Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - Masters of Death

i enjoyed this so so so much more than i enjoyed the atlas six. it's october, so i figured i'd read a book centred around the paranormal and death and whatnot, and this was SO GOOD. granted, there wasn't really much plot, it was a very character driven book with the bare bones of a plot, but the characters are what makes this book worthwhile. it was funny, entertaining and all of the characters genuinely seemed real and have minds of their own. my favourite had to be fox, or mayra. i would probably read this again, because i had such a good time reading it

Content Warnings

roseleebooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was my first read by Olivie Blake and I found the writing and the story very enjoyable. It's theme is life and what makes it worth living, told via a comedy featuring angels, demons, a vampire, a ghost, gods, and the godson of Death. The dialogue was witty, sharp, and funny. There were some moments in the plot where I had to reread to figure out what was happening, but regardless I found the story engaging. This was a great choice as an early fall read and I would readily reread this in future.

Content Warnings

natashaleighton_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Darkly satirical and bursting with an eclectic, found family style cast of characters (and creatures) that I found thoroughly endearing.

I didn’t know too much about the plot, just that a vampire estate agent calls on the services of a medium (and godson of Death) to help her with the ghost currently haunting one of her listings. Which sounded like an incredibly fun read, but what we get is soo much more.

With her deliciously descriptive prose, Blake immerses us in a world of immortals, a high stakes game against death and a pretty deep (at least I thought so) exploration into mortality, life and it’s emotional vulnerabilities that really brought our flawed and loveably chaotic characters to life.

The complexity involved in manoeuvring soo many interconnected characters through multiple timelines (and flashbacks), without losing any of its light-hearted whimsy was remarkably impressive.

And though I loved soo many characters,I have to admit Viola’s demonic bestie Isis —and her penchant for winding up Fox— quickly made her one of my favourite characters who I’d absolutely love to see more of in any future projects… perhaps even a prequel or spinoff of some sort.

Overall, this was a satisfyingly pacy and unputdownable read that will definitely appeal to fans of Good Omens, whimsical paranormal fantasy or the found family trope.

Content Warnings

itsheyfay's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

kayceeisbookish's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

takarakei's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"There is a game that the immortals play. The stakes are impossibly high and yet laughably low. There is only one secret: The more you have to lose, the harder it is to win. There is only one rule: Don't lose."

Masters of Death asks the question what is the price of immortality? We follow several creatures: vampire, ghost, demigod, demon, angel, reaper... and a mortal whom is the godson of Death, as they navigate a treacherous game played by immortals. The inter-character dynamics are top notch. This book is full of witty banter, laugh out loud moments, and a bit of heartbreak (it wouldn't be an Olivie book without some).

I truly don't understand how Olivie Blake's mind comes up with these stories. I'm in awe of her writing. She has such a particular way of describing things so beautifully that scratches a part of my brain. Her characters are so interesting, complex and well developed.

Content Warnings

jessiereads98's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Masters of Death is a delightful and weird adventure. A vampire, a ghost, a demon, an angel, a reaper, a demigod, and the godson of death walk into a haunted house then have to save Death. Hijinks and poignant relationships ensue.

I love Olivie Blake’s prose, and her unique style is just as present here as it has been in previous works. She injects more humour here than previous books that I loved. It’s all very dry and matched my sense of humour well, I found myself laughing at several points. The humour juxtaposes well to highlight Blake’s themes. The fantastical systems are corrupt in the most mundane and human of ways, and by not accounting for the humanity they supposedly oversee, they fail.

This is a weird book (in the best way), but at its heart this is a story about coming to terms with change, growing, relationships, and love both platonic and romantic. Blake shines in her character work here as usual. All these characters have gone through what on the surface seem like unusual major events (undeath in its various forms), but end up being intensely relatable as the characters find themselves and grow around and from massive upheaval. What’s beautiful is how the characters find each other, and how through that love find themselves as well.

Content Warnings

More...