Manolo, realizing his fear is actually being himself, again refuses to deliver the finishing blow, instead singing an apology to the resentment-filled spirit asking it to forgive his family's transgressions, which it does by peacefully dissolving away. Chakal kills Carlos, who joins the deceased to watch Manolo fight. In the living world, Chakal, who previously owned the Medal, leads his army to San ГЃngel to find it. Thinking that Manolo's fear is bulls, Xibalba manifests every bull the Sanchez family ever fought, which merge into a giant one for Manolo to defeat. Furious at Xibalba, La Muerte lectures him before another deal is negotiated Manolo's life will be returned if he completes a challenge Xibalba sets him, but if he fails, Xibalba will rule both lands and Manolo will be forgotten.

Manolo finds La Muerte and exposes the cheating to her. After seeing that Manolo's story in the Book of Life is blank and can be rewritten by Manolo's own actions, the Candle Maker takes them to the Land of the Forgotten. They meet the Candle Maker, who oversees the lives of everybody in the living world. Manolo, Carmen, and Luis, Manolo's grandfather, travel to the Cave of Souls to reach La Muerte.

When Maria awakens, she learns of Manolo's death and solemnly accepts JoaquГn's proposal. They travel to La Muerte's castle to seek Maria, but only find Xibalba, who explains the bet to Manolo and that the snake put Maria in a coma, but killed him. Devastated by Maria's assumed death, Manolo is tricked by Xibalba into being sent to the afterlife: the snake bites him twice, killing him.ДЄt the Land of the Remembered, Manolo reunites with his mother Carmen and his illustrious deceased family members. Maria and Manolo meet before dawn to profess their love for each other, but they are interrupted when Xibalba sends a two-headedВ snakeВ to bite her once, rendering her unconscious. That night, Maria is pressured by her father, the mayor of San Angel, to marry JoaquГn so that he will stay and protect San ГЃngel from the bandit Chakal, though she is conflicted by her feelings for Manolo. Manolo defeats the bull but refuses to kill it, dismaying Carlos and the crowd but impressing Maria. On the day of Maria's return, a celebration is held culminating in Manolo's first bullfight. While saying their goodbyes, Manolo gives her a baby pig from earlier and she gives him a guitar engraved with 'Always play from the heart' while JoaquГn keeps her hat that flew off the train.ДЄs an adult, Manolo's musician dreams are suppressed by his father Carlos, who trains him to become a bullfighterВ like the rest of their family, while JoaquГn becomes the revered town hero with the Medal's aid, something he had aspired to since his father was also a hero. Maria frees a herd of pigs from being slaughtered, causing her father to enroll her in a boarding school in Spain the hopes of removing her rebellious streak to become a proper lady instead. However, Xibalba cheats by giving Joaquin his Medal of Everlasting Life, which grants the wearer invincibility. If La Muerte wins, Xibalba can no longer interfere in mortal affairs if Xibalba wins, he and La Muerte switch realms. La Muerte bets that Manolo will marry Maria, while Xibalba bets on JoaquГn. The spirits La Muerte, ruler of the Land of the Remembered and Xibalba, ruler of the Land of the Forgotten, set a wager on San ГЃngel'sВ Day of the DeadВ festival after seeing two best friends, Manolo and JoaquГn, competing over a girl named Maria. She tells them the story of theВ MexicanВ town of San ГЃngel from the Book of Life, which holds every story in the world. Mary Beth, a museumВ tour guide, takes a group of children on a tour of Mexican folk myths and legends. Rich with a fresh take on pop music favorites, The Book of Life encourages us to celebrate the past while looking forward to the future. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure that spans three fantastical worlds where he must face his greatest fears. The Book of Life is the journey of Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart.

Life after life book synopsis