Reincarnation

Readers with a romantic bent will be drawn to this story, which pushes the notion of eternal love to its limits: two spirits find each other again and again, at different moments in history. The cycle begins at the brink of civilization as a man and a woman from different clans scuffle over the possession of a valuable green stone. Their battle ends as their intertwined bodies tumble over a cliff toward death, whereupon the female character briefly describes the path her soul takes: “That part of me that is me at its center gives way. I am scattered, dispersed among the stars.” Each subsequent episode recounts a similar pattern, with a green stone and a tragedy preventing the union of the couple. Weyn (The Bar Code Tattoo ) keeps things interesting with bits of history about ancient Egypt, colonial America and 1937 Paris. However, the suspense diminishes as the outcome of each chapter becomes increasingly predictable. Readers (along with the ethereal hero and heroine) will breathe relief when the spirits find peace as a pair of contemporary high school students who meet in New York City's American Museum of Natural History—where they can tour the gem collections and get another perspective on mysterious green jewels. While this love ballad plays on a little too long, the inventive ending redeems it. Ages 12-up. (Jan.)