves and I suggest everybody else does to !!

Elsewhere is a poignant, imaginative take on life, loss, and second chances. Liz’s journey through a world where people age in reverse is both bittersweet and hopeful, blending moments of humor with deep emotional resonance. Gabrielle Zevin crafts a unique setting that makes you think about what truly matters—whether life is moving forward or backward. A tender, thought-provoking read that stays with you long after the last page.

I am looking forward to include this new edition in my classroom library order this year! I had the original snow globe cover long ago and although this is a beautiful and incredibly nuanced story with special appeal to avid teen readers, the cover didn’t quite draw my students in! Reflective and sensitive students will appreciate the unique premise, as well as the ways in which Liz has to reckon with death and grief.

this is a super fascinating, captivating, strange emotionally nuanced YA story. It wasn’t a particularly sad story (besides, you know, the obvious), but I found myself genuinely tearing up multiple times because the emotional impact of Liz’s perspective was just so strong. It was a super quick read, at least partly because it was something I didn’t want to set down once I’d started it.

“Elsewhere” is a book I remember seeing all the time throughout my childhood, but never actually read for whatever reason. Now I can definitely say I’m glad I was drawn in by the new cover art of the deluxe edition, and Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for the digital copy!

I had only ever read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, so when I saw this on Netgalley I was initially confused, but then delighted that I got to discover this title. Originally published in 2005, and reprinted for the 20th anniversary, this novel is a beautiful meditation on the meaning of life from the perspective of a young person whose was cut short too soon. There is so much longing and melancholy in this book, but it is bolstered by such realistic, witty prose that you can't help but feel full of hope by the end. Our protagonist, Liz, is a 15 year old spitfire who will not die lying down - she has the kind of grit, stubborness, and honesty that I find so refreshing in a young adult novel. As she stuggles to accept her fate, we go through the stages of grief with her - and ultimately get to celebrate her wins like they are ours. I will definitely be recommending this to my patrons young and old!

You know, I get it. Dying must be hard to come to terms with. Especially before you got to really live.

However, Liz is insufferable. She's deliberately obtuse, whiny, mean to her grandma, selfish, etc.

I just cannot get into this one, even though the premise itself is interesting as I'm so put off by Liz.

Starting out with a pet's point of view might of grabbed my interest, but I was into this book the entire time.

Zevin writes both a direct and heartwarming story that had me in my feels and also analyzing. how I'm living my life. The wisdom we learn from a teenager who didnt't get a chance to get her driving license stacks up as the book goes along. There are a few fun surprises along the way, but what I truly fell in love with were both the characters within Elsewhere and the world development, all the way along to sending babies down the river.

A truly enchanting and heartwarming read. One of my favorite of the year without a doubt.

Finished this in less than a day. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC of the Deluxe Edition!

I absolutely loved it and wish it was longer! For me, it had some Remarkably Bright Creatures / Midnight Library vibes. I’ve read Tomorrow x3 and this is clearly the best I’ve read from her so far!

How you’ll feel: Nostalgia, Introspective, sad, hopeful and fulfilled

It’s a story about death and what happens in the afterlife, on an island called Elsewhere. But death and living go full circle as you’ll learn. A quick and insightful read!

After having read this author's breakout hit "Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow" I will read ANYTHING by her! This book was no exception, though I thought this was a brand new book. It is unfortunately a deluxe version of a book she previously wrote and is being republished. None the less, it was new to me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is YA, but has all the great character growth, depth and plot that TTT had! I will definitely be picking up a physical copy for my bookshelf when released!

Thanks to NetGalley for the anniversary ARC. I’m glad I had a “reason” to read this book. I’ve had it in my middle school library since I started there and had always been intrigued by the cover. I never picked it up because I was afraid it would be too sad. While it was bittersweet, the hopeful aspects of the story outweighed the less happy parts. It is a very clever story with much relatability for readers of many ages.

I enjoyed this book, it was a quick and unique read, and the cover is stunning. However, I wish I had known this was a re-release, not a new book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a lovely read. It's odd and takes a bit to put together and the premise is both delightfully hopeful and a bit off putting in its own way - the premise is that the main character has passed and is now in elsewhere. It's hard to describe more without giving the story away.

The writing is fun and interesting and truly unique in a way that Zevin has made me expect. A lot of interesting premises are touched upon and there is a lot to think I about regarding this story's theories and ideas, but I really enjoyed that.

There were a few chunks where I felt there was too much writing without enough explanation which is why I've got it at 4 stars. It felt, at points, a bit like an aesthetic in terms of writing, but I didn't love it when the writing aesthetics didn't fully develop the plot.

Overall though, this was interesting and fun.

Liz wakes up after an accident in a place called Elsewhere, the afterlife where she found out that people ages backwards and then returns to earth once they turn into an infant. As Liz struggles to come to terms with her untimely death, she meets new friends, reconnects with lost loved ones, and learns how to let go of the life she left behind. The story gently explores themes of grief, acceptance, and the cyclical nature of existence.

Elsewhere offers a unique and imaginative take on the afterlife, with its aging backward concept bringing a refreshing twist. The book is a light and easy read, making it more suitable for younger readers or preteens. While the writing style may feel too simple for an adult audience, the core message about life, loss, and moving on still resonates. It’s a sweet story, just not one that deeply moved me.

I enjoyed this, as I have other books by Gabrielle Zevin. However, I didn’t realize by the listing that this is a deluxe edition of a book that has been out already for awhile.

2.5/5 ⭐️

Although this book is YA, the writing made it feel very childish and whiny at times. The message of the book is ultimately to come to terms with your life circumstances and to enjoy what you have, but is bogged down by teenage whining and a bizarre/unrealistic romantic subplot. This book could easily be adapted for middle grade rather than YA and would hit so much harder.

The central idea of aging backwards after you die was very interesting but the execution (as a YA novel) fell short for me.

Arc provided for honest review

I knew zero things going into this book, but requested it because of my love for Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Y'all, this was such a captivating story and such a unique spin on the afterlife -and life in general. I absolutely loved how death and life was explored. It was so beautifully and creatively done. I am offering very details in my review of what happens because the joy in this book is the twists of the journey and the people of Elsewhere. Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this September 2025 special edition release!

A tender, time-bending meditation on love, grief, and what it means to grow up—even after death.

In Elsewhere, Gabrielle Zevin invites readers into a world where life doesn’t end, but rewinds. First published in 2005 and now re-released in a beautifully designed special edition, Elsewhere is as poignant and contemplative as ever. This novel may be marketed as YA, but its emotional resonance and philosophical core have captivated generations of readers—and it feels right at home alongside Zevin’s The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.

Fifteen-year-old Liz Hall dies in a tragic accident—and wakes up on a cruise ship heading to Elsewhere, a strange and serene place where no one ages forward. Instead, Liz begins aging backward until, eventually, she will return to Earth as a baby, her memories wiped clean. It’s a premise that sounds whimsical on the surface, but Zevin uses it to explore deeply human questions: What do we do with a life we didn’t choose? How do we find meaning in unexpected timelines? How do we love and let go at the same time?

Much like The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, this novel is a quiet, character-driven story that finds its power not in high drama but in moments of internal change and unexpected connection. The writing is lyrical without being precious, and the world-building—soft, strange, and strangely comforting—echoes the emotional tone of Emily Henry’s Happy Place, if not its romantic plotlines.

Liz is a flawed and sometimes frustrating protagonist, but that’s exactly the point. She’s a teenager mourning not just her life but the future she was supposed to have. Her journey through Elsewhere is not about finding a way back, but about learning to be present—even when the future looks nothing like she imagined.

This deluxe edition adds to the experience with thoughtful extras: stained edges, an author’s introduction, a Q&A, and personal photographs that remind us Zevin has always been a writer who cares deeply about the inner lives of her characters—and her readers.

Final thoughts:
Elsewhere is a soft-spoken masterpiece—ideal for fans of literary fiction with speculative edges. It’s not flashy, and it doesn’t need to be. Zevin’s talent lies in finding wonder in the quiet places, in the moments between letting go and starting over. If you loved A.J. Fikry, this is where you go next.

Rating: ★★★★ (4/5)
Heartfelt, elegant, and unforgettable. A coming-of-age story… in reverse.

<i>Elsewhere</i> follows Liz after she has died, in a place called Elsewhere, which is where people go after death to age backwards until they are sent back to Earth.

Liz's story holds so many emotions surrounding death, the afterlife, love, and loss. We watch her process her own death - an angle we don’t often explore beyond hoping the deceased are at peace - and reflect on what it really means to live. The writing style helped bring this together for me: it was simple and felt like it was written at a younger teen level, which emphasized the fact that Liz is 15 (almost 16!) when we first meet her, and added a layer of innocence and immaturity to her voice. This, combined with the faster-paced, intriguing plot, helped me fly through the book in a day! I could not put it down - I enjoyed it so much.

I loved the concept of Elsewhere. It’s a unique take on the big mystery of the afterlife, especially since so much of my job centers around talking about death. The different details in the story (<spoiler>the ODs, the Well, avocations, being able to speak to dogs</spoiler>) really brought Elsewhere to life for me.

In the post-story interview included in this edition, Gabrielle Zevin shares a lot of context about writing this book. She talks about how young she was when she wrote it, how this was her first experience in the industry (despite another book being published before this), and her own thoughts on death and loss. Reading her reflections gave even more meaning and depth to the story, and made me appreciate it so much more. Also, the fact that she was able to process death and the afterlife into such a beautiful story at such a young age is SO impressive.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for this ARC! I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a physical copy when this edition comes out in September!

OH MYYYYYY
what a sweet light read with depth!! zevin never fails!! i absolutely loved tomorrow tomorrow and tomorrow and when i saw this i just HAD TO READ IT!!! and man it did not disappoint!! the characters, the story, the meaning, just chefs kiss!!