Death’s Daughter by Amber Benson
She thought the devil wore Prada… until she met the real one!
Before I begin this review, a confession: I’m a sucker for any novel containing cute hellhounds.
Calliope Reaper-Jones is living the life of a typical New York office flunky, dealing with a diva boss, less-hunky-than-advertised blind dates, and a lust for designer clothes she can’t afford. That is, until her father, who happens to be the Grim Reaper himself, is kidnapped and Calliope is swept back into a dangerous supernatural world she’s spent her entire adult life trying to escape.
What follows is one part mystery, one part fairy tale. Callie must figure out who has absconded with her father, and why, before worse things happen. At the same time, the board of directors in charge of Death, Inc. have given Callie three nearly-impossible tasks to complete in order to come into the power that is her birthright. Callie has a complicated world of deities, demons, and bureaucrats to navigate, and not much time to learn the ropes. What makes me think of fairy tales, I think, is the way that Callie’s success or failure in her tasks so often hinges on how she treats people along her journey.
I may be giving you, dear reader, the idea that this is a Very Serious Book. That would be a mistaken impression. While Death’s Daughter contains themes that would be right at home in a very dark urban fantasy, Amber Benson keeps the tone light and chick-litty. Death’s Daughter has its touching moments, but it also has a conversational writing style with plenty of humor, slang, and fashion commentary. For the most part, this works. An exception is Benson’s use of “gonna” in narration. I’m just enough of an English nerd that it throws me out of the story every time she does it. (I don’t mind it in the dialogue.)
Recommended if you’re looking for a light, fun urban fantasy with a breezy style, a scene-stealing supporting cast, and great shoes.
I do have to say this is definitely a read for one who is looking for a fun, quick, easy, light read with the reaper in mind. I did read this and enjoyed it but have to say I have read many books better and more interesting. I liked the idea with being the Grim Reapers daughter and the twist in her life though.
Yup, that’s pretty much my opinion of it. Fun, cute, light, but not a huge standout in the genre.
:ugh: Ewwww! A girl book. lol Sorry :-))
Yup, that it is. :)
Yeah, girl stuff. Lots of mention of cloths and shoes and stuff. (Some names I really don’t know either.)