"Tremendous allegory"
In late 1920s New Orleans, while at college Raziela "Razi"
Nolan and Andrew O'Connell share a heated romance. In
1929 she slips at a poolside and dies. However, Razi who
wanted to live forever finds herself at THE MERCY OF THIN
AIR, a gray world in between the mortal plane and the
afterlife. She can see back to her former home and over
time learns she can slightly interfere with humans, but
emotionally she was never able to watch what happened to
her beloved Andrew after she died though she would
constantly peek at others from their circle. That is until seven decades on earth have passed. She
decides to learn about Andrew, but is interested in Amy
Richmond and Scott Duncan. This pair seems so in love yet
so troubled. Their relationship appears to be in jeopardy
at least from what Razi can perceive. However, even as
she feels an obsession to intercede and insure this pair
makes it together, Razi tries to figure out why them. Razi is a tremendous protagonist looking back to life in
the 1920s in New Orleans especially with her beloved
Andrew, which enables readers to gain an interesting feel
for the place and time. Her reflections on her life and
on her post time existence in the thin air are well
written and her amateur sleuth investigation from the
other side is cleverly devised adding an aura of
suspense. However, the tale belongs to the moral lesson
of never take for granted loved ones or what the senses
provide when one is alive. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted August 14, 2005
In 1920s New Orleans, smart and fearless Raziela Nolan is
in the throes of a magnificent love affair when she
suddenly dies in a tragic accident. Immediately after her
death, she chooses to stay between -- a realm that exists
after life and before whatever lies beyond it. From this
remarkable vantage point, Razi narrates the story of her
lost love, as well as the relationship of Amy and Scott, a
young couple whose home she haunts seventy years later.
Their trials finally compel Razi to slowly unravel the
mystery of what happened to her first and only love,
Andrew, and to confront a long-hidden secret.
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