Reincarnation

published	2008 by Scholastic Press
binding	Hardcover
isbn	0545013232 (isbn13: 9780545013239)
pages	304
description	From prehistory to the present, theirs was a love for the ages. It starts with a fight in a cave over an elusive green jewel . . . and then travels o...more [close] From prehistory to the present, theirs was a love for the ages. It starts with a fight in a cave over an elusive green jewel . . . and then travels over time and lives to include Egyptian slaves, Greek temples, Massachusetts witch trials, Civil War battlefields, Paris on the eve of World War II, America in the 1960s . . . and a pair of modern-day teenagers. For readers who believe that love is stronger than time or death, this is an unforgettable novel from a wonderful storyteller.
date added	01-04-08 edit book

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Rachael rated it:

04/29/08

From the moment they first meet, this young man and woman have a powerful connection. But circumstance will not allow them to stay together; a fight for a green jewel ends both of their lives. However, their bond is so strong that it surpasses the boundary between life and death and they continue to be born into new bodies until they can finally be together.

Reincarnation is quite a unique story, and I have never quite read anything like it. Each story of these two lovers connects back to the...more From the moment they first meet, this young man and woman have a powerful connection. But circumstance will not allow them to stay together; a fight for a green jewel ends both of their lives. However, their bond is so strong that it surpasses the boundary between life and death and they continue to be born into new bodies until they can finally be together.

Reincarnation is quite a unique story, and I have never quite read anything like it. Each story of these two lovers connects back to the previous ones in obvious ways, so it is easy to tell which character was reincarnated into which new character, although this was a little confusing when the girl became a guy. The easiest way for me to recognize who was who was with the details that carried over from setting to setting. For example, the main young woman always had a pet cat named Baby, a hurt ankle, and a great singing voice, and the main young man always had headaches and a skill in archery. I really enjoyed how all the characters were interconnected and also the various historical settings. A lot of research must have gone into this novel, and I am nearly positive that it is all accurate.

The idea behind Reincarnation is a philosophical question, and Suzanne Weyn attacks it head on. I really liked how she incorporated many major religions, according to their region, and their views on death and the afterlife. However, I found it kind of ironic how the two lovers were never reincarnated as people in India, which is where the two main religions believing in reincarnation, Buddhism and Hinduism, originated. But this can be forgiven since the characters read many books on Buddhism in the novel.

The ending of the story was bittersweet for me, because I did not feel that the story lived up to its full potential. Suzanne Weyn leaves a lot of the story up to interpretation, which is good for making the reader think about the concept of reincarnation, but it did not leave me with a sense that the young lovers would stay together in love for all of eternity. The one redeeming point was how the other two characters that are also reincarnated get together.

All in all, I was a little disappointed with Reincarnation, but it was a beautiful story nonetheless. I do recommend it, because it is a highly unique and thought-provoking read, and I hope that other readers will find it as sweet a love story as I did.

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Reincarnation

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