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young adult book reviews & more

Reincarnation by Suzanne Weyn

ReincarnationFrom the moment they first meet, this young man and woman have a powerful connection. But circumstance will not allow them to stay together; a fight for a green jewel ends both of their lives. However, their bond is so strong that it surpasses the boundary between life and death and they continue to be born into new bodies until they can finally be together.

Reincarnation is quite a unique story, and I have never quite read anything like it. Each story of these two lovers connects back to the previous ones in obvious ways, so it is easy to tell which character was reincarnated into which new character, although this was a little confusing when the girl became a guy. The easiest way for me to recognize who was who was with the details that carried over from setting to setting. For example, the main young woman always had a pet cat named Baby, a hurt ankle, and a great singing voice, and the main young man always had headaches and a skill in archery. I really enjoyed how all the characters were interconnected and also the various historical settings. A lot of research must have gone into this novel, and I am nearly positive that it is all accurate.

The idea behind Reincarnation is a philosophical question, and Suzanne Weyn attacks it head on. I really liked how she incorporated many major religions, according to their region, and their views on death and the afterlife. However, I found it kind of ironic how the two lovers were never reincarnated as people in India, which is where the two main religions believing in reincarnation, Buddhism and Hinduism, originated. But this can be forgiven since the characters read many books on Buddhism in the novel.

The ending of the story was bittersweet for me, because I did not feel that the story lived up to its full potential. Suzanne Weyn leaves a lot of the story up to interpretation, which is good for making the reader think about the concept of reincarnation, but it did not leave me with a sense that the young lovers would stay together in love for all of eternity. The one redeeming point was how the other two characters that are also reincarnated get together.

All in all, I was a little disappointed with Reincarnation, but it was a beautiful story nonetheless. I do recommend it, because it is a highly unique and thought-provoking read, and I hope that other readers will find it as sweet a love story as I did.

Rating: 3.25

Review copy from personal collection

17 munch(es) :

Anonymous said...

Huh. I'm intrigued. I'll have to track it down.

Anonymous said...

LOL, we kind of thought the same thing about the book. I did like the book alot but at the end they seemed to get together so easily that it didn't go with the rest of the story. It had such great possibility though. I wish it would have been taken to its full potential.

Unknown said...

I have to say the book at the beginning was awesome! But when it got to the Salem Witch Trials it all unraveled. It became more and more hard to identify the main characters because additional incarnations were added. The story lines became less and less romantic with every one. I was so excited to read it at first and the first few incarnations were wonderful! It was so powerful to me and spoke to my heart. I didn't like the last incarnation because it seemed like it was so abrupt for people so young. It didn't live up to it's full potential but it's worth the read for the beginning.

Anonymous said...

I saw you review on Amazon and was surprised to see that you had reviewed this book. I didn't remember seeing it before.

Anyway, I just finished this book and really enjoyed it. I thought the ending made sense in regards to the rest of the story. In the other incarnations, there were obstacles keeping them apart. In the present day, there wasn't any and therefore they could be together for the rest of their lives and eternity because now they're finally together. I thought the ending gave that sense.

Keep an eye out for my review tonight! :)

Anonymous said...

We share like the same thoughts about the novel! lol. It's unique definitely but the ending wasn't as grand as it should've been.
and yeah i think it's historically correct.. which implies great research must've been done. i also think it was a bit rusheddd.. cz the author was tryna cover soo many lifetimes.
yeah, it left me dissapointed too. Overall, i think it was good but not great.

Anonymous said...

my fav reincarnation was in Athens

Anonymous said...

i loved it has alot of emoshion and it is goooooooooood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Unknown said...

It was a thrilling book and when you read it, it makes you hope that you could find the one your meant to be with.

Anonymous said...

the egypt part was the best, but the present day one was a little dissapionting

Anonymous said...

My favourite Reincarnation was in Athens, too!!

I also liked the Egyptian one.

Same with the one where Kye/All his other names was Irish. <3 I'm part Irish and it was so cute how he came back for her. I liked that she died, but I didn't like the whole Witch Trials thing.

Anonymous said...

I love this book, okay so the ending wasn't as great as i would have hoped, but it was great nontheless. I absolutlely adore how in the Salem with trials, Brian comes back for her, isn't that just so romantic,but she doesn't know. and the whole forbidden love in Athens, it just got to me, i really would have wanted if there was more at the end and it kind of irritated me how they always have this feeling of daja Vu but never find out about theur past lives, (except of course in one of their lives), still i would completely recommend this book. It really gets you thinking about religion and what you want in life.

Anonymous said...

absolutely amazing book! I first started reading this book, and I did'nt understand it. It's amazing what happens when you give a book a chance, I really ended up liking it! My favorite part was with Hyacinth and Artem in Athens, and how he visits Hyacinth at the temple. I also liked the parts in Paris. I didnt really like the Salem Witch Trials part, and the ending was not all that great, but I still liked the book, although it was confusing at some parts.

Anonymous said...

It was a very good book, and the last story really didn't live up to the rest of the book. I did also notice that there were no obstacles in the last story of the book when they finally get together, although I figure that that is how it was supposed to be. Earlier in the book, I can't remember which part, it was written that the only way they could get together the way they wanted to was to get over the issues they had from the very first story with them fighting over the green stone. The green jewel thing was in almost every story in some form, and it tended to be behind the separation of them a few times. In the end they finally accomplished that, so they were able to get together with no obstacles. All in all, a good book, and I can forgive the ending because I knew it was finally their time to get together, even if it did seem to happen too fast.

Anonymous said...

When you think about the way the book ended, I think it was for the best. In the end there was nothing standing in their way and the way that the other reincarnates act, shows that they were more understanding about the situation than those of their past lives. Also my favorite reincarnation was the one in Athens. In all I loved reading this book, I think the plot and the subject matter will get anyone who reads this thinking.

Anonymous said...

Love the book! I'm not done yet, but I'm going to do a Book Talk on it for English class. (an oral review)

Anonymous said...

While I enjoyed the idea behind the book, the novel itself was badly executed.

Does anyone also think that the Salem Witchcraft Trials part was a ripoff of the Crucible?

Anonymous said...

ARE YOU PEOPLE NUTS?! though some parts could be sketchy,the end was the best part.I love how all the emeralds that both gave life and killed them turned out to be fakes.What I found interesting was that after She was burnes at the stake,She reincarnated as His daughter but never got to meet Her.Civil War was the best but Paris had it's moments too.Suzanne Weyn is a freaking genius and I will hunt down anyone who says other wise.

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