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The Life and Death Parade
One year ago, Kitty's boyfriend Nikki Bramley visited a psychic who told him he had no future. Now, he's dead.
With the Bramley family grieving in separate corners of their home, Kitty sets out to find the psychic who read Nikki his fate. Instead she finds Roan, an enigmatic boy posing as a medium who belongs to the Life and Death Parade--a group of supposed charlatans that explore, and exploit, the thin veil between this world and the next. A group whose members include the psychic... and Kitty's late mother.
Desperate to learn more about the group and their connection to Nikki, Kitty convinces Roan to return to the Bramley house with her and secures a position for him within the household. Roan quickly ingratiates himself with the Bramleys, and soon enough it seems like everyone is ready to move on. Kitty, however, increasingly suspects Roan knows more about Nikki than he's letting on. And when they finally locate the Life and Death Parade, and the psychic who made that fateful prophecy to Nikki, Kitty uncovers a secret about Roan that changes everything.
From rising star Eliza Wass comes a sophisticated, mesmerizing meditation on the depths of grief and the magic of faith. After all, it only works if you believe it.
With the Bramley family grieving in separate corners of their home, Kitty sets out to find the psychic who read Nikki his fate. Instead she finds Roan, an enigmatic boy posing as a medium who belongs to the Life and Death Parade--a group of supposed charlatans that explore, and exploit, the thin veil between this world and the next. A group whose members include the psychic... and Kitty's late mother.
Desperate to learn more about the group and their connection to Nikki, Kitty convinces Roan to return to the Bramley house with her and secures a position for him within the household. Roan quickly ingratiates himself with the Bramleys, and soon enough it seems like everyone is ready to move on. Kitty, however, increasingly suspects Roan knows more about Nikki than he's letting on. And when they finally locate the Life and Death Parade, and the psychic who made that fateful prophecy to Nikki, Kitty uncovers a secret about Roan that changes everything.
From rising star Eliza Wass comes a sophisticated, mesmerizing meditation on the depths of grief and the magic of faith. After all, it only works if you believe it.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published July 12, 2018
9 people are currently reading
850 people want to read
About the author
Eliza Wass
3 books131 followers"One day we'll find a way to make a brand new start." --Alan Wass
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
February 16, 2018
How the hell are people raving about this book? I was going to give it two stars but now I feel I need to offer the rating average a dose of sanity.
Everything here is bad. The characters are annoying and one dimensional, the plot is asinine, things are predictable as jeep and when I was finished reading I wanted all non dead characters to die. It is a quick read, but honestly your time is better spent replaying the first five levels of candy crush over and over to try and beat your already outrageously high score.
Everything here is bad. The characters are annoying and one dimensional, the plot is asinine, things are predictable as jeep and when I was finished reading I wanted all non dead characters to die. It is a quick read, but honestly your time is better spent replaying the first five levels of candy crush over and over to try and beat your already outrageously high score.
July 1, 2018
3.5 stars actually. The book was a little different from what I expected. While it was set in a current time period, so much about it made it seem like it was actually in the past. That messed me up a bit at times. The magic was definitely interesting, and there were some very unique characters. I wanted a bit more with Nikki, but it was kind of filled in more towards the end, so that helped. There were lots of clues sprinkled throughout the story as to what really happened, and some were good clues, some were dead ends in a way, because they got you off track for what was really happening or had happened. I don't feel like I can talk too much about the actual story, as I don't want to give away anything that actually happened, because I feel like you need to read it all in order and let the plot unfold.
dnf
January 28, 2018this was, as the critics say, bad.
I thought this would be amazing, but I literally started reading about an hour ago and I’m already far enough through to know that it’s time to nope my way out of here
The writing moved too quickly, I couldn’t picture anything in my head, and the love interest was already super cringe-y.
I’m too tired of pushing through bad beginnings to continue this book,,, so,,, goodbye
I thought this would be amazing, but I literally started reading about an hour ago and I’m already far enough through to know that it’s time to nope my way out of here
The writing moved too quickly, I couldn’t picture anything in my head, and the love interest was already super cringe-y.
I’m too tired of pushing through bad beginnings to continue this book,,, so,,, goodbye
June 29, 2018
I haven’t (yet) read The Cresswell Plot, but I remember when it came out and I first heard the name Eliza Wass. I didn’t know the work of her late husband, the musician Alan Wass, but I knew that he had passed because she made reference to it in her author biography. So when I saw the concept of this book, The Life and Death Parade, I was eager to read it and find out how she described the loss of a loved one and the grieving process. What I didn’t realize, however, until I just looked it up, is that her husband only passed away 3 years ago. I can only imagine the strength it took to, first of all, even finish The Cresswell Plot in the midst of his death and, second, write such an intimate look at grief as she has done in this book. I’ve said this before: it seems to me that many authors have “the book of their heart,” the one that is for whatever reason more special than all the others. It feels to me like this is that book for Ms. Wass.
Although this is a short novel - certainly the shortest I’ve read in a while - it’s incredible to me how Ms. Wass is able to pack so much emotion in here. I used the same amount of page flags for this 246-page book as I normally use for books with 400 pages! As someone who has...let’s say, “issues”...with economy of words, I greatly admire someone who can so beautifully tell a whole, satisfying story with such spare prose. It’s not like, oh, Ernest Hemingway and his ridiculously short sentences; rather, Ms. Wass has an ability to make darn near *every single word* count. Long story short, I have a tendency to ramble, especially in writing (if you’ve read my reviews, you know this, ha!), so I admire packing the same intensity of a 400-page book in a mere 246 pages.
The reason I wanted to read this book is that I often seek out books that explore loss and grief, because I lost my sister to domestic violence ten and a half years ago and I still struggle with it, every single day. I tend to gravitate toward novels that explore the variety of ways we humans grieve, how we each handle devastating loss in our own way. I will admit - and this is not something I’ve said “out loud” before - that I often feel I must be doing the grieving process incorrectly, because I remain so affected by my sister’s loss more than ten years later. Maybe I am searching for the “right” way to do it, which is why I seek out books like this one? For whatever reason, I’m glad I did read this one, because it really is a beautiful examination of loss, grief, and faith. Kitty’s struggle with the death of her boyfriend, Nikki, at far too young an age is presented with respect. Her desire to find some way to reach Nikki, to talk to him, her intense need to just have him back -- these are all things I have felt in the past ten-plus years. If I heard of something like the Life and Death Parade? I would be all over it just as eagerly as was Kitty, you better believe that.
There were so many sentences, paragraphs, and sections of this book that I just felt so connected to. I teared up a fair amount, because I’d read something that sounded like it could have come from my own mouth, and because I really felt Kitty’s pain (not to mention that of his brother, Macklin, and his little sister, Holly). At one point, Nikki’s dad, Kitty’s guardian, tells her she seems to be “drifting.” She tells the reader:
I didn’t say anything--what could I say? Of course I was drifting. What else could I do? Only a cold person could say, The boy I loved is dead, so let’s make lemonade out of corpses! To do anything else but drift would be to corroborate with the world, to agree to all this madness. To say it was okay that people died. To say something good could come out of it. (p. 135-136)
And, when he tells her she needs to decide “what it is that you want,” she tells us:
I thought my answer so intensely I almost believed he would read my mind: But what if I can’t have what I want? Because what I wanted was impossible. What I wanted was the world to right itself and start over. I could be generous; I could give the world another chance, if it would just give me Nikki back. (p. 136)
I include those two passages as just two examples of many that, as I said, could have come straight from my own mouth, head, heart. I truly hope that writing this book helped Ms. Wass to work through the fact that, I’m sure, she continues to struggle with the loss of her husband. Also, the inclusion of Alan Wass’ lyrics before each of the four parts of the book made it feel even more special for the reader, like Ms. Wass was sharing a piece of him with each of us. They are beautiful lyrics in their own right, honestly, but knowing that they are the words of the man she loved most in the world and lost too soon, well ... I want to thank her for sharing that with us.
Thanks so much to Rockstar for letting me take part in this tour, and to Disney-Hyperion for the beautiful copy of the book. Thanks especially to Ms. Wass for such a heartfelt story that connected, and resonated, with me deeply. If you are drawn to books that explore the human condition, the loss and grief we all must go through at some point in our lives, I encourage you to pick up The Life and Death Parade. These are words that will stay with me for a long time.
Rating: 5 bright, beautiful stars
**Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part, and reflects my honest rating of and thoughts on the book.
June 4, 2018
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
DNF @ 30%
This story sounded like it had a lot of potential as a YA gothic horror, but unfortunately it just didn't work out for me. This was very not good. The writing and the characters are both very flat and one dimensional. I couldn't connect to any of the cast of characters and everything seemed to move too quickly but very little seemed to actually happen. You know, I wasn't even sure if the main character was really dead or not.
Thanks anyway, NetGalley.
DNF @ 30%
This story sounded like it had a lot of potential as a YA gothic horror, but unfortunately it just didn't work out for me. This was very not good. The writing and the characters are both very flat and one dimensional. I couldn't connect to any of the cast of characters and everything seemed to move too quickly but very little seemed to actually happen. You know, I wasn't even sure if the main character was really dead or not.
Thanks anyway, NetGalley.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2018
There's like, a TON of ideas going on in this book and it's far too short for all of them to come to their full fruition. However, 3star ending almost.
didn-t-finish
February 16, 2019Yeah, whoo.... a definite DNF.
May 8, 2018
Full review posted at Among the Authors
Two years ago, I discovered Eliza Wass through her debut YA novel, The Cresswell Plot. While the book didn’t necessarily hit one out of the park for me, its author did, and I became somewhat entranced by Eliza and her story. She grew up in a strict, religious community and didn’t meet anyone outside of that religion until she interned at Disney at the age of 22. She talks more about that part of her background in this article from the Guardian, and it’s clear where her inspiration for The Cresswell Plot (here titled In the Dark, In the Woods) came from. Her bio claims “she has thousands of friends, all of whom either arrive inside dust jackets or post obsessively on Twitter”, and following her on Twitter gave me a deeper look into her writing, her whimsical personality, and her devotion to her late husband, Alan Wass of Alan Wass and the Tourniquet.
So, when I spotted the beautiful cover of The Life and Death Parade while I was at PLA, I had to snatch it up. It became one of my first must-read ARCs in a massive book haul, and it delivered the type of hauntingly eerie story that I’ve come to expect from Eliza Wass.
What I Liked:
Eliza Wass has a beautiful and delicate way of tackling topics like death and grief. She has a way with words, particularly her rich imagery that paints her settings. I longed to know more about the characters, Nikki especially, because he has such a fun persona that steals every scene.
At the beginning of each chapter are featured lines from the author’s late husband, which help to set the tragic tone as Kitty searches for answers to what happened to her boyfriend and how the psychic’s prediction of his death came to pass. A variety of different relationships are explored, each shedding a little more light on how each character grieves, and I was glad that the romantic elements weren’t your typical sugar-coated YA romance tropes. The loss of Nikki haunts the entire story, and in turn the reader aches along with each of the characters in the family.
It’s a quick, enjoyable read that you can finish in just a few short hours, but it can be said that the story will end well before you want it to.
What I Didn’t Like:
About halfway through, I started feeling like I was missing something. Specifically, I felt as if this book had been over-edited and scenes that would have helped me to better connect with the characters and their stories had been cut. Looking back at my review of The Cresswell Plot, I wasn’t surprised to see that I’d felt similarly about that title. The Life and Death Parade is a very short, quick read, but the fast pacing will have you wishing there were slower moments to help the story build. I’m beginning to wonder if this is just Wass’s writing style or if she has an editor that prefers it this way. Either way, I wish we got to know the characters a little bit better because they seem so quirky, unique, and mysterious.
Overall Rating:
I was torn on how to rate this book, but I ultimately decided on 3.5/5 stars. The premise has so much potential and the cast of characters were eccentric and wonderful, but the plot falls victim to an overly fast pace. I still have so many questions and things that I want to know, which makes me wish there were at least another fifty pages or so to tell the full story. Eliza Wass continues to be an author to watch for me, and I look forward to seeing what comes next from her.
Two years ago, I discovered Eliza Wass through her debut YA novel, The Cresswell Plot. While the book didn’t necessarily hit one out of the park for me, its author did, and I became somewhat entranced by Eliza and her story. She grew up in a strict, religious community and didn’t meet anyone outside of that religion until she interned at Disney at the age of 22. She talks more about that part of her background in this article from the Guardian, and it’s clear where her inspiration for The Cresswell Plot (here titled In the Dark, In the Woods) came from. Her bio claims “she has thousands of friends, all of whom either arrive inside dust jackets or post obsessively on Twitter”, and following her on Twitter gave me a deeper look into her writing, her whimsical personality, and her devotion to her late husband, Alan Wass of Alan Wass and the Tourniquet.
So, when I spotted the beautiful cover of The Life and Death Parade while I was at PLA, I had to snatch it up. It became one of my first must-read ARCs in a massive book haul, and it delivered the type of hauntingly eerie story that I’ve come to expect from Eliza Wass.
What I Liked:
Eliza Wass has a beautiful and delicate way of tackling topics like death and grief. She has a way with words, particularly her rich imagery that paints her settings. I longed to know more about the characters, Nikki especially, because he has such a fun persona that steals every scene.
At the beginning of each chapter are featured lines from the author’s late husband, which help to set the tragic tone as Kitty searches for answers to what happened to her boyfriend and how the psychic’s prediction of his death came to pass. A variety of different relationships are explored, each shedding a little more light on how each character grieves, and I was glad that the romantic elements weren’t your typical sugar-coated YA romance tropes. The loss of Nikki haunts the entire story, and in turn the reader aches along with each of the characters in the family.
It’s a quick, enjoyable read that you can finish in just a few short hours, but it can be said that the story will end well before you want it to.
What I Didn’t Like:
About halfway through, I started feeling like I was missing something. Specifically, I felt as if this book had been over-edited and scenes that would have helped me to better connect with the characters and their stories had been cut. Looking back at my review of The Cresswell Plot, I wasn’t surprised to see that I’d felt similarly about that title. The Life and Death Parade is a very short, quick read, but the fast pacing will have you wishing there were slower moments to help the story build. I’m beginning to wonder if this is just Wass’s writing style or if she has an editor that prefers it this way. Either way, I wish we got to know the characters a little bit better because they seem so quirky, unique, and mysterious.
Overall Rating:
I was torn on how to rate this book, but I ultimately decided on 3.5/5 stars. The premise has so much potential and the cast of characters were eccentric and wonderful, but the plot falls victim to an overly fast pace. I still have so many questions and things that I want to know, which makes me wish there were at least another fifty pages or so to tell the full story. Eliza Wass continues to be an author to watch for me, and I look forward to seeing what comes next from her.
February 28, 2022
The story had so much potential but lacked substance and passion. The writing was chunky at best and at times hard to understand. A lot of the dialogue transitions didn't make sense; as if the character was answering a question that had not been asked. Character development and world building felt forced and mechanical. If this wasn't such a short book, and I hadn't been intrigued by the premise, I probably would have abandoned it a few chapters in. A generous 2 stars for a good idea.
June 25, 2018
I am sort of just...confused a little. review to come.
August 28, 2018
A few years ago I read In the Dark, In the Woods and loved it so much that when I found out Eliza Wass had a new book available, I was definitely interested in checking it out.
Plus, the cover is super cool.
Kitty lives in a big castle with the Bramley family, but she's not related to them. And since Nikki died, she pretty much haunts the corridors of the old place.
It's not until she decides to track down the psychic who told the boy she loved he didn't have a future, that she discovers something worth focusing on. Or rather, someone.
Roan is mysterious and strange, but he's charming and introduces Kitty to the magic of the Life and Death Parade. She might not believe in his supposed skill, but he does liven up the place and awakens a family that's slowly withering away.
But what is Roan's real purpose? And how is Kitty connected to everything? If she doesn't start believing in something soon, she might lose herself in the process...
Wow. This book is SO engrossing. As soon as I started, I got caught up in the shadowy air of mystery following the story from beginning to twisty end.
There are a LOT of things to like about this book, and Kitty's voice is the biggest reason. She doesn't shy away from the ugly, doesn't pretend she hasn't lost her way and has pretty much given up on everything. But is always there for those who need her.
The sense of location is so vivid. I could see the vast castle in my mind, imagined how easily it was for each member of the family to retreat to their own dark corners and continue on with their empty lives.
As for the Life and Death Parade, it's intriguing and lively and so full of death symbology. But it wasn't creepy. I saw it more like a celebration, and enjoyed spending time there. And we got to meet Joy! If there's one thing I wish there was more of, it's Joy because she's delightful.
The poems at the beginning--written by the author's late husband--of each part helped set the sombre mood.
The Life and Death Parade is such a beautiful haunting tale about grief, secrets and forgetting how to live after a personal tragedy. It's full of shadowed memories, painful thoughts, and is told through the eyes of a young girl who's lost a lot, and blames herself for what the boy she cared about most did.
I really loved this, and will continue to look out for more books written by this author.
Plus, the cover is super cool.
Kitty lives in a big castle with the Bramley family, but she's not related to them. And since Nikki died, she pretty much haunts the corridors of the old place.
It's not until she decides to track down the psychic who told the boy she loved he didn't have a future, that she discovers something worth focusing on. Or rather, someone.
Roan is mysterious and strange, but he's charming and introduces Kitty to the magic of the Life and Death Parade. She might not believe in his supposed skill, but he does liven up the place and awakens a family that's slowly withering away.
But what is Roan's real purpose? And how is Kitty connected to everything? If she doesn't start believing in something soon, she might lose herself in the process...
Wow. This book is SO engrossing. As soon as I started, I got caught up in the shadowy air of mystery following the story from beginning to twisty end.
There are a LOT of things to like about this book, and Kitty's voice is the biggest reason. She doesn't shy away from the ugly, doesn't pretend she hasn't lost her way and has pretty much given up on everything. But is always there for those who need her.
The sense of location is so vivid. I could see the vast castle in my mind, imagined how easily it was for each member of the family to retreat to their own dark corners and continue on with their empty lives.
As for the Life and Death Parade, it's intriguing and lively and so full of death symbology. But it wasn't creepy. I saw it more like a celebration, and enjoyed spending time there. And we got to meet Joy! If there's one thing I wish there was more of, it's Joy because she's delightful.
The poems at the beginning--written by the author's late husband--of each part helped set the sombre mood.
The Life and Death Parade is such a beautiful haunting tale about grief, secrets and forgetting how to live after a personal tragedy. It's full of shadowed memories, painful thoughts, and is told through the eyes of a young girl who's lost a lot, and blames herself for what the boy she cared about most did.
I really loved this, and will continue to look out for more books written by this author.
May 27, 2018
A castle, wealthy family (who are all a little strange) and a young girl who has been taken in by them but doesn’t fit in. Ingredients for a rather unusual read.
When Nikki visits a carnival he sees a psychic who predicts his death. A year on he is, indeed, dead and those left behind are struggling to accept their changed circumstances.
Kitty is determined to find this mysterious psychic and work out what happened. She finds The Life and Death Parade, a strange carnival where everyone deals with illusion. Encountering Roan, Kitty comes up with a plan to help the family move on. What she gets is far odder.
A little like The Cresswell Plot I spent large amounts of time thinking I’d missed something. The way this is edited makes it feel rather disjointed and this is quite an unsettling experience. Things do get resolved by the end, but not quite in the way I expected.
Thank you to NetGalley for granting me access to this in exchange for my thoughts.
When Nikki visits a carnival he sees a psychic who predicts his death. A year on he is, indeed, dead and those left behind are struggling to accept their changed circumstances.
Kitty is determined to find this mysterious psychic and work out what happened. She finds The Life and Death Parade, a strange carnival where everyone deals with illusion. Encountering Roan, Kitty comes up with a plan to help the family move on. What she gets is far odder.
A little like The Cresswell Plot I spent large amounts of time thinking I’d missed something. The way this is edited makes it feel rather disjointed and this is quite an unsettling experience. Things do get resolved by the end, but not quite in the way I expected.
Thank you to NetGalley for granting me access to this in exchange for my thoughts.
September 9, 2018
I received a free copy of this book for review. Opinions shared are mine.
This is the kind of book that made me think, "HUH?" I re-read several pages to make sure I hadn't somehow skipped one. The author has a very unique style, creates unusual characters, and her imagination must run like the Energizer bunny. Throughout the story, I felt like I was on the outside of an inside joke. So many “identity” driven themes are present in The Life and Death Parade. There are romantic elements that set it apart, with a definite distinction between social classes. In some ways, the story has a Gothic feel yet the setting is clearly in modern-day England. It has an interesting veneer of history blended with superstition.
This is the kind of book that made me think, "HUH?" I re-read several pages to make sure I hadn't somehow skipped one. The author has a very unique style, creates unusual characters, and her imagination must run like the Energizer bunny. Throughout the story, I felt like I was on the outside of an inside joke. So many “identity” driven themes are present in The Life and Death Parade. There are romantic elements that set it apart, with a definite distinction between social classes. In some ways, the story has a Gothic feel yet the setting is clearly in modern-day England. It has an interesting veneer of history blended with superstition.
March 22, 2018
The Life and Death Parade by Eliza Wass stars Kitty, whose boyfriend, Nikki Bramley was predicted to not have a future by a psychic. We know he's dead in the first few pages, but it's unclear how he got there. Enter a charismatic boy, Roan, who enchants Kitty and the rest of the Bramley family, but whose motivations are unknown. Kitty is determined to find answers and it seems to be hidden in the Life and Death Parade, a group of psychics.
I think the reason I wasn't in love with this book is it's not my kind of book. It is also difficult to really put this in a genre. I couldn't tell if there was magic in it for a long time and that really disoriented me. The way it was written was also hard for me to get into. However, I really liked how the story came together at the end, so it was worth it to get there.
Overall, a tough story for me to get into because I'm not really into magical realism, but the ending makes the read worth it.
Thank you to Disney for providing this book for review. This fact does not change my rating or review.
I think the reason I wasn't in love with this book is it's not my kind of book. It is also difficult to really put this in a genre. I couldn't tell if there was magic in it for a long time and that really disoriented me. The way it was written was also hard for me to get into. However, I really liked how the story came together at the end, so it was worth it to get there.
Overall, a tough story for me to get into because I'm not really into magical realism, but the ending makes the read worth it.
Thank you to Disney for providing this book for review. This fact does not change my rating or review.
October 15, 2025
My copy was an uncorrected proof, so I am unsure if anything changed in the final draft.
The characters did lack depth but weren't entirely unlikable. And the plot moved a little too conveniently along. But at the core, it is a story about grief and the extent some would go just for the possibility of talking to their loved ones again. Who doesn't want to believe in that kind of magic?
The characters did lack depth but weren't entirely unlikable. And the plot moved a little too conveniently along. But at the core, it is a story about grief and the extent some would go just for the possibility of talking to their loved ones again. Who doesn't want to believe in that kind of magic?
October 12, 2018
I have mixed feelings about this book. I’m debating on rating it lower, but there were some things I liked about it. I like Eliza Wass’s writing style and the overall spooky atmosphere of the setting. But the characters were flat and the plot made no sense. Overall, not a great reading experience for me.
February 21, 2018
Hey all!
I just finished reading an ARC of The Lives and Death Parade, by Eliza Wass! I received this from Disney Hyperion through Netgalley, thank you! This does not change my opinion of the book in any way.
This book was incredible, in a way that I did not expect. I knew it was a magical realism story, but that was it. This book felt like a My Chemical Romance song - dark, twisted and surprising.
Kitty is a girl who lives with a somewhat foster family in a castle. Her boyfriend, Nikki, died under mysterious circumstances. This death really affects the family, so Kitty does what she can to make them feel better, including hiring Roan, a member of the Life and Death Parade who can talk to ghosts. Through this, she gets more accustomed to the Life and Death Parade, a group of individuals who perform dark magic tricks for tourists, and who can also perform real dark magic, such as fortune telling and raising the dead. Of course, one runs into problems when meddling with dark magic...
This book is set to be very hyped as soon as it's published. The writing was dark yet elegant and graceful, with intricately woven ideas and metaphors about life and death. The ending was explosive and something I could not have seen coming if I tried.
I really liked the characters! They were each peculiar in their own way, and made for an odd harmonious cast. Holiday was creepy, Macklin was elegant, Kitty is spirited and Nikki was unusual. They have a strong yet eerie relationship. The characters from the Parade were very original, with just the right dose of creepiness to feel the unsettled atmosphere of the Parade (which was more of a carnival).
I was amazed by the author's ability to simply use word choice and sentence structure to create an atmosphere of any kind. This book was not about young love, it was about how people react to death, which made for a fascinating read, unlike any YA I have read so far.
I don't want to give away too much about this book, as I really think that it is something you should fully discover for yourself once it is released, in July of this year!
I'm giving this a 4.5 / 5 feathers!
Stay bookish,
Caroline
I just finished reading an ARC of The Lives and Death Parade, by Eliza Wass! I received this from Disney Hyperion through Netgalley, thank you! This does not change my opinion of the book in any way.
This book was incredible, in a way that I did not expect. I knew it was a magical realism story, but that was it. This book felt like a My Chemical Romance song - dark, twisted and surprising.
Kitty is a girl who lives with a somewhat foster family in a castle. Her boyfriend, Nikki, died under mysterious circumstances. This death really affects the family, so Kitty does what she can to make them feel better, including hiring Roan, a member of the Life and Death Parade who can talk to ghosts. Through this, she gets more accustomed to the Life and Death Parade, a group of individuals who perform dark magic tricks for tourists, and who can also perform real dark magic, such as fortune telling and raising the dead. Of course, one runs into problems when meddling with dark magic...
This book is set to be very hyped as soon as it's published. The writing was dark yet elegant and graceful, with intricately woven ideas and metaphors about life and death. The ending was explosive and something I could not have seen coming if I tried.
I really liked the characters! They were each peculiar in their own way, and made for an odd harmonious cast. Holiday was creepy, Macklin was elegant, Kitty is spirited and Nikki was unusual. They have a strong yet eerie relationship. The characters from the Parade were very original, with just the right dose of creepiness to feel the unsettled atmosphere of the Parade (which was more of a carnival).
I was amazed by the author's ability to simply use word choice and sentence structure to create an atmosphere of any kind. This book was not about young love, it was about how people react to death, which made for a fascinating read, unlike any YA I have read so far.
I don't want to give away too much about this book, as I really think that it is something you should fully discover for yourself once it is released, in July of this year!
I'm giving this a 4.5 / 5 feathers!
Stay bookish,
Caroline
January 19, 2018
This book manages to combine the elements of magic, faith, grief and the power all of those things can have over you if you choose to believe.
Beginning this book I was a bit skeptical as to how it was going to play out and the beginning was a bit right on the nose for me in terms of trying to foreshadow what was to come in a way that’s been done countless times in fiction whether it be books/tv or film but once we moved pass that brief section everything else was absolutely spectacular that I couldn’t hold that part against it.
‘The Life and Death Parade’ follows a family after the death of Nikki, a son, brother and first love, as they try and fail to navigate with a hole in their life where he once was, until an unlikely character shows up offering to play his part in order to ease their suffering, only to eventually find that he has more to offer them than just parlor tricks.
The entire concept of the Life and Death parade is something that seems so unreal and almost ancient in a way that you shouldn’t be there but at the same time you can’t look away and I wish I could see it in person I loved every second we spent there as it helped develop this belief system and the consequences that comes when you push things too far and take more than you should and the ripple affect it has on those closest to you.
The twist at the end only solidified the entirety of the message and it’s so powerful that it completely transcends this novel from a simple paranormal book to something far more meaningful in that things happen for a reason and it’s not our job to know what that reasoning is.
I love this book and I absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for something new to read that offers great twists and turns, a descent into madness and the power of belief.
**thank you to netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
Beginning this book I was a bit skeptical as to how it was going to play out and the beginning was a bit right on the nose for me in terms of trying to foreshadow what was to come in a way that’s been done countless times in fiction whether it be books/tv or film but once we moved pass that brief section everything else was absolutely spectacular that I couldn’t hold that part against it.
‘The Life and Death Parade’ follows a family after the death of Nikki, a son, brother and first love, as they try and fail to navigate with a hole in their life where he once was, until an unlikely character shows up offering to play his part in order to ease their suffering, only to eventually find that he has more to offer them than just parlor tricks.
The entire concept of the Life and Death parade is something that seems so unreal and almost ancient in a way that you shouldn’t be there but at the same time you can’t look away and I wish I could see it in person I loved every second we spent there as it helped develop this belief system and the consequences that comes when you push things too far and take more than you should and the ripple affect it has on those closest to you.
The twist at the end only solidified the entirety of the message and it’s so powerful that it completely transcends this novel from a simple paranormal book to something far more meaningful in that things happen for a reason and it’s not our job to know what that reasoning is.
I love this book and I absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for something new to read that offers great twists and turns, a descent into madness and the power of belief.
**thank you to netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
Read
May 9, 2018DNF @ 27%
I was super excited when I got a chance to read an early copy of this (thank you so much to my idol, Disney) and I immediately snatched it up on Netgalley. I’m all about the spooks. Give me ghostie goodness, a cool medievalish castle setting, and an epic title, and I’m in deeeeeeeep. That’s what I thought I was getting with this and instead I was just epically confused? I mean I honestly didn’t get one thing that was going on in this book besides the main character had a lip ring that was infected and didn’t care about this at all?????
I didn’t understand the time frame we were supposed to be in. I didn’t understand what happened with the family (were they all infected with something? Were they just emotionally affected? Is there some sort of curse?) I didn’t get the main character��s motivations or her true involvement with Nikki. IS NIKKI EVEN ACTUALLY DEAD? idk, I got nothing. And after almost 30% of the novel, I feel like I should at least know what time frame we are in and if one of the main characters is actually alive.
What sounded so promising, just left me very confused by the end. And when I’m that confused, the DNFs begin (ugh, I was doing so well too). It seems like it could be a cool book and maybe by the finished copy, it might make a bit more sense to someone that is not me XD no crowns since I DNFed and a Snow White rating!
I was super excited when I got a chance to read an early copy of this (thank you so much to my idol, Disney) and I immediately snatched it up on Netgalley. I’m all about the spooks. Give me ghostie goodness, a cool medievalish castle setting, and an epic title, and I’m in deeeeeeeep. That’s what I thought I was getting with this and instead I was just epically confused? I mean I honestly didn’t get one thing that was going on in this book besides the main character had a lip ring that was infected and didn’t care about this at all?????
I didn’t understand the time frame we were supposed to be in. I didn’t understand what happened with the family (were they all infected with something? Were they just emotionally affected? Is there some sort of curse?) I didn’t get the main character��s motivations or her true involvement with Nikki. IS NIKKI EVEN ACTUALLY DEAD? idk, I got nothing. And after almost 30% of the novel, I feel like I should at least know what time frame we are in and if one of the main characters is actually alive.
What sounded so promising, just left me very confused by the end. And when I’m that confused, the DNFs begin (ugh, I was doing so well too). It seems like it could be a cool book and maybe by the finished copy, it might make a bit more sense to someone that is not me XD no crowns since I DNFed and a Snow White rating!
December 19, 2018
This was almost a really great book. The characters could’ve been more thoroughly developed and the writing was awkward and stiff in some places, but I was willing to forgive that because I loved the eerie feeling of the story, the dark magic elements, and the overall mystery.
However - and this is were the spoilers come in - the ending was absolutely terrible. Just awful. The entire book, up until the last ten or so pages, was a steady build up of tension only for the ending to be pretty lame. The “action” was not well written and too short-lived to have an impact on the reader, and it was generally unsatisfying considering the rest of the novel.
It reminded me of “The Hazel Wood” by Melissa Albert - it was deliciously dark and interesting for about the first half, then it went sharply downhill and never recovered itself. Definitely would not recommend or read again.
However - and this is were the spoilers come in - the ending was absolutely terrible. Just awful. The entire book, up until the last ten or so pages, was a steady build up of tension only for the ending to be pretty lame. The “action” was not well written and too short-lived to have an impact on the reader, and it was generally unsatisfying considering the rest of the novel.
It reminded me of “The Hazel Wood” by Melissa Albert - it was deliciously dark and interesting for about the first half, then it went sharply downhill and never recovered itself. Definitely would not recommend or read again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2022
(I added random read dates)
Read this a while ago (2021) but I feel like writing a review. I had to stop reading around pages 52-56 because the writing style genuinely hurt my head. It felt so disorganized and hard to read. The main character sounded like an average person and then boom they're in a random castle and she is adopted?? It wasn't like Ninth House or Six of Crows where it took a little time to get the hang of it, it's just poor writing. I can't even begin to describe the quality, especially since it's been a while. As Simon says on America's Got Talent and the sharks on Shark Tank, this is a no for me. I'm out.
Read this a while ago (2021) but I feel like writing a review. I had to stop reading around pages 52-56 because the writing style genuinely hurt my head. It felt so disorganized and hard to read. The main character sounded like an average person and then boom they're in a random castle and she is adopted?? It wasn't like Ninth House or Six of Crows where it took a little time to get the hang of it, it's just poor writing. I can't even begin to describe the quality, especially since it's been a while. As Simon says on America's Got Talent and the sharks on Shark Tank, this is a no for me. I'm out.
September 11, 2022
vreau sa traiesc in cartea asta, dar nu vreau sa traiesc in cartea asta
February 1, 2018
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
I was torn about what star rating I should give this book, whether it was a high 3, a middle ranged 4, or if I should give it a 5. I decided to go in the middle and give it a four. It was an enjoyable read. The characters and story hooked me, and while the twists didn't always go in the direction I wanted them too, in the end I was happy I read it- if a little melancholy because it is a heavy study in grief and loss, and the sometimes callous senselessness of death.
I found the opening a little jarring, perhaps jumping in too quickly and not taking enough time to establish setting and characters. I know the age old advice is to start 3 chapters in from where you think you should and normally I like it when a book gets right down to business but in this case I think a little more setup was needed. I am not sure why, but from the opening paragraphs I thought the book was set in the Southern US- imagine my surprise when I realized it was actually set in Britain!
For the most part, Kitty frustrated me. I think mostly it is because she and I are opposites- I'm a natural believer, she is more of a skeptic. I grew annoyed very quickly of her reluctance to admit her love for Nikki, especially since it was based in her dislike of wealth and class, when Nikki was a good person. People cannot help the circumstances they are born into, and Kitty was too focused on social appearances to be willing to give in to the love she felt for a boy with a good heart who truly loved her. He saw past that she was the daughter of the help, but she could not see past his father's title and money. My heart ached for Nikki, because I really felt he truly loved her and would wait forever for her to love him back.
Roan was a very interesting character. I really enjoyed him, and was pleased with his arc and back story. I won't go into details, because some of his story actually had a twist or two that surprised me, and that is a rare find for me these days. I liked that he was complex, and you never truly knew with him what was real and what was show.
The Lord and Lady Bramley I found predictable and standard. They were a bit of a let down for me because of their stock characterness. I wish they had a little more depth to them. Same goes for the sister Holiday, and to some extent Macklin. By the end I was more impressed with Macklin's arc, but I felt like a little more could have been done with him. Perhaps if we had more of a lead up before the book took off, that would have made a difference.
I wish there had been more with the Life and Death Parade, that the book had introduced more characters from it and developed that aspect a bit more. I was left a little wanting by ending, and some other plot choices, but I get what the author was trying to say with this book, and she well accomplished it. Some stories end before we want them to, some people leave us and the hole never fills in. Not all people get a happy ending, and just because you want something badly enough to will it into existence, does not mean that it will make you happy in the way you thought it would. Life isn't fair, and neither is death.
I was torn about what star rating I should give this book, whether it was a high 3, a middle ranged 4, or if I should give it a 5. I decided to go in the middle and give it a four. It was an enjoyable read. The characters and story hooked me, and while the twists didn't always go in the direction I wanted them too, in the end I was happy I read it- if a little melancholy because it is a heavy study in grief and loss, and the sometimes callous senselessness of death.
I found the opening a little jarring, perhaps jumping in too quickly and not taking enough time to establish setting and characters. I know the age old advice is to start 3 chapters in from where you think you should and normally I like it when a book gets right down to business but in this case I think a little more setup was needed. I am not sure why, but from the opening paragraphs I thought the book was set in the Southern US- imagine my surprise when I realized it was actually set in Britain!
For the most part, Kitty frustrated me. I think mostly it is because she and I are opposites- I'm a natural believer, she is more of a skeptic. I grew annoyed very quickly of her reluctance to admit her love for Nikki, especially since it was based in her dislike of wealth and class, when Nikki was a good person. People cannot help the circumstances they are born into, and Kitty was too focused on social appearances to be willing to give in to the love she felt for a boy with a good heart who truly loved her. He saw past that she was the daughter of the help, but she could not see past his father's title and money. My heart ached for Nikki, because I really felt he truly loved her and would wait forever for her to love him back.
Roan was a very interesting character. I really enjoyed him, and was pleased with his arc and back story. I won't go into details, because some of his story actually had a twist or two that surprised me, and that is a rare find for me these days. I liked that he was complex, and you never truly knew with him what was real and what was show.
The Lord and Lady Bramley I found predictable and standard. They were a bit of a let down for me because of their stock characterness. I wish they had a little more depth to them. Same goes for the sister Holiday, and to some extent Macklin. By the end I was more impressed with Macklin's arc, but I felt like a little more could have been done with him. Perhaps if we had more of a lead up before the book took off, that would have made a difference.
I wish there had been more with the Life and Death Parade, that the book had introduced more characters from it and developed that aspect a bit more. I was left a little wanting by ending, and some other plot choices, but I get what the author was trying to say with this book, and she well accomplished it. Some stories end before we want them to, some people leave us and the hole never fills in. Not all people get a happy ending, and just because you want something badly enough to will it into existence, does not mean that it will make you happy in the way you thought it would. Life isn't fair, and neither is death.
May 16, 2018
Thank you, NetGalley, the publishers, and authors for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
“Death was the worst kind of magic. It took something that was there and made it disappear.”
1) Plot/Writing
“There is no right and wrong.” His teeth flashed. “There’s only life and death.”
This was interesting. I liked and didn’t like this book. Plot and concept wise this was excellent. The execution, however, needs a lot of work. This was a bit all over the place and at times I didn’t understand who was speaking because the dialogue was written all together. It was not broken up in a way that made it easy to decipher who was talking. The writing itself did fit the whimsical and creepy vibe of the story itself and the author knows how to write so that was not a problem. The basis of the story was that Kitty’s boyfriend Nikki Bramley went to visit a psychic who basically told him he was going to die. Kitty doesn’t believe it and tells him to forget it. Eventually, Nikki dies and Kitty and the Bramley’s all grieve him in their own ways. A year later Kitty can’t let go what happened and want’s to understand what happened that fateful night he died and especially the night at the canal. She discover’s The Life and Death Parade and a boy named Roan. He claims all his antics are for a show for the tourists but he knows more about Nikki then he lets on. Kitty eventually learns things about Roan that changes her views on him and it’s a big twist that I have to admit I did not see coming. The last 30% or 40% is when the story got REALLY good and what made it worth the read. I thought about DNF’ing it a lot but it kept my interest enough because I to wanted to solve the mystery of what really happened to Nikki. It had flaws but it was good enough to keep me to the end.
2) Characters
To be honest the characters were neither good or bad. I just didn’t care about them or connect with them but, I was interested in them. Which again kept me interested in the book. Kitty became obsessed with solving what happened to Nikki and it was admirable because I thought she would go down the path he went but she prevailed. Nikki was a precious boy. He didn’t become one of my favorites but you can’t help but love him when you learn all about him. Roan was surprising because I was not expecting to learn what we did learn about him. The Bramley’s were interesting people and an odd family when I really think about it but they were good people just working out their grievances.
3) Relationships
The relationship between Kitty and Nikki was weird. I didn’t get the vibe that they were together when he was alive like the synopsis says. I knew he loved her but it felt one-sided of course until he died. I didn’t get that romantic feeling or anything really. Her relationship with the Bramley’s was sweet and I really liked how Nikki’s parents took her in after her mom dad and cared for her like one of their own.
“He really loved you, you know,” he allowed. “He used to tell me all the time. You were like a god to him.”
“Death was the worst kind of magic. It took something that was there and made it disappear.”
1) Plot/Writing
“There is no right and wrong.” His teeth flashed. “There’s only life and death.”
This was interesting. I liked and didn’t like this book. Plot and concept wise this was excellent. The execution, however, needs a lot of work. This was a bit all over the place and at times I didn’t understand who was speaking because the dialogue was written all together. It was not broken up in a way that made it easy to decipher who was talking. The writing itself did fit the whimsical and creepy vibe of the story itself and the author knows how to write so that was not a problem. The basis of the story was that Kitty’s boyfriend Nikki Bramley went to visit a psychic who basically told him he was going to die. Kitty doesn’t believe it and tells him to forget it. Eventually, Nikki dies and Kitty and the Bramley’s all grieve him in their own ways. A year later Kitty can’t let go what happened and want’s to understand what happened that fateful night he died and especially the night at the canal. She discover’s The Life and Death Parade and a boy named Roan. He claims all his antics are for a show for the tourists but he knows more about Nikki then he lets on. Kitty eventually learns things about Roan that changes her views on him and it’s a big twist that I have to admit I did not see coming. The last 30% or 40% is when the story got REALLY good and what made it worth the read. I thought about DNF’ing it a lot but it kept my interest enough because I to wanted to solve the mystery of what really happened to Nikki. It had flaws but it was good enough to keep me to the end.
2) Characters
To be honest the characters were neither good or bad. I just didn’t care about them or connect with them but, I was interested in them. Which again kept me interested in the book. Kitty became obsessed with solving what happened to Nikki and it was admirable because I thought she would go down the path he went but she prevailed. Nikki was a precious boy. He didn’t become one of my favorites but you can’t help but love him when you learn all about him. Roan was surprising because I was not expecting to learn what we did learn about him. The Bramley’s were interesting people and an odd family when I really think about it but they were good people just working out their grievances.
3) Relationships
The relationship between Kitty and Nikki was weird. I didn’t get the vibe that they were together when he was alive like the synopsis says. I knew he loved her but it felt one-sided of course until he died. I didn’t get that romantic feeling or anything really. Her relationship with the Bramley’s was sweet and I really liked how Nikki’s parents took her in after her mom dad and cared for her like one of their own.
“He really loved you, you know,” he allowed. “He used to tell me all the time. You were like a god to him.”
May 4, 2018
The Life and Death Parade is an atmospheric YA novel that combines an eerie secret travelling occult group with a depiction of grief across a family. Kitty had a complicated relationship with her sort-of boyfriend Nikki Bramley, who she grew up alongside and whose family home she now lives in following the death of her mother. However, now he's dead, after a psychic told him he was going to die, and the Bramleys are all dealing with his death in different ways. Kitty tries to find the psychic who told Nikki his fate, but instead finds a strange medium, Roan. Roan seems like he could be the answer Kitty is looking for, with powers to talk to and maybe even bring back the dead, but she's not sure he's not a charlatan, even when the strange rituals and mysterious group lead her towards memories of her mother.
This is a novel filled with eerie and dark elements: the old castle that the rich Bramleys live in, the rituals and occult, intense obsession, and a strange group called the Life and Death Parade that Kitty decides she must track down for answers about Nikki and about her mother. Wass weaves a narrative that combines these with far more down to earth elements such as grief, love, and uncertainty. This makes The Life and Death Parade a book that feels far more real than its occult parts might suggest: something more like the fleeting magic of urban fantasy or the unnerving mysticism of the Bacchanalia from The Secret History.
Kitty is an interesting and unusual protagonist, who has lost almost everyone and needs to find something to fight for and a reason to keep fighting. Trying to work out what happened to Nikki and if there's anything she can do about it may serve that purpose, but the novel—for all its occultism—ultimately shows that people need to find ways to move on. Nikki's siblings Macklin and Holiday are also engaging, with Macklin's struggle with guilt and Holiday's extreme reactions helping to create the image of a messed up family in a moody old castle. And crucially, Roan works well as a mysterious and possibly dangerous figure, brooding over the death of his boyfriend and seeming to be a rock star medium who could solve the Bramleys' problems.
The Life and Death Parade is a gripping novel, part story about grief with hints of magic and part thriller featuring a mysterious stranger. It will appeal to people who like their books with eccentric characters, complex love and obsession, and a dash of something otherworldly, whether young adult or otherwise. This is a book to read for the story, which becomes difficult to put down, and for the creation of an eccentric and intriguing cast and atmosphere.
This is a novel filled with eerie and dark elements: the old castle that the rich Bramleys live in, the rituals and occult, intense obsession, and a strange group called the Life and Death Parade that Kitty decides she must track down for answers about Nikki and about her mother. Wass weaves a narrative that combines these with far more down to earth elements such as grief, love, and uncertainty. This makes The Life and Death Parade a book that feels far more real than its occult parts might suggest: something more like the fleeting magic of urban fantasy or the unnerving mysticism of the Bacchanalia from The Secret History.
Kitty is an interesting and unusual protagonist, who has lost almost everyone and needs to find something to fight for and a reason to keep fighting. Trying to work out what happened to Nikki and if there's anything she can do about it may serve that purpose, but the novel—for all its occultism—ultimately shows that people need to find ways to move on. Nikki's siblings Macklin and Holiday are also engaging, with Macklin's struggle with guilt and Holiday's extreme reactions helping to create the image of a messed up family in a moody old castle. And crucially, Roan works well as a mysterious and possibly dangerous figure, brooding over the death of his boyfriend and seeming to be a rock star medium who could solve the Bramleys' problems.
The Life and Death Parade is a gripping novel, part story about grief with hints of magic and part thriller featuring a mysterious stranger. It will appeal to people who like their books with eccentric characters, complex love and obsession, and a dash of something otherworldly, whether young adult or otherwise. This is a book to read for the story, which becomes difficult to put down, and for the creation of an eccentric and intriguing cast and atmosphere.
July 4, 2018
3.5
When I first started reading this book, I was struck by the style-it’s like The Great Gatsby meets Rebecca and has dinner with The Diviners. There’s something whimsical, yet dark and Gothic about the word choice and overall atmosphere of the book-because that’s what was created here, an extensive and powerful atmosphere of mystery, magic, and yearning.
Here’s the thing, while I have an English degree and love the classics, I’ve never been one for magical realism. Something about it feels false but to tell this story, it was the perfect choice. The Life and Death Parade is unsettling. It will make you question what is real and what is cleverly promoted through lies, smoke, and mirrors. There are many times when it seems you’re on the verge of answers but when they come, they’re to a different question or not all what you expected. And some things are started and left unfinished. Whether it was an intentional decision or not, it’s as much of a mystery as the truth itself.
There’s a kind of lazy, upper-class entitlement that threads through the book. Like Holly Golightly in male form. The characters are…eclectic and not exactly likeable. They did have unique, if odd, personalities. I wish I would have liked them enough to become invested in their future, but really, I just cared about the story itself.
The plot was intriguing. It sucks you in and holds you prisoner. You need to know what happened and there are so many possibilities. I loved the blend of magical, traveling performers, and praying to specific saints for favors. The Life and Death Parade is a culture in itself and so cool. There’s a New Orleans vibe set in the English countryside. The crafting of altars, psychic readings, and sensationalization drags the reader right into that world, and begs them to question whether they believe and how much it matters.
Read more here: https://youngadultbookmadness.wordpre...
When I first started reading this book, I was struck by the style-it’s like The Great Gatsby meets Rebecca and has dinner with The Diviners. There’s something whimsical, yet dark and Gothic about the word choice and overall atmosphere of the book-because that’s what was created here, an extensive and powerful atmosphere of mystery, magic, and yearning.
Here’s the thing, while I have an English degree and love the classics, I’ve never been one for magical realism. Something about it feels false but to tell this story, it was the perfect choice. The Life and Death Parade is unsettling. It will make you question what is real and what is cleverly promoted through lies, smoke, and mirrors. There are many times when it seems you’re on the verge of answers but when they come, they’re to a different question or not all what you expected. And some things are started and left unfinished. Whether it was an intentional decision or not, it’s as much of a mystery as the truth itself.
There’s a kind of lazy, upper-class entitlement that threads through the book. Like Holly Golightly in male form. The characters are…eclectic and not exactly likeable. They did have unique, if odd, personalities. I wish I would have liked them enough to become invested in their future, but really, I just cared about the story itself.
The plot was intriguing. It sucks you in and holds you prisoner. You need to know what happened and there are so many possibilities. I loved the blend of magical, traveling performers, and praying to specific saints for favors. The Life and Death Parade is a culture in itself and so cool. There’s a New Orleans vibe set in the English countryside. The crafting of altars, psychic readings, and sensationalization drags the reader right into that world, and begs them to question whether they believe and how much it matters.
Read more here: https://youngadultbookmadness.wordpre...
June 26, 2024
“Everything happens for a reason. The danger, my pet, is in thinking you know what that reason is.”
I expected it to be worse because of the low ratings, and I’m surprised! I’ve definitely read worse books with higher average ratings. It has some issues, but I found it a quick, enjoyable read that posed really interesting questions and themes.
I have read from other reviews that Eliza Wass wrote this novel following the death of her husband, and this information alone makes everything about this novel click right into place for me. This is absolutely the exploration of a grieving person, thinking about life and death and fate and moving on. The guilt that prevents Kitty from moving past Nikki’s death was palpable, and this explained so many of Kitty’s responses to different events and characters in the story.
Roan—I can’t say much here without spoiling. I liked Roan’s function in the story. I have read a lot of reviews that chalk up the characters to being one-dimensional, and I just avidly disagree, at least when it comes to this particular character. I have more thoughts, but I will leave it at that.
The thing that was most unsettling to me (and not in a good way, unlike some other parts of the book) was that the story felt like it didn’t know its own time period. I wondered if the author started off writing the story in the past, and then changed her mind and wanted to make the story modern? Or perhaps it was done purposely, to create a feeling of timelessness. I’m not sure, but it left me feeling confused on the tone and setting and made it harder to fully connect.
I wanted to see more of the relationship between Kitty and Nikki, especially prior to the psychic visit. The reader experiences flashbacks throughout the story, but most of these are between the time of the psychic reading and the present storyline. I just felt like it was hard to grieve with Kitty when I didn’t understand what she was grieving.
I expected it to be worse because of the low ratings, and I’m surprised! I’ve definitely read worse books with higher average ratings. It has some issues, but I found it a quick, enjoyable read that posed really interesting questions and themes.
I have read from other reviews that Eliza Wass wrote this novel following the death of her husband, and this information alone makes everything about this novel click right into place for me. This is absolutely the exploration of a grieving person, thinking about life and death and fate and moving on. The guilt that prevents Kitty from moving past Nikki’s death was palpable, and this explained so many of Kitty’s responses to different events and characters in the story.
Roan—I can’t say much here without spoiling. I liked Roan’s function in the story. I have read a lot of reviews that chalk up the characters to being one-dimensional, and I just avidly disagree, at least when it comes to this particular character. I have more thoughts, but I will leave it at that.
The thing that was most unsettling to me (and not in a good way, unlike some other parts of the book) was that the story felt like it didn’t know its own time period. I wondered if the author started off writing the story in the past, and then changed her mind and wanted to make the story modern? Or perhaps it was done purposely, to create a feeling of timelessness. I’m not sure, but it left me feeling confused on the tone and setting and made it harder to fully connect.
I wanted to see more of the relationship between Kitty and Nikki, especially prior to the psychic visit. The reader experiences flashbacks throughout the story, but most of these are between the time of the psychic reading and the present storyline. I just felt like it was hard to grieve with Kitty when I didn’t understand what she was grieving.
June 18, 2018
'The Life and Death Parade' is a fantastic novel that blends fantasy, magic, and the supernatural with hard life topics like death, grief, and love. I wasn't quite sure what to expect going in to this book, but it seemed like something I would enjoy. I'm so glad that I gave it a chance because I ended up liking it much more than I thought I would. I loved the setting and backdrop of the story - an old English castle inhabited by a very wealthy family that has fallen apart due to the death of one of their own. It created a haunted and somewhat creepy feel and I just think it was a great place for the story to take place. The characters were all well rounded and made the story come to life for me. I loved getting to know Kitty as the story unfolded, as well as the members of the Bramley family, and Roan. They each had unique personalities and traits that made them realistic and easy to identify with. Strangely enough, Nikki - the "ghost" that is haunting everyone throughout the novel, was also a major character and I liked getting to know him too. I liked watching them each change in different ways during the book, especially concerning one another and Nikki.
As I mentioned, the plot mixes both the supernatural with realistic issues. I thought it was an interesting blend of topics and created a wonderful story magical in so many ways - not just the ones expected. It's a story of grief, forgiveness, love, friendship, loss, family, and so many other rough and relevant topics that it'll speak to readers of all ages. I highly recommend this book for fans of fantasy, paranormal/supernatural, contemporary, romance, and even mysteries.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
As I mentioned, the plot mixes both the supernatural with realistic issues. I thought it was an interesting blend of topics and created a wonderful story magical in so many ways - not just the ones expected. It's a story of grief, forgiveness, love, friendship, loss, family, and so many other rough and relevant topics that it'll speak to readers of all ages. I highly recommend this book for fans of fantasy, paranormal/supernatural, contemporary, romance, and even mysteries.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2019
This was a weird story. From the get go you are sucked into a world so unfamiliar. It's set in a contemporary time and location so it seems fairly normal but the characters and setting are striking. The MC, Kitty, lives in a castle and is adopted. She's in love with one of the brothers, Nikki. During a parade Nikki steps onto a boat and hears he has no future. He then goes crazy and later dies.
You flip between the past and the present and learn about how Nikki deteriorated over time. Meanwhile, the family is in pieces over the death and Kitty wants answers. She tries to hunt down the mystic that told him he had no future. At another parade she meets Roan who is part of the Life and Death Parade, she learns that the mystic Nikki saw is also part of this group. She also learns Roan can talk to dead people.
This is when the book takes a strange turn and dances with whether or not Roan is actually communing with the dead. The family gets back on track and things start to look up but Kitty begins to become suspicious. She then visits the life and death parade - I won't say anymore on the plot specifics.
What I will say is that it was a slow start and then things took a crazy turn and were going a million miles an hour. I've never read a book like it. However, regardless of how hooked I became the book sort of came to a halt and all the suspense and mystery went poof. The book felt like it needed to be longer to really develop the mystical story line further. Everything developed so suddenly and was over before I could bat an eyelid. It left me slightly frustrated as this amazing idea and build up felt cut short.
It's a great short read and I love the ideas and Gothic themes throughout. But it had so much potential to be more.
You flip between the past and the present and learn about how Nikki deteriorated over time. Meanwhile, the family is in pieces over the death and Kitty wants answers. She tries to hunt down the mystic that told him he had no future. At another parade she meets Roan who is part of the Life and Death Parade, she learns that the mystic Nikki saw is also part of this group. She also learns Roan can talk to dead people.
This is when the book takes a strange turn and dances with whether or not Roan is actually communing with the dead. The family gets back on track and things start to look up but Kitty begins to become suspicious. She then visits the life and death parade - I won't say anymore on the plot specifics.
What I will say is that it was a slow start and then things took a crazy turn and were going a million miles an hour. I've never read a book like it. However, regardless of how hooked I became the book sort of came to a halt and all the suspense and mystery went poof. The book felt like it needed to be longer to really develop the mystical story line further. Everything developed so suddenly and was over before I could bat an eyelid. It left me slightly frustrated as this amazing idea and build up felt cut short.
It's a great short read and I love the ideas and Gothic themes throughout. But it had so much potential to be more.
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