In 1997, a singular event changed the topography of publishing forever, especially in Young Adult and children’s books: the arrival of the Harry Potter series. From then on, all books that touch the theme of residential schools have had to measure themselves against that standard bearer of the genre. IV Marie’s Immortal Consequences comes close. Its premise is extraordinarily imaginative, fast-paced, and has just the right mix of material and fizz to keep young minds engaged.
At the heart of the novel is Blackwood Academy, a school like no other. Its students are a multinational, eclectic bunch who feel no pain, perform otherworldly feats, and dabble in myriad forms of magic. Even though they don’t know it, each is intrinsically good, forming affinities with at least one other student. The catch? They are all dead. Blackwood sits in the nether regions of hell, a holding cell until the Decennial Cup decides their fate: victory brings the chance to ascend, defeat sends them to the Other Side permanently. A third path, which nobody wants, lurks in the shadow: joining the Demien order, a descent into corrupted, everlasting evil.
Among the contenders, sparks fly between Wren and August—whether from rivalry or love remains uncertain. Emilio has an impossible crush on Olivier, which may just be reciprocated. Irene and Masika anchor the ensemble with their easy friendship. But even in the afterlife, school is never easy. The unpleasant and the unexpected find their way in.
Marie keeps the reader engaged through this unwieldy, improbable storyline. The language is tuned for young readers—peppy, never over-clever. The novel is at its sharpest in the exchanges between Wren and August, where longing and care underlie their dispassion, a difficult balance to strike. The underworld, meanwhile, is imagined not as scary but as school-like, familiar, even ordinary
And yet, what could go right in a competition for undead souls? There are curveballs. The biggest shock comes when five students go missing. In a plot twist that sets the stage for the next volume, only Irene ascends; the others are trapped by the Demien order, pawns in a sinister plan yet to unfold
Immortal Consequences is, at its core, a refreshing teenager’s view of afterlife games the undead play.