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    Repossessed
    Repossessed
    Repossessed
    Ebook184 pages2 hours

    Repossessed

    By A. M. Jenkins

    4/5

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Don't call me a demon. I prefer the term Fallen Angel.

    Everybody deserves a vacation, right? Especially if you have a pointless job like tormenting the damned. So who could blame me for blowing off my duties and taking a small, unauthorized break?

    Besides, I've always wanted to see what physical existence is like. That's why I "borrowed" the slightly used body of a slacker teen. Believe me, he wasn't going to be using it anymore anyway.

    I have never understood why humans do the things they do. Like sin—if it's so terrible, why do they keep doing it?

    I'm going to have a lot of fun finding out!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJun 9, 2009
    ISBN9780061947995
    Repossessed
    Author

    A. M. Jenkins

    A. M. Jenkins is the award-winning author of Damage, Beating heart: A Ghost Story, and the Printz Honor Book Repossessed, and lives in Benbrook, Texas, with three sons, two cats, and two dogs. Jenkins received the PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship for night road.

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    Reviews for Repossessed

    4/5

    189 ratings26 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Very amusing.
    • 3/5
      I liked this more than I thought I would. It raises interesting questions about God, heaven, and hell. It is also interesting to think about what experiencing everyday life would be like for a being who had never been corporeal before.
    • 5/5
      thought provoking and focused , in a way reminded me of Somerset Maugham, but upbeat
    • 4/5
      I have to say that Repossessed was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting it to be funny, and it really is. But I was not expecting the keen observations and understanding that our demon friend brought to the situation. This book was actually recommended to me by two teens and I see why they like it so much. It is fun with a message, or two.
    • 2/5
      The writing was good for sure and it had a really interesting premise but...it lacked that spark for me. It seemed flat and kinda boring. Probably just not my taste.
    • 4/5
      Kiriel is one of the Fallen who oversees the continual torture of those who find themselves in hell, but lately he's found his job unfulfilling so he decides to take an unauthorized vacation. He takes over the body of Shaun, a teenager about to accidentally step in front of a truck, and the verve with which Kiriel experiences everyday life in Shaun's body is fascinating. Characters are complex and I found I wanted to know what would happen next, mostly for the secondary characters. This would make a great book discussion title for young adults and up.
    • 4/5
      Kiriel hasn't had a day off since roughly the birth of the universe. And his job isn't even that interesting--the damned pretty much torture themselves; he's just there to oversee. So he gives himself a vacation: he walks off the job, finds an all-American slacker teenager, and takes control of Shaun's body seconds before he'd otherwise be hit by a truck. Now for the first time Kiriel is learning what there is to being human--the smells of dirty laundry, the feel of running water, the taste of ketchup. Also: having a crush on a girl, reaching out to people, leaving a positive mark on the world, and generally appreciating what life has to offer. Sounds hokey, but the fast, funny writing keeps it from the sappy and/or maudlin.

      [note: 2008 Printz Honor Book!]
    • 3/5
      What a weird book. I'm not even sure what to say, here.The idea of a fallen angel (read: demon) taking possession of a body moments before death and living a human life is an intriguing one. There's all sorts of appreciation going on. Appreciating color, taste, touch, and even pain. There's the discovery that what was once exciting and novel can become routine and boring very quickly. And there's lots of discussion about...what? Faith? Religion? I'm not sure what to call it, but there's a definite implication that the suffering of hell is possibly, probably, at least in part, self-imposed. It's an idea I find interesting, and Neil Gaiman covered it well in the Sandman comics.But what makes this book so odd, and the reason I find it hard to decide what I think about it, is that it feels like it was written for an audience with more thoughtful maturity than your average teen. (Or at least the average teens I deal with in the library.) Kiriel/Shaun, honestly like any teenage boy, is obsessed with sex. Obsessed. Masturbation, making out, sex, the whole shebang. And it's covered a lot. I'm not personally opposed to this topic in teen lit, but it's something to be aware of. Then you've got all the philosophical musings. Free will. The nature of death. Human relationships. The relationship with god. It's complex stuff, but dealt with in a pretty simple way. The book was a really, and I mean really, fast read. Which is a bonus.So, I can't explain where I stand with this one. I was drawn in. I enjoyed the read in the way that I enjoy most decent books. But in the end, the story felt kind of ... ambiguous. I walked away with a shrug and a question. "Thank you. That was very nice. But...what am I supposed to do with this?" Which could be the sign of a really good book. The Printz committee certainly seemed to think so. I guess I'll see. If it sticks with me, odds are it was a good one. Either way, I didn't feel like it was a waste of time, despite how ambivalent this review seems.
    • 4/5
      Kiriel is a minor demon ("fallen angel") who is phenomenally bored with his job in hell, as the souls there pretty much torture themselves, so there isn't actually anything to do. He wants a vacation. He wants to experience life as a human, just for a little while. He finds Shaun, a 17-year-old who is about to get hit by a truck. Kiriel slips into Shaun's body and jumps back onto the sidewalk. Seeing all of the ordinary things that go on in human life through Kiriel's viewpoint is funny, amazing, and will make you think. The feel and texture of clothing, the taste of ketchup, and a 2 1/2 hour bath make him wonder why humans don't appreciate such excitement! Kiriel also discovers that the human world is not only about physical sensations -- there is also an emotional side of life. Shaun's divorced mother and his little brother Jason show Kiriel that other side of life. This is a story that is hilariously funny at times but will also make you see everyday things in a new light. Appropriate for 7th grade and up.
    • 3/5
      One of the fallen who toils in Hell, escapes to earth and briefly possesses the body of a slacker high schooler to see what it is like to be human and make his mark in the world. I thought the descriptions of what it was like to really notice the sensations of being human were strengths in the book. Although religion is not mentioned directly, it is pretty clear that the book is operating with the model of Christianity. The demon is a pretty interesting and sympathetic character, he wants to impact people positively and even goes out of his way to try to force a bully to see the error of his ways so he doesn't have to spend an eternity in Hell. I just read Before I Die, and like that book one of the top things on the to-do list was to have sex. I found this to be a quick, interesting read. Although I don't know how much it would resonate with the middle school crowd.
    • 5/5
      “Repossessed” is the story of the ‘fallen angel,’ Kiriel, who is tired of disciplining people in Hell, so he decides to have a little fun and take over a human body. He takes over teenage Shaun’s body as Shaun is about to be hit by a speeding vehicle. Kiriel then goes on to enjoy all the simple pleasure of life that we sometimes take for granted. He enjoys things like the colors of his surroundings, the way certain materials felt against his skin, and the taste of foods. But, he knows he cannot carry on ‘living’ in Shaun’s body.Though the language and situations in this book are quite intense, it is not hard to imagine teaching this book in high school. I definitely would not teach this book to middle school children. I could see having discussions with students about if they have ever thought about how much we actually take for granted and don’t think about. Kiriel lived his moments in Shaun’s body to the fullest and he was all about exploration. There’s also issues with sex in the book, that may be difficult to discuss, but I’m sure high school students would be more likely to relate to these issues than middle school kids.I LOVED this book! It was a funny story and it held my interest. I was tickled by the descriptions of Kiriel’s shower incident and his bath fun. Also, Kiriel brought up several points about beauty and bullying. Lane was a beautiful girl to him, but because she was ‘fat,’ nobody else gave her a second thought. It was interesting that his friend Bailey actually ended up realizing they had a lot in common; it would be interesting to know what happened with them after Shaun’s demise. And Reed, the class bully, was utterly ridiculous. I was glad when Kiriel told him off and took his hit like a man; he did not retaliate and sometimes that hurts a bully worse when anything, and it was obvious that Kiriel was not afraid of him because he kept saying things to Reed to make him realize what he was doing served no purpose. This was just a great story!
    • 4/5
      This book is about a demon named Kiriel who is completely disatisfied with punishing people in hell. Seeing a chance to get out of this job, he takes over the body of a boy named Shaun moments before he is run over by a truck. Kiriel experiences the physical beauties of life for a while, even almost getting to experience sex. As he must return back to hell, he appreciates that life on earth is precious. I think that it is important to point out the humor of this book. Even though it is dark and Kiriel is in fact a demon, I think that the satirical elements are what makes this book so interesting. I think another good teaching point would probably be getting the readers to engage in an activity with the five senses to get a true sense of what Kiriel is experiencing. I think that would make reading the novel easier to understand from his perspective, as we do not often think about our surroundings on a daily basis. I really enjoyed this novel for both its humor as well as the contrast from hell and earth. I think that the humor would make students very interested in reading this novel, not to mention the dark nature as well. This book made me think of the the movie Little Nicky in a roundabout way, as it involves the same dark humor. It really made me think abut life as well, as Kiriel thinks about all the new things he experiences that we take for granted every day.
    • 3/5
      Repossessed is a hilarious story of Kiriel a fallen angel (demon) decides to possess the body of a teenager named Shaun after he’s fed up with being overworked by his boss (the Devil) and the creator (God). To his surprise Kiriel is amazed at the human body and all its functions. He is so fascinated; he comes up with a plan to get a girl to have sex with him. He also begin to experience feelings which is something he hadn’t before, in doing this Shaun’s mom becomes suspicious because the real Shaun never had shown caring emotions. He confronts a bully, hoping to change him but the outcome isn’t what he had hoped. This story though funny and entertaining probably shouldn’t be used in a classroom (maybe college level) because of the language. Lessons on honesty and bullying could be abstinence discussed. I enjoyed this book it kept me laughing; Kiriel had good intentions he realizes that it’s okay to be imperfect by possessing Shaun’s body.
    • 5/5
      Repossessed by A. M. Jenkins is about how a demon is tired of his situation in hell and decides that he is going top-side to experience all of the joys that go along with being human. His first objective when he reaches the surface is to possess a body. He finds a boy named Shaun that stepped out in front of a truck and whose soul has just vacated his body. While on Earth, he learns to appreciate God’s creations before he is made to return to his duties in hell. When is time is up and one of the “Unfallen” come to collect him, he is told that he may have made an impact on someone’s life while he was there, which was one of the goals that he had set himself. This book will definitely be on a shelf for my beginner or regular reading students as something that might entice them to start reading books that make them think more instead of just telling them a story for once. A problem that would crop up for this book is its subject matter. It deals with demons, hell, and God which are all touchy subjects when it comes to public schooling. For that matter, I am not completely sure that this book would be on an acceptable reading list for private religious schools. I would love to have an open debate in a classroom setting regarding this book as a whole and the many “hot topics” that it brings up.After reading this book, I really want to be able to teach in a private Christian school just so I can go over it in more detail than would be allowed in a public school setting. I would thoroughly enjoy having this book be read by believers and non-believers who might could find a greater appreciation for being made into what we are; humans of God’s creation with freedom of choice. I certainly have found a greater appreciation for life and its many experiences. I have read many books written form the perspective of a demon, or a fallen angel as some call them, and I thoroughly enjoy reading about how people attempt to convey the feelings that they might feel. I have always wondered at this. How they felt at the time of the rebellion, what their feelings are now, if and how they might have changed things?
    • 4/5
      A fallen angel who is fed up with his job tormenting souls in hell decides to take over the body of a teenage boy. I loved the perspective that Kiriel brings to Shaun's life. A total outsider who has never experienced the life of a teen can see through some of the goofy stuff about the way teens live, especially in their relationships with other people. For example, Kiriel can immediately see how much Shaun's little brother wants his friendship and love in a way that Shaun never could. On the other hand, I think it would also be empowering for a teen to see how much knowledge they need to have just in order to get through the day - watching Kiriel struggle through familiar situations and social dynamics that a teenager would understand without a second thought can demonstrate to a young person how much they already know about the world. There was also a nice exploration of fantasy vs. reality in the relationship with Lane, a girl who has a long-time crush on Shaun. When Kiriel, who seems to think about sex just as much as your typical teenage boy, starts to act out one of Lane's fantasies about Shaun word for word, her reaction is not exactly positive. I enjoyed the way that this book highlighted everyday experiences - the little joys in life that are so easy to forget or gloss over. It got a little bit heavy-handed toward the end, but the message stands up that even in the life of fairly introverted teenage boy, there are important connections between him and the other people in his life. Shaun is chosen because he was a pretty isolated person, and Kiriel assumed that no one paid too much attention to his life. But Kiriel learns that "Shaun Simmons had made a specific mark on his little world, simply by being," and that his absence would be missed.
    • 4/5
      Kiriel is a fallen angel, a devil, whose eternal punishment for rebellion against Him is to reflect the regrets and guilt of sinners souls and show them the disharmony they wrought during their lives and he's pretty sick of it. Determined to take a vacation Kiriel takes over the body of a teenager named Shaun who was destined for oblivion himself. Kiriel knows that his transgression in leaving his job and possessing a body is unforgivable, but he is determined to experience everything earthly in full before he is repossessed to Hell.Despite a description that would make this young adult novel sound irreverent the truth is the story really isn't. Nor did I find it overly preachy which, considering the content of the book, is a feat in and of itself. This was kind of a make you think type book as Kiriel experiences our every day world and finds it wondrous in the extreme. It made me take a closer look at the world around me and my part in it. The story was told completely from Kiriel's unusual point of view which was also intriguing as his views of our world are completely alien from what your everyday person would think. It was fun to watch him learn from his experiences. I even liked the way the book ended despite the fact that I usually like everything tied up in a bow with full explanations which this didn't really have. All in all different and intriguing for a one time go around and I would recommend this as an easy and quick read for older teens and adults. I wouldn't recommend so much for younger tweens and teens as there are some sexual situations.
    • 4/5
      Fun story of a low level devil that possesses a young teen boy whose life was very boring. It is fun and enlightening to see the world through the eyes of the demon who has never experienced such simple things as...ketchup...one of his absolute favorite things about being human!
    • 3/5
      A fallen angel who reflects sins back to sinners in hell decides to steal a human body and see what being human is all about. While the plot had great opportunity to be an interesting read, I found myself bored with the characters and with little desire to read to the end. The demon character had almost no personality that I could relate with and the characters he interacted with were boring to me. I feel that this book could have been very entertaining but failed to meet my expectations.
    • 3/5
      This was a quick easy read, and was pretty funny in parts, but overall it was just okay in my mind. I don't really see why it was a Printz Honor Book. There are some lessons to learn in the book, but they're really simple lessons such as be nice to your brother, appreciate the small things, etc. It was a bit funny to realize the demon improved the boys life while possessing him... since that's really not what I would have expected. Overall... it's just okay.
    • 5/5
      Life is not easy being one of the fallen ones and having to spend eternity torturing souls in Hell. Kiriel decides to take a vacation from his demon duties and steals the body of a “slacker teen” that was just moments away from being run over by a truck. Kiriel is thrilled with all of the new sensations he can have in a human body, such as emotions, the feel of wind, and the taste of ketchup, so he tries to gain as many experiences as possible before the boss realizes he is MIA from Hell. Before he is called back, Kiriel needs to make a decision of whether he should use his special knowledge to hurt or help people here on earth.
    • 2/5
      Kirial is a sassy Fallen Angel who gets tired of his eternal job/punishment managing souls down in Hell, so he takes over the body of teenager Shaun, who is just about to get hit by a car anyway. After blissing out with the five senses for a while (yes, masturbation is a highlight, but so is the feel of a t-shirt against his lips), he gets down to the business of trying to improve the outlook and attitude of various people - oh, and he'd like to try sex, as well. In some ways, his perspective makes him much more enlightened than the average teenager, but his understanding is also severely limited in others. Light, hugely entertaining, and even poignant.
    • 5/5
      This is a book I was looking forward to reading. I had thoughts that it might be really funny like last year's "Dirty Job". It was funny but also a thoughtful book as well. This one should be well liked by our NTB readers I think.
    • 5/5
      Wow! All I can say is, pretty darn incredible. How the author somehow managed to make the main character compelling on so many different levels and to draw such a nuanced metaphor between a demon's experience in a human body, just wanting someone to CARE about him. While I have read this plotline before, in adult novels, this story manages to be so much more than it appears on the surface, it is quite incredible.
    • 4/5
      This was an interesting book written by a fallen angel who stole a teen's body seconds before he died and behaved in uncharacteristically nice ways. Not exactly what I expected but a fun read.
    • 4/5
      I expected this to be an amusing book of wickedness. It wasn't. Yet it was strangely profound and rather touching. The writing was fantastic and I adored the joy that Kiriel took in the little everyday things that we as humans take for granted. I think this is worth the read at any age, if only to remind us how amazing our world can be.
    • 5/5
      When Kiriel, a demon, gets bored with his life in Hell, he highjacks the body of teenager Shaun, and takes the kid's life for a spin.This book is excellent--moving, funny, and insightful. It stays interesting all the way up to the end, and the last few pages are some of the best.

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    Repossessed - A. M. Jenkins

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