Changes

Firstly, it isn't at all original - stories about the newly departed needing to fix what they left behind in the living world before they can move on to the next are ten-a-penny. So to be interesting, you really need to bring something new to the table. And, aside from the notion of a heart physically cleaved in two, ''Catastrophic History'' doesn't bring anything new; all the devices are entirely familiar. Secondly, Rothenberg is very keen on using very short, verbless sentences. These can add impact if used sparingly, but include too many and you end up sounding frenetic and rushed. And there are so many teen culture references - chocolate bars, fashion brands, TV shows, even [[Twilight by Stephanie Stephenie Meyer|Twilight]] gets a mention or two - that the book will date far too quickly. Perhaps I was expecting too much given the buzz and the hype, but for me this story just didn't live up to its promise.