Henry is a misunderstood kid—he’s the youngest in his family, a withdrawn teenager picked on by his brother’s friends. So when he walks into the river by his house, his behavior and gothic garb make some at his funeral wonder just how accidental his death truly was.
JUMP WHEN READY begins with Henry’s death and follows him into an in-between world where he must Transition to his next life with the help of his mentor Martha and various other ghostly kids. As if this weren’t difficult enough for Henry, on a visit to his family, he learns his sister Bethany has been kidnapped. Henry does his best to get her back, and discovers he may have a special power to communicate with the living that could save her.
Author David Pandolfe creates a compelling spirit world that Henry inhabits with his new friends, with a believable set of rules that he unwittingly breaks from time to time. One memorable rule is pestering the living, which his surly and unpredictable friend Curtis demonstrates on Henry’s old bully. Feeling Henry’s conflict about using Curtis’ talents in this and other instances provides much of the character development for Henry as he adjusts to Transitioning without “ghosting out.” Among his ghostly friends, Curtis is certainly the most developed and fascinating. His character arc is a dark mirror of what Henry’s could be, and the two foil each other nicely.
Although a drowning and kidnapping in one family within a few weeks is intense, the kidnappers could have been a bit more threatening to truly convince the reader that something is at stake. However, the surface tension is still high, and it’s nuanced by Martha’s investment in the kids’ Transition not only for their own wellbeing. There is also some moralizing about suicide and drug use that perhaps is unnecessary. Overall, though, JUMP WHEN READY doesn’t sacrifice Henry’s journey to these things.
JUMP WHEN READY combines charm and suspense in a sweet way that leaves the reader completely believing this imagined in-between world and truly feeling the confusion and stress of Henry’s situation.
Reviewed by Melanie J. Cordova for IndieReader.