Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
82nd out of 148 books
—
181 voters
Stealing Death
by
Janet Lee Carey (Goodreads Author)
“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...more
“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...more
Hardcover, 368 pages
Published
September 8th 2009
by EgmontUSA
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
297)
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 Jil...more
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 Jil...more
The book takes place in Southern Zolya, a place close to magic but not quite in touch with it. The main character, Kipp Corwin, is only seventeen when he accidently leads his family into disaster and loses everything. He and his seven-year-old sister survive only to become enslaved immigrants to the farm’s owner, a tough master who is also the father of Kipp’s sweetheart, Zalika. Kipp is determined to protect his sister and create a future with Zalika. When they are threatened, he defies death a...more
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...more
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...more
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...more
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...more
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. tho...more
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...more
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...more
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,...more
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,...more
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 al...more
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 Zali...more
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 Zali...more
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...more
Recommended 9th grade plus, and...more
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!)
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 se...more
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 se...more
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?
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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...
The action was awesome and it always kept gping there was never any slow parts!
I really liked this book, though I can't imagine anyone being as pig headed as the main character.
Very different fantasy - loved it.
Mar 22, 2013
Hasyril Rakhmadienna
added it
nice
Not bad
didn't draw me in as Dragon's Keep did
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....
May 16, 2013
Massiel
marked it as to-read
May 14, 2013
Savannah
marked it as to-read
May 08, 2013
Tasia
marked it as to-read
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
~Things are never what they seem. Find the lost inside the dream ~
Janet Lee Carey is the award-winning author of eight 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 reader...more
More about Janet Lee Carey...
Janet Lee Carey is the award-winning author of eight 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 reader...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
