Interesting book that swings between Twig's recollections of his past life and what he must do to please the gods in the Afterlife by delving back into his memories. Twig wakes up from death with a skeletal crow like companion called Krruk who is meant to bring him back from his memories. Twig must go back over the things he has done while travelling through the Afterlife to find what is unlocked by a mysterious key. To do this, Twig relives his past life where he is homeless street kid who joins a gang of other street kids lead by Flea - where they rob and scavenge to survive. With each memory, he moves closer and closer to unlocking something for the gods.

A rather complex book that took a while to get going but eventually made sense when you realize that each memory of Twig's holds the answers to moving forward in the Afterlife. An interesting concept in that the reader knows the main character dies at the end of the memories . ( )