Crashing Eden by Michael Sussman: Review

Publisher: Solstice Publishing (May 1, 2012)
ebook: 225 Pages
Genre: YA Fantasy
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From Goodreads. For one boy and his friends, the path to Paradise comes at a cost—one they may not be prepared to pay.

When a biking accident leaves 17-year-old Joss Kazdan with the ability to hear things others can’t, reality as he knows it begins to unravel.

A world of legends exists beyond the ordinary life he’s always known, and he is transported to the same Paradise he’s studying in World Mythology. But the strange gets even stranger when his new friends build a device that delivers people through the gates of the Garden of Eden.

Now Samael, the Creator God, is furious. As Samael rains down his apocalyptic devastation on the ecstasy-seeking teens, Joss and his companions must find a way to appease Samael—or the world will be destroyed forever.

Review by Jess
CRASHING EDEN by Michael Sussman follows Joss, a trouble kid who experiences wondrous things and some not so wondrous things, this is a page turner for sure, but also it brings a new kind of light to Young Adult fiction.

I will admit, when I first started this, I was pretty unsure about it but I did end up enjoying it a lot. I loved that the book kept me reading, there wasn't a time while reading it that I was bored. It was fun, which is a huge bonus to a very original story. The story line to me was interesting, but sometimes it was a little out of my personal interest. As it explores into science my mind wandered a little there but with the tie in of mythology it still kept me going!

I really liked the main character Joss. I think he was a huge bonus for me. He was a straight-up trouble maker, or he at least seemed like one. He had a stint in Juvie and he and his mother were at each other's throats but he was so REAL. Talk about a three dimensional character. He was so incredibly easy to relate to, minus hearing that magical OM, which sounds incredibly enticing! Looking back on childhood, it seems so believable that there was something magical in us as children. I LOVED the family aspect of Joss' life. It was so incredibly easy to relate to and understand!

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this story, the plot was incredibly original and kept me reading. Though it was nice to fly through this, it did make me think a little deeper which was nice. I would definitely suggest this novel for people who like a light variety of fantasy mixed with some light mythology/theology. The characters and the family life is so REALISTIC that you forget about the fantasy aspects. Definitely a book not easily forgotten.