The Kiss of Death

My Swordhand is Singing #2

by Marcus Sedgwick

Marcus Sedgwick's tale of Venice and vampires is a captivating companion volume to the bestselling My Swordhand is Singing. Marko and Sorrel meet in Venice for the first time. They must uncover the mystery of what has happened both to Sorrel's father, plagued by a strange madness that prevents him from sleeping, and to Marko's father, a doctor, who has mysteriously gone missing after travelling to Venice to help his old friend. Years on from My Swordhand is Singing and Peter is still on the trail of the Shadow Queen. His search leads him to Venice, a city whose beauty disguises many ugly secrets. The Shadow Queen is there, gathering strength, recruiting a new army of the Undead for a final confrontation. This fabled city with its lapping waterways, its crumbling magnificence, dark, twisting alleyways and surprising piazzas is the perfect setting for Marcus's captivating gothic novel of love and loss in 18th century Venice.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Horror, Vampires, Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal

248 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

Marcus Sedgwickwas a British writer and illustrator. He authored several young adult and children's books and picture books, a work of nonfiction and several novels for adults, and illustrated a collection of myths and a book of folk tales for adults.

Reviews

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aww man! I feel so rotten giving this only two stars, but it was just such a chore to slog through :( And I love Marcus Sedgwick enough to list him as one of my top ten favourite authors, and My Swordhand is Singing is one of my absolute favourite books. So I was all excited to read this sequel-slash-companion book, but then the first time I picked it up I barely made it to the end of the first chapter (which is all of three pages long) before growing bored. This happened the next several times I picked up the book again. Including this time, but THIS time I managed to force myself to continue.

It took until about page 197 before it started to get any better. 197 of 248 pages, oy. I guess the story was interesting enough, there was just something in the way it was told that didn't click with me. Nor did I love either of the characters. The Venetian setting was awesome, but that isn't much to go on when nothing else compels me to read on. Swordhand was just so much better in every way. Sigh!

[Dan Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Kiss of Death is one of those standalone sequels that doesn't really need you to HAVE read the first book - which I find annoying sometimes. I enjoyed My Swordhand is Singing, and was very much looking forward to seeing Peter gallivant off and slay some vampire-zombies.

We are introduced to two new protagonists here though - Marko and Sorrel - in the beautiful setting of Venice. I very much liked the topsy-turvy ambiance the book threw at you however. Marcus Sedgwick has always been a fan of gothic, but the romantic setting of Venice is replaced and turned into a time when it housed people of the plague. It has a macabre feel to it.

Peter does make a return though, which was good, but strange to be set when he is much older. He plays the burdened hero in the story, while the two youngsters just want to save their fathers - one who has gone missing, and the other who has mysterious illness.

The Kiss of Death is a vampire novel without the vampires, which I found to be a little disappointing. The biggest thing that let the book down for me - for it is well written, has a nice pace, a decent story - is the actual missing antagonist. The Queen of Shadows rarely makes an appearance, and when she does, well, it is pretty tame. I wanted to see more of her.

The Kiss of Death is unconventional in form, which does follow Sedgwick's trademark two fingers to the YA standard. Very much a Sedgwick fan's novel, in my opinion. It is certainly not his worst book, but then again, it isn't his best either.

[Anne_MB · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sequel to "My Swordhand is Singing", set many years later and with the appearance of only one of the main characters from the first book.
I was a little disappointed with this as a sequel because I would have liked to have read about the many intervening years between the events of this book and the first.
However I still enjoyed this novel very much.

[Catriona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun mystery for YA, although I still enjoyed reading it as an older reader.
It has the depth you'd expect for a mid-teen to YA novel. I enjoy the spin on traditional ideas/folklores, and remember hearing Marcus Sedgwick describing how he would research old folk stories and dissect them before using them to create his stories. I could see it clearly reading this book.
Nice easy read with enough intrigue to be enjoyable.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marko is summoned by a letter to Venice, in search of his father who has gone missing. He finds Sorrel, whose father has gone mad, and a mystery that appears hopeless to solve. He is determined to try, however and it is soon obvious that finding the one father is the only way to cure the other. But this is Venice, where a facade of elegance, sophistication and ritual tries to hide underlying decay, danger and corruption.

Venice is perfectly suited to Sedgwick's Gothic sensibilities and the city he describes in the first part of the novel, superficially mannered and beautiful but harbouring evil in its heart, is mirrored by the languid prose that is abruptly lacerated by violent events. As is usual with Sedgwick, the great strength of this novel is the evocation of atmosphere. Plotting is a more hit-and-miss affair when it comes to the Sedgwick canon. The Kiss of Death is, however, a palpable hit in this regard, making this one of his best novels.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it's a bit of a stretch to even call this a companion book not just because the story and characters are so different but it's like a completely different book. I wasn't overly keen on the first book and had I not bought the omnibus edition I doubt I would have read this second instalment of the sword hand series.
My main complaint with book 1 were the characters and relationships. No such issue in this book. Marko and Sorrel were a good pairing with a developed relationship. The familial love in this books helps a lot also.
I am a sucker for anything set in Venice be it book, film or a dr who episode so maybe that's helped my good opinion of this book.
Vampire wise... It was a bit lacking. The end sequence is good but I can understand why some have issues with the pacing.
Overall I enjoyed this more than the first one and am not against trying another Marcus Sedgwick book in the future

[Fantasy Literature · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though generically named, The Kiss of Death is a fantastically original and exciting novel, full of blood, danger, thrills, mystery, and legions of the undead. It is sequel of sorts to My Swordhand Is Singing, in that it features Peter and his father's sword from the previous book, though here the attention turns to two new protagonists. Perhaps it's better described as a companion piece to its predecessor, as although it's not necessary to have read My Swordhand is Singing, familiarity with who Peter is and his experiences in his own story will add a certain weight to his doings here.

Best described as a Gothic horror-mystery, The Kiss of Death begins with a letter addressed to persons unknown, detailing the writer's desire to murder its recipient. It is baffling to Markus, the son of the ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the first half of this book I was...underwhelmed. Disappointed even. I couldn't understand why this was so - it had vampires, it was set in Venice! - but it simply wasn't working for me.

Once the MCs met up with Peter the action picked up and I was able to engage with the story more. However, I got the feeling that this was a rather half hearted effort from the author who wanted to bring back characters and ideas he had explored in My Sword Hand is Singing. This is supposedly much better; I wouldn't know as I haven't read it.

The writing about Venice itself was really good, bringing the creepy, gothic side of the city's atmosphere to the foreground, but unfortunately this writing didn't seem to add any real tension to the plot. This may have been an effort on the author's part not to be *too* scary so that the intended audience of 12-14 year olds didn't have nightmares. Fair enough. But from my perspective this story could have been so much more.

Much of the 'action' of the first 2 thirds of the book was the MCs going from one end of Venice to the other: San Marco to Giudecca, to Murano, to San Michele, to Cannaregio etc. That's all very well and do-able in the book time, but probably impossible in early C18th Venice. No vaporetto buses, just Gondalas and rowboats and going by foot - which in Venice takes FOREVER as you cannot go anywhere in a straight line. Sedgewick does at least describe this frustrating feature but not the time or toll Venice takes on one's feet. It takes hours to get from Giudecca to Cannaregio on foot/rowboat. Not to mention the trips to the lagoon islands.

Nope. I suspect this is one of those books that only really works for it's target audience, which I am obviously not. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3

And the vampires weren't really vampires.

[Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Venice is a city of secrets...if you wander about at night in Sedgwick's version of Venice, you might stumble upon rumors of the undead. When young Marko goes in search of his missing father, the last thing he needs to deal with is a cult of vampires hunting in the shadows of Venice. Fortunately for Marko, he has the unexpected aid of a troubled lady named Sorrel. The mystery of Marko's father's disappearance has something to do with the famous Venetian glassmaker Simono. The more clues they uncover, the more they are drawn into a plot that leads them to cross paths with the cult of vampires. But what secret is Venice hiding, and will Marko and Sorrel have enough time to find the answers before the masks and mysteries of Venice hide everything?

[Luke Calder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! Sedgwick's writing is dark and ominous while still having beautiful descriptions and being kid-friendly (mostly, i mean there is a bit of violence, but at least there isn't any of that bloody swearing 😅).

I enjoyed the references to real-life landmarks in the city of Venice, I could actually follow the characters' journey on Google Maps.

I stumbled on this neat little hardcover at a second-hand book shop, and I must say I am keen to read more from this author! I never read the first in this series, so I was glad that the novel was a stand-alone sequel.


Edit: i forgot to mention that i loved the fairy tale that is within the book as well.

[Sarah-Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book I read for staff book club at the school where I work.

Having never read anything by this author before I was a bit concerned by some of the reviews, but I really enjoyed it. I found the pace to be about right and I liked the gentle pace of it and didn’t feel it needed to be action packed. All in all a good read that I enjoyed at 41 and would’ve done at the target age too.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second of Sedgwick's vampire stories. This time the setting is in Venice. Interesting description of Venice, no romance here! The cold, raw atmosphere. The rotting, musty wood in the apartment. The dark, narrow canal passages. Great setting & characters.

[Kate Wileman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The direction the story went in felt really original and interesting, but, this book was not as eerie at the last book at all. The first book gave me bad dreams and this book left me wondering where the vampires were.

[George Dollin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Latest staff book club read. Disliked it about as much as I enjoyed the others

[Yolanda Sfetsos · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading several Marcus Sedgwick novels, I couldn't wait to get stuck into this one. And when I found out that it's a companion to MY SWORDHAND IS SINGING, I was very excited. I love vampires, and absolutely loved the different take in that book.

Marko is a young man who leaves his home to go to Venice in search of his father. When he gets there, he meets up with a young girl called Sorrel. She's not very happy to see him, because when she sent Alessandro's letter to the doctor's house, it was in hopes of finding someone who could help her. She's convinced that Marko won't be able to do that. But she's wrong.

Together, Marko and Sorrel manage to find their way around Venice and the surrounding islands, slowly being led from one dangerous situation to another. They're actually able to discover a much deeper and darker plot than they expected. Something that will not only help cure Sorrel's father's madness and lead them to Marko's missing father, but also help the whole of Venice escape the clutches of a very dangerous threat.

I got a real kick out of seeing Peter again, too. He was the main character in MY SWORDHAND IS SINGING. In this book he's a lot older--actually, he's an old man--and is pretty much all alone in the world, with only his sword and the ambition to track down and destroy the Shadow Queen. He's still in pursuit of ending her reign of terror.

The Kiss Of Death was another intriguing and wonderful book by this very talented author. I really enjoyed finding out the truth behind the sword that Tomas tried to keep hidden for so many years. Also, the Shadow Queen's story is finally revealed and we not only get to meet her and find out what she's been doing, but also how she became this horrible dark figure in the first place. Oh, and I loved the ending.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel to the wonderful My Swordhand is Singing is set more than 100 years later and 900 kms to the west of the cold forests of Romania. At the north-west tip of the Adriatic Sea is a shallow lagoon, protected from the sea by narrow strips of land. And the jewel at the heart of the lagoon is Venice – a city unlike any other.

Marko has ventured to Venice, from across the Adriatic, in search of his missing father, and discovers that his absence is tied up with a curse on the Bellini family - their home is referred to as the House that Kills. Simono Bellini is dying for lack of sleep like his father before him, and his daughter Sorrel lives in fear that this curse will pass to her. Marko is not at all what she had hoped for as a hero, but the two young people find that they must work together if they are to evade the malevolent minions of the Shadow Queen, discover whom they can trust and save both their fathers.

Sedgwick writes for teens, and has a deceptively simple style. Although this novel does not have a great many actual vampires in it, I’m pitching for quality over quantity, and evocative descriptions of the twisted streets of the early 18th century city, and the tainted beauty of La Serenissima (a city that seems to float serenely above the lagoon, even as it rots and sinks slowly into its own waste) perfectly set the scene for this tale of gothic horror.

[Reetta Saine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Venetsian dekadenssi sopii miljööksi maailman synkimpiin tarinoihin - olivatpa ne sitten Thomas Mannia, Donna Leonia tai Sedgwickiä.



Markon isä on lähtenyt kaupunkiin parantamaan vanhaa ystäväänsä, jonka sairauteen kaupungin omat lääkärit eivät löydä hoitokeinoa. Matkalla isä katoaa, ja perhe saa vain uhkaavan, pahaenteisen kirjeen.



Marko sonnustautuu matkaan tutkimaan mysteeriä, ja löytää ensimmäisen johtolankansa Kuoleman talossa asuvan sairaan miehen luota. Outo tauti estää uhriaan nukkumasta, kunnes hän vajoaa ensin hulluuteen ja lopulta kuolemaan. Miehen tyttären mukaan toivoa ei enää ole. Yhdessä nuoret kulkevat pitkin Venetsiaa ja paljastavat sen synkän salaisuuden.



Vampyyrikirjaksi aika kepoinen Kiss of death johdattelee lukijaansa tunnelmaan hieman liiankin perusteellisesti. Uppoava kaupunki, lahoavat rakennukset, rutto, karnevaalinaamiot ja huimat sosiaaliset erot tekevät Venetsiasta Barcelonan ohella kauhukirjallisuuden mekan. Kun juoni puolessa välissä kirjaa pääsee jaloilleen, kirjailijalla onkin jo kiire juoksuttaa se loppuun.



Mukavaa oli tavata vanha tuttu - Miekkani laulaa-kirjan puunhakkaaja Peter, jolle onkin ehtinyt tapahtua jos jonkinmoista vuosien varrella. Laulaa se vieläkin Sedgwickin tuotannossa parhaiten.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really struggled with starting the book, but only because the book has such a complex and mysterious story line which you gradually uncover to reveal the ending. The characters were so real and easy to relate to, and I like that it was a vampire novel that for once focused more on the story than on a love story or on the vampires or the main characters. The story was so short and yet you meet so many people. As a dreamer and one who wishes to travel and read english at Oxford, I really enjoyed reading a book about the Venice so long gone that I have always wanted to see, the one with the masquerades and the parties, the one where Beethoven visited in John Suchets Beethoven. It also made me laugh and cry in equal amounts. Not so much cry, more as kept me on the edge of my seat with my heart in my mouth. Its just such a wonderful book, a birthday gift from my friend Darcy, who said "heres another for your 50 book challenge" Of course, it has reminded me how much I love funny moments in heart warming storylines. So I decided to try another book I wouldnt usually try which I am going to buy on Wednesday which is pay day - pride and prejudice with zombies as well as sense and sensibility with squids. See you again soon!

Death comes in many ways, but in Venice, death comes by water

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

This second book was so disappointing. The first book left me wanting more, when the story ended I was desperate to know what happened next. So, when I picked this second book up, I expected to read about Peter and Sophia, and their adventures to find the Shadow Queen, but no, suddenly the whole setting moved to Venice and some Marko and Sorrel became the main character of the story.



WHAT????

I kept wishing some plot twists would happen and make me like the story but the book failed to do so. I could not wait to finish the book so I could get it over with. When I flipped to the last page, I felt relief instead of satisfaction.

My Swordhand is Singing could easily be a standalone. Read that, because it was awesome; then leave it at that, because you do not need The Kiss of Death to spoil the story.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sedgwick really likes mysterious father figures. Either they’re dead/disappeared or their inaccessible (drunk) and they tend to have secrets, either through backstory or otherwise. Moms are way more boring (usually dead or without a secret or both). This was again a boring book about vampires featuring a normal boy who has to get tough and an already feisty girl. Peter (the protagonist from book 1) shows up as an old badass with the magic sword (which keeps him young)! But poor Sophie is dead already (because girls only have fun when they’re young). And the Shadow Queen is here and her backstory is a fairytale that makes no sense (especially – why does it freaking matter that she is a princess who was forced to marry a beggar when the moral is she made a deal with Death to bring back her dead son which is why she’s a vampire?). Suffice it to say, I could not get into this book at all.

[Aisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marko, is a teenage boy who is sent a letter in his father's handwriting, who we find out is missing. Marko leaves his home and travels to Venice to search for his father. In Venice Marko meets Sorrel and she is disappointed by Marko. Sorrell is living in a haunted house with a father who is being driven mad by an inability to sleep. Together, they try to find Marko's father as well as trying to find what is happening to Sorrel's father.
It is a fun and fast paced read as the main characters are written well.
There's plenty of gore and some genuinely scary moments and the auothr is great at showcasing Venice and at creating atmosphere.

[Kristen Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something evil seems to be wending its way through the streets of Venice. Sorrel must find out what has happened to her father who seems to be going mad. Marko must discover where his father has gone. These two unlikely heroes end up together in a fight against evil. They do not know who they can trust for it seems that most of Venice has fallen under some kind of spell. An older gentleman with a magical sword comes to their aid.

I liked this book. Sedgwick does a nice job of telling a story. The story isn't full of bombs exploding or bosoms heaving (which is a nice change). It is an interesting story with unique situations.

[Paula Soper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't help it. Sedgwick's writing is like heroin to me. I'm more than willing to stop other obsessions just to read his books (I think Blood White Snow Red will be next. Maybe I'll get crazy and read another novel first.) BTW - A.S. King will be the Keynote Speaker at ALAN this year!! Woot!

I love Sedgwick's settings and characters (mostly his settings). He takes me to great locations and then scares my socks off. LOVE! I would hand this book to any teenager who likes the dark stuff.

Warnings:
Drugs - just poison
Sex - vampires=sex, right?
R&R - VAMPIRES and Venice!
Language - no
Violence - Vampires!

[Robyn Lindeque · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only realised half way through this book that it was a sequel of sorts to 'My Swordhand Is Singing'. Luckily it didn't affect my reading experience as I never felt confused or lost at any point in the book. However, this definitely wasn't my favourite Marcus Sedgwick book. I'm a big fan of his short stories and I just found 'The Kiss of Death' a bit slow to read. In the beginning, however, I was hooked by the intriguing and beautifully described setting of Venice, but near the middle of the book I began to slog through it a little. While 'The Kiss of Death' is still a well written and unique book, I found that it never truly hooked me and was a bit of a struggle to read through.

[Lucy Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marcus Sedgewick has a rare and beautiful gift for story telling, not just telling a story.
I brought this book home in the hope of reading it before my son, but not a hope! He had whipped it away before I could blink, returning it a week later with the word 'brilliant'. Now I have had my turn to read it I would add 'fabulous'.
With every book Sedgewick whisks us away to a different time, a different place. Such research shouldn't go unmentioned. The locations are described in minute detail.
I would recommend this book to anyone: parent or teen.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although The kiss of death is a sequel to My Swordhand is Singing, it is possible to read The kiss of death as a stand alone book. But personally you would understand more by reading both books.
I love the style that Marcus Sedgwick writes in, particularly in the way he chops a book up into segments and then adds short chapters.
The book is based in and around Venice and celebrates its Carnivàle events which is still practiced today. (Without the vampires of course).
Loved the book although not as exciting as the first part of the story My swordhand is singing.

[Georgie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Marcus Sedgewick's stories for many different reasons but one of the things I enjoy most about them is the handling of death and how its seen by the characters. He is brilliant at making both the characters and the reader come to terms with it's inevitableness without making the reader feel hopeless.

This book is a sort of sequel to my sword hand is singing but it isn't necessary to read it to understand this one.

[Betsy Lavadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Death can come in many forms but in Venice, death comes by water." It was a refreshing book to read - even if it's about death and loss. This book helped me remember why I love reading so much. :)
I enjoyed it. I just feel bad that this is the second book of the "My Swordhand is Singing" series. :| Just found this book on sale. :(

Good luck finding the other books of this series.
Anyway, you can take the book as it is. :)
Awesome read.

[Attila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd normally avoid a book with such a cheesy title, but this is actually the sequel to My Swordhand is Singing, a novel I liked. It does not have much in common with Swordhand however; it rather resembles Sedgwick's Book of Dead Days and Dark Flight Down: a teenage boy and girl try to survive and to avert a menace in a sinister, gloomy, hopeless world. A good and atmospheric read.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting story, Marcus Sedgwick has a wonderful way of spinning tales and crafting a cast of characters so fascinating that it'll keep you reading. One chapter in particular, about Venice, completely blew me away. I'd tried to read My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick just a year before this book, but this is something different. Well worth the read.