Finished the book BOO by Neil Smith. It’s a bittersweet fantasy story about childhood, getting over pain, and forgiveness.
A little boy wakes up in the afterlife, a mysterious place where everyone is the same age as he is. The tone is gentle; for me it’s an improvement over Smith’s book of short stories BANG CRUNCH, which seemed show-offy and brassy.
The thing about BOO is that it really captures the feeling of what it must be like to be a shy, outsiderish, brainy boy with hidden aches. The book explores the rules of this “heaven,” Boo’s relationships with those around him, and his quest to be at peace.