Dead on Town Line

Dead on Town Line

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3.87 of 5 stars 3.87  ·  rating details  ·  133 ratings  ·  41 reviews
Making her powerful yet quiet debut, Connor delivers this original novel-in-verse--the story of a girl who is murdered by a classmate and finds herself stuck on the edges of the world she once knew and a realm whose tug she feels but can't quite find her way to. Illustrations.
Paperback, 144 pages
Published November 2nd 2006 by Speak (first published 2005)
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Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 201)
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Linda Lipko
Because Waiting for Normal was so beautifully written, I gave it five stars. Usually when I find a book the caliber of a four-five star read, I seek others by the same author.

This is a haunting story of Cassie who is dead, but her spirit lingers. Killed by the brother, and at the direction of a jealous, angry classmate, Cassie's body is stuck in the middle of a crevice along town line.

Town line is analogous to the south side of any small town. The side where all those of small minds talk about,...more
Jennifer Wardrip
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

I had to lower the rating on this book, not because it wasn't a good story (it's a very beautiful, poignant one) or because of the style of the writing (the book is written in free verse). I did it because, after buying a hardcover book, it took me fifteen minutes to read it.

Cassie Devlin lived a pretty good life--a loving mother, friends at school, a wonderful boyfriend named Kyle, outstanding ability to write music and play the piano, and a group of like-wis...more
Richard
Rating: 2.75* of five

The Book Report: The book description says:
Of all the revelations her afterlife brings, perhaps the most startling thing Cassie Devlin discovers is that being dead isn't being done. Murdered by a classmate, Cassie finds herself stuck on the edges of the world she once knew and a realm whose tug she feels but can't quite find her way to. And . . . she is not alone. There's another like her, who arrived earlier and who, like Cassie, has some unfinished business. Beautifully cr...more
Val
This is a quick read—131 pages written in verse with lots of white space on the page. The story itself is haunting, told from the point of view of Cassie, a ghost lingering around the site of her murder and awaiting the day she will find closure for her death (note: don’t read the back blurb if you want to figure out the murderer on your own). She encounters another ghost, Birdie, this one from the 1940s, whose missing body is buried nearby. Through the narrative, Cassie learns about a ghost’s p...more
Mariah
"Dead On Town Line," by Leslie Connor is a book written in poetry form. It was an okay book. In my opinion, I do not suggest this book. This book is kind of confusing unless you get into it.
The theme of this book would have to be that if you have patience, good things will come in time. The main character, Cassie Devlin, is murdered. She tells her story has she is a part of a tree. She soon finds out that there is a girl named Birdie in the tree with her. She was also murdered. She tells her s...more
Sean Nelson
The book Dead on Town Line was one of the first of its kind that I have read. I am into exciting and thrilling books that keep you wanting to know what happens next, but this is not that kind of a book. I knew it was different the minute that I opened the book, because the format was... Wild. Each page was like a poem, and there were no quotation marks for speech. I just thought that made it unique. Anyway, I rate this book four stars because Leslie Connor does a great job in making you feel the...more
Alexus Marshall
Dead on Town Line was a very enjoyable book. Cassie Devlin is found dead after being murdered in her town. This book speaks her feelings and shows how the dead sees the world after dying. She followers her mother, boyfriend, killer, and even her nemesis. I really enjoyed this book. I liked that the book was in poetry format. It gave the book a omniscient tone. I also enjoyed that the book was from a dead teenage girl's perspective which was something I had never seen before. I most certainly rec...more
Elysia
This book was an easy read with a very captivating storyline. This story was about a girl named Cassie that went missing,her family and friends don't know that her body is dead on town line, but in reality her soul was still around. She was murdered, by a girl that was jealous of her,the murders is Gail. Through this adventure she has a friend along with her, Birdie. Birdie was murdered in the 1400's with her unborn baby along with her. Eventually Cassie's body was found by her family,friends,an...more
Angie Crew
This was a neat read. It only took me a while but I felt like I was there. My only issue was the ending felt rushed. I wanted the bad people to suffer just a bit more. Sad of me I know...also, the finding of Birdie was rushed too...I needed more climax or build up...other than that...I love, love, loved it....it is written as a poem with a morbid story...very cool and modern...I would read it if I was you!!!
Diane
I HATE free verse - yet I couldn't stop reading this book.................

Unique story, told from a dead girl's point of view. Book is unfortunately out of print already. Also really enjoyed "Almost Normal" by the same author.
doug bowman
Wow. Similar in theme to "The Lovely Bones" but written in the currently popular free verse style of fiction. This young adult book had some very poignant moments and a couple of macabre surprises that made it very compelling.
Blanca Lara
I was hoping that this book would have more, I'm not sure what i was looking for, but it was a quick read, it didn't really amaze me, i would suggest it to some, but not to people who want to read something non stop
A*Writer*in*Time
Jun 06, 2011 A*Writer*in*Time rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Teens and Adults
Shelves: own, swap
This book was fun to read in its lyrical format. While the subject is sad and scary real at times it was a quick read. Tis book could serve as a precautionary tale of beware you never really know someone. I look forward to reading more in this format. From this author.
Jennifer (Teen Librarian)
After Cassie is killed, she leaves her body but she can't go any further until her body is found. Will the searchers be able to find her body and will her killer be caught?

Ms. LaPorte
Fall setting. Like the description on page 5:
...
Sixteen. -For all of time.
Medium height. -Done growing.
Brown hair. -All a-tangle.

Sub-theme: music
Becky
This is a great book... I can't believe I got it for 50 cents at Ollies. I thought it would be a quick read and it was but it is very good
Melanie
First time I've ever read a book written in free verse. A beautiful, sorrowful yet lyrical story of the immediate afterlife of a 16 year old girl. She learns that being dead isn't being done. Very quick read.
Wendi
This a wonderful story in verse. It is a short read and very dramatic in such short time. I cried at the end. Everyone should read this.
Brook
Hauntingly beautiful and evocative! Love the verse form of the book. Should NEVER be out of print!
Anne Harlan
What an eloquent and understated book about death, and compassion that outlasts death.
Kate
Unique format, entertaining, but ultimately a predictable and contrived storyline.
Pea.
Aug 08, 2009 Pea. rated it 5 of 5 stars
Shelves: 2009
read it over coffee... riveting, simple even tho the story was morbid... a must.
Alicia
A creepy and eerily similar plot to The Lovely Bones, Connor details the story of two young women, both murdered on the town line. They must, as ghosts, shake the branches and leaves so that the police will uncover their bodies or else they will float in limbo forever. Birdie has been there for decades, killed by the man who raped her when she was pregnant with their baby, and Cassie was just killed by her enemy's brother. Told in verse, this is exciting and leaving anyone wishing for more.

I sa...more
Jodie
I was able to read this book in a couple of hours. It is by the same author as Waiting for Normal. I gave this book 5 stars because of the originality as well as the way this story was written. Sad story, but it is written like a poem. The hole book is in prose. Not hard to understand and is full of imagery. Once again a very good story by Connor. Very much recommend this book as well.
Ash
Dead on Town Line by Leslie Connor (2005)
Janet Flora
Quick read, sad story told in free verse.
Adrienne
Queer and poetical.
Colby
Very fast, great unexpected read! I didn't know what to expect when I bought this from BAM for a dollar, and I was pleasantly surprised.
Sarah
the woodcuts...at least, i think they're woodcuts...are beautiful. oh, let's just call them illustrations, i guess. the story is sad, but lovely at times. i'm kinda surprised by how much the characters were developed given the length of the book and the format of the book. with poetry you've got to pack a lot more meaning into less space.

this is a book that i picked because i thought the cover was beautiful, so i now have one more data point disproving the maxim...
Beauty*in*Writing
See A*Writer*in*Time's review
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Dead on Town Line (Hardcover)
Dead On Town Line (Hardcover)
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From the author's website;
My life began suddenly (you can even ask my mother) in an antique farmhouse outside of Cleveland, Ohio. I was born right on the family room floor ~ no time to get to the hospital! I swear, I’ve been in a hurry ever since.


When I was in fourth grade we moved to a neighborhood full of kids outside of Schenectady, New York. My Dad worked for a company that sold some of the fi...more
More about Leslie Connor...
Waiting for Normal Crunch Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel

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