What do you think?
Rate this book
The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden
Grave robbing is a messy business. A bad business.
And for Thomas Marsden, on what was an unremarkable spring night in London, it becomes a very spooky business. For lying in an unmarked grave and half covered with dirt is a boy the spitting image of Thomas himself.
This is only the first clue that something very strange is happening. Others follow, but it is a fortune teller’s frightened screams that lead Thomas into a strange world of spiritualists, death and faery folk.
Faery folk with whom Thomas’s life is bizarrely linked. Faery folk who need his help.
Desperate to unearth the truth about himself and where he comes from, Thomas is about to discover magic, and ritual, and that sometimes, just sometimes, the things that make a boy ordinary are what make him extraordinary.
And for Thomas Marsden, on what was an unremarkable spring night in London, it becomes a very spooky business. For lying in an unmarked grave and half covered with dirt is a boy the spitting image of Thomas himself.
This is only the first clue that something very strange is happening. Others follow, but it is a fortune teller’s frightened screams that lead Thomas into a strange world of spiritualists, death and faery folk.
Faery folk with whom Thomas’s life is bizarrely linked. Faery folk who need his help.
Desperate to unearth the truth about himself and where he comes from, Thomas is about to discover magic, and ritual, and that sometimes, just sometimes, the things that make a boy ordinary are what make him extraordinary.
247 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2015
About the author
Emma Trevayne
12 books215 followersScience fiction and fantasy author of novels for kids and teens.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
August 18, 2017
Stars peered through, bright, watching eyes, blinking in horror at the desecration that was to come.
This book has SO MANY ISSUES but it did manage to drag me out of my reading slump. So, for that, I'm thankful. The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden is a short and somewhat sweet read for those who are unaware or do not care about how family values are portrayed. There is beautiful imagery, lovely descriptions and the author manages to effectively convey how terrible the big problem actually is. Whether it was because of the main character's selfish hesitance, the misguided desperation of the victims or the phenomenal greed of the villain – this wasn't going to be an easy thing to solve. However, there were some things very wrong with this book.
To start with, there is the whole family situation and struggle that Thomas goes through. He thinks that, and this is a little bit spoilery, he's found somewhere that he belongs. Someone with whom he belongs with. So he ditches his family without a second glance. His parents, who have raised, cared for and loved him for the ENTIRETY of his life, are suddenly reduced to people that he couldn't care less about. I don't really have anything coherent to say, except to elaborate how disgusting it was to read about. I understand that he might be having an identity crises and is currently unsure in his own skin – but it's almost as if he's refused to love them anymore. As though because they don't have the same blood as him, they're worthless. To me, that was just gross.
I suppose part of the reason that this annoyed me, so much so that it's lost two stars, is because I'm adopted and can kind of understand his situation a little. I UNDERSTAND why he might have been written in such a way, and I UNDERSTAND why someone would feel the way that he does, but the fact that the author doesn't do anything to address it or set it right really bugs me. In the end, perhaps they do talk a little about it all and maybe he does comes to terms with it but, um, I honestly wouldn't know. All that is obvious is that the only reason that they have reconciled is because Thomas needs them to do something for him.
Keep in mind that nothing they had done had made him reject them. They DIDN'T beat him, abuse him or restrict him from doing anything that any other good parent would let their child do. Instead, they took care of him to the best of their abilities and loved him with all that they could. They were honestly really good parents and didn't deserve the characterisation that they received.
Oh! I also had an issue with one of the lines because it didn't really make sense:
But I read it a few times over, and I think that I finally managed to understand it? Anyway, apart from that it was a lovely book. I would have honestly adored it and the terrible things that were happening, if it weren't for the clumsy way that the 'adoption' had been handled. It's such a simple thing to have fixed – focus on how isolated or lied to Thomas felt, instead of simply forgetting about the parents. Have his attention taken up entirely taken up by the others without the degrading comments about his family! Ugh, it would have been so easy for me to have enjoyed this.
This book has SO MANY ISSUES but it did manage to drag me out of my reading slump. So, for that, I'm thankful. The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden is a short and somewhat sweet read for those who are unaware or do not care about how family values are portrayed. There is beautiful imagery, lovely descriptions and the author manages to effectively convey how terrible the big problem actually is. Whether it was because of the main character's selfish hesitance, the misguided desperation of the victims or the phenomenal greed of the villain – this wasn't going to be an easy thing to solve. However, there were some things very wrong with this book.
To start with, there is the whole family situation and struggle that Thomas goes through. He thinks that, and this is a little bit spoilery, he's found somewhere that he belongs. Someone with whom he belongs with. So he ditches his family without a second glance. His parents, who have raised, cared for and loved him for the ENTIRETY of his life, are suddenly reduced to people that he couldn't care less about. I don't really have anything coherent to say, except to elaborate how disgusting it was to read about. I understand that he might be having an identity crises and is currently unsure in his own skin – but it's almost as if he's refused to love them anymore. As though because they don't have the same blood as him, they're worthless. To me, that was just gross.
I suppose part of the reason that this annoyed me, so much so that it's lost two stars, is because I'm adopted and can kind of understand his situation a little. I UNDERSTAND why he might have been written in such a way, and I UNDERSTAND why someone would feel the way that he does, but the fact that the author doesn't do anything to address it or set it right really bugs me. In the end, perhaps they do talk a little about it all and maybe he does comes to terms with it but, um, I honestly wouldn't know. All that is obvious is that the only reason that they have reconciled is because Thomas needs them to do something for him.
Keep in mind that nothing they had done had made him reject them. They DIDN'T beat him, abuse him or restrict him from doing anything that any other good parent would let their child do. Instead, they took care of him to the best of their abilities and loved him with all that they could. They were honestly really good parents and didn't deserve the characterisation that they received.
Oh! I also had an issue with one of the lines because it didn't really make sense:
Thomas'd never quite felt so alone. Not one of the folks who trotted and skipped around him as he walked, and certainly not one of the strange creatures that deadnettle had claimed.
But I read it a few times over, and I think that I finally managed to understand it? Anyway, apart from that it was a lovely book. I would have honestly adored it and the terrible things that were happening, if it weren't for the clumsy way that the 'adoption' had been handled. It's such a simple thing to have fixed – focus on how isolated or lied to Thomas felt, instead of simply forgetting about the parents. Have his attention taken up entirely taken up by the others without the degrading comments about his family! Ugh, it would have been so easy for me to have enjoyed this.
July 15, 2015
Ah, I loved this. It's a faery story set in Victorian London, so it features poisonous iron, squalor, gateways between worlds, intrepid orphans, otherworldly beings, the usual, EXCEPT NOT, because there's also grave digging. And spiritualism. I especially loved those parts. Spiritualism and séances were kind of a fad in the mid-nineteenth century, and were also kind of creepy because. . . speaking to the dead. Is just creepy. And I had never seen that combined with faeries before. In this book the evil show-master Mordecai enslaves faeries to work his magic for him and make contact with the spirits and such-like. 'Twas my favorite.
Also, pretty writing.
Also the last chapter. It's so nice I read it twice.
ALSO, THAT COVER. O_O It will look marvelous next to my copy of Emma's first book.
Also, pretty writing.
Also the last chapter. It's so nice I read it twice.
ALSO, THAT COVER. O_O It will look marvelous next to my copy of Emma's first book.
January 12, 2015
Oh my goodness how I loved this. While accompanying his father on their nightly work robbing graves, Thomas uncovers a body that looks like him down to the last detail. The discovery starts him on a quest to discover who he really is, and an amazing adventure. This beautifully written book feels like both an old-fashioned fairy tale and something fresh and new.
Disclaimer: I know and adore Emma, but that hasn't colored my opinion. This book is wonderful. Anyone who disagrees can go eat an onion.
Disclaimer: I know and adore Emma, but that hasn't colored my opinion. This book is wonderful. Anyone who disagrees can go eat an onion.
July 15, 2017
It sucks when the cover is more lovely than the actual book itself.
November 24, 2017
how wonderful was this book
oh i loved evvvvrey word
hmm, the story was of course middle grade, full of ..... will i spoil anything by saying it? um i guess i would , so i'll keep my mouth closed.
well the story was set in London 19th century i feel, and is about a 12 year old boy who is very poor and miserable at the beginning but wonderful, magical things are about to happen, but in no way it's cliche. wonderful story line, characters were great i loved them, the twists and turns got me hooked till the last page ^ ^
i have been wanting this book and the other one "Flights And Chimes And Mysterious Times" since forever, and you know in our country you don't have lots of choices when it gets to books :/ :(
horrible situation really, every time i finish a book i'm thinking "will i be able to buy another book?" of course not because i'm poor or anything but because we can hardly shop from Amazon or other online stores and even if we could it'd be so much more expensive than the price of the book alone,
anywho, as i was sulking about my misery, i though of a friend, actually a friend of a friend who lived in US so i connected that friend and i managed to have her buy it on Amazon for me and give it to me when she came , oh how that day was one of the best days of my life ^ ^
and although it's secondhand and someone'd even cut the margin of the first 5 pages plus the front cover, i love it sooooo much.
i hope for all the bookworms all over the world: never live some where you can't buy any book you like.
and also for the people in our neck of the woods:never give up , have hope
ps. oh gooooood i got too emotional >-<
oh i loved evvvvrey word
hmm, the story was of course middle grade, full of ..... will i spoil anything by saying it? um i guess i would , so i'll keep my mouth closed.
well the story was set in London 19th century i feel, and is about a 12 year old boy who is very poor and miserable at the beginning but wonderful, magical things are about to happen, but in no way it's cliche. wonderful story line, characters were great i loved them, the twists and turns got me hooked till the last page ^ ^
i have been wanting this book and the other one "Flights And Chimes And Mysterious Times" since forever, and you know in our country you don't have lots of choices when it gets to books :/ :(
horrible situation really, every time i finish a book i'm thinking "will i be able to buy another book?" of course not because i'm poor or anything but because we can hardly shop from Amazon or other online stores and even if we could it'd be so much more expensive than the price of the book alone,
anywho, as i was sulking about my misery, i though of a friend, actually a friend of a friend who lived in US so i connected that friend and i managed to have her buy it on Amazon for me and give it to me when she came , oh how that day was one of the best days of my life ^ ^
and although it's secondhand and someone'd even cut the margin of the first 5 pages plus the front cover, i love it sooooo much.
i hope for all the bookworms all over the world: never live some where you can't buy any book you like.
and also for the people in our neck of the woods:never give up , have hope
ps. oh gooooood i got too emotional >-<
January 2, 2016
5 stars.
This story was absolutely adorable. I can't believe I hesitated in picking it up because I thought it would be scary!
I've been a huge fan of Emma Trevayne for years and years and will definitely read anything that the girl writes. When I saw that she had ventured into the world of middle grade, I was crazy excited. I'm not really into historical fiction, but I guess I make an exception for middle grade and amazing authors. Honestly, I thought it would be hard for her to top Coda, but I think I loved this story even more :)
Thomas and his dad earn a living by grave-robbing, stealing whatever they find in order to support their family. When one of the corpses looks exactly like Thomas, it leads him on a path to discover who he really is and where he came from. I'm not going to go into a lot of detail here because I really can't without giving everything away, but I will say this story was brilliantly told, with perfect dialogue and an amazing storyline.
If you're looking for a fun read with an unexpected story and characters you'll want to hang out with, then look no further than The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden. You won't regret it!
This story was absolutely adorable. I can't believe I hesitated in picking it up because I thought it would be scary!
I've been a huge fan of Emma Trevayne for years and years and will definitely read anything that the girl writes. When I saw that she had ventured into the world of middle grade, I was crazy excited. I'm not really into historical fiction, but I guess I make an exception for middle grade and amazing authors. Honestly, I thought it would be hard for her to top Coda, but I think I loved this story even more :)
Thomas and his dad earn a living by grave-robbing, stealing whatever they find in order to support their family. When one of the corpses looks exactly like Thomas, it leads him on a path to discover who he really is and where he came from. I'm not going to go into a lot of detail here because I really can't without giving everything away, but I will say this story was brilliantly told, with perfect dialogue and an amazing storyline.
If you're looking for a fun read with an unexpected story and characters you'll want to hang out with, then look no further than The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden. You won't regret it!
August 11, 2015
AMAZING. So good it hurts. Fairies and magic and whimsy and creepiness all rolled up into one. One of the best MG books I've read!
September 10, 2015
It was good, but not as good as the first chapter or so promised. I was waiting for a really good supernatural mystery/spooky story, and instead I got a straightforward "hero saves the day" story. I thought I saw twists coming, but there were no twists. There were several Chekhov's Guns that remained unfired. And the ending wrapped things up just a bit too neatly, a bit too quickly.
January 17, 2020
Emma Trevayne never fails to impress me. Her book The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden hits the perfect spot. Yes, it follows the formula of the "Chosen One," but I love how I can rely on Emma Trevayne whenever I need a book like this. Easy to read, mythology is something that any readers will learn in an instant, and an intriguing plot. This book needs to be on everybody's shelves.
May 27, 2020
This is the kind of book where a lot of people seem to like it and a lot seem to hate it. I unfortunately find myself in the second group. An overly written prose for a middle grade book, a boring story, way too slow, a character which I was never able to like or feel attach to, and so on. The premises was very interesting but the book didn't deliver what it was promising!
January 23, 2016
I liked this book well enough to give it three stars. It improves after Thomas finally learns the truth. However, the story moves too slowly and the author unnecessarily withholds information from the reader to prolong the story development. What's more, I found that I had to re-read some sentences and paragraphs to figure out what the heck was going on. The narrative was confusing at times. I thought the author had an interesting idea, but the story simply meandered and dithered too much. The reader has to wait until too far along in the story to understand some key factors in the book's imagined world. The very end of the book, which should have been triumphant seemed to fall apart. I nearly had to imagine my own vision of the ending because of the lack of clarity. Nevertheless, there were some creative and exciting parts, which are the reasons for my three-star rating.
August 5, 2018
Set in Victorian England “The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden” is an exciting adventure that begins with grave robbing, the discovery of a dead body that looks exactly like Thomas Marsden along with a cryptic note. Abandoned in a graveyard where years before he was found and adopted by Silas Marsden and his wife Lucy, Thomas begins a search for his identity and lineage uncovering faerie- folk held hostage by the poison of iron and at the mercy of an evil spiritualist.
Blending adventure and the fantasy of a fairy tale for middle-graders, the plot heats up when Thomas meets Deadnettle and Marigold two of twenty-six faeries held captive by Mordecai Thrup who uses their ability to commune with the dead in his séances. Suddenly the life he’s always known is turned upside down as intensity and suspense escalate when he searches for a way to not only free them but send them home only to uncover the truth about himself.
Wonderfully developed, the characters with their peculiar idiosyncrasies add emotional tension and depth to this tale. Eleven-year-old Thomas is a curious but obedient son at first, working alongside his father robbing graves of any valuables to sell and put food on their table. As the story progresses Thomas joins forces with young, resilient, bold Marigold and the stubborn, determined Deadnettle, revealing his clever, humorous, kind and brave nature. Yet it’s the ambitious, cruel and evil of Mordecai Thrup that gives this story a terrifying chill.
I loved “The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden” a story that will keep middle-schoolers enthralled with its twists and turns as well as a thrilling confrontation near the end
Blending adventure and the fantasy of a fairy tale for middle-graders, the plot heats up when Thomas meets Deadnettle and Marigold two of twenty-six faeries held captive by Mordecai Thrup who uses their ability to commune with the dead in his séances. Suddenly the life he’s always known is turned upside down as intensity and suspense escalate when he searches for a way to not only free them but send them home only to uncover the truth about himself.
Wonderfully developed, the characters with their peculiar idiosyncrasies add emotional tension and depth to this tale. Eleven-year-old Thomas is a curious but obedient son at first, working alongside his father robbing graves of any valuables to sell and put food on their table. As the story progresses Thomas joins forces with young, resilient, bold Marigold and the stubborn, determined Deadnettle, revealing his clever, humorous, kind and brave nature. Yet it’s the ambitious, cruel and evil of Mordecai Thrup that gives this story a terrifying chill.
I loved “The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden” a story that will keep middle-schoolers enthralled with its twists and turns as well as a thrilling confrontation near the end
April 25, 2019
** Books 31 - 2019 **
This books to accomplish Tsundoku Books Challenge 2019
3 of 5 stars!
Wohoo! my 8th Books from Big Bad wolf 2019 is finally finished read! Actually I bought this pieces since the cover is so gorgeous!! And I'm wondering why the boy at the cover looking down to the hole and found someone similar with him as same as his face?? :O
Have you guys read Coraline by Neil Gaiman before? This books is have similar vibe when i read a few first pages but after i finished the books the storyline is totally different! The story is about a child named Thomas that discover that he is actually not a son of Silas and Lucy but he is coming from Faerie's world and the fairies is need his help since they are getting weaker in the city. Thats it! I doesn't want to spoil more story and ruins your fun
The storyline and adventures is kinda so so for me i'm more pond of Kate Dicamillo and Neil Gaiman for sure.. You can read this books if you wanna kill some time
Thankyou Big Bad wolf 2019 Jakarta!
This books to accomplish Tsundoku Books Challenge 2019
3 of 5 stars!
Wohoo! my 8th Books from Big Bad wolf 2019 is finally finished read! Actually I bought this pieces since the cover is so gorgeous!! And I'm wondering why the boy at the cover looking down to the hole and found someone similar with him as same as his face?? :O
Have you guys read Coraline by Neil Gaiman before? This books is have similar vibe when i read a few first pages but after i finished the books the storyline is totally different! The story is about a child named Thomas that discover that he is actually not a son of Silas and Lucy but he is coming from Faerie's world and the fairies is need his help since they are getting weaker in the city. Thats it! I doesn't want to spoil more story and ruins your fun
The storyline and adventures is kinda so so for me i'm more pond of Kate Dicamillo and Neil Gaiman for sure.. You can read this books if you wanna kill some time
Thankyou Big Bad wolf 2019 Jakarta!
March 12, 2020
Mágico, oscuro, intrigante, atmosférico. Me gustó muchísimo.
*Leído en idioma original y en Kindle.
*Leído en idioma original y en Kindle.
August 2, 2017
I found this book at a library sale and was instantly attracted to the gorgeous cover and intriguing title. It seemed a little dark for a middle-grade book, enough so that I dove into it without reading anything about the book so I could get the full, uninhibited experience.
The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden is kind of hard to pin down with it's genre. Set in the past, with fantasy elements, a mystery plot, as well as a hero's quest, it's truly unlike anything I've ever read before. Paired with some confusing, rushed writing and my surprise at how unfinished this standalone book ended, this book left me unsatisfied and, mostly, disappointed.
Let me first state that I wanted this book to be standalone. It was only in the last thirty pages or so that I realized the plot couldn't possibly wrap up each of its elements neatly in the space left to it. Unfortunately, Trevayne did try to finish it all before the pages ran out. It's extremely hard to write a fantasy book as short as this one. Throwing in all of the half-heartedly realized plot elements that appear in this novel . . . It reads like someone got to the last week of NaNoWriMo and realized they needed to patch up the plot quickly enough to reach their goal on time, never again to revisit the manuscript and fix anything.
I'm still confused. There were points where the characters would literally have the answers to their quest handed to them, with no foreshadowing whatsoever, possibly because, again, there was no time in the novel for anything but easy answers. Elements so fully thrown in that I needed to read whole paragraphs several times over to try to understand what was happening, only to fail. I don't want to spoil anything by leaving any examples, because these random moments would always serve to answer some part of the plot that hadn't been mentioned until the page before.
Mostly, I'm frustrated with this book because it had the potential for so much more. It could have been a cute fantasy, or an interesting mystery. I love books that are complexly written and aimed toward children, because far too many authors in middlegrade tend to belittle their readers. No, what The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden needed was a thorough overhaul, or at least a duology to spread this cluttered plot out a little more.
The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden is kind of hard to pin down with it's genre. Set in the past, with fantasy elements, a mystery plot, as well as a hero's quest, it's truly unlike anything I've ever read before. Paired with some confusing, rushed writing and my surprise at how unfinished this standalone book ended, this book left me unsatisfied and, mostly, disappointed.
Let me first state that I wanted this book to be standalone. It was only in the last thirty pages or so that I realized the plot couldn't possibly wrap up each of its elements neatly in the space left to it. Unfortunately, Trevayne did try to finish it all before the pages ran out. It's extremely hard to write a fantasy book as short as this one. Throwing in all of the half-heartedly realized plot elements that appear in this novel . . . It reads like someone got to the last week of NaNoWriMo and realized they needed to patch up the plot quickly enough to reach their goal on time, never again to revisit the manuscript and fix anything.
I'm still confused. There were points where the characters would literally have the answers to their quest handed to them, with no foreshadowing whatsoever, possibly because, again, there was no time in the novel for anything but easy answers. Elements so fully thrown in that I needed to read whole paragraphs several times over to try to understand what was happening, only to fail. I don't want to spoil anything by leaving any examples, because these random moments would always serve to answer some part of the plot that hadn't been mentioned until the page before.
Mostly, I'm frustrated with this book because it had the potential for so much more. It could have been a cute fantasy, or an interesting mystery. I love books that are complexly written and aimed toward children, because far too many authors in middlegrade tend to belittle their readers. No, what The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden needed was a thorough overhaul, or at least a duology to spread this cluttered plot out a little more.
February 7, 2017
Thomas has grown to nearly twelve years old as the child of a grave robber when the night before his birthday he digs into a grave and finds himself, down to the blemish on his cheek. As he delves into his past to solve this mystery he discovers more mysteries and a great evil that perhaps only he has the power to stop.
A nicely put together book with an entrancing story and delightful characters.
A nicely put together book with an entrancing story and delightful characters.
December 17, 2018
Middle grade fantasy isn't a genre I tend to read. In fact, I think the last middle grade book I read was the very first Harry Porter, when I was still a teenager.
Still, I wanted to pick something up that was:
a. fantasy,
b. not part of a series and
c. didn't have any romance or angst in it.
This book caught my eye when I was browsing the shelves at a local bookstore and I decided to pick it up (the cover is quite gorgeous).
I can't say it was an easy read, but it wasn't the books fault. The book is good. But, like I said, I don't tend to read middle grade and it took me a while to get into it.
All in all, it ticked all the boxes! Really glad I decided to give this book a shot!
3.5☆
Still, I wanted to pick something up that was:
a. fantasy,
b. not part of a series and
c. didn't have any romance or angst in it.
This book caught my eye when I was browsing the shelves at a local bookstore and I decided to pick it up (the cover is quite gorgeous).
I can't say it was an easy read, but it wasn't the books fault. The book is good. But, like I said, I don't tend to read middle grade and it took me a while to get into it.
All in all, it ticked all the boxes! Really glad I decided to give this book a shot!
3.5☆
Read
August 1, 2017I continually forget to update when I finish a book~ I liked this, but mostly towards the end. It seemed to take a while to get to something interesting, which was slightly annoying, but I did like the information provided. Good read for a kid, but not too bad for an adult :)
November 25, 2022
Ended up DNFing at about the 20% mark. The story started out interesting but then became a boring droll and I lost interest very quickly. I also didn’t care for any of the parts dealing with the fae, I found the characters hard to distinguish from each other.
October 28, 2018
actual rating: 2.5 stars
rtc
rtc
January 5, 2023
I need another chapter at the end 😭😭😭😭. A few more pages, please! This was too good to put down. 😢
January 20, 2022
I may have only given it three stars, but I did enjoy this book! Some of the prose was clever and enjoyable, and all in all I found it a pleasant and whimsical read. I only wish the characters were more distinct and rounded out, and that Trevayne gave her words room to breathe the story to life instead of short cutting her own prose. At its core, however, the story has a charming and engaging plot—and I throughly enjoyed its conclusion. With a little more time and space to “find its bones,” this very well could have been a new favorite for me. Even how it is, it’s a fun read and I enjoyed the mix of spooky, magical, and whimsical twists and turns.
November 13, 2015
I have wanted to read this book ever since I saw that precious cover. And yet it still took me weeks after it published until I read it. But now I have. I did like it a lot. But it was different from what I thought it would be. Giving it three stars. There was nothing I hated about it, but I still didn't fully love the book.
I don't know where to begin. I'm not really sure what I had imagined this book to be about. Maybe, you know, that Thomas was actually dead, considering he found his body in a grave. Yet that is not the plot at all. Instead it is about faeries. And the body was sort of the twin of Thomas. It was a bit confusing.
But even though this book wasn't what I thought it would be, I still ended up liking it a lot. I enjoyed the writing, though it was a bit different too, and a bit weird. But I liked it. And I thought the main character, twelve year old Thomas, was all kinds of awesome. I adored him. And I felt so sorry for him at times too. He lives with his mom and dad. They are very poor. And he and his dad rob graves to afford food. It was depressing. Yet pretty awesome to read about too. And interesting. Yet this book is pretty short, so I felt like it didn't focus enough on Thomas and his life. I would have liked more of that. But anyway. I did like his parents a lot. Wish they had been there more about them. Thomas has a best friend, Charley. I liked him a lot too.
There were some things about this book that I didn't like. I wish it had been more about Thomas, as I was expecting a book about him. Sigh. But instead it focused on the faeries. And I did like that, I did. I just. I loved Thomas. And I wanted more of him. That was disappointing. But I also enjoyed the faerie chapters. I did end up liking Deadnettle. And Marigold. She was pretty great, though I didn't get to know her nearly well enough. Hmph. But anyway. There were some pretty awesome characters in this book.
I did like the faerie parts of the book. I just didn't love it. But my heart was breaking for the faeries. They had been taken from their home so many years ago. More than one hundred and fifty of them had died already, because of the iron and the pain. They are held captive. And used. It was heartbreaking. Yet I felt like I could have gotten to know much more about it. Would have loved it then. Oh, well. It was interesting and I liked reading about it all. But I wanted more. Still, I liked Marigold a lot. And Thomas.
There is a villain in this book. The one who has captured the faeries. But I just. I don't get the big finale with him. It was just silly. And felt so rushed. I wanted much more from that. He was so awful earlier. And his ending was so tame and lame, lol. But still. I did find the whole book interesting and I did like it. I just wish it had been a bit more. Was a bit disappointed. But still glad I read it. Thomas was a great character. I just wanted to get to know him much more. And oh, I wanted a much longer ending. Ack.
I don't really know what else to say about this book. So I will not say much more at all. It is about faeries. And about London, ages back, I think. There is some magic. Some great characters. A few heartbreaking scenes. I was a bit disappointed, yet I liked this book a lot too. The plot was pretty exciting and interesting. I loved reading the scenes after Thomas had gotten some money. I loved how he spent it, how happy it made him. But I hated that he left his family behind for a bit. Hmph. Not okay.
I do own another middle grade book by Emma, called Flights and Chimes and Mysterious Times. Which I'm excited to read as well sometime soonish. It do look so cute. And while I didn't love this first book by her, I did enjoy it, and I am curious about her other books. Her middle grade books looks so pretty. Sigh. I adore pretty artwork. Anyway. I'm glad I decided to finally read this one. It was good. I didn't love it, but I liked it lots. And I think many others would enjoy it too. So yes. I would suggest that you read it.
---
This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2015/0...
I don't know where to begin. I'm not really sure what I had imagined this book to be about. Maybe, you know, that Thomas was actually dead, considering he found his body in a grave. Yet that is not the plot at all. Instead it is about faeries. And the body was sort of the twin of Thomas. It was a bit confusing.
But even though this book wasn't what I thought it would be, I still ended up liking it a lot. I enjoyed the writing, though it was a bit different too, and a bit weird. But I liked it. And I thought the main character, twelve year old Thomas, was all kinds of awesome. I adored him. And I felt so sorry for him at times too. He lives with his mom and dad. They are very poor. And he and his dad rob graves to afford food. It was depressing. Yet pretty awesome to read about too. And interesting. Yet this book is pretty short, so I felt like it didn't focus enough on Thomas and his life. I would have liked more of that. But anyway. I did like his parents a lot. Wish they had been there more about them. Thomas has a best friend, Charley. I liked him a lot too.
There were some things about this book that I didn't like. I wish it had been more about Thomas, as I was expecting a book about him. Sigh. But instead it focused on the faeries. And I did like that, I did. I just. I loved Thomas. And I wanted more of him. That was disappointing. But I also enjoyed the faerie chapters. I did end up liking Deadnettle. And Marigold. She was pretty great, though I didn't get to know her nearly well enough. Hmph. But anyway. There were some pretty awesome characters in this book.
I did like the faerie parts of the book. I just didn't love it. But my heart was breaking for the faeries. They had been taken from their home so many years ago. More than one hundred and fifty of them had died already, because of the iron and the pain. They are held captive. And used. It was heartbreaking. Yet I felt like I could have gotten to know much more about it. Would have loved it then. Oh, well. It was interesting and I liked reading about it all. But I wanted more. Still, I liked Marigold a lot. And Thomas.
There is a villain in this book. The one who has captured the faeries. But I just. I don't get the big finale with him. It was just silly. And felt so rushed. I wanted much more from that. He was so awful earlier. And his ending was so tame and lame, lol. But still. I did find the whole book interesting and I did like it. I just wish it had been a bit more. Was a bit disappointed. But still glad I read it. Thomas was a great character. I just wanted to get to know him much more. And oh, I wanted a much longer ending. Ack.
I don't really know what else to say about this book. So I will not say much more at all. It is about faeries. And about London, ages back, I think. There is some magic. Some great characters. A few heartbreaking scenes. I was a bit disappointed, yet I liked this book a lot too. The plot was pretty exciting and interesting. I loved reading the scenes after Thomas had gotten some money. I loved how he spent it, how happy it made him. But I hated that he left his family behind for a bit. Hmph. Not okay.
I do own another middle grade book by Emma, called Flights and Chimes and Mysterious Times. Which I'm excited to read as well sometime soonish. It do look so cute. And while I didn't love this first book by her, I did enjoy it, and I am curious about her other books. Her middle grade books looks so pretty. Sigh. I adore pretty artwork. Anyway. I'm glad I decided to finally read this one. It was good. I didn't love it, but I liked it lots. And I think many others would enjoy it too. So yes. I would suggest that you read it.
---
This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2015/0...
June 11, 2016
“Thomas Marsden was eleven years old when he dug up his own grave.”
I mean, let’s just leave the blurb at that, shall we? If a middle grade book about a grave robbing kid who finds himself buried isn’t intriguing enough, then you don’t need to know more about this book.
I love dark middle grade, and the cover of this book probably would have sold me by itself, but I have to say, I expected a little more than what I got from this book.
Thomas is a good kid – yes, his father has him assist with grave robbing, but they’re basically living hand to mouth and it’s not like Thomas can really do anything about it. He’s well-meaning, curious, brave and intelligent…but I have to say he was a little boring. He felt underdeveloped and I think part of that was due to the short page count of the book. It’s a slim 250 pages, with fairly large print, and overall, I wish that Trevayne had dug deeper (haha omg, pun intended) into Thomas and the faerie world she created. The ending was wrapped up in a neat bow and felt a bit rushed, though I do think she left the door open for future works in this world.
That being said, I didn’t dislike this book by any means. I think after being so impressed by Beastkeeper (despite a somewhat semi-confusing curse which I’m totally willing to overlook because I just adore that book), I might have self-hyped this book a bit. But it’s a fun read and I still love the premise. I don’t recall ever reading about a character whose profession is a grave robber, and especially not in a middle grade book.
Then you throw in some faeries, who aren’t your traditional, winged, sparkly, flitting things – in fact, in my mind, some were quite creepy based on the descriptions Trevayne gave me – and Victorian London and I’m happy. I liked the atmosphere and I could believe the situation in which the faeries were forced to live in London. The villain (Mordecai…a suitably, though predictable, evil name for a villain in a children’s book) was also a little shallow, which was disappointing because I think his character could have been fascinating.
I also really enjoyed how Trevayne handled why the faeries needed Thomas’ help in the first place – I don’t want to spoil anything, but I think she posed an interesting moral question and while I’m not one to explore the themes of a book, I tend to find it easier (and even enjoyable) to do with middle grade works.
I’m not going to rave about this, but if you’re looking for something a little different from your usual middle grade fantasy, I’d check this out. And it’s actually not as grim as you’d think, considering the hero is a grave robber, if you’re concerned about younger readers.
I mean, let’s just leave the blurb at that, shall we? If a middle grade book about a grave robbing kid who finds himself buried isn’t intriguing enough, then you don’t need to know more about this book.
I love dark middle grade, and the cover of this book probably would have sold me by itself, but I have to say, I expected a little more than what I got from this book.
Thomas is a good kid – yes, his father has him assist with grave robbing, but they’re basically living hand to mouth and it’s not like Thomas can really do anything about it. He’s well-meaning, curious, brave and intelligent…but I have to say he was a little boring. He felt underdeveloped and I think part of that was due to the short page count of the book. It’s a slim 250 pages, with fairly large print, and overall, I wish that Trevayne had dug deeper (haha omg, pun intended) into Thomas and the faerie world she created. The ending was wrapped up in a neat bow and felt a bit rushed, though I do think she left the door open for future works in this world.
That being said, I didn’t dislike this book by any means. I think after being so impressed by Beastkeeper (despite a somewhat semi-confusing curse which I’m totally willing to overlook because I just adore that book), I might have self-hyped this book a bit. But it’s a fun read and I still love the premise. I don’t recall ever reading about a character whose profession is a grave robber, and especially not in a middle grade book.
Then you throw in some faeries, who aren’t your traditional, winged, sparkly, flitting things – in fact, in my mind, some were quite creepy based on the descriptions Trevayne gave me – and Victorian London and I’m happy. I liked the atmosphere and I could believe the situation in which the faeries were forced to live in London. The villain (Mordecai…a suitably, though predictable, evil name for a villain in a children’s book) was also a little shallow, which was disappointing because I think his character could have been fascinating.
I also really enjoyed how Trevayne handled why the faeries needed Thomas’ help in the first place – I don’t want to spoil anything, but I think she posed an interesting moral question and while I’m not one to explore the themes of a book, I tend to find it easier (and even enjoyable) to do with middle grade works.
I’m not going to rave about this, but if you’re looking for something a little different from your usual middle grade fantasy, I’d check this out. And it’s actually not as grim as you’d think, considering the hero is a grave robber, if you’re concerned about younger readers.
November 27, 2017
The first 10 pages of Emma Trevayne's The Afterlife of Thomas Marsden are absolutely fantastic.
And then the rest of the book happens.
How could anyone resist the premise and beginning of this novel? A boy is out robbing graves with his father only to discover at the bottom of a freshly buried gravesite....himself?? How could it be??
And then Trevayne explains it.
I just don't know how an author can absolutely whiff on such an irresistible premise. Give this premise to Neil Gaiman, and he'd have a guaranteed Newbery. But instead of building a suspenseful mystery, Trevayne begins explaining AT the reader about faeries, and magic, and cruel magicians, and, ugh.
In 4th grade, students learn to "show, not tell."
After 10 pages, and for what feels like centuries, Trevayne decides to bombard the reader with ALL the backstory. She might as well be shaking me by my shirt collar yelling, "Care about these characters!! They're faeries!!!!"
Post-page 10, no detail is subtle. And Trevayne doesn't appear to respect the reader enough to allow them to piece together a mystery. Nor does she have the patience to build a fantasy world. Reading Thomas Marsden must be similar to having a summary of The Hobbit shouted at you by an angry, insane person.
"We are faeries!!!! We need Thomas! Thistle is dead!! By the way, we live in a basement and iron hurts us!! We can leave as often as we want, but we always come back to our enslavement! Don't ask why! It's because of reasons!!! ANYWAY! Thomas is important!!!"
I've read one other of Trevayne's middle-grade novels, Flights & Chimes and Mysterious Times, which was as frustratingly similar experience to reading this novel. So there's something about Trevayne's writing that just doesn't work on the same level as the rest of her contemporaries.
Maybe she should start writing books that are only 10 pages...
And then the rest of the book happens.
How could anyone resist the premise and beginning of this novel? A boy is out robbing graves with his father only to discover at the bottom of a freshly buried gravesite....himself?? How could it be??
And then Trevayne explains it.
I just don't know how an author can absolutely whiff on such an irresistible premise. Give this premise to Neil Gaiman, and he'd have a guaranteed Newbery. But instead of building a suspenseful mystery, Trevayne begins explaining AT the reader about faeries, and magic, and cruel magicians, and, ugh.
In 4th grade, students learn to "show, not tell."
After 10 pages, and for what feels like centuries, Trevayne decides to bombard the reader with ALL the backstory. She might as well be shaking me by my shirt collar yelling, "Care about these characters!! They're faeries!!!!"
Post-page 10, no detail is subtle. And Trevayne doesn't appear to respect the reader enough to allow them to piece together a mystery. Nor does she have the patience to build a fantasy world. Reading Thomas Marsden must be similar to having a summary of The Hobbit shouted at you by an angry, insane person.
"We are faeries!!!! We need Thomas! Thistle is dead!! By the way, we live in a basement and iron hurts us!! We can leave as often as we want, but we always come back to our enslavement! Don't ask why! It's because of reasons!!! ANYWAY! Thomas is important!!!"
I've read one other of Trevayne's middle-grade novels, Flights & Chimes and Mysterious Times, which was as frustratingly similar experience to reading this novel. So there's something about Trevayne's writing that just doesn't work on the same level as the rest of her contemporaries.
Maybe she should start writing books that are only 10 pages...
August 8, 2015
3.5 stars
A good read to pass the time, though with some disappointing faults.
Thomas Marsden is just your average eleven-year-old, in happy anticipation of his twelfth birthday. He's also seen more rotting bodies and skeletons than the majority of most humans in his time as a grave robber, but then again, we all have hobbies.
Young Marsden's hardened mind isn't prepared at all, however, when he digs up what seems to be a freshly buried version of himself. Along with the body, he finds a series of messages that lead him on an unimaginably wild adventure, complete with astonishing discoveries...
For the most part, this book was well-written. I enjoyed the description that the author implemented, and the story is set up in a lovely and engaging way. Even in its more slow-paced moments, the plot never fully lets up on the gas and keeps advancing the story—and of course every work needs its moments of respite.
However, sometimes the story moves a little too quickly. Important, pivotal moments are glossed over or whipped out on the table with blink-and-you'll-miss-it speed, all while the camera advances deeper in the plot. Then again, this was probably exaggerated by my tendency to read more quickly than I should. Still, the climax of the book felt rushed; problems and solutions came, reared their heads, then swiftly went again.
Again, don't get me wrong. The majority of the book was highly enjoyable and would doubtless satisfy its main target demographic.
All in all, pretty well done.
A good read to pass the time, though with some disappointing faults.
Thomas Marsden is just your average eleven-year-old, in happy anticipation of his twelfth birthday. He's also seen more rotting bodies and skeletons than the majority of most humans in his time as a grave robber, but then again, we all have hobbies.
Young Marsden's hardened mind isn't prepared at all, however, when he digs up what seems to be a freshly buried version of himself. Along with the body, he finds a series of messages that lead him on an unimaginably wild adventure, complete with astonishing discoveries...
For the most part, this book was well-written. I enjoyed the description that the author implemented, and the story is set up in a lovely and engaging way. Even in its more slow-paced moments, the plot never fully lets up on the gas and keeps advancing the story—and of course every work needs its moments of respite.
However, sometimes the story moves a little too quickly. Important, pivotal moments are glossed over or whipped out on the table with blink-and-you'll-miss-it speed, all while the camera advances deeper in the plot. Then again, this was probably exaggerated by my tendency to read more quickly than I should. Still, the climax of the book felt rushed; problems and solutions came, reared their heads, then swiftly went again.
Again, don't get me wrong. The majority of the book was highly enjoyable and would doubtless satisfy its main target demographic.
All in all, pretty well done.
September 16, 2018
Even middle grade fantasy book where we can meet faeries and has some magics can be so gloomy. It was so fit with foggy and gray London (at least what I gather from TV and such, never been in London. 😅)
“He was sure, in the scouring light of day and with some time to think, that he didn’t believe the fortune-teller or anything Lucy had said. But it was a pleasantly fanciful notion, and regardless of why, someone was leading Thomas on an adventure the likes of which he’d never had in his short, dull, dingy life.”
It’s an interesting book. But the pace is too slow for me. And so somber and dim. May be some of it was lost in translation, too. I need to upgrade my British English skill.
“He was sure, in the scouring light of day and with some time to think, that he didn’t believe the fortune-teller or anything Lucy had said. But it was a pleasantly fanciful notion, and regardless of why, someone was leading Thomas on an adventure the likes of which he’d never had in his short, dull, dingy life.”
It’s an interesting book. But the pace is too slow for me. And so somber and dim. May be some of it was lost in translation, too. I need to upgrade my British English skill.
July 29, 2015
From the first moment I heard about the boy who dug up his own grave I had to get my hands on his story.
As with all great fairytales THE ACCIDENTAL AFTERLIFE OF THOMAS MARSDEN is finely woven, resonant, and intricate.
It's a wonderfully dark and exciting story, beautifully told with a voice that is wholly unique yet reminiscent of Neil Gaiman and Holly Black.
This definitely sits in my top 5 books of 2015 :-)
As with all great fairytales THE ACCIDENTAL AFTERLIFE OF THOMAS MARSDEN is finely woven, resonant, and intricate.
It's a wonderfully dark and exciting story, beautifully told with a voice that is wholly unique yet reminiscent of Neil Gaiman and Holly Black.
This definitely sits in my top 5 books of 2015 :-)
July 26, 2015
Interesting tale of old London where a young boy whose work as a grave robber stops the night he digs up someone too familiar - himself. Others have been watching and guide him on his quest to find out who and what he is. With the help of his adopted parents, friend and some over worked fairies, Thomas will draw up courage he didn't know he had and discover his true family. Just a little bit creepy but not enough to keep young ones awake.
August 5, 2015
Perfect fantasy book. Faeries. A changeling. An evil human named Mordecai. Spiritualists. Grave robbers. Family. Despair. Hope. Friendship. Magic. Growth. Death. Life. Love.
This is a book to love and read again....for anyone aged seven to ninety-seven...
This is a book to love and read again....for anyone aged seven to ninety-seven...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews