Repossessed

One of the fallen who toils in Hell, escapes to earth and briefly possesses the body of a slacker high schooler to see what it is like to be human and make his mark in the world. I thought the descriptions of what it was like to really notice the sensations of being human were strengths in the book. Although religion is not mentioned directly, it is pretty clear that the book is operating with the model of Christianity. The demon is a pretty interesting and sympathetic character, he wants to impact people positively and even goes out of his way to try to force a bully to see the error of his ways so he doesn't have to spend an eternity in Hell. I just read Before I Die, and like that book one of the top things on the to-do list was to show more have sex. I found this to be a quick, interesting read. Although I don't know how much it would resonate with the middle school crowd. show less

Kiriel is a fallen angel, a devil, whose eternal punishment for rebellion against Him is to reflect the regrets and guilt of sinners souls and show them the disharmony they wrought during their lives and he's pretty sick of it. Determined to take a vacation Kiriel takes over the body of a teenager named Shaun who was destined for oblivion himself. Kiriel knows that his transgression in leaving his job and possessing a body is unforgivable, but he is determined to experience everything earthly in full before he is repossessed to Hell.

Despite a description that would make this young adult novel sound irreverent the truth is the story really isn't. Nor did I find it overly preachy which, considering the content of the book, is a feat in show more and of itself. This was kind of a make you think type book as Kiriel experiences our every day world and finds it wondrous in the extreme. It made me take a closer look at the world around me and my part in it. The story was told completely from Kiriel's unusual point of view which was also intriguing as his views of our world are completely alien from what your everyday person would think. It was fun to watch him learn from his experiences. I even liked the way the book ended despite the fact that I usually like everything tied up in a bow with full explanations which this didn't really have. All in all different and intriguing for a one time go around and I would recommend this as an easy and quick read for older teens and adults. I wouldn't recommend so much for younger tweens and teens as there are some sexual situations. show less

A fallen angel who is fed up with his job tormenting souls in hell decides to take over the body of a teenage boy. I loved the perspective that Kiriel brings to Shaun's life. A total outsider who has never experienced the life of a teen can see through some of the goofy stuff about the way teens live, especially in their relationships with other people. For example, Kiriel can immediately see how much Shaun's little brother wants his friendship and love in a way that Shaun never could. On the other hand, I think it would also be empowering for a teen to see how much knowledge they need to have just in order to get through the day - watching Kiriel struggle through familiar situations and social dynamics that a teenager would understand show more without a second thought can demonstrate to a young person how much they already know about the world. There was also a nice exploration of fantasy vs. reality in the relationship with Lane, a girl who has a long-time crush on Shaun. When Kiriel, who seems to think about sex just as much as your typical teenage boy, starts to act out one of Lane's fantasies about Shaun word for word, her reaction is not exactly positive. I enjoyed the way that this book highlighted everyday experiences - the little joys in life that are so easy to forget or gloss over. It got a little bit heavy-handed toward the end, but the message stands up that even in the life of fairly introverted teenage boy, there are important connections between him and the other people in his life. Shaun is chosen because he was a pretty isolated person, and Kiriel assumed that no one paid too much attention to his life. But Kiriel learns that "Shaun Simmons had made a specific mark on his little world, simply by being," and that his absence would be missed. show less

Repossessed is a clever, funny book with a lot of teen appeal. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. Kiriel's voice in this first person novel is distinctive and likable. He's rebellious, questioning, at times even angry, and yet beneath that is a depth and a goodness that belies the demon label. Although he is in many ways different than the teen whose body he inhabits, he is clearly a teenager in the cosmic sense, both rebelling against and seeking attention from the Creator.

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Kiriel hasn't had a day off since roughly the birth of the universe. And his job isn't even that interesting--the damned pretty much torture themselves; he's just there to oversee. So he gives himself a vacation: he walks off the job, finds an all-American slacker teenager, and takes control of Shaun's body seconds before he'd otherwise be hit by a truck. Now for the first time Kiriel is learning what there is to being human--the smells of dirty laundry, the feel of running water, the taste of ketchup. Also: having a crush on a girl, reaching out to people, leaving a positive mark on the world, and generally appreciating what life has to offer. Sounds hokey, but the fast, funny writing keeps it from the sappy and/or maudlin.

[note: 2008 show more Printz Honor Book!] show less

Repossessed by A.M Jenkins is a well written novel. A.M Jenkins allows to reader to see things from the point of view of someone that doesn't have the perks of being a human. The 'Fallen Angel' goes through experiences such as tasing the saltiness of ketchup or the sweetness of Froot-Loops. This novel makes the reader think twice about all of the little things in life. I would highly recommend this book. It is a quick read.

Kiriel is a minor demon ("fallen angel") who is phenomenally bored with his job in hell, as the souls there pretty much torture themselves, so there isn't actually anything to do. He wants a vacation. He wants to experience life as a human, just for a little while. He finds Shaun, a 17-year-old who is about to get hit by a truck. Kiriel slips into Shaun's body and jumps back onto the sidewalk. Seeing all of the ordinary things that go on in human life through Kiriel's viewpoint is funny, amazing, and will make you think. The feel and texture of clothing, the taste of ketchup, and a 2 1/2 hour bath make him wonder why humans don't appreciate such excitement! Kiriel also discovers that the human world is not only about physical sensations show more -- there is also an emotional side of life. Shaun's divorced mother and his little brother Jason show Kiriel that other side of life. This is a story that is hilariously funny at times but will also make you see everyday things in a new light. Appropriate for 7th grade and up. show less