Ever by Gail Carson Levine

From the Publisher

Falling in love is never easy, but falling in love with an immortal god while your days on earth are numbered is almost more than a young girl can bear.

Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine has created a stunning new world of flawed gods, unbreakable vows, and ancient omens in this spellbinding story of Kezi, a girl confronted with a terrible destiny. Attempting to thwart her fate, Kezi and her love, Olus — the god of wind and loneliness — embark on a series of dangerous and seemingly impossible quests.

Publishers Weekly

Levine's (Ella Enchanted) original mythological tale works as romance, adventure and exploration of faith. Kezi is the only daughter of a wealthy, devout family in a vaguely ancient, vaguely Middle Eastern city, where the established religion revolves around one god, Admat. When Kezi's mother falls deathly ill, her father vows to sacrifice the first person who congratulates him on his wife's recovery, if only Admat will let her live. Through adroit plotting, this person turns out to be Kezi, who has 30 days before she must be delivered to the sacrificial altar. Meanwhile, Olus, the god of wind from a family of Greek-like deities, has been watching the horror unfold; out of loneliness (the brother closest to him in age is 412 years older), he has disguised himself to mix with mortals and fallen in love with Kezi. Braided throughout the well-paced action are doubts raised by Kezi's new-found knowledge of Olus and his clan: "How can Admat be the one, the all, if Olus is a god too?" Is her sacrifice without reason? Levine conducts a riveting journey, offering passion and profound pondering along the way. Ages 10-up. (May)

Children's Literature

Olus and Kezi find a love that is immortal. Olus, the Akkan god of the winds, longs to be part of the mortal world and often watches mortals with envy. As he observes one family, a beautiful girl, Kezi, catches his eye. Olus soon discovers the fate of Kezi, whose father says an oath to a god whom Olus has never heard of who dooms Kezi and calls for her sacrifice in thirty days. As the family despairs, Olus realizes that he loves this girl and must do something. Olus meets Kezi and takes her back to his hometown where the gods live with the power of his winds. Olus wants to take Kezi to the gods so that she, too, can become an immortal god, but first Kezi must become a heroine, and Olus must become a champion. They go through tasks that reveal their biggest fears so that they can visit the gods. After accomplishing the tasks, Kezi then has to pass the test to become a goddess by drinking from a goblet. If she can swallow the drink, she will become a goddess, but if she cannot, she will be doomed to mortal sacrifice. The love story of Kezi and Olus is told through their eyes in alternating first person viewpoints from chapter to chapter. This allows readers to see the evolution of their love. Kezi and Olus keep readers on the edge of their seats as the two of them battle conflict and doubt through quests for Kezi to become immortal. Reviewer: Addie Matthews

Alan Review

Kezi, a mortal teen-aged girl who lives in the city of Hyte, and Olus, the god of the wind, fall in love and are forced to endure extreme challenges in order to attain their hope of marriage. Kezi is an amazingly talented dancer and rug-weaver sentenced to sacrifice her life to the god Admat in 30 days for the sake of saving her Aunt Fedo. Olus longs to befriend mortals his own age. While herding goats for Kezi's father Senet, Olus is stricken with desire for Kezi at a marriage celebration for Kezi's cousins. After admiring Kezi from afar, Olus becomes increasingly enthralled with her beauty and seeks to help her overturn her fate as a human sacrifice. In the extreme efforts to save Kezi's life and be together forever, they are forced to overcome unbeatable odds and daring challenges. This book is recommended for ages 12 and up, and it could be used as an individual or small group read to accompany lessons about ancient mythology. Reviewer: Rachael Gatewood

KLIATT

Levine has become well known for modern retellings of classic fairy tales. In Ever, she creates the story of an immortal, Olus, who wants to live with the mortals on earth. His interest in them is not always understood, and he does not understand their ways and their fears. He meets Kezi, a young teen whose mother is dying. Her father makes a deal with their god Admat, promising to sacrifice the first one who congratulates them if his wife recovers. Kezi, who has overheard the oath and knows the consequences, keeps an eye out to make sure that for the three days, no one comes into their hut. But when her favorite aunt arrives and appears to be ready to congratulate Kezi's father, Kezi steps in and says the words, dooming herself to become a human sacrifice to Admat. At this point, Olus makes his presence known and the two attempt to satisfy the requirements of Olus's Akkan gods so that Kezi will become immortal and be able to marry Olus. Told in the alternating voices of Kezi and Olus, the story develops the Akkan and the Admat religions, the faith with which the mortals live, and the classic quest the two young people must accomplish in order to live as they choose. YAs may get confused with the many gods, but the issues of belief, promise and redemption are well developed and will provide much for readers to think about and discuss. Reviewer: Janis Flint-Ferguson

School Library Journal

Gr 5-9

In Gail Carson Levine's action-packed fantasy (HarperCollins, 2008), Olus, the Akkan god of the wind, spies Kezi, a mortal girl who is gifted in dancing and weaving, and falls madly in love with her. When Kezi's father decides that her life must be sacrificed to the omnipotent god Admat, Olus tries to save Kezi by making her immortal. Thus begins a harrowing trial of courage and compassion for Olus and a journey to the Underworld for Kezi. This beautifully written tale is told in the alternative voices of Kezi and Olus. Jenna Lamia and Oliver Wyman convincingly portray their emotions, and make the secondary characters easily identifiable. This well-paced, intriguing love story/fantasy is a solid choice for middle school and public libraries.-Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, CT

Kirkus Reviews

Kezi, the talented daughter of a palace official, is willing to sacrifice her life to save her beloved aunt from the wrath of the god Admat. Olus, the Akkan god of winds, has come to live among mortals to ease his own loneliness. Deeply in love with one another, Olus's discovery of Kezi's imminent doom causes him to urge her to consider a way out of her predicament: Why not become a goddess instead? Separately these lovers must pursue their own quests-she to the land of the warkis, he to the god of wisdom on Enshi Rock-if they wish to remain together, and soon it becomes clear to Kezi that even immortality doesn't mean knowing all the answers. Levine strikes a somber and more contemplative note with this book than in previous outings, pondering the nature of faith alongside her usual romancing. It makes for a quieter novel than her readers may be used to, but one that will suit those who stop to think about their own mortality once in a while. Strong and good. (Fiction. 12+)

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Ever

Chapter One

Olus

I am huge in my mati's womb, straining her wide tunic. She is Hannu, Akkan goddess of the earth and of pottery. My pado, Arduk, god of agriculture, sits at Hannu's bedside, awaiting my birth.

It is too tight in Hannu's belly! I thread my strong wind into her womb, and my strong wind thrusts me flying out. Fortunately, Arduk catches me in his big, gentle hands.

Although Hannu lies in bed and Arduk stands holding me, we are also floating above the earth. In the air over volcanic Mount Enshi hovers Enshi Rock. From its center the temple rises: our home, a tower of porous white stone mounted on four stout stone legs. Never has there been such a temple!

When my diaper cloth is tied in place, I kick. When I'm lowered into my sleeping basket, I cry. If a blanket is tucked around me, I bellow. I am the god of the winds, and I hate confinement. Shame on me! I fear it.

Hannu and Arduk name me Olus. I call them by their own names, as is the custom.

Soon I can see and hear and smell across great distances and through objects, just as the other Akkan gods can. I hear the prayers of our worshipers, which are like the rattle of pebbles in a pan, too numerous to sort out.

When I am a month old, I smile from my parents' bed at the faces of the other Akkan gods and goddesses as they pass by above me. Meanwhile my merry wind tickles their ankles.

But when Puru, the god of destiny, tilts his head down at me, my merry wind fades away, and I wail. His face is swathed entirely in orange linen, as is the rest of him. I can see through ordinary linen, but not Puru's.

Perhaps he can peer through his linen, or perhaps he smells me or only knows I'm there. When he speaks, no constant breath pushes his words, so he stops after each one. "Olus... will—"

"Hush, Puru," Hannu says, frowning.

"He's too young to hear about his fate," Arduk adds.

Puru says, "Olus... will... have... no happiness until he gains what he cannot keep."

Read a Sample Chapter

Chapter One

Olus

I am huge in my mati's womb, straining her wide tunic. She is Hannu, Akkan goddess of the earth and of pottery. My pado, Arduk, god of agriculture, sits at Hannu's bedside, awaiting my birth.

It is too tight in Hannu's belly! I thread my strong wind into her womb, and my strong wind thrusts me flying out. Fortunately, Arduk catches me in his big, gentle hands.

Although Hannu lies in bed and Arduk stands holding me, we are also floating above the earth. In the air over volcanic Mount Enshi hovers Enshi Rock. From its center the temple rises: our home, a tower of porous white stone mounted on four stout stone legs. Never has there been such a temple!

When my diaper cloth is tied in place, I kick. When I'm lowered into my sleeping basket, I cry. If a blanket is tucked around me, I bellow. I am the god of the winds, and I hate confinement. Shame on me! I fear it.

Hannu and Arduk name me Olus. I call them by their own names, as is the custom.

Soon I can see and hear and smell across great distances and through objects, just as the other Akkan gods can. I hear the prayers of our worshipers, which are like the rattle of pebbles in a pan, too numerous to sort out.

When I am a month old, I smile from my parents' bed at the faces of the other Akkan gods and goddesses as they pass by above me. Meanwhile my merry wind tickles their ankles.

Butwhen Puru, the god of destiny, tilts his head down at me, my merry wind fades away, and I wail. His face is swathed entirely in orange linen, as is the rest of him. I can see through ordinary linen, but not Puru's.

Perhaps he can peer through his linen, or perhaps he smells me or only knows I'm there. When he speaks, no constant breath pushes his words, so he stops after each one. "Olus . . . will—"

"Hush, Puru," Hannu says, frowning.

"He's too young to hear about his fate," Arduk adds.

Puru says, "Olus . . . will . . . have . . . no happiness until he gains what he cannot keep."

Excerpted from Ever by Gail Levine Copyright © 2008 by Gail Levine. Excerpted by permission.
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