Everlost

“Long ago a car had even left the road, flown like a bird, and landed smack on the forest floor. Nobody came with it, though. Oh, sure there had been people in the car when it had crashed, but they got where they were going even before the boy came to inspect the wreck.”

This passage occurs when Lief climbs the rock cliff to see the car accident on the mountain road. He thinks about past accidents, including the one referenced here. The phrase “they got where they were going” is an important one repeated throughout the novel, for it shows the characters and readers that there are other places people can go after they die, including Everlost. The phrase also illustrates how Everlost is an in-between space that isn’t the world of the living but isn’t a proper afterlife.

“The worst part about it was that no matter how much time passed, you always remembered how many things you’d forgotten.”

One detrimental element of living in Everlost is the spirits’ eventual loss of memory. Nick and Allie discover that this occurs quickly, and it also explains why Lief doesn’t know his name. This memory loss also explains why some children start shifting in appearance. This shift symbolizes that they are forgetting their self-image and must work harder to remember what they look like. Sadly, while the children might forget a lot of memories and information, they don’t forget the fact that they have indeed lost their memories and this knowledge of lacking knowledge adds a sense of irony and