Everwild

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

A novel by Neal Shusterman, and the sequel to Everlost.

The second novel of The Skinjacker Trilogy.

There was a rumor of a beautiful sky witch,who soared across the heavens in a great silver balloon. And there were whispers of a terrible ogre made entirely of chocolate, who lured unsuspecting souls with that rich promising smell, only to cast them down a bottomless pit from which there was no return.

Everlost, the limbo land of dead children, is at war. Nick the "Chocolate Ogre" wants to help the children of Everlost reach the light at the end of the tunnel. Mary Hightower, self-proclaimed queen of the lost children and dangerous fanatic, is determined to keep Everlost's children trapped within its limbo for all eternity. Traveling in the memory of the Hindenburg, Mary is spreading her propaganda and attracting Afterlights to her cause at a frightening speed.

Meanwhile, Allie the Outcast travels home to seek out her parents, along with Mikey, who was once the terrifying monster the McGill. Allie is tempted by the seductive thrill of skinjacking, until she learns a shocking secret: those who skinjack are not actually dead.

Critically acclaimed author Neal Shusterman writes a book about life, death, and how the choices we make define ourselves in this luminous sequel to Everlost, which Orson Scott Card called "marvelously inventive ... and magically beautiful."

Has a Character Sheet.

Tropes used in Everwild include:


  • Affirmative Action Girl: Zin.
  • All Girls Want Bad Boys: Mikey and Allie, Milos and Allie.
  • Belligerent Sexual Tension: Mikey and Allie.
  • Betty and Veronica: Mikey and Milos for Allie. Nick and Milos for Mary, although Nick doesn't even know about the competition...
  • Body Horror: When Mikey turns into the McGill once again... and into a various of different forms.
    • Also, Nick is called the "Chocolate Ogre" for a reason. The chocolate smudge on his face has taken over half his body. At the end of Everwild, it completely consumes him, turning him into a large chocolate puddle.
  • Body Surf: Skinjacking plays an even bigger part in the story. Obviously because it's even in the title.
  • Breaking the Fellowship: Nick and Allie are separated for most of the story. They briefly reunite, but then they get separated... again.
    • Johnnie-O's gang all take coins and reach the tunnel to the light. Johnnie-O stays behind and is currently serving as Nick's Number Two.
    • Mikey leaves Allie's Five-Man Band when he sees Allie and Milos kissing. Then, after that, Allie parts ways with Milos, Squirrel, and Milos, which leaves her alone.
    • Allie briefly reunites with Mikey and Nick, who is reduced to a chocolate puddle, only to get kidnapped by Milos and taken to the west, leaving Mikey and Nick, who was restored by Mikey, to rescue her.
  • Butt Monkey: Mikey for some time in the story since he's not as threatening in his fourteen year old body than he was as the monsterous McGill, and well, because Loners Are Freaks.
  • Cannot Spit It Out: Mikey in his feeling-left-out when he is around the Skinjackers, his ability to change... and his feelings for Allie.
  • Cassandra Truth: When Mikey tells the Afterlights at the diner that he was the McGill or when Mikey tells Milos, Squirrel, and Moose that Mary Hightower is his sister.
  • Character Development
  • Character Focus
  • Cliff Hanger
  • Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are: When Milos hunts down Allie to bring her to Mary as a prisoner in order to be in her favor.
  • Cool Horse: Sank to the center of the earth. Way to go, Mikey and Shiloh...
  • Cool Train: The only source of transportation for Nick's team.
  • Darker and Edgier
  • Date Peepers: Mikey spying on Milos's and Allie's "lesson," or rather, it was supposed to be a lesson, but it developed into a date of sorts. Let's just say that everything went downhill after that...
  • Dating Catwoman: Nick and Mary.
  • Dragon with an Agenda: Milos. Subverted because if his Big Bad Mary dies, his own agenda cannot succeed - which is to rule with Mary and to replace Nick in Mary's heart.
  • Earn Your Happy Ending
  • Enigmatic Minion: Jackin' Jill and Milos.
  • Five-Bad Band:
  • Five-Man Band:
  • Fridge Logic: Afterlights cannot age in Everlost, but Nick is described as a fifteen year old in Everwild when he was fourteen when he died.
    • Nick's probably just one of those people who look older than they are, and other Afterlights mistake him for a year older. Having half his features covered in chocolate probably doesn't help on that front...
  • Green-Eyed Monster: Mikey sees Milos as a threat, and dislikes/is jealous of the growing closeness between Allie and Milos and how much time they've been spending together.

Mikey had no idea whether or not Milos was a good spirit, or bad, all he knew was that he hated Milos for simply existing.

  • Heterosexual Life Partners: Nick and Johnnie-O.
  • Holding Hands: Allie holds Mikey's hand whenever she needs to reassure him.
    • Allie holds Mikey's hand at one point to show to reassure Mikey and to show their new companion Milos that "the two of them were together in every way that mattered."
    • Becomes a bit of a mind game between Milos and Allie when either refuses to hold the other person's hand.
  • Hot-Blooded: Mikey.
  • Humanity Ensues: Mary and Zin. But it looks as though Mary won't be human for long...
  • Humanity Is Infectious: Mikey as he gradually learns many of the feelings that humans feel.
  • If I Can't Have You: Mikey/the McGill literally says this to Allie, convinced that Allie had chosen Milos over him, that Mikey can never Allie, and would rather have Allie take a coin and be returned to the tunnel to the light than to not be able to have her at all.
  • I Have You Now, My Pretty: Happens twice to Allie (by Mikey/the McGill and again then by Milos, happens once to Mary (by Pugsy Capone).
  • In Love with Love: Even Milos knows he falls in love too fast. Falls for Jackin' Jill, then Allie, and then Mary.
  • I Will Find You: Mikey searches for Allie twice. Once as the McGill to return her to the tunnel to the light than to be unable to have her, having been convinced that Allie had chosen Milos over him, and once again as Mikey when Allie is captured and taken to the west, leaving Nick and Mikey to find her.
  • Jacob Marley Apparel / Limited Wardrobe: Even more so. Nick is gradually becoming chocolate himself.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Mikey.
  • I Kiss Your Hand: Milos does this once to Allie, and then to Mary.
  • Kid Hero
  • Kiss Kiss Slap: Milos and Allie. After they kiss, Allie rejects Milos, and they get into a arguement over Mikey's disappearance.
  • Loners Are Freaks: Mikey.
  • Lovable Traitor: Jackin' Jill, in her own way. Of course, she's not so lovable to her former teammates she betrayed...
  • Love Hurts: Mikey and Allie.
  • Love Makes You Crazy: Mikey and Milos.
  • Love Makes You Evil: Mikey and Milos.
  • Love Triangle: Mikey, Allie, and Milos.
  • Like Brother and Sister: Nick and Allie.
  • Luminescent Blush: Or glowing lavender instead of blue...
  • Meaningful Name
  • Mentor Ship: If you ship Zin with either Nick or Johnnie-O.
    • Milos and Allie can count for this one too.
  • Mood Whiplash
  • Never Got to Say Goodbye: Nick thinks of this about Allie. He believes that their lives have been intertwined through their journey together, and since she had always been there for him, he regrets never telling her goodbye. Nick hopes that Allie took a coin and completed her journey, but secretly wishes that Allie stayed in Everlost so he could meet her again.the ocassion calls for it.
  • Not a Date: What Allie tells Milos whenever their lessons seem to borderline something more.

Milos: "I know it is not a romantic place for a date."
Allie: "Good thing it's not a date."

And then again:

Allie: "Do you think I don't know what this is all about?"
Milos: "Indulge me. One dance is all I ask."
Allie: "Why should I?"
Milos: "Out of simple gratitude for all I have taught you."
Allie: "No -- you lied to me! You said tonight would be a lesson, not a free dance ticket."

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