Meet the Living
She is the protagonist's mere (French/guess the real translation in english)
Who is Jake Livingston's Mother
This is the term for the repetitive, endless reenactments of the moments leading up to a ghost’s demise that Jake is forced to witness.
What are death loops?
The elite, predominantly white private academy that Jake and his brother attend.
What is St. Clair Prep?
This is Sawyer's ultimate, sinister goal regarding Jake's physical body.
What is to possess it? (or take it over)
This real-world systemic issue is constantly practiced by St. Clair Prep's teachers and students, making Jake's daily life a living nightmare.
What is racism? (or microaggressions)
This handsome new student arrives at St. Clair Prep, providing Jake with a potential romance and someone to confide in.
Who is Allister Burroughs?
his is the name of the main antagonist—a powerful, vengeful spirit who committed a horrific crime before taking his own life.
Who is Sawyer Doon?
The neighboring high school where Sawyer Doon carried out a mass shooting, killing six students.
What is Heritage High?
The novel alternates between Jake’s current perspective and sections from this specific written medium left behind by Sawyer.
What is his journal/diary?
The novel blends elements of paranormal horror with this specific suspenseful genre that highlights systemic societal anxieties.
What is a social thriller?
ake's fiercely loyal best friend who helps him navigate both social drama and supernatural threats.
Who is Fiona Chan?
Jake prefers attending classes on this specific floor of his school to avoid being too close to the ghosts outside on the roads or those jumping from above.
What is the second floor?
This is the city or metropolitan area where the supernatural and social events of the novel take place.
What is Atlanta?
Sawyer targets Jake because Jake possesses this rare, specific supernatural ability.
What is being a medium? (or seeing the dead)
The book heavily explores this mental health theme, tracing how isolation and abuse led to Sawyer’s descent into violence.
What is mental illness? (or severe depression/suicidal ideation)
Jake's popular older brother who seemingly finds it much easier to fit in at their predominantly white prep school.
Who is Benji Livingston?
Unlike most harmless ghosts stuck in cycles, Sawyer gains unique autonomy and strength because of this specific manner of death.
What is suicide? (or taking his own life)
Because his mother works this highly demanding job, Jake is frequently left home alone for weeks at a time.
What is a pilot?
To protect himself and conquer Sawyer's influence, Jake must learn to control this heavy emotional feeling, which Sawyer uses to feed his power.
What is fear? (or rage/despair)
You can literally feel the bad vibes in the air whenever a death-form pulls up or when Jake is losing the battle for his own body. The author uses this specific, gloomy color as a visual cue to show that the spirits are draining the life out of the room. What color keeps popping up to signal that things are about to get dark.
What is gray?
This rugby-playing school bully frequently targets Jake with aggressive behavior and microaggressions.
Who is Chad?
Jake’s notebooks are filled with these macabre drawings, which reflect the psychological toll of constantly seeing the dead world.
What are demented/macabre sketches?
This is the name of the neighbor whose sudden murder alerts Jake that a dangerous spirit is active in his neighborhood.
Who is Matteo Mooney?
This is the total number of students Sawyer killed during his high school assault before turning the gun on himself.
What is six?
Sawyer is completely out of pocket, but his backstory shows he didn't just become a monster overnight. He grew up in a household full of straight-up hostility, fueled by the toxic behavior and abuse of this specific family member. Who was the man at home making Sawyer’s life a living nightmare?
Who is his stepfather?