[Book Review] Radiance: Death Can Be Cute

Radiance
Author: Alyson Noël
Publisher: Square Fish
Release Date: August 30, 2010
Pages: 183

Radiance is a cute book about death and afterlife. Buku ini ringan tapi sarat makna.
Pertama: tentang kematian yang digambarkan Alyson Noel, penulisnya, sama sekali tidak menakutkan.

Riley Bloom left her sister, Ever, in the world of the living and crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. Riley and her dog, Buttercup, have been reunited with her parents and are just settling into a nice, relaxing death when she’s summoned before The Council. They let her in on a secret—the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure; Riley has to work. She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a curious boy she can’t quite figure out.

Riley, Bodhi, and Buttercup return to earth for her first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But he’s never met Riley.

Riley yang sewaktu hidup tidak puas dengan dirinya dan selalu menjadi bayang-bayang kakaknya, Ever, baru tersadar akan sikapnya yang annoying setelah ia meniggal.

Berbekal pengalaman sewaktu hidup, Riley berhasil membujuk the Radiant boys, kakak-beradik badung yang gentayangan di kastil. Riley dan mentornya, Bodhi, diminta untuk menangkap arwah penasaran agar kembali ke dunianya. Mereka dinamakan Soul Catcher

Buku ini walau untuk ABG, masih cocok dibaca oleh segala usia. Kematian bukan hal yang menakutkan.
Gue bahkan ngakak di beberapa bagian. Penggambaran Here and Now juga jelas, terbukti penulisnya memang riset terlebih dahulu tenang kematian dan kehidupan setelah mati. Yang paling seru adalah saat Riley dan Bodhi terbang di kota London. Magnificent!

Surely I will buy all the series ^^

Happy reading,