Everlost

One of the novel’s most prominent symbols is coins, and they represent an Afterlight’s choice to go into the light and move to the afterlife or stay in Everlost until they are ready to move on. Every coin that passes into the spirit world is faceless, preventing the Afterlights from knowing their value, what year they were minted, or even what country they’re from. This loss of information shows that the coin itself is what’s important, not how much it’s worth or where it came from. Every coin represents the same value in the mysterious currency of Everlost: the chance for an Afterlight to move into the light. An Afterlight knows they are ready to move on when a coin feels warm in their hands. The warmer a coin is, the more ready the spirit is to move on. Thus, when Mary and Nick hold a coin, it feels cold, indicating that they are not yet ready and have more to accomplish before their departure. Lief, on the other hand, feels warmth from the coin and almost immediately moves into the light.

Coins are very common, for every child who crosses into Everlost has one. However, the children in Everlost have no idea what coins are used for thanks to Mary’s deliberate obfuscation of the truth, for she teaches that they have no value or worth.