The story begins- ‘The boy in the bathroom mirror had a purple shiner for a left eye, and oddly enough, that boy was him.’

Adam Helios, a young Indian adoptee and self-proclaimed ‘scrawny bookworm,’ faces bullies more and more due to his Indian heritage, when a sudden shift in fate sees him fighting for his life.

The bulk of the novel was a curious mix of Fantasy and reality, which I found quite refreshing. We see Adam go on an incredible journey, where he fights for his life, while dreaming of anthropomorphized versions of his deepest, darkest fears.

There is a lot of self-blame felt throughout the story- namely felt by Adam and his mother regarding the car crash that caused Ada to go into his coma. It’s the relationship dynamic between Adam and his mother that I found myself envying: his mother is the strong, nurturing type that I could imagine kissing his ouchies better.

‘Like every other conscious being in the known multi-verse, you always have a choice, and that choice is what defines you.’

The sheer amount of wise and inspiring quotes used is phenomenal. I found myself inspired at every turn, unable to fathom the vast nature of Conley’s exquisite imagination.

Through Adam Helios, we experience exactly what it means to be human- to be an immortal spirit trapped within a feeble, mortal form. This tale captivated me from beginning to end and resonated well with me, emotionally.

I would definitely recommend you read this, no matter what your genre preferences.
Rated 5 stars. ( )

*I received an ebook copy via the @kidlitexchange for review purposes.

A 13-year-old boy, Adam, is involved in a terrible car accident and receives a traumatic brain injury. As Adams family hears about his bleak prognosis, they could never imagine the battle Adam is facing in his own mind.

If you have seen the movie or read the novel "What Dreams May Come" by Richard Matheson, then you would know what to expect in INTRATERRESTRIAL. Adam's battle is very dark, almost creepy. The end of the book is uplifting, but the dark side throughout most of the book was hard for me to get through. Author Nicholas Conley is a master at providing the reader with vivid images, sometimes almost hard to read. This isn't necessarily my personal preference or the types of books I choose to read, but if you enjoy this type of book, you will love Intraterrestrial. I would recommend it for grades nine and up. ( )