Review: Existence

Existence by Abbi Glines

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Pagan Moore can see dead people. They can’t/don’t talk to her, but she can see them. One day, there appears to be a spirit outside of school. But he can talk. Which shocks her! The fact that she can see him, shocks him!
This talking ghost seems to be stalking Pagan Moore. Then one day he enrolls in her High School…and turns out to be the lead singer for the rock group “Cold Soul”…his name is Dank Walker (yes, really.). Dank seems to save Pagan from an almost fatal car wreck…which causes other weird things to happen, including other talking ghosts stalking her. Dank can’t or won’t answer Pagan’s questions and her growing feelings for him and starting to affect her relationship with her quarterback boyfriend. Pagan quests for answers and is surprised by what she finds out.

I’ve given Abbi Glines some flak for her choice in names. She did explain that Dank’s whole name is “Dankmar” which means “Famous for his Spirit”. OK, I can see that, but I still think she should have explained that in the book…and maybe not paired it with “Walker” as a last name because the images it conjures for me are of a mostly decomposed zombie walking through a Georgia swamp. LOL, but I’ve totally digressed!

When I read the synopsis for this story I thought it was going to be an homage to the movie “Death Takes a Holiday” or the newer version, “Meet Joe Black”…but as usual I was wrong. Wasn’t even close.

Death is not taking a holiday, he just becomes fascinated by Pagan. Pagan is a good girl…nice, sweet, is brave enough to share her honest thoughts and feelings about something and is quick to apologize and rectify is she is wrong. She is sensitive to others, and roots for the underdog. Glines gives her characters a good balance of characteristics. They are good with a rebellious streak, or “bad” but totally redeemable. And I’m a sucker for a happy ending…although this ending had quite the cliffhanger! Can’t wait for the next installment, “Predestined”! It’s gonna be GOOD!




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