The Otherworldlies

From the moment I read the eerie opening line, I was plunged into the weird yet very recognizable world of The Otherworldlies. Although this novel is very different from Kogler's first, the thread connecting both is Kogler's unique gift for making readers feel like they too are inhabiting the the out-of-the-ordinary worlds she describes. In both novels, Kogler makes the strange into something familiar, and the familiar into something strange. Despite her character's bizarre circumstances, whether seedy Las Vegas casinos or underground vampire civilizations, the issues they struggle with are those that confront us everyday, particularly in that in-between state between child and adult. The Otherworldlies' Fern, like Ruby of Ruby Tuesday, and like almost every adolescent girl, feels helpless to control or even to understand the events unfolding around her, and the decisions she makes speak to the uncertainty and unknowabilty of the worlds she finds herself thrust into. Fern's journey is not only about deciding who she is, vampire or human, but also about what world she wants to belong to, and how it might be possible to straddle multiple worlds. In the process she learns how belonging can mean not just losing parts of herself, the way it might seem at her catty middle school, but also finding them.

Fern is an unusual girl, and in middle school, that's just not acceptable. Every day, she has to deal with others' spite over her strange qualities and habits such as blistering from sun exposure, a knack for accurate weather prediction, hearing voices without bodies, and talking with her dog. But what she doesn't know is that she isn't normal; she's a vampire, or an Otherworldy. And among those, she's one of the most special, because her unique ability to teleport distinguishes her as one of the foretold Unusual Eleven. Fern soon finds herself in the midst of an ages-old battle between the two factions of Otherworldies that could destroy her, the people she loves, and possibly the entire world. The Otherworldies was a fantastic and action-filled combination of vampirism, ancient mythology, and supernatural powers; it was incredible how Kogler linked the three together even though they may seem to be unrelated. The plot was very fast moving and kept me on the edge of my seat, especially as the story neared its ending. I loved how this story kept me guessing right up until the end and how some of the characters I thought were insignificant turned out to be crucial to the plot. You really have no idea what's going to happen next. Besides having a well-written plot, The Otherworldies also has creative characters. My favorite was Fern; I found her to be much more mature than her twelve years would suggest as well as witty and resourceful. Readers looking for a suspenseful, well-written, and unique read should most definitely check out The Otherworldies. Although I believe this novel is considered in the middle grade genre, teens and adults will also enjoy this story.

Twelve-year-old Fern McAllister is the black sheep of her family, set apart by pale skin that blisters after moments in the sun and dark black hair in a family of blondes. Her strange sensitivity to light, and seeming ability to communicate with the family dog, are secondary concerns to the kids at her middle school who tease her for having an absent father. Despite gaining herself the nickname "freaky Fern," she leads a generally happy life, thanks to her mother's caring and her twin brother Sam's friendship. But one day in the middle of English, Fern simply disappears. No one can find her; no one has seen her leave the room, much less her desk. Unbeknownst to her classmates, Fern has somehow managed to teleport to Pirate Cove, her favorite part of a nearby beach. Frightened and unsure of how she got there, Fern tries to tell the truth, but her mother isn't believing it and neither is the school's headmaster. The next time she vanishes and reappears, it is to a much more dangerous location, and by then it's impossible for Fern to keep her activities under wraps. It's only after a series of dangerous accidents that Fern discovers the truth of her identity and the full extent of her powers as an "otherworldly," the politically correct term for any creature that is not entirely human. Kogler does a wonderful job of detailing the average twelve-year-old's insecurities and the way that they are magnified in Fern, who is anything but average. She presents a compelling picture of what it's like to grow up different in a world where schoolchildren are cruel and ostracize people who don't fit in. I found Fern, Sam, and their mother to all be very sympathetic and believable characters, whose motivations were easy to accept. I also enjoyed Kogler's conception of the titular "otherworldlies," which made this book refreshingly different from other vampire stories I have read. Her use of Greek myths as the starting point for a number of inhuman creatures and supernatural powers put a new spin on the traditional vampire myths. Overall, THE OTHERWORLDLIES was a satisfying read, with a plot that asked more questions than it answered but still managed to come to some kind of conclusion. Kogler's left herself open for a sequel, perhaps even an entire series, about Fern's future, and I for one look forward to whatever she comes up with next. Reviewed by: Candace Cunard

I haven't read Jennifer Anne Kogler's first book, Ruby Tuesday, but after getting my hands on The Otherworldlies I'm going to make sure I don't miss another book by her. The Otherworldlies is filled with such imagination its fun and easy to read. This book creates a new look on vampires today, if they exsisted.

Fern is an amazing character and this book was a really fun ride watching her learn to use and control her "otherworldly" powers and abilities. You see, Fern lived her whole life not knowing that she had special abilities because she was a vampire. This book does a really cool job tying together mythologies from all over the planet to make a rich, well researched world where amazing things can happen all the time. This book is a great summer read, and I would recommend it to everyone.