A
sixteen-year-old Grim Reaper-in-training learns the ropes of the "family
business" one summer in a town called Croak. With a gripping hook like that, how could I
resist? J
But
I'll be honest it didn't really and truly HOOK me until I read the first few
lines. Want a tiny preview?
Teaser:
Lex
wondered, for a fleeting moment, what her principal's head might look like if
it were stabbed atop a giant wooden spear.
"I
can't imagine why you're smiling young lady."--page 1 of Croak
Seriously??? I cracked up, right there in the
bookstore! If there's a better, more
hilarious beginning for a reaper book, I don't know it. So, anyway, that's what made me actually buy
the book. What kept me reading was the
interesting, tongue-and-cheek tone.
Let's
look at the facts: Lexington "Lex" Bartleby and her twin sister
Concord "Cordy" Bartleby were named after the first battles of the
Revolutionary war. Lex has punched more
people's light out then Rocky. After one
too many schoolyard fights, her parents ship her off to her Uncle Mort in a
town called Croak--kind of a last attempt at curing her wily ways. But there Lex learns that her attitude
problem is just a sign that she's coming into her own as a Grim Reaper.
One
of my favorite parts of the book was the scene where she meets Driggs--the oddball-kind-of-cute
teenage guy living in her Uncle Mort's spare bedroom who (whom?) she walks in
on in the bathroom. Trust me, it was so
unexpectedly funny. And I also really
liked Ferbus, Driggs's geeky gamer sidekick.
Ferbus was the funniest character in the whole book imo, even though he
was only a side character.
I
also loved how the book handled the Afterlife, an actual place where souls go
once they've been collected by the Grims.
The scenes featured George Washington, Abe Lincoln, and a very
morose, very funny version of Edgar Allen Poe, who had an ongoing tiff with
Teddy Roosevelt. Gina Damico's take on
them--and the funny she was able to infuse into those stiff personalities--was
nicely done.
I will say there were a few times--especially toward the
beginning--where I felt like Lex sounded younger than 16. The first half read more middle grade to me,
despite the cursing. And one more thing
that I didn't love was the ending. Kinda
took a serious turn in the end and there was a death that I didn't think needed
to be there, but again, that's just my opinion.
Loved
all the funny parts, and I really thought Damico took this concept of Croak and
turned it into a real town with real people.
It was a very cool read!
Hope
everyone's enjoying their week,
Ninja
Girl
