Review: Something Strange & Deadly by Susan Dennard
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.
What I Liked About It: There are a lot of things I like about this book: the amazing detail from the Victorian era Philly to the tightness of the prose. Eleanor is a strong female character who doesn’t seem out of place in the time period like what happens with a lot of heroines in historicals.
What You Should Know: I hate historicals because of the stilted language that usually comes with it. Something Strange & Deadly doesn’t have this problem. Dennard’s ability to “modernize” the narration while not at the same time is fantastic.
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| Click here to go to the ARC tour page! |
* Thanks to Holly Dodson for arranging this!
First of all, thank you SO much for your fabulous and kind review.
Second of all, thank you SO SO much for taking the time not only read SS&D, but then write down your thoughts on it. I appreciate it very much, and I'm glad the book didn't disappoint. 😉
<3 <3
You make a very compelling case for this book. It's on my TBR list, and now I think it climbed even higher 🙂
I'm not a huge historical girl either, but like you, I found SS&D entirely awesome, and never once did the language read as stuffy or stilted. Great review, Alicia!
Great review! Definitely looking forward to getting that ARC from you next. 🙂
First Katy's review, now yours. MUST READ.
Good review and I agree with your comments whole-heartedly. The prose was tight and never felt "put on" just fitting and natural (I also hate the other end of the spectrum, where folks use language that's way too modern).