Stealing Death

by Janet Lee Carey

“I want that soul sack,” he said suddenly.
“What?” the witch asked around the scrap of meat she was chewing.
“I want it so no one I love will ever, ever, ever have to go inside again.”
“It’s not for mortal hands to have.” The witch spat out a bit of bone.
“You know magic. Give me the power to steal the sack.”

When fire steals his family from him, Kipp is left with only his little sister to protect as best he can, and he’s determined that death will not come to her–or to the girl he loves but can never approach.

But who would dare to master death? As Kipp finds out, it’s complicated, and possession of the soul sack is no guarantee of success. Dragon’s Keep author Janet Lee Carey has crafted a stirring and original fantasy set in a harsh and beautiful desert landscape, in which a young man who has lost everything finds the strength within himself to care for those he loves–and to allow those he cannot keep close to him to take a path he cannot follow.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Mythology, Death, Childrens, Adventure

368 pages, Hardcover

First published September 8, 2009

About the author

~Things are never what they seem. Find the lost inside the dream ~
Janet Lee Carey is the award-winning author of nine Children's and YA novels. Her YA fantasy is critically acclaimed: "Verdict: This is quite simply fantasy at its best–original, beautiful, amazing, and deeply moving.” School Library Journal starred review. Janet links each new book with a charitable organization empowering readers to make a difference in the world. She tours in US and abroad presenting at schools, children’s book festivals, and conferences.

my website
Visit my blogs:
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Reviews

[Traci Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished reading this book and felt quite satisfied upon finishing it...it has been a while since I really have enjoyed the ending to a book and felt that accomplishment of a good read. I was glad this wasn't a series, although I don't mind series. But now and then you just want to start and finish only one book and this was a great book to do that to.
Throughout the book I could see the growth of the main character, Kipp and the struggles he faced as he carried the Kwaja with him to keep death from occurring. By the end of the book there is not only clarity for Kipp but for you as a reader. There are even a few suprises in the last few chapters for Kipp and the reader....enjoyed this book very much. I think the reason I enjoyed it the most is because the life lived by Kipp and his people was very simple, filled with belief, and you found yourself questioning why Kipp was doing what he was doing...hmmm...

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Theresa L. Stowell for TeensReadToo.com

Seventeen-year-old Kipp is struck by tragedy when he leaves the house in the middle of the night with the goal of catching a wild white horse he has been watching. He has left Royan, his nine-year-old brother, with his tinder box to light the morning fire.

Somehow, the house, barn, fields, and everything else around his home are engulfed in flame and Gwali, the Death Catcher, has taken the souls of Royan and their parents. Only younger sister Jilly has survived. Kipp vows to steal Gwali's Kwaja, or bag of souls, to release his family's spirits.

Within a day of his family's deaths, Kipp and Jilly are forced into the service of Sor Tunassi, the wealthy landowner from who Kipp's family had purchased their home. Kipp struggles to keep Jilly safe and healthy as they slave in the fields. He also struggles with his growing feelings for Zalika, Sor Tunassi's rebellious daughter.

As Kipp's journey progresses, he is continually tested in his quest to steal the power of death from Gwali. Kipp's life changes yet again one night on the way home after going riding with Zalika when Zalika takes a fall, and Gwali comes for her.

Carey's fantasy questions religion, immigration, social systems, and life over death. The lessons Kipp learns include issues of acceptance, belonging, love, and personal strength. He learns that he must sacrifice himself to keep those he loves safe. This engaging fantasy captures the reader's heart from the very first with strong characters and a fascinating setting.

Though the story is winning, the vocabulary is not for the weak at heart. Carey's fantasy dialect can be intimidating from the start. Strong readers, however, will enjoy tackling the language puzzle of Kipp's world.

[Leeanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stealing Death, by Janet Lee Carey

Seventeen-year-old Kipp loses all of his family except his younger sister in a fire at the start of "Stealing Death." As a result of the tragedy, Kipp is determined to steal the soul sack of the Death, so that he can keep anyone else he loves from dying. But once he manages to steal the sack, Kipp's in for an epic struggle in learning to control it, and overcoming his emotional demons.

Carey's fantasy is set in a sort of sub-Saharan Africa, with an unusual twist. The "Pales" are the servants and laborers of the Zolyans, a dark skinned race. A Pale, Kipp longs for the magic powers that some of the Zolyans have, such as the ability to see spirits or dragons. Magic is woven into the novel, through the use of stories.

At first glance this book doesn't seem young adult, as Carey's writing is definitely upscale, which would make this a great book for intelligent kids, or those wanting to tackle something a little challenging.

I really liked the ending of this book, as I felt it was the perfect way to finish Kipp's story, and Carey pulled it off very nicely. I actually sat for a few minutes with the book after finishing, thinking about the finish. My only complaint is that the middle of the book seemed to drag on a little bit, but other than that, I think it's a great pick, if you're looking for a good, one book fantasy story.

4/5.

[Kai C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was a different world indeed. There was Folk-lore in here that was just great. thought i must say at time the journey of the main Character was rather random or little to played out. Though i loved the the flying, magic,dragons, horses, the animals (in general), and the setting its self. I have read of few of Carey's books and i always find my self swooshed off to another world. This one is a probably up there as one of my favorite out the books i have read from here. though i did like The Beast of Noor. Mrs. Janet sure can write so its hard to really remember what i don't like about her story. maybe that simply she writes so well that i can't recall my little complaints.yep though my only complaint that stuck out was the ending. it just leave you off wonder what really happens after that. so many paths it seemed that the main character could take but no answer at the end. 4.5

[Y · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm about 40 pages in right now, and the story feels very much like the beginnings of some folkstory/mythology more than straight-up fantasy.

While there's nothing wrong with that, Carey's writing style isn't really meshing well with me. Events seem to be coming and going too quickly with sparse details, so that it's hard to take in everything. The workings of this world are maybe explained in one or two sentences, tops, when I'd prefer a little more in-depth information.

Also, the word choice seems...young. I can't quite put my finger on it, but reading it, it feels more like a younger child's book, someone who's just graduating past wordy picture books, but the cover and subject matter is obviously targeted at a young adult audience.

So far, an interesting idea, but the way the book's been packaged makes it kind of hard to get into the story.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

When nearly all of Kipp’s family dies in a fire, he chases Death to steal the soul sack so that death will not come to anyone again. Little does he know now, that he has powers that will go far beyond what Death can do.

On his journey, he saves his love, Zalika and his little sister, Jilly. But, he is determined to destroy the soul sack and he finds himself on a journey to find Omaja, the only one with the power to destroy it. When he finds her, he discovers things about himself, his family, and death that changed his destiny.

2 1/2 to 3 stars.

[BOOK BUTTERFLY · Rating 3 out of 5]

During a deadly house fire, Kipp saves his sister, but both his parents and younger brother Royan perish inside the flames. The death catcher and his hounds make off with their souls in the dreaded Kwaja or "soul sack". Kipp is enraged and vows never to let death take anyone he loves again. His resolve is quickly put to the test as Death hovers around the girl of his dreams. Will Kipp be able to keep the Death Catcher out of reach or is it really only a matter of time before Death comes to us all? And if Kipp does succeed in keeping Death at bay, what are the implications of his actions?

I was impressed with the time Janet Lee Carey took to construct the language, social customs and mysticism surrounding the different cultures within Stealing Death. It did, however, take me a little bit to get used to the numerous and often hard to pronounce names within the novel. But once I worked my way through the first couple of chapters and got assimilated into the cleverly crafted world of Zoyla, I became completely immersed in the story.

The characters of Stealing Death were intricately drawn and highly developed. Zalika was my favorite. Wild and fiercely independent, she was a strong female presence within the novel and I admired her tenacity. She was determined to break out of the constrictive gender roles relegated to women and I admired that. As for Kipp himself, he was an extremely likable protagonist. His unerring loyalty and love for his sister Jilly also endeared his character to me. I could understand why Zalka and Kipp would be drawn to one another. They both were courageous individuals with strong personalities- I couldn't help but root for them the entire novel!

Stealing Death is an action packed, fast paced thrill ride about a courageous boy storming through drought plagued lands on a flying horse. In addition to the intriguing fantasy aspects of the story, Stealing Death is also a book with many deep layers to reflect upon. For this reason, I think it would make an excellent installment to any school curriculum. The complex issues of morality, social equality and conflicting gender roles could generate really interesting discussions within a classroom setting.

Who wouldn't go to great lengths to keep death away from their loved ones? This is the driving force behind the book and what also makes it such an interesting read. I enjoyed this book immensely and am looking forward to the sequel!

[Margaret Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been said that you can learn how to become a better writer both by reading great books and awful ones. Turns out that you can learn from reading books that are just sort of okay, too.

Stealing Death by Janet Lee Carey was published in 2009 and is aimed at the YA market. It's got a neat premise: After a fire burns down his home, the Gwali, a sort of grim reaper/boogeyman, steals the souls of Kipp's parents and puts them in a sack. Kipp will go to incredible lengths to get that sack back. It's also refreshingly different that Carey decided to set this story in an African-like society. (Although the girl on the front cover is quite clearly a white person with darkened skin. But I digress. That was the illustrator's fault.)

I was disappointed to find that Carey took such a cool idea and made a mediocre story out of it. There's nothing at all wrong with this book. But I got about twenty pages into it and wondered to myself why I didn't care what happened next. The answer: It's only a made-up story. Kipp isn't real, so it doesn't matter what happens to him. When you're writing fiction, this is a very bad sign indeed.

Carey tells us, outright, that Kipp is sad that his parents and little brother are dead. Okay. And he has a crush on his landlord's daughter. Okay, but where is the evidence for this? Does he do anything to show that he's sad? No, he just sort of packs up his stuff and starts on his quest. He's okay, but he never makes that jump from "generic YA protagonist" to "person I care about desperately."

I suppose the writing lesson to take away from this is that crafting a compelling story is hard work.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know this book is getting a lot of Great Book Buzz, but I just found it enjoyable (as opposed to a Must Read). The author blends the hero's journey from different cultures (the Lostwalk, the Naqui powers, the caves, etc.) and grafts them onto a culture that lives with dragons and slavery.

Kipp has stolen Kwaja (a bag into which souls go when the body dies) from the Gwali (a Grim Reaper). Why? Because he thinks that he can rescue the souls of his parents and younger brother, as well as save Zalika (the girl he loves) from entering Kwaja. Of course, we learn by the end that his understanding of what Kwaja is, and what the role of the Gwali is, is wrong and that his dreams of what his life would be like have been superseded by his fate. It all felt a little obvious, but perhaps that's because I've read Campbell and Eliade.

The one thing I found really interesting was the flipping of cultures. Here, the dominant culture is black (well, very dark skinned) and Kipp is often referred to as a "pale", and pales were considered less than worthy in this society. That alone made me want to read more about this world, not as a sequel necessarily, but as a series.

[Tessa McMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kipp Corwin grew up listening to tales of the death rider, Gwali, and his soul sack, Kwaja. But Kipp actually witnesses Gwali and Kwaja when he comes too late to save his parents and younger brother from a fire. After his loss, Kipp vows to never let his loved ones enter Kwaja again. So with the help of a potion, Kipp steals Kwaja from Gwali. But once Kipp witnesses Kwaja's power, he searches for a way to destroy the soul sack and possibly stop death forever.

Carey is gifted in weaving together myths, cultures, and magic into a seamless and engaging piece of literature. Carey's inspiration for Stealing Death comes from African culture and European legends. This combined perspective gives the story a unique foundation for Carey's characters. The theme of seeing death as a positive thing is rare in young adult literature. Kipp has many fears about death. But through Kipp’s experiences, readers learn the need for death and the joy that occurs with life after death. Stealing Death is a very enlightening, beautiful, and original piece of literature. Good for ages 12 and up.

(Found on Children's Compass Chronicle: childrenscompasschronicle.blogspot.com)

[Fantasy Literature · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stealing Death by Janet Lee Carey is a book I really wanted to like. It has an unusual YA setting — a desert land of red sandstone and small villages; a great premise — a young boy (Kipp) who steals the sack Death uses to collect souls so no more have to die; an exciting, emotional beginning with all but one of Kipp’s family killed in a fire; and a pattern of inserting small folktales into the larger narrative.

But for all that I wanted to love this book, and for all its emotional weight of theme and character — death, guilt, love, family responsibility, aging — it had a curiously removed feel to it. Part of it was that once we had followed Kipp from the fire that left him with only his little sister to the new fields he was forced to work to when he steals the sack of the Gwali (death-catcher), the book ... Read More:
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[Additeenlibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

What would happen to the world if Death were stolen? If no one could die, even those who wanted to or were really sick? Kipp, angered by the death of his entire family, steals the soul bag from Death and vows not to allow any one else's soul to be taken. This is not an easy task, as the soul bag drags him towards the dying and he must constantly fight it.

The story did not move as quickly as I wanted it to and I felt that too many loose ends were left dangling. You, however, might love this book, so try it for yourself.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kipp and his family have immigrated to a new land where they are outcasts trying to fit in. After the Gwali (death god) takes everyone in his family but him and his little sister, Kipp is determined to steal the Gwali's bag so he won't lose anyone else he loves. Carey does a great job creating the mythology of this fictional people. We also see in Kipp a very human character, who makes some dishonorable choices and must learn many of the difficult lessons of life.

Recommended 9th grade plus, and for avid readers.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was not as page-turning as Dragon's Keep, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. In this book, a young man steals the grim reaper's bag to keep is last remaining family from dying after he loses most of his family in a house fire. Over time, he realizes that the only way to stop losing people to death is to ask a goddess to destroy the grim reaper's sack. He leads a merry chase trying to protect those he loves. Will he manage to ensure their safety forever? Does he really want to?

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a beautifully written young adult fantasy but I found myself struggling to finish it. I loved Carey's first book Dragon's Keep. This one just doesn't measure up to her previous success. I give it 4 stars for her writing style and 2 stars for story line since I found it somewhat predictable. Thus, the 3 star rating.

[Lisa Blouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful...and, joy of joys, a fantasy that is not part of a trilogy or quartet, etc. I didn't realize how much I appreciate being able to begin and finish a story without a year's interruption! (Actually, I did. This is my current pet peeve...and is driving me to consider waiting until an author is completely finished with a story, no matter how many years, to begin reading it!)

[Libby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written fantasy, but somewhat predictable story of a boy coming to terms with the death of his family. I don't agree with all the conclusions, but I think it will cause kids who read it to ask good questions.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written and enjoyable book. The story is about a young man who decides to stop death from taking his loved ones. It is very poetic and romantically written. The picture on the front is why I chose to read it and I am glad that did! I love beautiful book covers!

[Natalia Copersin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoied this book, and I became addicted to reading it constantly. This rarely happens with me, but I was really disappointed when I finished. It was sort of an easier read, but the meaning of those words really made up for it.

[Tirzah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't remember why I marked this on my to-read shelf...it is not my kind of book; hence, the 2-star. It is a finely written story and if one likes to read of fictional lands with fictional gods/afterlife, then they may enjoy this book.

[Miss Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was not bad, but I just could not get interested in it. I may come back and try again and quite enjoy it and then again, I may not....

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

didn't draw me in as Dragon's Keep did

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great new fantasy by Carey- if you are tired of vampire & zombie stories, here is a title about trying to stop death from coming...

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very different fantasy - loved it.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action was awesome and it always kept gping there was never any slow parts!

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantasy about a boy who steals death to make sure that no one he loves can die. The idea is GREAT but the book was still a disappointment!

[Rohan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book, though I can't imagine anyone being as pig headed as the main character.

[Tigerlily · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took awhile for me to get into this, and I figured out the ending pretty early on, but there were still some good twists I didn't expect.

[Hasyril Rakhmadienna]

nice