Between Life and Death | TROPE TALK

In which I discuss some of my favorite tropes that feature characters with a link to death or that go between life and death...
♦ LIPSTICK: ABH Liquid Lipstick in Haze
★ Interested in buying any of these books? Purchase from The Book Depository and get free shipping! I also get a small commission: www.bookdeposit...
➝ DISCLAIMER: This video is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.
♡ PATREON: www.patreon.co...
►► All of my content will remain free, as always, but Patrons get perks that allow more interaction with my channel and content!
WHERE TO FIND ME:
► Twitter: @thoughtsontomes
► Goodreads: / thoughtsontomes
► Instagram: @thoughtsontomes
► Snapchat: @thoughtsontomes
► Tumblr: / thoughtsontomes
► Blog: www.thoughtsontomes.com
MORE THAN BOOKS?
★ Personal channel: tinyurl.com/z2b...
★ Instagram: @maskedandmadeup
REVIEW/BUSINESS INQUIRES
➝ Email: [e-mail]
➝ Review Policy: thoughtsontomes...

[@eloisebrad5469]

NICO DI ANGELO in PJO/Heroes of Olympus. "Death boy", Son of Hades. He can raise the dead with their bones I think? He's also suicidally depressed. Aaaand he shadow travels. Like he can teleport between shadows but it takes away a bit of his life when he does. (Also gay and gets an adorable bf) Also in heroes of Olympus some of the main characters fall to Tartarus and spend a whole book in there. And loads of travels to the Underworld. BOOM!

[@lovekatie3528]

I recently read Gods of Jade and Shadow, in which a girl accidentally frees a god of the dead from the prison her grandfather helped trapped him in, and he enlists her help in getting his underworld throne back from his brother. It seems like it'll be right up your alley! It's very whimsical and has both characters who have death powers and a journey through the underworld.

[@Nataliecj]

Ooh so glad you mentioned The Amber Spyglass! That's the only one I could think of that has this trope that I've read. That scene when Lyra leaves something (trying not to spoil) on the shore KILLS me, I first read it when I was 13. 13 year old me was not prepared for the tears. Hoping you find that perfect Hades/Persephone retelling soon 💃

[@amyr3293]

Natalie C. Yes! That scene broke my little 10 year old heart.

[@Nataliecj]

@@amyr3293 I'm still not over it 😭

[@brierofbooks9385]

I think the two books I’ve read that have this trope are The Archived (which I really liked!) and Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire. Sparrow Hill Road is about this teen girl who’s a hitchhiker ghost, so she kinda comes back to life when she’s given a coat by a living person. Not completely back to life but enough that she appears to be alive. And the antagonist has a car that consumes souls so he can stay forever young. I love this book and it’s sequel so much!!

[@lauriee.1253]

Just ordered Sparrow hill road based upon your description!

[@lilyleia78]

I second Sparrow Hill Road. I haven't read the sequel yet but I loved the first

[@brierofbooks9385]

laurie E. omg that’s fantastic! I hope you enjoy it!

[@karkatvantas9557]

The Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy has a huge focus on necromancy for the middle of the first phase, and there are some books in the series that deal with being between life and death. I mean the series is about an undead skeleton detective (not to say that he's the main character, because he isn't).

[@KeepCalmwithBooksandCoffee]

The original Abhorsen Triolgy is one of my favorite series of all time. I loved that triolgy so so much.

[@kelseyrozema4445]

Someone else said this but I wanted to add on. Terry Pratchett has an arch that is both of these troupes AND has elements of Persephone retelling. Honestly, you would love Terry Pratchett's Death arc! Death is one of his most interesting characters in this world, and one of the most interesting ideas of death I've seen. The idea is: "what would happen if the personification of death tried to be human (and didn't really get how)?" The series starts with the book Mort, which is about Death retiring and giving his mantle and powers to a human apprentice. But the series really shines when Pratchett introduces Death's adopted granddaughter Susan. She has all of Death's powers but wants to be human. I could also argue she's loosely a Persephone if Persephone also wanted to be a no-nonsense governess.

[@kittymachine3798]

Based on this Venn diagram of interest, you should pick up The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo. It might not seem like an obvious contender, but I don't want to say too much to convince and spoil anything!!! It's a gorgeous story in about ten other categories as well, not just the eerie life/death divide. Highly recommend the audiobook too, it's superbly narrated by the author herself. Phenomenal!

[@cassidy_reads]

I would highly recommend Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor. It is such a beautifully written book with incredibly powerful themes in it, including this life and death theme. So heartbreaking but amazing.

[@TheClockchan]

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo has a great depiction of the crossroads between life and death. A river AND a train station. A two for one! Highly recommend the audiobook if the mystery/supernatural plot interests you at all.

[@ginnyvanoh]

I am about midway through the audio for this book (the dinner party is in progress) and am enjoying it very much!

[@Sarah-kw9bp]

I feel like you might enjoy Gods of Jade and Shadow! It comes out Tuesday. It's based on Mayan mythology and theres Gods of Death and a girl that has to help him get his throne back

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

yarncat books I knowwww I cannot wait!

[@kimberlykosydor5160]

I just read a book that perfectly fit this trope! The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo! I loved it! The main character is stuck between life and death! The afterlife in it is so interesting! I feel like you would enjoy it.🙂

[@kittymachine3798]

I just recommended The Night Tiger by Choo! It's AMAZING!!!

[@AyameObsessed]

I know you’ve said in the past you’re kinda meh about horror but Lost Gods by Brom would really hit on this trope for you I bet! It’s the most terrifying view of purgatory I’ve ever read tbh

[@JessicaRoseReads]

The Starcrossed trilogy by Josephine Angelini is heavy on the Greek Mythology and features a lot of traveling to different planes of the Underworld (and other realms). It's an early 2010's ya series so bear that in mind, but I've never read anything that comes close to the amount of Greek Mythology content that these books have. Plus I'm majorly bias for books that feature Morpheus.

[@stafar49]

JessicaRose Oooooh yes. This one’s fun.

[@roz3908]

I saw the name of the trope and I knew the Old Kingdom series was gonna be involved because how could it not? One of my absolute favorite series of all time. I didn't love Goldenhand because I've always read Lirael as aroace and so having a large part of her story be a romantic plot was really disappointing to me but I loved the way Chlorr's story plays out so it kind of evened out. Have you heard of the Archivist Wasp series by Nicole Kornher-Stace? It's a post-apocalyptic world where the archivist's job is to take care of ghosts and try to find out what caused the apocalypse 400 years ago so they can make sure they don't do it again. Wasp gets approached by a particularly powerful ghost who wants help in finding his partner from life and they have to go into the underworld to look for her. It has a lot of elements that I think you'd be super into.

[@TBCaine]

Sabriel and Northern Lights series are both 10/10. Been wanting to re-read both of them recently.

[@danisbooks9237]

LOVE THIS TROPE

[@ilrayali6121]

Have you heard of The Bone Doll's Twin by Lynn Fleweling? I'm not sure it fits exactly but it's well written, complete and a really eerie and creepy trilogy about a girl whose gender gets flipped to male so she can fulfill the kingdom's prophesy. I read it quite a bit ago so I don't remember everything but it may have some death magic you're looking for.

[@WildeBookGarden]

I've been realizing lately that I have a similar really specific trope I love and that's when characters are responsible for guiding spirits/souls to the afterlife or helping them pass on somehow--I loved that aspect of Whichwood and it's something that really intrigues me when I see it in synopses! kind of similar to the traveling-between-life-and-death but it's for a specific purpose. also your "devilishly handsome" comment cracked me up!

[@IlovanNicolae]

Adventurers Wanted by M. L. Forman has a between life and death system, the characters who go to that realm are either healers/mages or people who are about to die. The series itself is middle grade fantasy with a simplistic plot. I still thoroughly enjoyed it, one of my guilty pleasure series.

[@sarahthesusanreads832]

I love this trope so much and I'm always trying to find a way to include it in my writing In my current work in progress, the main cast of characters have some epic connections with some all powerful beings and one of them is death and they literally just refer to him as their uncle and its so funny and so hard to write but I love it to much to give it up

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

yesss

[@megan_h_sg-154]

Adding all these books to my "to read" list. ALso, you should read Soul Screamers. It has a death like characters and another world stuff its great! Although it is a younger YA . still great.

[@stafar49]

Uuuuugh I love this video and this trope! Sabriel kicked off a love of necromancy/death magic love for me too!!!! I love Mogget. (As an aside.) Seanan McGuire has been one of my fave authors and she has a series about a ghost named Rose Marshall which is FABULOUS if you haven’t already picked it up.... the mythos of that world is soooo interesting. First book is “Girl in the green silk gown” I think. (I read it back when it was an internet serial as well as when she got it traditionally published.) Have you ever read Christopher Pike’s Remember me series? The first book especially is a fave though I’m sure it helped that I read it when I was a preteen. Last recommendation is the Nevermore series by Kelly Creagh which is basically a creepy ode to Edgar Allen Poe that involves flipping back and forth between creepy Poe world with ghosts and creepy crawlies and the real world. I loooooooved the trilogy.

[@ReadswithRachel]

Okay I’m now even more excited to get Sabriel from the library because anything to do with death is my shit

[@WellDressedGypsy]

Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series is great one for this trope, it's based off of banshee mythology/ a few celtic myths. I recommend reading book #1 and then go back and read the 0.5 novella, and then read in order of numbers because there are a few novellas spread out throughout the series. Or there are bind ups that go in order usually having two full stories and one novella. It's a paranormal ya slightly trashy series but I devoured everything over a summer, seven full books and six novellas. Oh and the underworld is quite an important part of several plots in the series.

[@Bailey_93]

I have the archived sitting on my bookshelf and your synopsis of it is making me want to give it a second chance 😊 also your makeup and nails look amazing! Happy Saturday 💚

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

Bailey Kathleen thank you 💜

[@lionheart3290]

His dark materials which is becoming a TV show

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

Ryan 31 I know I’m excited

[@deidredenney832]

Graveminder by Melissa Marr. Main character's job is to keep the dead in their graves but if they rise she takes them to the underworld. Also the Graveyard Queen series by Amanda Stevens. Main character restores old graveyards and can see ghosts.

[@scarlet8078]

Really great video! Life After Life by Kate Atkinson isn't exactly about this but it's literary fiction and the character lives over and over.

[@elinamauno8833]

This is so up my alley. I am way too obsessed with these kind of books XD I haven't read most of these, but they sound really good so I'll have to go get them from my library

[@susanmonroemcgrath]

Have you read the Abandon series by Meg Cabot? (yes, the author of The Princess Diaries- this is very different, I promise!) The series is a YA retelling of Hades/ Persephone. I'm curious what you'd think of it.

[@PSYCHOreader624]

I so badly need to reread that Phillip Pullman series! I read it in middle school and MISSED all these wonderful complex themes. Have you read Reign of the Fallen? I haven't but from the synopsis I believe it is centered around necromancers and bringing people back from the dead. But if these people are touched by sunlight they become shades which is not good. Also have you heard of Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder? One of the later books in the Poison Study world like 6 or 7? Deals very heavily with death and death magic.

[@kenneddyy340]

I still haven’t read The Archived and I’ve had it for years. Hearing you talk about it intrigues me to pick it up finally! The Underworld part of The Amber Spyglass was my favourite! I am tempted to get Strange The Dreamer and the sequel as audiobooks - anyone listened to them and recommend? Currently have 3 audible credits I am itching to spend so other recommendations appreciated ☺️

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

Kenneddyy I read Muse of Nightmares on audio and enjoyed it!

[@yogiwithabook]

am i surprised that so many books i love have made this list? not in the slightest. but i am gonna need you and mari to read gods of jade and shadow asap for these exact reasons.

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

yogi with a book YES it is high on my list of things to get to I cannot wait!

[@saidah5523]

I’m constantly in love with your nails and incredible videos!!

[@myownbirth]

I would consider Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld a between life and death story, might be worth checking out

[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

Ooo I’ve never even thought of this trope but now that I think about it, I love!

[@moskitostich]

How about Everlost (Skinjacker) by Neal Shusterman , I liked that one and its set very much between life and death.

[@TheMutualEnemy]

As soon as I saw this video I was bouncing up and down like SABRIEL? PLEASE MENTION SABRIEL! and you did! Those books are so great. I aspire to actually be Mogget in my life because I mean ‘horrific free magic monster pretzeled into the body of a fluffy cat who chills in a mansion with a waterfall moat, who gives cryptic and largely unhelpful advice’? That’s goals.

[@rinwatson2057]

City of Ghosts by Victoria / V E Schwab was pretty good. I saw it as a sort of Paranorman kind of quick read, with a La Llorona kind of spirit. But the main character can lift the veil between and see how people died etc :)

[@mirnagonzalez3449]

I’m always after a good Hades/Persephone story. Do you follow the Lore Olympus webtoon ?

[@caaf1689]

Omg it so good i love it!!!

[@Bibliofilth]

Lore Olympus is so good! I love the slow burn of the romance.

[@kbookworm3]

You should read the bone witch trilogy by Rin Chupeco

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

it's on my list!

[@Jessticulates]

Sabriel! I love The Old Kingdom series so much - I need to re-read it, actually, it's been YEARS since I last read Sabriel. One of these days I need to get to The Bear and the Nightingale too because I'm sure I'm going to love it. Have you read Robin LaFevers' His Fair Assassin trilogy? They're YA historical fantasy novels set in a convent in medieval Brittany where the 'nuns' are the daughters of St Mortain, a death god, so they all train as assassins and kill the victims he chooses.

[@jamiez5545]

Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire sounds like it would fit well on this list!

[@Amanda-nq6mw]

Sabriel forever! He has a new book coming out in October called Angel Mage that's inspired by three musketeers!

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

Amanda Lowder I KNOW

[@stephmorgan286]

Have you read anything by Christopher Moore? He has a series where the main character becomes the Grim Reaper. First book is called A Dirty Job.

[@lauramaldonado7497]

Out of curiosity, what would your ideal Hades and Persephone retelling or inspired story have?

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

I did a video a couple years ago where I outlined all of this. It's easy to find if you search my channel name + Hades and Persephone.

[@amandafriemel2103]

Sparrow Hill Road by Seanan McGuire deserves to be mentioned again and again 😁

[@animalcharmer6321]

I just finished reading Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore and from what you’re talking about in this video I think you would love it!

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

animalcharmer6321 a friend lent that one to me a while ago and I need to get to it!

[@charityyoder9028]

Have you ever heard of the johannes cabal books? I think they are written by Jonathan l. Howard. Based on this video, I think they'd be very much up your alley.

[@debralavoie9095]

I am SO excited about this video! I love Reaper stories. I haven't seen too many. Anyone have any titles they could recommend? I have added these titles to my TBR. Have you ever read Brian Lumley? He has a Necromancer series.

[@sydneywest6389]

Love your trope talks. Read reign of the fallem

[@HappilyReadingBooks]

Do you like Neal Shusterman? The Everlost series is pretty good. Kids get trapped in the in-between. Very interesting world building. 👍😱

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

I have yet to read anything by him but I'm intrigued by his series about reapers.

[@HappilyReadingBooks]

@@ThoughtsOnTomes Oh yes! That's another series I'm really enjoying. I've only read the first book but the second in on my TBR list for this month.

[@laisespacini9208]

elias, during the second book of the ember in the ashes series, also gets to travel between life and near-death, but only during dreams, i believe. i know you didn't continue on with the series, but maybe this will motivate you? hahah.

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

Lais Espacini I tried to read that book so many times but couldn’t lol

[@ReadswithRachel]

Yesssss Elias in the death forest omg

[@lionheart3290]

4 out 5 stars for children of blood and bone is good and you said your definitely going to read the series

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

Ryan 31 it’s funny how people can change their mind over time huh

[@lionheart3290]

True but what do you rate it now?

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

Ryan 31 probably 2.5-3 stars. It hasn’t stuck in my memory much and I remember the flaws more than the positive things. I think I will continue with the series to see if it improves, but I’m in no rush.

[@lionheart3290]

Ok good to know

[@gmangaz2007]

booksfallen:- cut some lenghts of wood too size and slip them in at an angle

[@martamorrison2828]

Percy Jackson has to go through the underworld in the second series. It was my favorite, House of Hades

[@martamorrison2828]

I also loved the Archived. It is my favorite of her books

[@Tamar-ph8ov]

The bone witch

[@Tamar-ph8ov]

Also the trilogy “Guards of shadowlands” by Sara fine is basically in the life after.

[@ThoughtsOnTomes]

I’ve realllllly been wanting to read The Bone Witch

[@brittany2210]

I'm confused and it may be stupid to ask, but what is a trope?

[@Maegrauko]

I would discribe it as a stereotype story element. What do you expect to happen in a disneymove? Love at first sight for example or evil never wins, one of the parents is dead etc etc

[@brittany2210]

@@Maegrauko ah, thank you so much!! I was lost lol

[@ChelHop]

Clariel and goldenhand were kind of a disappointing continuation of the original trilogy imo, but the short stories he's written in that setting are really good!