Dead School - Overview

Dead School by Laura Gia West is a hilarious young adult novel about a young girl, Tina Crocker,  who just can’t get things right in her 5,768th incarnation of her pathetic life or in any of her previous ones.  She can’t remember all her previous lives but the last one she does, and she didn’t think she had been that bad.  In fact, her demise had happened on a day when she had finally come out of her shell. She had blessed the world with her singing talent and did a fabulous job. Before Tina Crocker could really enjoy all the accolades, she croaked from being flattened by an eight-foot metallic Pink Heart that fell on her. That was the end of her Valentine’ day and appeared to be the end of life 5,768.

I loved Laura West’s kooky novel. It kept me reading and chuckling and even caused me to laugh out loud a few times; that is embarrassing in public places. In case you didn’t know it, there is a school where dead people attend. The school helps these souls to learn to correct their flaws so that the next time around they can finally go to heaven or maybe to the alternative eternal resting place.

From what I gathered from West’s book, once you croak, a school bus will come by and pick you up and take you to “Dead School.”  Reading about it made It actually sounds like a fun place to be.   The place has a golden elevator with crystal doors – very elegant.

A sample of the campy, humorous fare West provides for your reading pleasure. This is a discussion about the type of textbook you are issued at Dead School.

“Take a look at that pamphlet over there, Mr. Budkiss gave it out in class.” “Uh, if that’s the pamphlet... then what’s that?” I asked pointing a shaky finger to the ghastly oversized textbook. It was thicker than any book I have ever seen in my life. Or death. Or just ever. I don’t think my nightmares could’ve even invented it. “That’s the textbook for your Guide Intro course. Your homework is also written on the first page.”

 “But, how in depth could an intro class really go?”

 “You’ll have to ask Mr. Budkiss that one,” she smirked.

 It seemed like school was just seriously never going to end. “There’s no way I can carry that thing,” I protested. “I have no muscle strength. That book is like over three hundred pounds!”

 The nurse laughed. “The textbooks follow you, of course. You don’t have to carry a thing.”

 “Follow you?”

 “Walk around,” she gestured to the floor. “You’ll see.”

 I took my small pamphlet and walked to the door. Instantly, the gigantic textbook fell off the bed with a blasting thud. I blinked with the speed of a 1950’s movie and watched it...

 “Oh, my g-” The book was walking right after me. Excuses like ‘I left my book at home’ or ‘I lost the textbook’, clearly meant dog shit now.

 “Enjoy your beginning studies at Dead School!” she sang.

Edna, sort of a headmistress in the dead school, has warned Tina that her next life could be that of a homeless blind beggar living in Thailand that will be bitten on the lip by a rat and die of a chicken disease.  Certainly not a life to look forward to. She can escape that if she would work hard on her classes and assignments and graduate from the Dead School.  Part of getting to graduation day is reading, and studying Akashic Records which are in Sanskrit and records every nuance of an individual’s life. It records even thoughts and dreams.

This is an explosive comedy with a fanciful spin on afterlife. You learn what to expect through the spirited antics of a dead Tina Crocker. Take heed because Dead School sounds a bit like fun, but failing classes can lead to a very difficult forever after.