Review: Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Series: Something Strange and Deadly, #1
Release Date: July 24th 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 388
Source: My collection
Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Buy it: Amazon | The Book Depository
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The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

 

This book really surprised me since I don’t usually read historical fiction books. The fact this has zombies in it is really the only reason I decided to pick it up. Zombies make everything better. I don’t usually read the synopsis of book but I hadn’t really heard anything about this one so I just read the first paragraph and it sounded pretty good. The rating on Goodreads was another reason for me to read it.

The first page of the book starts us out with immediate action. Which was good because if I am bored from the start I will take forever to finish a book. There are quite a few zombie scenes or “action” scenes in this book and they are all good. Anything having to do with the zombie scenes I really enjoyed. Especially when she was dealing with the “hungry” zombies. The moments in-between could get a little slow though. I think that had more to do with the time period and me not being able to connect with it.

There are necromancers and black magic in this book which was a surprise for me because I didn’t realize that was involved in the book. Those also aren’t usually things I read but I really enjoyed it in this setting and it worked very well with the book.

The main character is Eleanor Fitt of the Philadelphia Fitts. Her family is part of the upper class and is very well known in the area. However after her father passes away and her brother goes away for college they start to lose they money. Eleanor is in charge of the money for the household but her mother insists on trying to keep up the lifestyle and trick everyone into thinking they still have money. Eleanor feels like she doesn’t fit in with her family. Her mother is constantly trying to marry her off and insists that that is the only way their family is going to survive since her brother hasn’t come back.

When Eleanor figures out her brother has gone missing she chooses not to tell her mother and tries to find out for herself what has happened to him. This is what starts off the big adventure. We proceed to meet many people including a reporter and the Spirit-Hunters, who have come to help out the city.

I enjoyed the writing in this book and I was lucky enough to find the second book for cheap so I will be reading the next book in the series. I definitely recommend picking this up if you enjoy a good walking dead story. There is also a prequel you can check out!

 

My Rating: