Series: Something Strange and Deadly #1
Author: Susan Dennard
Publisher: Harper Teen
Genre: YA Paranormal/Horror
Pages: 371
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought
Rating: 4 ½ cubes of sugar (That's right, you cut that sugar cube in half before you put it in my cup!)
Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository
Summary:
The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…
Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—
The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.
And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.
Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.
(Taken from Goodreads)
Review:
So, this book. It was wonderful! I wasn't entirely sure what to expect out of it. I knew I would like it; it has zombies, creative inventions, and a rag-tag band of misfits (love them misfits), so what's not to like? The zombies were an inspired addition, not your average, gory, aimless, over-done zombies. They actually served a purpose to the plot instead of just being an element added to make things more suspenseful and interesting. The fact that time in the ground and decomposition is actually taken into consideration when describing the zombies interested me. Most of the time you get the gross, messy zombies, with eyeballs hanging out of their heads and innards all over the place. Let's face in, when a body in the ground for a while (we're talking years and decades) there isn't much left of muscle and skin. Most of these zombies were bone and sinew.
There were also plenty of plot twists and surprises that kept me reading (wasn't expecting that ending but I heartily enjoyed it, and nope no spoilers here!) I enjoyed every single one of the characters. Eleanor was a little hard to get into at first, but as the story developed, she also developed into the awesome, kick-butt character that I was hoping for! The Spirit-Hunters were easily my favorite though, they're all such interesting characters in and of themselves with such varying backgrounds. Needless to say I await the release of A Darkness Strange and Lovely with baited breath!
I just recently read this book and, like you, I was really surprised by how much I loved it. Normally, I hate zombie stories but I didn't mind it at all here. I loved Eleanor and can't wait for the second book.
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