The Afterlife of the Party by Darcy Marks

What worked:

The most intriguing aspect of the book is the setting. Mal and his friends are angels but they live in Hell. Heaven, Hell, and Faerie are three different dimensions and the citizens are learning to get along after interdimensional travel is allowed. A controversial issue arises when a mixer is proposed between some of the angels in Heaven and Hell. Readers won’t notice any big differences in Hell as Mal still goes to school, lives in a normal home, goes shopping for clothes with his mom, and has lunch at a restaurant. The Pit is the punishing version of Hell we’re more familiar with.

Mal’s best friends now attend different schools but they still meet regularly and hang out. Mal is having a more difficult time making the adjustment as the others seem to be enjoying their lessons and are making new friends. His mind begins to feel jealous as he’s uncomfortable sharing his familiar friends with others. He’s not sure how to tell if new classmates are friends he can trust or merely school acquaintances. He doesn’t want to open up with feelings and private thoughts that might make him vulnerable until he’s sure the relationships are safe. These emotions are common among middle-grade readers which will make Mal a relatable character.

The author introduces various issues to catch the attention of Mal and readers. The ground begins to shake on several occasions and no one has an explanation. A soul meant for heaven somehow ends up in Hell, upsetting the balance between good and evil. A young angel from heaven appears at Mal’s home, something that shouldn’t be possible. Invitations for a controversial, interdimensional mixer arrive but Mal isn’t sure who has received them or if the event will ever happen. A pen pal from the human world says strange things are happening there and asks Mal if anything unusual is happening in Hell. Then, there are rumors of Chaos rising and Mal wonders if his actions from the first book have anything to do with it. Mal wants to believe all of these things are coincidental but what if they’re not?

What didn’t work as well:

It will help to read the previous book first since there are many references to past events. I didn’t do this. Also, it’s hard to anticipate and become excited about the climax since the actual conflict isn’t clear. Many symptoms are shared but the actual cause of them is unknown throughout most of the book. What’s actually happening and who is doing it?

The final verdict:

This book is a stepping stone between the first book and the third and readers should be prepared to continue the series. The climax eventually reveals what’s going on but the resolution leads right into the sequel. The concept of the plot is innovative as the various settings are located in the afterlife. Overall, it’s an interesting book and I recommend you give it a shot.