From the darkly whimsical imagination of Steven Luna comes a gothic fairy tale of deathly proportions...
As sixth-generation Keepers, sisters Agatha and Sarah Spindlecrook can Awaken the dead simply by speaking their names. But the dead who sleep in Broodhaven Cemetery suddenly seem to be rising all on their own. The sisters can also put the dead back Asleep by speaking their names again while dropping a stone...though that doesn’t seem to be working for them at the moment, either. Now, all of Broodhaven is in danger of being overrun by the rising dead as they Awaken and head back to the village for the comforts of home, which threatens to destroy the tenuous balance between life and death. Enter serial widow Prudence Callowill, who’s received a divine message regarding how to rid Broodhaven of their infestation of Awakened souls—but her plan involves ridding Broodhaven of the Spindlecrooks, too. A mysterious figure holds the secret of the Unbidden Awakenings, and another might be able to make all well again...if only those who could truly help put things right weren’t already dead themselves.
Steven Luna likes making things up on a daily basis. This biography, though factual, is one of those things. He's the author of the absurdly humorous Joe Vampire series for grown-ups, the heart-wrenchingly serious Songs from the Phenomenal Nothing for almost-grown-ups, and the magical realism tale Starfire and the Miracle Tree for readers of all ages. Simeon Croom and the Treasure Star, his new comedy-adventure series, is now available.
If you've ever seen the movie Corpse Bride, that's the way I pictured the characters and the surroundings in this book. It was interesting, maybe dragged on a bit much but still enjoyable.
Absolutely his best book yet - I loved it! It reminded me of Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett's "Good Omens" in a way. It was humorous, yet bittersweet. It was suspenseful and highly imaginative. The language itself did a top-notch job of creating this delightfully vivid world. I hope there's more to come, either with this story or along the same vein.
I can not say how much I enjoyed this book! And the timing is perfect for Halloween! Ever wonder who takes care of the dead when they are asleep under ground? And what were to happen when they wake up again? This isn't The Walking Dead, but the dead will rise in this fun tale from the cemetery! You should get it this week and enjoy it for this Halloween and each year to come.
Steven Luna can definitely turn a phrase. The writing in Keepers is beautiful. It has a persuasive quality that keeps you turning the page and can suspend disbelief no matter how fantastic the setting, situation, or character--and there are some fantastic ones here.
Keepers might be my favorite Luna book so far. Also, I'm loving his new covers, as with this and "Simeon Croom," and can't wait to add more of his books to my collection.
I'm having trouble with words to describe this book without giving away spoilers. But I will say Mr. Luna has a way with world building that I haven't come across in a while. The story is set in what I'd describe as a classic fairytale village but replace the fairies with awakened dead. But it's not the bloody gorey kind of thing. Well, maybe a little. But no one gets eaten by any zombie.
Mr. Luna has again captured my attention with this story. Whimsical and yet a different take on the struggle between good and evil. Actually wanted to give 3 1/2 stars. Some minor but annoying editor errors. Bogged down a bit but that did quickly resolve. Overall, I enjoyed it very much. Would definitely recommend for those who enjoy a little chuckle on a serious topic.