Like many coming-of-age novels, Elsewhere depicts its protagonist’s first real experience of loss; however, it inverts the usual formula by centering not on the death of a loved one, but rather on the death of the protagonist. The immediate effect of this is to dramatically heighten the sense of grief Liz experiences, since her sudden death involves the loss of everyone she knows, her home, her daily routines, and (as she eventually learns) her plans for the future. Here is how she describes the experience of watching her own funeral: “In a way, it feels more like she is still alive and the only guest at the collective funeral for everyone she has ever known” (32).

This emphasis on loss may initially seem unexpected, given the prominent role reincarnation plays in the novel; since the souls of all people (and animals) are constantly cycling from Elsewhere to Earth and back again, no one is ever truly and permanently gone. However, as Zevin depicts it, this process underscores rather than resolves the anxieties many people feel in regard to mortality. Zevin implies that people don’t typically retain memories of their past lives, so while their consciousness may be eternal, each identity they assume is finite, lasting for only one cycle through Earth and Elsewhere.