Jenkins, A. M. (2007). Repossessed. New York, NY: HarperTeen.
Plot Summary:
Life for Shaun is pretty easy. In fact, it has been so easy that when he suddenly "bites the big one" he doesn't feel a thing. Although Shaun's soul is in the hands of our Creator, his body has been taken over by demon. As part of an elaborate plot, this demon, or "Fallen Angel," a term he prefers, has observed and studied every aspect of Shaun's life from his family history, friends, personality, and mannerisms. In fact, the "Fallen Angel," or,Kiriel, is so great at mimicking Shaun that everyone is fulled except the family cat (he is terribly frightened of Shaun).
The moment Kiriel takes over Shaun's body, a wave of intense feeling comes over him. After a millennium of tormenting souls and not having a physical form, or know what it's like to have five senses, Kiriel is just overjoyed and fascinated with his new "slightly used" teenage body. Once Kiriel/Shaun is able to have better control of his body, he makes the goal that most teenage boys make, which is to, for the lack of the better phrase, get laid. Kirielis just obsessed with feeling good that he believe having sex is the ultimate feeling that makes a person human. However, as he slowly realizes, that sexual feelings don't carry the burden that disappointment, anger, hatred, and jealousy carry. According to Kiriel, he didn't understand why sin is such a bad thing and they can be deadly, but every day he lives as Shaun, the more he comes to understand that being human is not at that great, especially when it comes to making good and bad decisions.
Critical Evaluation:
A.M. Jenkins has delivered a funny and smart story about a demon who takes a break from being an entity to becoming human. This demon does not know what it's like to be human and after experiencing, and witnessing, the tortured souls that he must oversee, he has become curious about them. Moreover, he is actually more intrigued by the poor choices humans make, even when they know it is bad (i.e., sin). Jenkins provides readers, especially those who struggle with humanity and religion, with an intelligent dialogue that convey the good, and the bad, of being who we are. For example, the demon chose Shaun simply because he was lazy and wouldn't go far. However, what the demon didn't fully comprehend Shaun, as a person, he realizes that the many people in his life make living worthwhile, especially when the demon meets Lane. Lane and Shaun have had a crush on each other for a while and just when the demon decides to make his move, he actually stops himself. He realized the capacity of love and happiness, which is something totally unfamiliar to him. The more the demon spends time amongst humans, the more he begins to understand the beauty in which "The Creator" had made humans; thus, why he paid the price he did for going against the will of God. This books is truly wonderful, funny, and well written.
Reader's Annotation:
Kiriel, the fallen angel, has decided to take a break from his "job" of tormenting souls to take over the body of a teenage boy named Shaun. Not only has Kiriel studied his subject, but is able to mimic his mannerisms so no one would suspect that Shaun is a demon in disguise. However, what Kiriel doesn't realize that being human is a lot more difficult than he thought and realizes that avoiding "sin" harder than he could imagine.
Information about the Author:
According to A.M. Jenkins' blog, she has literally had every job under the sun from teacher, writer, aerobics instructor, bookstore manager, and ice cream dipper. She has written several YA novels that including Damage, Out of Order, and Repossessed. Although she does not reveal a lot of her life on her blog (other than that she lives in Texas, divorced, has three kids, and a bunch of pets), Jenkins does admit that getting a degree in Liberal Arts can only go so far. :D
Genre:
Humor
Curriculum Tie-In's:
N/A
Booktalking Ideas:
Since the main character of this novel is a demon, I would definitely play up the mythology/background of Kiriel. Depending on whether the teen is familiar with Lucifer's rebellion, a summary of this event would help the audience understand Kiriel's background and eternal duties.
Reading/Interest Level:
Grades 10 & up
Books Similar to Repossessed:
Challenge Issues:
LORD! I CAN SEE IT NOW! This book is about a demon who desires to know what it's like to be human. Not just any human...a teenage boy. With that said, there is a whole sequence that talks about masturbation and the euphoria a boy feels. There are two outcomes: parents will either freak out or laugh themselves silly. We all know masturbation is a healthy part of male development, but, to the conservative parent, this can be a real problem, especially if this book falls into the hands of 'tween. This book is specifically meant for teens so issues like these should not be surprised. Kiriel is not explicit, or perverted, but genuinely curious about human emotion and the best way to evoke excitement in a human is through sexual actions. Kiriel does admit that he wants to experience vaginal intercourse, but he is no way crude or pornographic (just really excited).
Parents, when it comes down to it, are responsible for educating their children about development. If one protective parent demands the book be taken off the shelf because they do not want their child learning about such things than that is not a legitimate reason for it's removal. The book is not just Kiriel wanting to have sex, it's about his pursuit to becoming human. He yearns to learn, feel, sense, and experience things; moreover, he wants to understand the power of God and why he spent so much time protecting his creations.
Why did I choose this book?
I chose this book because it tackles some really heavy issues in a way that does not overwhelm the reader, but enlightens. Kiriel is probably the funniest demon I have ever come across, not to mention, the most curious. In many ways, Kiriel possesses many qualities that are human, which makes it hard for readers to not like him. However, he does admit that being a demon is not at all cracked to be; he spends most of his time listening to people's regrets, which is a concept he is unfamiliar with. Readers will definitely identify with this story since it deals numerous questions regarding God, emotions, and many other philosophical questions (i.e., morality).
Awards/Recognition:
- Michael L. Printz Honor Award
Jenkins, A. (n.d.). A.M. Jenkins blog. Retrieved January 03, 2011, from http://amjenkinsbooks.blogspot.com/
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