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Things I Learned While I Was Dead
Book Review
This book is science fiction, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre or, is trying to get into it as it is a very easy read
This book follows Calico as she tries to save her sister Asha, even if she has to get cryogenically frozen whilst doctors try and find a cure for her until she quickly realises all is not what it seems at the treatment centre. This book is science fiction, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre or, is trying to get into it as it is a very easy read.
I really enjoyed this book as it was very fast paced and gripping. I also really enjoyed the poems that were written from Asha’s perspective. One of the characters that stood out to me was Doctor Perez as she was extremely loyal and caring towards her patients, even if it meant she was disobeying her boss. The book explores themes of death, love loss and grief and is very insightful into how these emotions affect someone.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anybody over the age of 14 as it was a very interesting read, even if it wasn’t the type of book I would usually go for. I would rate it a 4/5
About the Book
Asha is dead. Years of medical treatment were not enough to heal her. The only way 17-year-old Calico can save her younger sister now is by joining her in death – at least until modern medicine can bring them both back to healthy life.
Cryogenics is the answer: Scientific. Legal. Safe. Or so Dr Fates would have her believe. He plans to preserve the sisters’ bodies until his biotechnology research finds a cure for Asha.
But when Calico is brought back to life, she’s in a post climate catastrophe, low-tech future trapped in a research facility. She’s at risk of being sold off to a sinister enforced breeding programme. And worst of all – Asha is missing.
Calico must find a way to save her sister, herself, and the new friends she’s made among the other test subjects. But first she has to unravel the secrets the facility is hiding and reveal the lies she has been part o
Author
Kathryn Clark
Kathryn Clark is a British author of young adult fiction whose debut novel Things I Learned While I Was Dead — exploring themes like medical ethics, climate change, and consent — was published by Faber Children’s in 2025. She studied English and completed a Masters in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University, and her work has been long- and shortlisted for several writing awards. In addition to writing, she works as a freelance writing mentor and lives in Gloucestershire.
Reviewer Profile
Maggie, 16
- Reviews: 2
- Likes: music, attending concerts and criminal minds
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- Favourite Books: The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- Favourite TV Series : The Walking Dead
- Favourite Song: Pretty Visitors by The Arctic Monkeys
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