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A review by whatsmacksaid
Graveminder by Melissa Marr
3.0
I liked "Graveminder" well enough, but the beginning and parts of the middle were much slower than they needed to be. Questions are not answered for a hundred pages or more, and by that point a literal portal to the afterlife feels like a bit of a stretch. I knew something mystical was going on, but "Graveminder" is set in our world, roughly at the present day, but because of the lack of hints or answers prior to the introduction of the portal to the afterlife I wasn't at all prepared for something that big to happen. Up until that point I had thought "Graveminder" was more magical realism than straight-up, other-worlds-attached-to-ours, fantasy.
Other than the slow pacing and sudden jolt when things picked up, I enjoyed "Graveminder" well enough. My favorite thing was how the point of view continually shifted--I loved seeing how different Rebeckah and Byron viewed the world of the afterlife, how other characters (particularly Daisha, Rebeckah's step-cousin Liz, and the mayor) viewed Rebeckah and Byron's relationship, and how Daisha reclaimed her humanity. The whole story is told through third-person limited point of view, but with who the POV is limited to always shifting, the world of Clayville became far more robust. The cast was varied but interesting, and very few minor characters were anything but fully 3D.
All in all, well worth a read, but I'm very glad I got my (virtual) copy on sale. Don't pay full price for "Graveminder."
Other than the slow pacing and sudden jolt when things picked up, I enjoyed "Graveminder" well enough. My favorite thing was how the point of view continually shifted--I loved seeing how different Rebeckah and Byron viewed the world of the afterlife, how other characters (particularly Daisha, Rebeckah's step-cousin Liz, and the mayor) viewed Rebeckah and Byron's relationship, and how Daisha reclaimed her humanity. The whole story is told through third-person limited point of view, but with who the POV is limited to always shifting, the world of Clayville became far more robust. The cast was varied but interesting, and very few minor characters were anything but fully 3D.
All in all, well worth a read, but I'm very glad I got my (virtual) copy on sale. Don't pay full price for "Graveminder."