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Sixteen-year-old Eleanor Fitt's brother is missing. And when she discovers that the Dead are rising in Philadelphia and wreaking havoc throughout the city, she knows that her brother is involved.
So Eleanor enlists the help of the Spirit-Hunters. This motley crew, hired to protect the city from supernatural forces, is after the necromancer who has been reanimating corpses. Their skills can save her brother. But as Eleanor spends time with the Spirit-Hunters, and their handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. Now not only is her reputation at risk, but her very life may hang in the balance.
In Something Strange and Deadly, the first book in a trilogy, Susan Dennard weaves together vividly imagined scenes of action, adventure, and gorgeous Victorian fashion to create an entertaining steampunk tapestry of humor, horror, and romance. Readers who love Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices series will be intrigued from the start.
A wonderfully brisk pace sweeps readers into an intriguing mystery. Eleanor serves as a highly entertaining guide and readers will find themselves settling in among the undead just fine.
JessabellaReviews
Posted August 2, 2012
I Also Recommend:
A beautifully written story set in Victorian-Era Philly with ZOMBIES!!
I received an Advance Reader's Edition of this book from Epic Reads. Thank you guys soo much!
Eleanor Fitt is an extremely strong-minded heroine, which is quite refreshing considering the time period. She tells the story and oh! what a story it is! The scenes are so vividly imagined that this reviewer felt as if she was actually walking through the streets with Eleanor. The world building in this novel left reviewer speechless at times, it was that good! The mystery of finding out what happened to Eleanor's brother brings us to a world of necromancers, zombies, and the elusive spirit hunters. Daniel (who is a member of the little rag-tag group called the spirit hunters who are trying to stop the zombies from attacking Philadelphia) and Eleanor's often-times frustrating relationship will leave readers cheering for them to "just kiss already"! Readers will be hanging on to every beautifully descriptive word as they race to figure out just what really is going on in Philly, and who is behind it. This enchanting mix of zombies, mystery, magic, forbidden love, and good old-fashioned girl power is NOT TO BE MISSED!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard is not a "zombie book". Sure, there are zombies in it, but it's more steampunk than horror. While reading, I couldn't help but be reminded of The Girl in the Steel Corset by Cady Cross and Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey. Both books had similar elements to Something Strange and Deadly. I think anyone who enjoyed either of those book will definitely enjoy Something Strange and Deadly, and vice versa.
Eleanor is such a smart character. Most kick-butt female characters are tough or mouthy, but Eleanor uses her brains to solve her issues, not her fists. She might be the most curious character I've ever read about. And she actually puts all of the clues she discovers together, and not in some brilliant epiphany at the last possible second sort of way you see in a lot of books.
The cast of characters in Something Strange and Deadly were wonderful. Joseph, the elegant leader of the Spirit Hunters, inspired respect and loyalty from his friends. Jie, the tough Chinese girl pretending to be a boy, was such a fantastic influence on Eleanor. She showed her that you always have a choice, no matter if you're a girl, boy, rich, poor. It doesn't matter. You make your own decisions in life. And the best part was that Eleanor understood this advice and took it to heart!
I liked Daniel right from the get-go. He jumps in with an attitude and a smug smile and that was all it took for me to fall for him. Luckily, it took Eleanor a little longer or this could've been a pretty boring romance. I enjoyed their banter and interactions so much more because they didn't get along at first.
The ending Dennard left us with has me anticipating the future of the Spirit Hunters and Eleanor's possible role within their ranks. Not to mention some more creepy necromancer action! I recommend Something Strange an Deadly to fans of paranormal romance and steampunk.
P.S. OMG THAT COVER!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.ScornfulScarlet
Posted September 28, 2012
The book- I adored it. I enjoyed it so much. The plot was so strong, the characters all so diverse, and I just loved so many things about it. I cannot pinpoint exact parts, but I will just say I loved Daniel and Eleanor. The only reason I hate to give 4 stars is the ending, albeit a nicely wrapped up ending, I did not really like it, it is going to make me think and be a little down for a day or two. Otherwise a greatly constructed, different book to me.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.MarissaA
Posted July 31, 2012
Let me just say first, this was really well written! It felt like I was in the story, through the language, setting, described clothing, props/items; all of it gave me a glimpse of what it would be like to be in the 19th Century, the year 1876. The story itself was very creative and unpredictable, so you just never know where this story is going to turn. I really liked this story, the zombies; having it set in Philadelphia, in 1876; the mystery aspect, the characters, and a questionable Romance. Eleanor Fitt seems like a strong minded character and reading from her POV was just great; I liked that a lot, as we go along this uncertain journey with her. Other characters in the novel, including the mysterious Daniel Sheridan, was lovely to read, and he is one to watch out for :)
Throughout the story, there are unexpected turns of events, especially towards the end, oh my, towards the end! You will be shocked at what happens. Shocked. The ending immediately made me want to read the next book in this series, so I look forward to it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.vedgerton
Posted July 31, 2012
I just finished reading the book last night, and I must say that I was sad that it had ended. The story has lots of " twists and turns" that I didn't see coming and kept me guessing on what was going to happen next. The book seemed well written and it kept me pulled into the story from the first chapter to the last chapter. I'll just have to wait till the next book is released............for the rest of the story!! I can't wait. Thanks Susan for the wonderful story.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.KristaKP
Posted July 26, 2012
Just received my book in the mail yesterday and am on chapter 18. I couldn't wait to get home and start reading. I read until about 11 p.m. and then decided to get ready for bed only to get back up about 3 a.m. to read a little more. This is a book you just can't put down. You just can't stop reading. I just had to know what would happen next. I can't wait to get home tonight so i can continue where i left off. The only sad part will be when i am finished and i have to wait on the next release. This is a must have for anyone that loves the strange, the dead or just loves to read a good book that will take you away from everyday life into a world of the undead. This book is so intense, the characters so real. Thank you for a wonderful book.. Please keep them comming.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Something Strange and Deadly is one of those intense novels that kept me on the edge of my seat. I should have started this novel earlier in the day because I refused to put it down before I finished it. This resulted in a lost night's sleep, but it was so worth it! From the first zombie attack, which happened within the first few pages, I was hooked. The characters are well-developed, flawed, likable, and realistic. I couldn't help but sympathize with everyone (other than Eleanor's mother), even the bad guys. The plot is unique and engrossing. I also loved the setting. Most novels that are set in the Victorian Era are set in England and are steampunk. This isn't a steampunk book. There is not one overly advanced piece of technology. There are some strange inventions, but those inventions are still very much within the realm of possibility for the late 19th century. Dennard offers an interesting look into what Victorian Philadelphia would have been like if there had been a zombie invasion.
Eleanor is no simpering miss, and because of this, she does not fit in during her time period. She's aware of this. She's too free-thinking for the Victorian Era. Therefore, she always feels like a misfit, which is a play on her name "Miss Fitt." Eleanor is a strong lead character who is willing to fight for what she believes in. She also isn't afraid to get her hands dirty and can take care of herself. She makes mistakes throughout this novel, but she grows immensely as a character. I can't wait to see what the sequel brings for her.
Another character that I found extremely interesting was Jie. However, I don't want to spoil the surprise with who Jie is, so I'm not going to analyze this character any further. Daniel is also a great leading man. He's tortured (of course) and has done some awful things. However, deep down, he's good, and he's willing to try to make amends. There are a lot of characters in this novel who want to make amends for their mistakes, and there are also some who are unrepentant. That seems to be the defining way to tell who is good and who is not - if they want to make up for the pain they've caused others, or if they want to continue to hurt others. There are no strong messages against class or oppression or anything like that, but I don't think taking a stand against Victorian Era society would be applicable to our contemporary society. Therefore, it would be rather pointless to make any statements to that effect.
The plot is intense, and there is a mystery going on throughout the course of the novel. I figured it out pretty early on, but it wasn't obvious. I just made a guess based and was correct. There are tiny hints, but nothing that gives it away until the big reveal. Also, the plot is an emotional roller coaster. I was laughing at a lot of parts, and I cried at the end. Because of my ability to relate to all of the characters, I was extremely emotionally invested in this novel. Furthermore, the pacing is perfect. The story flew by even though the book is 400 pages long. Nothing felt rushed, though. I know I was white-knuckling my Kindle during the last 20% or so of the book. The intensity of the plot grows as the story continues, which basically forced me to finish this book in one sitting.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves zombie stories, mysteries, books set in the Victorian Era, or supernatural/paranormal books.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Something Strange and Deadly is the first novel in Susan Dennard’s Something Strange and Deadly series. The tale takes place in Philadelphia, PA in the year 1876. I loved this steampunk zombie novel, featuring the feisty, sleuth protagonist Eleanor Fitt. I easily finished this novel in two evenings and look forward to reading more. We are immediately immersed in the tale as Eleanor waits at the train station for her beloved brother, Elijah to arrive. When he doesn't arrive she heads to the telegram counter for news. The dead alarms begin to ring. This signals that zombies are in the station. Chaos breaks loose as people scramble to escape. Eleanor dives into the telegram booth and hides. When the window shatters and a zombie appears she just about faints. Instead of attacking her, it drops a telegram on her lap. Too frightened to read it she rushes home. Here she reads the message and discovers he won’t be returning. Eleanor begins to believe that the zombies have him. When she sees an article about Spirit Hunters, she sets off to get answers and hopefully some help. The tale that unfolds has moments of suspense, mystery, humor and a smidgeon of romance. The dead are rising from Laurel Hill Cemetery and a necromancer is controlling them. I became completely immersed in the tale as Eleanor tries to stop the dead and save her brother. Eleanor Fitt is sixteen and lives with her overbearing mother and maid. Her brother Elijah has been away for over two years. The families finances are crumbling and her mother is constantly spending money trying to impress others. I liked Eleanor; she is witty, inquisitive and brave. Her need for answers causes her to be reckless and her free spirit creates tension with her mother. Daniel is an inventor and member of the Spirit Hunters. He is cute, stubborn and quick to temper. He is also protective when it comes to Eleanor. I enjoyed their witty banter and Eleanor’s attraction to him caused me to giggle. While there is a tiny bit of romance, their story is just beginning. Other characters added suspense and mystery. The world-building while at times predictable kept me entertained. Dennard beautifully captures the era and some of its ridiculous society rules. She does this without overwhelming the reader in details and instead focuses on the characters and plot. The flow of this novel was wonderful. I would have liked more gadgetry but enjoyed the tools the Spirit Hunters used. The characters themselves and mystery kept me turning the pages. Discovering the necromancer and searching for clues was entertaining. The zombies are in the background of this tale, but when they do make appearances the scenes are delightful. While the tale felt complete, Dennard’s ending has hinted at what is to come. While I easily pieced together the clues regarding the necromancer it was fun to discover the reasons. I want to thank Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.KaribbeanIsland1
Posted January 29, 2013
**4.5 Stars**
MY OVERVIEW: Yes, this book is steampunk, but it is steampunk-light. And as far as zombies… I honestly wouldn’t classify it as a zombie book. Yes, there are walking dead, but it just had a different feel than most zombie books.
PROS: I really enjoyed seeing the progression Daniel took through the book. You could tell by the way he talked to Eleanor that he did not like her when they first met, then as the book progressed his attitude changed to one of respect (while still picking on her), and then to love.
CONS: I didn’t like how the two love interests were both abusive in their own ways. Clarence had hurt her physically and Daniel, verbally. I also did not like her mother. What a horrible person. However, I do have to admit that this is probably how a lot of the women were back in this time. I am so glad things have changed.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: What was happening with Elijah was not a surprise at all. I really saw it coming through the book. I am just surprised that the Sprit-Hunters were that blind to it. I highly recommend this book. Even if you are not a fan of steampunk – you should at least give it a try. I cannot wait for the next one!
Anonymous
Posted January 12, 2013
I have only read the sample but I can tell the storyy is going too bbe quite intresting.I hear hear she falls for Daniel not Clarence they way the auther wrote every thing like it was happening and you were actully there was amazing.She made me feel like i was in the book watching her like a stalker.(im not)The way she described everything that she did was lovley and even if i havent read it all i can tell the ending is worth the money.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 3, 2012
Awesome read. I hope there is a sequel in the works.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Brought to you by OBS reviewer Valerie
The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.
That has got to be my favorite sentence in the summary. That’s what made me want to read Something Strange and Deadly. Well, that and the fact that there’s a maddeningly stubborn and handsome inventor and possibly even the fact that it’s set in 1876. But really, that sentence is pretty important. You might want to make a note of that.
Before I started reading Something Strange and Deadly, I thought it was going to be boring. I mean, it’s set in 1876. While that gives the protagonist a chance to wear a dress, it doesn’t exactly give her a chance to be kick-butt, right? Wrong. I was wrong on so many levels. Not only is Eleanor super kick-butt, the plot itself is full of action and super creative. It’s crazy. It weaves all these tiny, seemingly unimportant pieces of information together to create this huge revelation at the end. Not only that, but it makes sense! You find yourself thinking, why didn’t I come up with this? Yup, that’s how amazing it is. Besides, it’s zombies. Zombies almost automatically make a good plot.
As for that kick-butt heroine, let’s just say she’s really cool. She’s stubborn, strong and determined. While she may be extremely likeable, she’s also flawed. That’s what I like about the characters. Every character is not perfect; they all have a flaw or two that’s makes them seem real. Eleanor is a great character and protagonist. I really enjoyed reading about her! She’s really blunt and funny, even though you might think otherwise.
I love how the romance between Eleanor and Daniel is not the focus of the story. It’s something that adds to it, but it doesn’t overwhelm all the zombies and the whole Spirit Hunting business. Plus, it’s not love at first sight! It’s a hate at first sight! In other words, Eleanor and Daniel start off pretty rocky with each other, but over time their relationship improves. (Well, then again, I don’t think they’ll ever stop annoying each other….) There might even be some kissing, but nothing really beyond that. Also, at the end, you get some clarification about the romance or the lack of one. Yay for no insta-love!
Daniel is a great character. He’s a stubborn, smart, handsome, dashing, charming inventor. I love how he’s an inventor! It makes me happy that he can invent things to protect against zombies. Not only that, Daniel has this whole story. He’s jaded and broken from what he did in the past, and that just makes me like him even more. He is just so amazing!
Definitely check this book out! It’s one of my favorites of 2012!
This review and more at openbooksociety dot com
Owlmanafanatic16
Posted September 15, 2012
I Also Recommend:
Victorian era, steam punk, an awesome Femal character, and zombies. A perfect combination!
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.You know I love Steampunk and you also know how much I am obsessed with zombies, so... the combination of these two in Something Strange and Deadly just about required an emergency pacemaker implant to restart my excited and over-tasked little heart.
So, the scoop is: Eleanor is living in a 19th century Philadelphia where the dead have been mysteriously coming to life. Although this doesn't properly freak everyone out as much as you think it might ("Oh, bother, the zombies have attacked the newspaper stand...again..."), Eleanor is sufficiently panicked due to a mysterious letter from her brother...delivered by a zombie.
In an effort to discover her brother's whereabouts, and zombie status, Eleanor enlists the help of some professional paranormal experts. With the assistance of their experience and gadgets (I love gadgets!), the gang sets about solving the mystery of the pesky undead.
I loved the setting and felt that Dennard's world-building and research was amazing. Eleanor is an old-fashioned Kick Ass Heroine who blazes her own trail despite the restrictions of the age (and the attire.) Her cohorts are interesting enough to be novels unto themselves and I would love to read a prequel of their origin story.
Something Strange and Deadly is a great fast-paced and bloody roller coaster ride. It will now occupy a special place in my bookshelf (between Steampunk and Zombies) and was one of my favorite spooky, fun and mysterious reads of the summer.
Anonymous
Posted August 20, 2012
If you loved Clockwork Prince you will love this!! I am all about
Something Strange and Deadly! After reading the cassandra clare series i
was hoping to find something comperable to them and i definitly found it
with this! Each character develops throughout the story and leaves you
satisfied after reading! I highly recommend this!
AmieKaufman
Posted August 5, 2012
This book was quite simply everything I hoped it would be, then more. If you're after kick-ass action, a phenomenal heroine and a world that comes to life, this is your kind of book.
SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY picked me up and whirled me away in the best possible way--the action kept coming and coming! (And the action sequences are rocking!) It would ease off just enough for me to catch my breath, and then we were away again! And oh, the finale! I can't say more, but aaaaaah!
Okay, that's probably my exclamation mark quotient for any one review. Here's what I loved about this book, aside from the amazing pacing:
The characters: With just a few deft strokes, Susan Dennard immediately lets us know who we're dealing with--and then proceeds to peel away the layers so we learn more about them at every turn, plunging deeper and deeper. Even the minor characters spring to life--one of my favourites was Mrs. Fitt, Eleanor's mother, who could have been a stereotype and instead is so vivid and genuine--I could always see (and to some extent sympathise with) her motivations, even when I was right there with Eleanor in wanting to strangle her. There are some fabulous originals in there (I think Jie might be my favourite, though you'll have to read to learn more), and Daniel, well. Excuse me while I fan myself a little! I am in love!
Eleanor herself is a strong, memorable and totally three-dimensional heroine. Her evolution is seamless, and so gradual, but somehow over the course of the book she grows from the girl we first meet, busy trying to fit into everybody else's idea of what she should be, into... well, I can't spoil you, but into a girl capable of pulling off THAT finale!
The setting: I'm a history major, and it always bugs me when I can tell a writer hasn't done her research. Have NO fear on this score. For me, getting a historical setting right is all about dropping in enough information that you can paint a real picture of the time and place, but picking the right information, so that it's colour for the story, not just exposition--the goal is to give the reader a true sense of being there, but also to convince the reader that the author knows her stuff, so we can trust her. The tiny details in SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY hit the perfect balance, and they really pulled me into Philadelphia. I walked through those Exhibition Halls!
The story: They say that there's no such thing as a new idea these days, to which I say AU CONTRAIRE. They are wrong. There's so much action jammed into this thing you could get two books out of it, and the twists and turns kept catching me off guard, then leaving me kicking myself for not seeing them coming. Susan Dennard has a story and a half to tell here, and between fighting the Dead with a parasol, pursuing a missing brother and getting up close and personal with the Spirit Hunters themselves, I was with Miss Eleanor Fitt every step of the way.
I stayed up WAY past my bedtime reading this book. Bring on the sequel.
Something strange & deadly is happening in Philadelphia. The dead are rising. The main protagonist, Eleanor Fitt, is only excited about getting her brother back. One day, while she goes to the train station to pick him up, he's late. Eleanor waits, and then an attack from the dead happens, and a zombie actually gives a letter to Eleanor, and leaves. The idea till now was very interesting, because when Eleanor see's the letter, it's from her very own brother, Elijah. It was cool to try to figure out where Elijah was right now, and see how Eleanor was going to find out. While Eleanor is trying to find out where her brother is, her mother is only worried about marrying off Eleanor to a rich family. The Fitts were one of the "rich", but after Eleanor's father died, they started facing difficulties.
The story so far sounded interesting, but I am sorry to say that the flow of the book was something I really did not enjoy. I felt like everything went by too slow, and there were too many unnecessary parts that shouldn't have been there. Something Strange & Deadly wasn't one of those book that had me turning pages, but I actually felt like I never wanted to read. Eleanor, the main protagonist, is an interesting character. She's strong willed, and determined to find her missing brother. Her mother annoyed me because she was too obsessive about looking for a rich man, it started to sound ridiculous. Eleanor found the Spirit-Hunters, a group of people that know how to find or kill the dead. There was Daniel, the very rude and sometimes annoying person, and there was Joseph, the very polite one whom I liked more. Despite Daniel's attitude towards Eleanor, she started liking him. That sounded very unrealistic, because I can't say much about his character for Eleanor to actually start liking him. Along with that, the fighting was confusing for me. Sometimes I felt like it was too detailed, I found myself skimming through the words. As for Elijah, I didn't know what to feel towards him because he was already missing from the beginning of the book, but considering how much Eleanor loves him, I'd assume he was a good brother to her.
Overall, I'm sorry to say that Something Strange & Deadly was not the book for me. Part of it was because of the historical details, that I really do not like reading, and the other part was how the story was constructed. This is obviously my personal opinion, and not everyones. I know that many people did enjoy this book, and many did not enjoy it, like me. Even though I might have been one of those who didn't enjoy it, you might be one of those who do. So give Something Strange & Deadly a try!
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Zombies and the Victorian era. *sigh* A time when chivalry isn’t dead, but the dead walk the earth.
The story opens up with excitement and an encounter with the walking dead! Awesome! *high voice* Main character, Eleanor Fitt, is at the telegraph office hoping to have received some sort of notice from her brother, Elijah, whom she hasn’t seen in years. But instead of being greeted with a telegram, she comes face to face with a zombie! But wait! What is this? The zombie has personally come to deliver a letter to Eleanor from her brother! Eeeep!
The dead are walking and invading the lives of the citizens of Philadelphia! A Necromancer is on the loose causing chaos and fear in the hearts of everyone. Eleanor fears her brother has been taken by the Necromancer and fears that the same fate of other young men will befall him…decapitation.
Eleanor’s mother decides to host a séance at their home in hopes of contacting her deceased husband, Eleanor’s father, and to also strengthen the courtship between Eleanor and Clarence, a cocky, good looking, eligible bachelor. Something goes terribly wrong during the séance, and rather than having contacted the ones they love, a dark and sinister spirit is released and out for vengeance. What vengeance and towards whom? You’ll have to read the book and find out.
Eleanor decides to take action and start searching for her brother and get some answers. She decides to call on the assistance of the Spirit-Hunters who have been asked by the city council to help in eradicating the walking dead. It is at this encounter that Eleanor meets Joseph, Jie, and Daniel (*sigh Daniel*) and the four of them work together in trying to save everyone and find out who is responsible for all of this.
Something Strange And Deadly was a fun and engrossing read! The world created by Susan Dennard was beautifully done. Corsets, poofy dresses, horse drawn carriages…I could picture it all in my mind. Then to throw in magic, spirits, and zombies in to the mix, and you’ve got yourself a sure thing!
It was entertaining to read the interactions between all the characters. I loved the back and forth banter between Eleanor and Clarence, as well as the pent up aggression between Eleanor and Daniel. I found the conversations between Eleanor and Clarence’s sister, Allison, so hilarious at times and I wish there was more back and forth between these two in the book.
Eleanor is such a brave and strong character, though there were times in the book where, if I could, I would’ve smacked her silly and told her to chill for a minute. At times, the bravado she portrayed simply annoyed the crap outta me. With that being said, it is obvious that author, Susan Dennard, is a fantastic writer! To be able to draw out different emotions from the readers shows how much personality she has given her characters.
The ending was bittersweet, and was not how I expected it to end…which is a good thing! There were various points throughout the book where I thought I had the mystery solved, only to have a major plot twist thrown in my face. Whoop! Whoop! I was thwarted time and time again, and with each turn I smiled and had to read on to see what was going to happen next. I did find that things started to slow down for me in the middle of the book, and wondered when the excitement would start up again. Luckily, the story exploded at the right moment and my attention was hooked until the end.
I recomme
Sarah-UK
Posted July 24, 2012
(Source: I was given a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Harper Collins Publishers and Edelweiss.)
16-year-old Eleanor Fitt lives in Philadelphia, in an alternate 1876, in which occasionally the dead become reanimated, and climb from their coffins, hungry for flesh! Coffins are even fitted with bells to alert people to the dead rising!
Things have gotten particularly bad recently though, with not just the occasional corpse rising, but many corpses at a time. It is thought that this is due to a necromancer, and a team of ‘Spirit Hunters’ have arrived in Philadelphia to try and solve the problem.
Eleanor Fitt would normally have no interest in this sort of thing, but when a corpse delivers a letter to her from her brother who should have arrived home already, she’s worried that Elijah has been attacked, or dead, or worse – one of the walking dead!
Eleanor finds out where to find the spirit hunters and goes to them for help. But where is Elijah? What has happened to him? And can the spirit hunters stop the rising dead when a whole cemetery is bought back to life?!
I enjoyed this book, although it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I think the biggest problem for me was that while at times I wanted to keep reading, and at other times the story just didn’t hold my attention and I found myself constantly putting it down and picking it back up. It actually took me days to finish this, which is unusual.
Eleanor was an interesting character, although bended to her mother’s will too much. She obviously cared about her brother, but while initially she worried that he was one of the walking dead, she then said that she thought she would know if Elijah was dead.
Daniel was also an interesting character, but I felt like we didn’t really get enough of him to really set him up as a love interest.
The zombies were referred to as ‘the walking dead’, I’m not really sure what the definition of a zombie is, but these were corpses that were reanimated by a necromancer, and only became hungry and attacked when ordered by the necromancer, or when they slipped from his control. They didn’t seem scary the way I would expect a book about zombies to be.
I liked the fact that the book was set in 1876, it kind of gave me a similar feel to the ‘Luxe’ series, but still with the supernatural touch of the zombies!
I liked the way the book ended, but there was a final twist at the end which totally shocked me! I am also looking forward to finding out what happens in the next book in this series!
6.5 out of 10.
Anonymous
Posted October 17, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
Sixteen-year-old Eleanor Fitt's brother is missing. And when she discovers that the Dead are rising in Philadelphia and wreaking havoc throughout the city, she knows that her brother is involved.
So Eleanor enlists the help of the Spirit-Hunters. This motley crew, hired to protect the city from supernatural forces, is after the necromancer who has been reanimating corpses. Their skills can save her brother. But as Eleanor spends time with the Spirit-Hunters, and their handsome ...