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The Book of Kindly Deaths
When Eliza finds a mysterious, magical book in a secret room in her grandfather's house, she reads the haunting stories found inside, but her world is turned upside-down when characters from the book start coming to life.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2014
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September 14, 2019
** 3/2/18 FREE for Kindle version! If you like MG Fantasy snag this one! **
2 Cups original imagination from an obvious talent
1 Cup Grimm’s Fairy Tales
½ Cup Incorrigible children like those from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
1 pinch each disgusting, gross and weird
Fold in one plucky heroine, one missing grandfather, and one very mysteriously creepy book
Season with atmospheric description and deliciously creepy writing
Mix together and sprinkle lightly with gruesome details.
"On a desk in the room with the stained glass windows sat a book.
It was a thick volume with a worn and cracked black cover showing a gold symbol, a rectangle within two circles that sparkled and flickered as if teased by ghostly fingers. Voices whispered from inside the book, growing in volume, a few human, a few not."
Poor Eliza has a dreary mother, one of those practical sorts who doesn't allow things like imagination and curiosity. I already know I don't like her much. But perhaps she does have reasons for this sad flaw.
Twelve year old Eliza has come with her parents to clean out her grandfather's house and catalog things of value. As her grandfather is missing this seems a bit odd and perhaps slightly premature.
As Eliza reads some of the stories in The Book of Kindly Deaths there are clues these might not be simply stories. Including a strange memory she has of the last visit to her grandparent’s home six years before when she was only six.
"The phantom of a forgotten memory crossed her mind. A ghost of an event that had occurred the last time she was at this house. Although the recollection was fleeting, she still felt an icy sting of dread."
After Eliza, and we the readers, are treated to some tales from The Book of Kindly Deaths, where we learn a bit about the denizens of a place full of nightmarish creatures called Grimwytch, Eliza comes to be in immediate danger and finds herself in Grimwytch. There she finds both villains and allies, and learns what happened to her grandfather.
This book has that dark fairytale vibe, and stories within the story. The writing is descriptive and deliciously creepy.
There are a few mildly gruesome bits, but nothing I’d hesitate a middle grade reader reading, as long as they enjoy dark and creepy stories. Young people who delight in spooky tales will eat this one up.
I also think people older than Middle Grade will enjoy this one. I’m an adult and I sure did. I very much hope there are more stories of Eliza to come.
For Parents:
In one chapter there is some mild profanity, spoken by someone who is definitely not portrayed as admirable.
I noticed one use each of “Damn you”, “To hell with…” and two of “bastard”.
This book is dark, and definitely geared to young people who enjoy that sort of tale.
2 Cups original imagination from an obvious talent
1 Cup Grimm’s Fairy Tales
½ Cup Incorrigible children like those from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
1 pinch each disgusting, gross and weird
Fold in one plucky heroine, one missing grandfather, and one very mysteriously creepy book
Season with atmospheric description and deliciously creepy writing
Mix together and sprinkle lightly with gruesome details.
"On a desk in the room with the stained glass windows sat a book.
It was a thick volume with a worn and cracked black cover showing a gold symbol, a rectangle within two circles that sparkled and flickered as if teased by ghostly fingers. Voices whispered from inside the book, growing in volume, a few human, a few not."
Poor Eliza has a dreary mother, one of those practical sorts who doesn't allow things like imagination and curiosity. I already know I don't like her much. But perhaps she does have reasons for this sad flaw.
Twelve year old Eliza has come with her parents to clean out her grandfather's house and catalog things of value. As her grandfather is missing this seems a bit odd and perhaps slightly premature.
As Eliza reads some of the stories in The Book of Kindly Deaths there are clues these might not be simply stories. Including a strange memory she has of the last visit to her grandparent’s home six years before when she was only six.
"The phantom of a forgotten memory crossed her mind. A ghost of an event that had occurred the last time she was at this house. Although the recollection was fleeting, she still felt an icy sting of dread."
After Eliza, and we the readers, are treated to some tales from The Book of Kindly Deaths, where we learn a bit about the denizens of a place full of nightmarish creatures called Grimwytch, Eliza comes to be in immediate danger and finds herself in Grimwytch. There she finds both villains and allies, and learns what happened to her grandfather.
This book has that dark fairytale vibe, and stories within the story. The writing is descriptive and deliciously creepy.
There are a few mildly gruesome bits, but nothing I’d hesitate a middle grade reader reading, as long as they enjoy dark and creepy stories. Young people who delight in spooky tales will eat this one up.
I also think people older than Middle Grade will enjoy this one. I’m an adult and I sure did. I very much hope there are more stories of Eliza to come.
For Parents:
In one chapter there is some mild profanity, spoken by someone who is definitely not portrayed as admirable.
I noticed one use each of “Damn you”, “To hell with…” and two of “bastard”.
This book is dark, and definitely geared to young people who enjoy that sort of tale.
Want to read
October 7, 2016THIS BOOK IS CURRENTLY FREE ON KINDLE! :D Not sure if it's for a limited time only, but it's free. Go get it!
The companion, One Dark Hallow's Eve: A Lost Tale from The Book of Kindly Deaths, is ALSO FREE at the moment. :D
Links:
The Book of Kindly Deaths
One Dark Hallow's Eve: A Lost Tale from The Book of Kindly Deaths
The companion, One Dark Hallow's Eve: A Lost Tale from The Book of Kindly Deaths, is ALSO FREE at the moment. :D
Links:
The Book of Kindly Deaths
One Dark Hallow's Eve: A Lost Tale from The Book of Kindly Deaths
March 6, 2021
The Book of Kindly Deaths
By: Eldritch Black
Narrated by: Hannibal Hills
This is a story of stories but told in a brilliant way! A girl's grandfather goes missing so the family comes to his house and is waiting and searching. A spooky old man comes to the girl, Eliza, and demands a book. Not just any book but a specific book. She is able to get rid of him and tells her parents. She finds that book and starts reading it. It's the book her grandfather wrote in. Each is a strange and unique, dark and terrible tale. Eliza reads and reads. Each one seems worse than the last. Then the story continues when the book collector comes back!
Scary and haunting! Entertaining and bizarre! Just my cup of tea! I love a book with fresh imaginative fantasy. This sure does!
The narration was so good! The voice of Grim is scary! Very well done! So many voices from one man! Wonderful performance!
I requested this book and the review is my own personal opinion. Highly recommend.
By: Eldritch Black
Narrated by: Hannibal Hills
This is a story of stories but told in a brilliant way! A girl's grandfather goes missing so the family comes to his house and is waiting and searching. A spooky old man comes to the girl, Eliza, and demands a book. Not just any book but a specific book. She is able to get rid of him and tells her parents. She finds that book and starts reading it. It's the book her grandfather wrote in. Each is a strange and unique, dark and terrible tale. Eliza reads and reads. Each one seems worse than the last. Then the story continues when the book collector comes back!
Scary and haunting! Entertaining and bizarre! Just my cup of tea! I love a book with fresh imaginative fantasy. This sure does!
The narration was so good! The voice of Grim is scary! Very well done! So many voices from one man! Wonderful performance!
I requested this book and the review is my own personal opinion. Highly recommend.
April 7, 2015
This reminds me of the spookiness of Neil Gaiman's Coraline with a heavy dose of Lemony Snicket real world scares. Terrifying, but middle graders are going to love it. Stories within stories. Make sure you have a flashlight under your covers, kids!
September 15, 2014
Reading this wonderful debut novel by Eldritch Black is the most shivery fun I’ve had in a good long while. How can a book this creepy be this charming?
Although the basic premise (an adventurous quest by an adolescent girl who comes to possess a magic book that can alter reality and allow strange beings to cross between worlds) at first made me think of Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart trilogy, The Book of Kindly Deaths is darker, spookier, and altogether more original.
The varied cast of characters and strange beings is absolutely wonderful. I enjoyed the horrid ones just as much as the kindly ones. Each weird and sinister person or creature is somehow portrayed with both the simple clarity of a fairytale and the visceral, surreal quality of a nightmare.
When the story crosses over from the ordinary world to the dark alternative world of the Grimwytch, it’s like Edgar Allen Poe, Hieronymus Bosch, and the Brothers Grimm got together and repopulated the world on the other side of Alice’s Looking Glass. Wondrous, nasty, and unforgettable!
The book has a “stories within the main story” structure, which is a challenge for even the best of authors to pull off successfully, but Black does it with aplomb. Rather than being distracted and annoyed each time one of the interior stories came up, I was intrigued and charmed all over again with the new characters and situations the stories introduced.
As soon as I finished reading the book, my husband immediately picked it up. He's gotten a couple of chapters into it so far, and says that it's "excellent" and "very creepy". So the book may be intended for the middle school audience, but it also appeals to the middle AGED audience of both genders!
I wish that the main story, that of Eliza’s quest to find and save her grandfather, could have been longer and more detailed in proportion to the length of the “inner” stories, but I understand that when writing for a middle grade audience, one must keep to a modest number of pages.
The book’s ending was both exciting and satisfying. I thought maybe the actual climactic moment could have been a made bit tougher, but the heroine was both brave and fierce, so I cheered for her success.
Best of all, even though the book wrapped up the ongoing stories nicely, it also left plenty of room for a sequel, or perhaps even a series. So I have hopes of reading more of Eliza’s adventures in the future!
Although the basic premise (an adventurous quest by an adolescent girl who comes to possess a magic book that can alter reality and allow strange beings to cross between worlds) at first made me think of Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart trilogy, The Book of Kindly Deaths is darker, spookier, and altogether more original.
The varied cast of characters and strange beings is absolutely wonderful. I enjoyed the horrid ones just as much as the kindly ones. Each weird and sinister person or creature is somehow portrayed with both the simple clarity of a fairytale and the visceral, surreal quality of a nightmare.
When the story crosses over from the ordinary world to the dark alternative world of the Grimwytch, it’s like Edgar Allen Poe, Hieronymus Bosch, and the Brothers Grimm got together and repopulated the world on the other side of Alice’s Looking Glass. Wondrous, nasty, and unforgettable!
The book has a “stories within the main story” structure, which is a challenge for even the best of authors to pull off successfully, but Black does it with aplomb. Rather than being distracted and annoyed each time one of the interior stories came up, I was intrigued and charmed all over again with the new characters and situations the stories introduced.
As soon as I finished reading the book, my husband immediately picked it up. He's gotten a couple of chapters into it so far, and says that it's "excellent" and "very creepy". So the book may be intended for the middle school audience, but it also appeals to the middle AGED audience of both genders!
I wish that the main story, that of Eliza’s quest to find and save her grandfather, could have been longer and more detailed in proportion to the length of the “inner” stories, but I understand that when writing for a middle grade audience, one must keep to a modest number of pages.
The book’s ending was both exciting and satisfying. I thought maybe the actual climactic moment could have been a made bit tougher, but the heroine was both brave and fierce, so I cheered for her success.
Best of all, even though the book wrapped up the ongoing stories nicely, it also left plenty of room for a sequel, or perhaps even a series. So I have hopes of reading more of Eliza’s adventures in the future!
October 15, 2014
When the lovely Estelle emailed me about THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS, I was immediately excited. First of all, as I’m sure most of you know, I LOVE the middle grades. I love reading about enterprising, brave young ‘uns who get to go on all these amazing adventures, whether in a fantasy realm or in real life. Second of all, Eldritch Black’s debut sounded imaginative and dark and the idea of reading about a young girl with a creepy book appealed to me, as stories about books usually do. I’m so glad that Estelle brought my attention to THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS! It was all of the things I love about middle grade.
THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS is the story of Eliza Winter, a young girl who has been alienated from her grandparents (mom’s side) for most of her admittedly short life. But when her grandfather Tom goes missing, Eliza and her family head to his big, creepy mansion to clean things up, and she finds a kind of creepy secret room. And in that secret room, she finds a strange little book that won’t let her turn the pages without reading the contents first, and the contents are terrifying. The book describes a world in which cruel, devious, deadly monsters exist. The stories of their victims appear within the book’s pages, but that’s not all that the book can do, which is why SOMETHING is coming after Eliza to find it. What ensues is a dark, dangerous, wildly creative story about a world right next to ours that is always in the dark, and we all know what lives in the dark. (Umm…monsters.)
One of the things that I loved the most about THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS is the world. I don’t mean the real world England that is the Eliza’s home, even though that’s certainly fine and plenty dark, especially when we get a glimpse into the stories of the monsters’ victims from the book. I mean the world beyond the window where the monsters live. WHAT AN AMAZING PLACE. It’s dark, literally and figuratively, and the inhabitants are perfect—vicious, dangerous, sometimes evil, grotesque, and scary. They have very little to no concept of humanity, so when Eliza enters their world, she must get comfortable as quickly as possible (or something close to comfortable anyway) in order to LITERALLY NOT DIE. It was wonderful!
It’s this bravery and adaptability and clear-headedness that really endear me to Eliza. She’s such a great character. I LOOOOVED that she wasn’t afraid of being afraid. Does that make sense? Eliza is constantly facing things that she previously had no concept of existing—actual nightmares—and even though they are terrifying, Eliza faces them. Plus she’s really smart and has a very developed sense of what’s right. In some instances, she seemed to have the conviction of a much more mature person, but she’s still obviously a kid. Loved her. One hundred points to Miss Eliza.
The characters aren’t the only things about THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS that made it memorable for me. Eldritch Black really does a great job with the dark and creepies, so the book has a spine-tingly vibe from start to finish. But what I found totally captivating is the monster world, and the unrest there. I want to understand the politics and the hierarchy and the different species of monsters. It’s all so well-realized and intriguing and FUN. I mean, dangerous obviously, but still fun.
If I had to point out something in THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS that bothered me, it would probably the speed of the story in the end. I have a chronic issue with books ending too quickly, not just because I want them to keep going, which I certainly did in this case, but because I thought things tied up a little too fast. THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS, quite honestly, had both issues. I would love to read more, and I thought things tied up quickly. Really, though, that’s not the worst complaint I’ve ever made about a book. I enjoyed this one a lot.
Friends, if dark paranormal books are your thing, I can’t recommend THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS enough. If you love middle grade like I do, then THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS is definitely something you should check out. It’s especially PERFECT to read this time of year. I’m not sure if there will be more books about Eliza, but I hope there will be. I’d gobble those right up!
Check out this and other reviews at Tripping Over Books!
THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS is the story of Eliza Winter, a young girl who has been alienated from her grandparents (mom’s side) for most of her admittedly short life. But when her grandfather Tom goes missing, Eliza and her family head to his big, creepy mansion to clean things up, and she finds a kind of creepy secret room. And in that secret room, she finds a strange little book that won’t let her turn the pages without reading the contents first, and the contents are terrifying. The book describes a world in which cruel, devious, deadly monsters exist. The stories of their victims appear within the book’s pages, but that’s not all that the book can do, which is why SOMETHING is coming after Eliza to find it. What ensues is a dark, dangerous, wildly creative story about a world right next to ours that is always in the dark, and we all know what lives in the dark. (Umm…monsters.)
One of the things that I loved the most about THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS is the world. I don’t mean the real world England that is the Eliza’s home, even though that’s certainly fine and plenty dark, especially when we get a glimpse into the stories of the monsters’ victims from the book. I mean the world beyond the window where the monsters live. WHAT AN AMAZING PLACE. It’s dark, literally and figuratively, and the inhabitants are perfect—vicious, dangerous, sometimes evil, grotesque, and scary. They have very little to no concept of humanity, so when Eliza enters their world, she must get comfortable as quickly as possible (or something close to comfortable anyway) in order to LITERALLY NOT DIE. It was wonderful!
It’s this bravery and adaptability and clear-headedness that really endear me to Eliza. She’s such a great character. I LOOOOVED that she wasn’t afraid of being afraid. Does that make sense? Eliza is constantly facing things that she previously had no concept of existing—actual nightmares—and even though they are terrifying, Eliza faces them. Plus she’s really smart and has a very developed sense of what’s right. In some instances, she seemed to have the conviction of a much more mature person, but she’s still obviously a kid. Loved her. One hundred points to Miss Eliza.
The characters aren’t the only things about THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS that made it memorable for me. Eldritch Black really does a great job with the dark and creepies, so the book has a spine-tingly vibe from start to finish. But what I found totally captivating is the monster world, and the unrest there. I want to understand the politics and the hierarchy and the different species of monsters. It’s all so well-realized and intriguing and FUN. I mean, dangerous obviously, but still fun.
If I had to point out something in THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS that bothered me, it would probably the speed of the story in the end. I have a chronic issue with books ending too quickly, not just because I want them to keep going, which I certainly did in this case, but because I thought things tied up a little too fast. THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS, quite honestly, had both issues. I would love to read more, and I thought things tied up quickly. Really, though, that’s not the worst complaint I’ve ever made about a book. I enjoyed this one a lot.
Friends, if dark paranormal books are your thing, I can’t recommend THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS enough. If you love middle grade like I do, then THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS is definitely something you should check out. It’s especially PERFECT to read this time of year. I’m not sure if there will be more books about Eliza, but I hope there will be. I’d gobble those right up!
Check out this and other reviews at Tripping Over Books!
October 15, 2014
Let me just say that Eliza Winter is a helluva lot more brave than I am. After I read the first story in that creepy book she found in a hidden room I'd be like OKAY A STORY ABOUT MOUTH STEALERS I AM OUT OF HERE KBYEEEE.
But something about the book, and I dare say Eliza's courage, kept her reading. Which is pretty great because, you know, if she didn't the book would have been like 8 pages long.
Anyway, Eliza doesn't let her mom's constant dampening of her imagination hold her down! She doesn't WANT to disobey, but girl's gotta sense of curiosity, you know? Why doesn't the book let her flip backwards or forward? Why does it feel like she is transported to where the characters are while she's reading? And who on earth would have a book filled with completely unique characters and situations without a solid narrative?
I am not afraid to admit that I was sincerely creeped out while reading THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS. Not like I needed to put the book in the freezer (LOOKING AT YOU GONE GIRL) but definitely felt creepy crawlies and had to have the light on while I read just to make sure everything was legit. Yeah, this is a middle grade book, but the kind of creepy that Eldrich Black infuses transcends age and keeps you on the edge of your seat! You are right there with Eliza wanting to know what happens next, what this book is about in the first place, and sincerely hoping things don't take a turn for the worst!
Eliza couldn't stop reading THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS, and neither could I! The stories will haunt you and the plot twists will keep you hooked to the very last page!
TL;DR: Eliza finds a magical book in a secret room that captures her imagination and transports her to another dimension where dark, spooky, and awesome things happen. Fans of Gaiman will approve.
FAVORITE QUOTE: "Eliza listened as her father made his familiar "dad jokes," wondering if there was a club for fathers where they sat around brainstorming awful jokes. If there was, her dad was surely the president of the society."
But something about the book, and I dare say Eliza's courage, kept her reading. Which is pretty great because, you know, if she didn't the book would have been like 8 pages long.
Anyway, Eliza doesn't let her mom's constant dampening of her imagination hold her down! She doesn't WANT to disobey, but girl's gotta sense of curiosity, you know? Why doesn't the book let her flip backwards or forward? Why does it feel like she is transported to where the characters are while she's reading? And who on earth would have a book filled with completely unique characters and situations without a solid narrative?
I am not afraid to admit that I was sincerely creeped out while reading THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS. Not like I needed to put the book in the freezer (LOOKING AT YOU GONE GIRL) but definitely felt creepy crawlies and had to have the light on while I read just to make sure everything was legit. Yeah, this is a middle grade book, but the kind of creepy that Eldrich Black infuses transcends age and keeps you on the edge of your seat! You are right there with Eliza wanting to know what happens next, what this book is about in the first place, and sincerely hoping things don't take a turn for the worst!
Eliza couldn't stop reading THE BOOK OF KINDLY DEATHS, and neither could I! The stories will haunt you and the plot twists will keep you hooked to the very last page!
TL;DR: Eliza finds a magical book in a secret room that captures her imagination and transports her to another dimension where dark, spooky, and awesome things happen. Fans of Gaiman will approve.
FAVORITE QUOTE: "Eliza listened as her father made his familiar "dad jokes," wondering if there was a club for fathers where they sat around brainstorming awful jokes. If there was, her dad was surely the president of the society."
September 19, 2014
--A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.--
When I first came across this book, the title itself caught my attention (along with the author's name – Eldritch Black - which is rather cool!) and that was a huge draw to wanting to read and review it. I fell into in to the flow of the story quite easily from the opening paragraphs, which served to set the tone for the rest of the novel. In my mind, it was very atmospheric, with a certain level of creepiness throughout, especially some of the stories within the main story. I also thought the pacing of the book was good as well.
What I loved the most about The Book of Kindly Deaths is it was easy to form a mental image of the scene and characters as they were described in the book. On a number of occasions, I found myself thinking of a possible comparison. The author that kept coming to mind is Neil Gaiman, and his books The Graveyard Book and The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which both revolve around pre-adolescent characters. I also loved the fact that while this book called be called fantasy, it's a little darker too.
Twelve year old Eliza was a character I really liked, especially for someone as young as she is, and I enjoyed reading about her. She's drawn into a mystery of sorts which revolves around her grandfather. Along the way, she has her own adventures, coming across both scary characters and helpful ones as she's drawn deeper and deeper into what's really going on. I'd love to know if there's going to be a sequel, as there is enough hinted at the end of the book that it might be possible. Either way, I really enjoyed The Book of Kindly Deaths.
Definitely a 5/5 platypires. Recommended for those who enjoy YA literature with a little darker slant.
When I first came across this book, the title itself caught my attention (along with the author's name – Eldritch Black - which is rather cool!) and that was a huge draw to wanting to read and review it. I fell into in to the flow of the story quite easily from the opening paragraphs, which served to set the tone for the rest of the novel. In my mind, it was very atmospheric, with a certain level of creepiness throughout, especially some of the stories within the main story. I also thought the pacing of the book was good as well.
What I loved the most about The Book of Kindly Deaths is it was easy to form a mental image of the scene and characters as they were described in the book. On a number of occasions, I found myself thinking of a possible comparison. The author that kept coming to mind is Neil Gaiman, and his books The Graveyard Book and The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which both revolve around pre-adolescent characters. I also loved the fact that while this book called be called fantasy, it's a little darker too.
Twelve year old Eliza was a character I really liked, especially for someone as young as she is, and I enjoyed reading about her. She's drawn into a mystery of sorts which revolves around her grandfather. Along the way, she has her own adventures, coming across both scary characters and helpful ones as she's drawn deeper and deeper into what's really going on. I'd love to know if there's going to be a sequel, as there is enough hinted at the end of the book that it might be possible. Either way, I really enjoyed The Book of Kindly Deaths.
Definitely a 5/5 platypires. Recommended for those who enjoy YA literature with a little darker slant.
September 3, 2014
I absolutely love the concept behind this book! It reminds me of one of the first horror movies I ever saw, I, Madman, which has the idea that the books we read may become real and that things would maybe not be as awesome as we may expect. (In the Mouth of Madness is similar.)
But this is not quite the same thing. This is a middlegrade novel and while parts are certainly creepy, it's appropriate for anyone who enjoys Goosebumps (and I find this much more fun and better written).
I devoured this book, and felt for Eliza. She's completely unprepared for the events that are starting to happen to and around her, but she rallies to the occasion. She's the kind of heroine I want my niece and goddaughters to read about, the kind of smart, resourceful girl who can be trusted to take care of things on her own.
I love this book and can't wait to see what Eldritch Black does next.
Highly recommended.
But this is not quite the same thing. This is a middlegrade novel and while parts are certainly creepy, it's appropriate for anyone who enjoys Goosebumps (and I find this much more fun and better written).
I devoured this book, and felt for Eliza. She's completely unprepared for the events that are starting to happen to and around her, but she rallies to the occasion. She's the kind of heroine I want my niece and goddaughters to read about, the kind of smart, resourceful girl who can be trusted to take care of things on her own.
I love this book and can't wait to see what Eldritch Black does next.
Highly recommended.
October 19, 2014
Originally reviewed on Books Take You Places
When my friend and fellow blogger Estelle reached out to ask me if I wanted to read and review The Book of Kindly Deaths by Eldritch Black I was a bit hesitant due to time and responsibilities and ya know, life. But when she told me that it was being geared toward fans of Neil Gaiman, my interest was immediately piqued. Then I read the synopsis and realized that the gal was right, the book was right up my alley. Many thanks to Estelle, Eldritch Black, and Spencer Hill Press for giving me a chance to read and review what turned out to be a rather perfect book for my tastes.
As you can see, this is a story about Eliza Winter and her adventures in a world unlike our own in order to save her grandfather, and others who have been affected by the monsters who frequent the streets of this parallel land. While reading, I was at first somewhat wary because The Book of Kindly Deaths read a bit like a compilation of short stories. In fact, it was very reminiscent of On The Day I Died: Stories From the Grave by Candace Fleming, which was entertaining, but not what I was looking for. Thankfully once I delved further into the story things started to come together and I really enjoyed the different tie ins from the stories within the Book of Kindly Deaths. There was one particularly interesting story filled with characters called “the wrong people.” That is, they were all together wrong. They were a group of “people” with greasy wiry hair, yellowed skin, and crooked teeth who eat mud pie filled with rotten vegetables. They lock up humans, and bring them out for show so that other residents of Grimwytch can see their abnormalities – that is, pale skin, white teeth and normal hands and toes. I loved Katherine’s story, and her escape from Grimwytch and the bittersweet ending to her story.
Our main character Eliza was a wonderful and refreshing voice, I especially enjoyed how her character was the perfect amount of strong and naive. I did not feel jarred out of the story as one sometimes does when reading narration from middle grade main characters. Eliza had spunk and strength, yet she (and we the readers) were often reminded that she is still just a kid in a vast land trying to survive. I also loved Shard, I was sad for him and loved his strength. I think that he and Eliza make an absolutely perfect team and I hope that the author plans on giving us more stories of these two and their adventures.
I can’t write this review without talking about Grim Shivers and his associates. You guys know how I love me a villain, well let me tell you, The Grims (though not technically the villains of the novel) in this book were fantastic. I bookmarked the page where they were first mentioned immediately after reading it because I couldn’t get enough and just want more stories and background from these characters. How does one become a Grim, Mr. Black? Do they all stand as overseers of different parts of Grimwytch, much like the witches in the Land of Oz? Tell me more!
There are so many things to love about The Book of Kindly Deaths, Eldritch Black is so descriptive that I couldn’t help but be delighted when picturing the hoardspikes, hackthins, and aranachiros that frequent the land of Grimwytch. The characters were layered and mysterious, and their stories left me wanting more. This is the perfect type of book to pick up if you are a fan of the darker side of middle grade novels. Fans of Claire Legrand and yes, even Neil Gaiman will be delighted to read about the monsters that frequent this land.
Shelf Talker: Overall I loved The Book of Kindly Deaths, it was gothic, and macabre, and all around right up my alley. The novel definitely ended on a note that makes one think that there will definitely be more from Eliza and Shard, and I am happy to say that I can’t wait to see what’s next.
When my friend and fellow blogger Estelle reached out to ask me if I wanted to read and review The Book of Kindly Deaths by Eldritch Black I was a bit hesitant due to time and responsibilities and ya know, life. But when she told me that it was being geared toward fans of Neil Gaiman, my interest was immediately piqued. Then I read the synopsis and realized that the gal was right, the book was right up my alley. Many thanks to Estelle, Eldritch Black, and Spencer Hill Press for giving me a chance to read and review what turned out to be a rather perfect book for my tastes.
As you can see, this is a story about Eliza Winter and her adventures in a world unlike our own in order to save her grandfather, and others who have been affected by the monsters who frequent the streets of this parallel land. While reading, I was at first somewhat wary because The Book of Kindly Deaths read a bit like a compilation of short stories. In fact, it was very reminiscent of On The Day I Died: Stories From the Grave by Candace Fleming, which was entertaining, but not what I was looking for. Thankfully once I delved further into the story things started to come together and I really enjoyed the different tie ins from the stories within the Book of Kindly Deaths. There was one particularly interesting story filled with characters called “the wrong people.” That is, they were all together wrong. They were a group of “people” with greasy wiry hair, yellowed skin, and crooked teeth who eat mud pie filled with rotten vegetables. They lock up humans, and bring them out for show so that other residents of Grimwytch can see their abnormalities – that is, pale skin, white teeth and normal hands and toes. I loved Katherine’s story, and her escape from Grimwytch and the bittersweet ending to her story.
Our main character Eliza was a wonderful and refreshing voice, I especially enjoyed how her character was the perfect amount of strong and naive. I did not feel jarred out of the story as one sometimes does when reading narration from middle grade main characters. Eliza had spunk and strength, yet she (and we the readers) were often reminded that she is still just a kid in a vast land trying to survive. I also loved Shard, I was sad for him and loved his strength. I think that he and Eliza make an absolutely perfect team and I hope that the author plans on giving us more stories of these two and their adventures.
I can’t write this review without talking about Grim Shivers and his associates. You guys know how I love me a villain, well let me tell you, The Grims (though not technically the villains of the novel) in this book were fantastic. I bookmarked the page where they were first mentioned immediately after reading it because I couldn’t get enough and just want more stories and background from these characters. How does one become a Grim, Mr. Black? Do they all stand as overseers of different parts of Grimwytch, much like the witches in the Land of Oz? Tell me more!
There are so many things to love about The Book of Kindly Deaths, Eldritch Black is so descriptive that I couldn’t help but be delighted when picturing the hoardspikes, hackthins, and aranachiros that frequent the land of Grimwytch. The characters were layered and mysterious, and their stories left me wanting more. This is the perfect type of book to pick up if you are a fan of the darker side of middle grade novels. Fans of Claire Legrand and yes, even Neil Gaiman will be delighted to read about the monsters that frequent this land.
Shelf Talker: Overall I loved The Book of Kindly Deaths, it was gothic, and macabre, and all around right up my alley. The novel definitely ended on a note that makes one think that there will definitely be more from Eliza and Shard, and I am happy to say that I can’t wait to see what’s next.
October 4, 2017
This was such a cute book that contained a bunch of smaller stories about a wretched land called Grymwytch. Eliza's grandfather has gone missing and a curious book has invited Eliza to come inside of it's pages where she finds horrible stories as well as her grand father. a fun, quick read that is ideal for the Halloween season.
September 23, 2014
I loved this book! Eldritch Black is a superior story teller! Every character is brought fully to life with very few words, and what a delightfully creepy cast of characters he's written. Not all are scabrous villians of course. It's a finely written tapestry of worlds and people, believable and yet so extraordinarily unique we just know it could never be....or could it? Dread and darkness become softly beautiful while a cheery home becomes a frightening place. I'd rather not reference anything from the book as I hope all new readers to it will be able to explore on their own. Although Eliza is a seemingly 'ordinary' girl the author allows her to grow and become an admirable young lady through her experiences and observations rather than being handed a "magic wand" This is an ageless book, one I'll be reading again. Gross and enchanting, very otherworldy but in a fresh and disturbing way. Well done Mr.Eldritch Black!
August 24, 2019
My review is based on the audiobook. This was an interesting story that had me captivated from the start. The descriptive writing allowed me to easily visualize the story taking place. The narrator is fantastic. I really enjoy how he brings the story to life with his distinct character voices
October 1, 2021
I've enjoyed other titles by this author -- this one stands apart. There is something different about this over the other stories, at very least to say ... it's much darker! More than before, Kindly Deaths stirred my own imagination and creativity. This book feels like it ought to sit with the likes of Edward Gorey and Nightmare Before Christmas.
September 17, 2014
Eliza Winter has come to her grandfather's house with her parents after he comes missing. While there Eliza remembers he had a secret room so she decides to explore to find it. After finding the room she stumbles upon a book that opens up to the first page and it is then that she decides she will read it knowing her mom won't approve. Once she starts reading the stories, Eliza feels that they are more than just stories that they seem real. Her journey starts once she stops reading the stories and this is when Eliza realizes that there is more to these stories and is swept up into the other world, the one her mother has been hiding from her.
This book was pretty cool. It started out with Eliza at her grandfathers and then it went to a different story as she read the book of Kindly Deaths. From there on it would switch between the two with things coming together and things getting explained towards the end where you learn more about Eliza's family and her part in it.
I thought the book was well written. Eldritch did a great job at writing all the "short stories" and then tying them in together and explaining how and why they are connected. All the characters in the story are well written and described perfectly so that you can picture each and every one of them. I am looking forward for Abby to get older so that she read it as I know she will enjoy it!
This book was pretty cool. It started out with Eliza at her grandfathers and then it went to a different story as she read the book of Kindly Deaths. From there on it would switch between the two with things coming together and things getting explained towards the end where you learn more about Eliza's family and her part in it.
I thought the book was well written. Eldritch did a great job at writing all the "short stories" and then tying them in together and explaining how and why they are connected. All the characters in the story are well written and described perfectly so that you can picture each and every one of them. I am looking forward for Abby to get older so that she read it as I know she will enjoy it!
July 12, 2015
Sometimes book show up on my Kindle and I'm not entirely sure how they got there. This is one of them. Regardless, the title intrigued me, so I went with it.
The first half of this book concentrates on stories within the story and therefore reads a lot like a short story collection instead of a novel. The second half of the book deals more directly with the main plot line with pieces of the sub-stories tied in throughout. Unfortunately, I felt the sub-stories were actually more interesting than the main plot, which felt incredibly rushed and included deciding to go on a "quest" to returning home thereafter and everything in between.
I'm certainly not anywhere near the target audience for this book (think Goosebumps), so I guess that's worth considering, but if there's a sequel - and I think that there's some probability of that based on the semi-open ending - I really don't expect that I'll read it. It's not that the book is bad, but I didn't find it interesting enough to really care how things develop beyond what's already been written.
The first half of this book concentrates on stories within the story and therefore reads a lot like a short story collection instead of a novel. The second half of the book deals more directly with the main plot line with pieces of the sub-stories tied in throughout. Unfortunately, I felt the sub-stories were actually more interesting than the main plot, which felt incredibly rushed and included deciding to go on a "quest" to returning home thereafter and everything in between.
I'm certainly not anywhere near the target audience for this book (think Goosebumps), so I guess that's worth considering, but if there's a sequel - and I think that there's some probability of that based on the semi-open ending - I really don't expect that I'll read it. It's not that the book is bad, but I didn't find it interesting enough to really care how things develop beyond what's already been written.
February 3, 2015
Whilst I loved the premise and the dark story telling, I found the writing very repetitive. Terrible overuse of stench, putrid, reek, rancid, gag and retch! We get it, the place and all it's inhabitants smelt bad!
March 9, 2016
(Reviewing on behalf of my 11 yr who read this book)
I absolutely loved it! Just the right amount of scary. It kept me on the edge of my seat! I especially liked how in depth the author was when describing Grimwytch. An amazing story - I definitely recommend it!
I absolutely loved it! Just the right amount of scary. It kept me on the edge of my seat! I especially liked how in depth the author was when describing Grimwytch. An amazing story - I definitely recommend it!
September 3, 2019
While the second half of the book was great, the first half just killed it for me. I do understand what the author was trying to do, but for me it made the story a little harder to follow. It would have worked better for me, if it would have been done differently.
September 11, 2020
DNF @ 70% in...
I was expecting so much more from this, and kept reading until I just could not figure out what the absolute fuck was going on, or where/how it would end, and finally accepting I really couldn't care less. I could make up my own ending and it would probably be way more gory, awful and dismember-y than whatever middling harum-scarum fake-spooky likely happyending on the way. I will grant there is some surface-level creepy shit-ideas going on here, but the tale itself never scared me at all, or made me feel horrified, or made me believe in any of it making any nasty results. The book of stories inside the story was painful, or, at the very least, poorly done, as they pulled you into this medium-dark place, then you knew you would return to lameass Eliza's whingeing day-to-day. They were too long, and turned the book into a series of short stories, bookended by a short Prologue-y/Introduction on the front and a novella-ish thing at the back (which I barely started before succumbing to whofuckingcares. Conceptually grand and intriguing, but in no way interestingly explored/explained/exposited. Ugh.
I was expecting so much more from this, and kept reading until I just could not figure out what the absolute fuck was going on, or where/how it would end, and finally accepting I really couldn't care less. I could make up my own ending and it would probably be way more gory, awful and dismember-y than whatever middling harum-scarum fake-spooky likely happyending on the way. I will grant there is some surface-level creepy shit-ideas going on here, but the tale itself never scared me at all, or made me feel horrified, or made me believe in any of it making any nasty results. The book of stories inside the story was painful, or, at the very least, poorly done, as they pulled you into this medium-dark place, then you knew you would return to lameass Eliza's whingeing day-to-day. They were too long, and turned the book into a series of short stories, bookended by a short Prologue-y/Introduction on the front and a novella-ish thing at the back (which I barely started before succumbing to whofuckingcares. Conceptually grand and intriguing, but in no way interestingly explored/explained/exposited. Ugh.
August 9, 2018
The Book of Kindly Deaths by Eldritch Black is a story about Eliza Winter and the mysterious hidden room in her grandfather's house. Desperate for clues, Eliza opens a book in hopes of finding her missing grandfather.
Plot 5/5: A very interesting plot that I hadn't come across in my reading before.
Characters 5/5: The characters are interesting and peculiar.
World building 5/5: An interesting world with vivid descriptions.
Pacing 4/5: This story has a steady pace.
Writing 4/5: The writing was good.
Overall 4.6
Purchased on Amazon.
Plot 5/5: A very interesting plot that I hadn't come across in my reading before.
Characters 5/5: The characters are interesting and peculiar.
World building 5/5: An interesting world with vivid descriptions.
Pacing 4/5: This story has a steady pace.
Writing 4/5: The writing was good.
Overall 4.6
Purchased on Amazon.
May 20, 2020
What happens when you-a curious teen- stumble across a mysterious book in a hidden room in your grandfather's house? Well you open it up and read it right? What if you can't flip through the book and can only read one page at a time? Well... then you're in for one wild ride. The book is filled with grim tales that can't possibly be real... or are they!! Mostly dedicated to naughty children who met their just desserts living in an alternate reality of the 'Grim Witch' (listened to the book, so don't know the spelling.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2017
Fun read!
I was very emotionally invested in the characters starting quite early in the book and that makes for an enjoyable read. Nothing worse than wasting action on characters who you cannot find it in yourself to worry about. I especially like that the main character is level headed and intelligent, but also brave and cares what happens to others even if she doesn't understand them.
I was very emotionally invested in the characters starting quite early in the book and that makes for an enjoyable read. Nothing worse than wasting action on characters who you cannot find it in yourself to worry about. I especially like that the main character is level headed and intelligent, but also brave and cares what happens to others even if she doesn't understand them.
October 19, 2019
Audible:I LOVED it!This book is wonderful!It reminded me of a Neil Gaiman story.What would you do for a book to re write a bad death into a kindly one?How about if you could have your fondest wish for something you never use anyway? Think about that while reading this tale with the lights on! Hannibal Hills was the perfect narrator. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
August 14, 2019
*I was given this book in exchange for an honest review*
LOVED listening to this story! It was a story that I had a hard time putting down. It had me rooting for Eliza and Shard... hoping for Tom's saftey.... The different monsters Black describes had my skin crawling.. Plan to read more of Black's books. I think I found another favorite author!
LOVED listening to this story! It was a story that I had a hard time putting down. It had me rooting for Eliza and Shard... hoping for Tom's saftey.... The different monsters Black describes had my skin crawling.. Plan to read more of Black's books. I think I found another favorite author!
August 30, 2019
I received this book for free at my request but the opinion is of my own. Eliza suddenly finds a mysterious book about tales with sad endings. Thinking not much of it until suddenly she finds herself in her grandfathers house and he’s been gone for awhile. She’s than transported to another world where things are darker and more stranger than her world. Best pick for narrator.
June 21, 2017
I really enjoyed this book, although it took a while for Eliza to get going, the stories leading up to this were enjoyable dark fairy tales and then bam! Monsters everywhere!
The Grim's were very powerful and I wonder about their origin. I liked Shard and his gritty determination, as well as his balanced view of himself as to whether or not he is capable. Grimwytch is not a good place to be wandering around alone and monsters getting into our world is a very real possibility.
I would like to see an army of Hoardspikes, although I bet they'd end up fighting each other for the spoils. There is more to come and hopefully a series with darker twists and outrageous monsters galore!
The Grim's were very powerful and I wonder about their origin. I liked Shard and his gritty determination, as well as his balanced view of himself as to whether or not he is capable. Grimwytch is not a good place to be wandering around alone and monsters getting into our world is a very real possibility.
I would like to see an army of Hoardspikes, although I bet they'd end up fighting each other for the spoils. There is more to come and hopefully a series with darker twists and outrageous monsters galore!
August 23, 2019
This book was adorably creepy. I found this through audioboom, and listened to the audio on my commute. I loved that these stories were cute, gross, creepy, and kept me coming back. I'll never look at dust the same way again. 😂
October 3, 2019
I almost stopped reading this because I found the first part hard to slog through. Interesting stories from the book of kindly deaths, but little action or development with the main character gave me little reason to care. Once her story picked up, I enjoyed the book more.
February 14, 2020
Book of Kindly Deaths
I couldn’t put this one down. Just like Eldritch Black’s other writings, this is dark, entertaining, and hard to put down. I enjoyed the story within a story that this book offers. It’s unique and I will read it again. My favorite one by Black so far.
I couldn’t put this one down. Just like Eldritch Black’s other writings, this is dark, entertaining, and hard to put down. I enjoyed the story within a story that this book offers. It’s unique and I will read it again. My favorite one by Black so far.
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