Description: "Instantly charming, never predictable, quietly profound-- Boo is both literarily and literally haunting and, in the end, devastating." --Bryan Lee O''Malley, author of Seconds and the Scott Pilgrim series "A phenomenal book by a singular talent. . . . In short, I fell in love with Boo Dalrymple. It has been ages since a character in a novel captured both my attention and my heart to this degree. . . . The first-person narrative can be an overused tool leading to lazy writing, but in Smith''s talented hands, it simply washes over the reader, gently pulling us into the heart of the world being created. . . . Boo is one of the most genuine literary creations that you''re likely to find in any book this year. . . . The power of Smith''s prose is undeniable. His story unfolds in a manner that somehow manages to be complex in its simplicity. The characters he creates, this wonderful expression of a place built by people who are 13 for five decades--it transports you, plain and simple. The world of Town is a richly realized, utterly unique take on the possibilities of the afterlife. That vision of heavenly segregation would easily be the most brilliant part of most literary efforts; instead, it simply serves as a perfectly prepared canvas on which to paint the portrait of the sweet, smart, sad Boo. . . . Boo is an extraordinary book, full stop. No qualifiers, no ifs, no ands, no buts. It is a wildly compelling, unique story brought to life by a fascinating narrator." --Allen Adams, The Maine Edge "Part murder mystery, part existential adventure, Boo is an utter charm-bomb of a novel. Neil Smith''s version of the sweet hereafter shows not only that heaven can be hell, but answers the eternal question of whether it''s better to be dumber with friends or smarter without." --Zsuzsi Gartner, author of Better Living Through Plastic Explosives "A splendidly confident debut novel, a fantasy of emotional healing in a unique afterlife. . . . Smith smoothly develops his vision of an afterlife in which a theoretical god supplies random items from the living world, electronics run without power, and kids are left to their own devices. The story is never about providing solid answers, but readers who appreciate that sort of ambiguity will find that the emotional payoffs are both surprising and moving." -- Publishers Weekly (starred) "Compelling and increasingly poignant. . . . One minute 13-year-old Oliver ''Boo'' Dalrymple is standing in front of his locker at Helen Keller Junior High School reciting the periodic table to himself (yeah, he''s that kind of boy); the next, he wakes up in bed in a place called Town. . . . The story Boo tells is endlessly intriguing and entertaining as it contemplates the presence--or absence--of God, whom the kids call Zig, while revealing surprising and disturbing truths about the [character''s] previous lives and deaths. Fans of the offbeat will think they''ve died and gone to Town--er, heaven." -- Booklist (starred) "Neil Smith has created a heaven where the sadness and triumph of life aren''t flattened or diminished but heightened and intensified. Just like you always suspected it would be. Boo is sad, beautiful, heartbreaking and impossible to put down." --Andrew Kaufman, author of All My Friends Are Superheroes and Born Weird " Boo is an astoundingly original novel and Neil Smith''s take on the afterlife is convincing, moving, and often funny as hell. A vision equal parts Murakami and South Park ." --Emily Schultz, author of The Blondes "Who knew heaven could be so funny, so perilous, so exquisitely alive? Boo is a work of singular genius: an adventure story, a mystery and a profound meditation on childhood, lost innocence and the power of friendship to save our lives--and afterlives. I believe in Neil Smith''s heaven, with all my heart." --Jessica Grant, author of Come, Thou Tortoise "A touching tale of what friendship and growing up can mean. . . . The novel has an understated message about gun control and bullying and is a fine portrayal of Boo''s emergence from the carapace of fear, distrust, and solitude he grew for himself in his short life. Smith is often amusing in cute and clever ways, but there''s a slyer, more satisfying humor in the twins Tim and Tom Lu, who owe something to Lewis Carroll''s Tweedledum and -dee." -- Kirkus Reviews "An original and masterfully told debut novel, a dark and deeply affecting depiction of the hereafter. . . . Smith delivers a splendidly confident debut novel, a fantasy of emotional healing in a unique afterlife." --Largehearted Boy "[Smith] has hit a home run with Boo . . . . All ages will find the novel disturbing, humourous, and absolutely authentic. . . . As the tale unfolds, it becomes darker, richer, and ghoulish, while the spare, conversational prose never patronizes either its reader or diverse cast of eccentrics. . . . Be prepared for surprises. Big surprises. And a desire to reread the entire novel to note the clues missed in the first go." -- Quill & Quire (starred) "Perfectly drawn. . . . An insightful look at serious issues affecting today''s teenagers--bullying, mental illness, suicide and school shootings. It is the kind of book that should be taught in high school English-lit classes across the country. . . . Surprises pile up as mysteries are solved. The result: Boo is a definite page turner for both adult and teen readers." -- Ottawa Citizen "An adventure story, and a fable about friendship. . . . In Boo, Smith brings his off-the-wall imagination to a whole other realm: the afterlife. . . . He tells us what kind of toothpaste they use in heaven (baking soda), and what kind of houses they live in (red-brick dormitories that look like housing projects). He tells us that there are no insects in heaven and that people get high by smoking chamomile leaves instead of dope. . . . [ Boo ] might seem lighthearted . . . but there is an undercurrent of deep loss." -- Montreal Review of Books "A very fast-paced, original and inventive story, with a foundation in emotional intelligence, honesty and flaw. . . . The voice of the scary-smart weird teen, in tandem with the narrative setting, leads you to think this is some crossover between The Lovely Bones and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close . Though the book exhibits qualities of both, it takes a quick turn to Lord of the Flies . . . . [The] novel''s thematic questions--a terrifying high-wire act--are huger than huge. Smith ventures to convey a reality about bullying and mental health that is far braver than any you''ve ever read, as Boo is a spelunking adventure deep into the caves of life, death, good, evil, mortality, loss and grief. . . . The construction of plot is unlike any you''ve ever seen. . . . You''ll find that the very devastating thoughts of this thirteen-year-old are shockingly intimate, relatable and, in their own way, true" -- Lambda Literary

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