"Authentic, inventive YA with the “what if?” edge of speculative fiction"
The ever-original Jason Reynolds has done it again in this brilliant novel about grief, friendship, making amends and seizing the day. With a killer concept at its beautiful heart - what if you could bring your best friend back to life to say goodbye? - Reynolds also has a rare gift for tackling life’s big stuff with genuine humour.
“If matter doesn’t die, if energy can’t die, then no one really dies.” This line of comforting logic comes near the start of the book, twenty-three months on from funeral of Jamal’s best friend Q. Painfully, while they’d been “the Best Kind of Brothers” since childhood, they hadn’t been friends for a couple of years before Q’s death, after Jamal blamed Q for the accident that killed his parents. But Jamal still tried to save Q’s life, and wishes more than anything that he’d had the chance to put things right, that he hadn’t been “an asshole” the last time they spoke. Then, inexplicably, that chance comes when the enigmatic Mr Oklahoma from “The Center” says he can reanimate Q for a few weeks. Q’s mom agrees, but no one must reveal what’s going on, which puts Jamal in a messy predicament - how’s he going to put things right if he can’t tell Q the truth?
With an engaging in-the-moment narrative and dialogue that dances with authenticity, this is rich in relatable young adult experiences with extra edge courtesy of its “what if?” set-up. But that’s not all - Forever Ends on a Friday will put a smile on your face too, not least during the brilliant “Carpet Denim” (trans. carpe diem) scene, and through Q’s witty one-liners.
What if you could bring your best friend back to life - but only for a short time?
Jamal's best friend, Q, doesn't know that he died, and that he's about to die . . . again. He doesn't know that Jamal tried to save him. And that the reason they haven't been friends for two years is because Jamal blames Q for the accident that killed his parents. But what if Jamal could have a second chance?
A new technology allows Q to be reanimated for a few weeks before he dies . . . permanently. And Q's mom is not about to let anyone ruin this miracle by telling Q about his impending death. So how can Jamal fix everything if he can't tell Q the truth?
Forever Ends on Friday weaves together loss, grief, friendship, and love to form a wholly unique homage to the bonds that bring people together for life - and beyond. Reynolds’s writing strikes that tender balance between stories full of moments of warmth and incredible sadness, and Forever Ends on Friday will stir up a rollercoaster of emotions and touches the heartstrings.
Forever Ends on Friday is published in the US as Early Departures.
Forever Ends on Friday features in the following genres: Young Adult Fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Science fiction, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Death and grief, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Relationship stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Action and adventure stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Speculative, dystopian and utopian fiction, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Diversity, equality and inclusion, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Time travel, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage: Personal and social topics, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Science and technology, Children’s / Teenage: General interest
Forever Ends on Friday is available in Paperback
Forever Ends on Friday was written by Justin Reynolds and published by Macmillan Children's Books an imprint of Pan Macmillan
Forever Ends on Friday has 471 pages
£8.09
