The Lazarus Serum can bring you back from the dead – but when you come back you’ve changed – you’re a Pale, an outcast. It’s the last thing Jed wants, but an accident changes everything and Jed’s forced to discover the true cost of living forever.
Published by: Stoke Books
My copy from: Myrick Marketing & Media via Netgalley
‘Pale‘ by Chris Wooding is part of a series aimed at children with dyslexia, or have trouble or lack of enthusiasm with reading. Thus, it is quite a short book. I thought the ideas behind the book were good. Its nice to see a book in this category with fantasy elements.
The premise is that when someone dies, if they are injected straight away with a serum then they can come back to life as a Pale. However, they look different. As such, they are treated differently by society. Most Pales live in a place called the Graveyard, and are stripped of their wealth and belongings. Jed, a popular boy, despises Pales, like the rest of his classmates. However, when he saves his girlfriend from being hit by a car, he becomes one. And so he gets to see what life is like on the other side.
Although I enjoyed the fantasy aspect, it is also very clear how this book relates to real life; bullying, segregation and thankfulness. Therefore I think this book is appropriate for children/teenagers, as there is a strong message they can take away. Furthermore, the action in this book makes it a good read.
I’m going to give it 4 sofas as it wasn’t really long enough for me, but I think it is perfect for its target audience. And the cover is good too!
Snuggling On The Sofa 