Early Departures

by Justin A. Reynolds

Overview

Justin A. Reynolds, author of Opposite of Always, returns with another charming and powerful YA contemporary novel with a speculative twist, perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon, Becky Albertalli, and Adam Silvera.

What if you could bring your best friend back to life—but only for a short time?

Jamal’s best friend, Q, doesn’t know that he died, and that he’s about to die . . . again. He doesn’t know that Jamal tried to save him. And that the reason they haven’t been friends for two years is because Jamal blames Q for the accident that killed his parents.

But what if Jamal could have a second chance? A new technology allows Q to be reanimated for a few weeks before he dies . . . permanently. And Q’s mom is not about to let anyone ruin this miracle by telling Q about his impending death. So how can Jamal fix everything if he can’t tell Q the truth?

Early Departures weaves together loss, grief, friendship, and love to form a wholly unique homage to the bonds that bring people together for life—and beyond.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062748409
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	09/22/2020
Pages:	480
Sales rank:	47,474
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.60(d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Justin A. Reynolds has always wanted to be a writer. Opposite of Always, his debut novel, was an Indies Introduce selection and a School Library Journal Best Book, has been translated into seventeen languages, and is being developed for film with Paramount Players. He lives in northeast Ohio with his family. You can find him at www.justinareynolds.com.

Editorial Reviews

10/26/2020

Though they were once the closest of friends, it’s been awhile since teens Jamal and Quincy have spoken—following his parents’ accidental death two years ago, Jamal cut ties without explaining why. After the two have a fight at a beach party one evening, Quincy drowns while trying to save another. Carrying the guilt of the argument and the friends’ past, Jamal accompanies Quincy’s mother to a facility that can bring him back temporarily from the dead. Seeing this as a chance to make amends and revive the friendship, Jamal wrestles with the pain of his parents’ death and seeks to get Quincy to forgive him before his reanimation ends. In this gratifying contemporary novel, Reynolds (Opposite of Always) tenderly explores the complexities of decision-making while grieving, the limited life spans of close relationships, and the painful unpredictability of death. Jamal and Quincy’s casually comedic dynamic adds a lifeline of hope to an otherwise heartbreaking narrative that reminds readers to make the most of the time they are given. Ages 14–up. Agent: Beth Phelan, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Reynolds spins a poignant, dizzying tale of love and loss in this page-turning time-travel fantasy.

Horn Book

This charming, wry novel packed with witty, crackling banter is propulsively readable. There are some big questions about choice, consequences, loyalty, and love in this novel, and Reynolds beautifully complements those heavy concerns with the sweet, funny, and genuine voice of his protagonist.

Booklist (starred review)

Praise for Opposite of Always: Opposite of Always  is as beautiful as it is funny, warm, and captivating. One of the best love stories I’ve ever read. Jack King is the hero we’ve been waiting for.

Angie Thomas

Read this one, reread it, and then hug it to your chest. Reynolds’ debut is wise, heartfelt, and wildly, infinitely charming.”  

Becky Albertalli

Jack’s narration is as funny as it is poignant as he moves from romantic to frantic and back again... [a] sentimental but not saccharine fantasy.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Weaves themes of friendship and tragic loss into a sensitive tale of two teens who have lost their way in the midst of grief and misunderstanding.  The author also deftly uses humor throughout this fast-paced, engagingly written book, providing levity in a story dealing with heavy issues such as death, reconciliation, and learning how and when to let go."

Horn Book Magazine

“Jack’s narration is as funny as it is poignant as he moves from romantic to frantic and back again... [a] sentimental but not saccharine fantasy.”

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

This charming, wry novel packed with witty, crackling banter is propulsively readable. There are some big questions about choice, consequences, loyalty, and love in this novel, and Reynolds beautifully complements those heavy concerns with the sweet, funny, and genuine voice of his protagonist.

Booklist (starred review)

★ 10/01/2020

Gr 9 Up—Jamal has a secret and it is a matter of life and death. Recently orphaned and living with his sister, Jamal is still grappling with his grief and the loss of a great friendship with his comedic partner in crime, Quincy. Jamal and Q were best friends until a tragic event tore them apart. During a chance encounter on the beach, their past misunderstandings and miscommunications resurface. Then, Jamal dies and has a chance to be brought back to life, and Quincy realizes that he has a second chance to reclaim their friendship and right old wrongs. He has to decide whether to keep holding on to the past, skipping school, and blaming others, or to forgive and enjoy life to the fullest. Although this book is about death, Jauncy (Quincy and Jamal) will have readers dying with laughter as Reynolds miraculously finds a way to couple tragedy and comedy. Q is brown-skinned with a Spanish surname and Jamal's race isn't explicitly stated. VERDICT Highly recommended for anyone who is searching for light at the end of the tunnel.—Cicely Lewis, Meadowcreek H.S., Norcross, GA

School Library Journal

★ 2020-07-08
Estranged friends are given a chance to patch up their differences before one of them dies—again.

Seventeen-year-old Jamal Anderson has not had a meaningful conversation with his former best friend, Quincy Barrantes, in almost two years. They were almost inseparable: always at each other’s homes, even developing a comedy show on social media together. But two years ago, Jamal lost his parents, and he blames Quincy for the accident. His grief over their deaths permeates every relationship as well as his ability to focus in school. Despite his sister’s efforts and the love of his girlfriend, Autumn, he is drifting until the night Quincy dies trying to save someone’s life. When a mysterious man offers Quincy’s mother a chance to bring him back through experimental technology, it seems far-fetched. But Mrs. Barrantes and Jamal now have the opportunity for a few more weeks with Quincy. Like everything else in Jamal’s life, this circumstance offers more questions than answers and forces him to confront why he allowed the breach in their relationship to continue. This is a page-turning narrative with a cast of fully realized characters and realistic dialogue. The skillful use of flashbacks and social media content fully engages readers. Despite the seriousness of the story, humor and moments of pathos will elicit empathy and connection. Jamal and Autumn are cued as Black and Quincy as Latinx.

This thoroughly satisfying novel of love, loss, and reconciliation is not to be missed. (Fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews

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