Official Review: School of Deaths by Christopher Mannino
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KAV
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Official Review: School of Deaths by Christopher Mannino
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "School of Deaths" by Christopher Mannino.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Suzie has given up hope finding the cure to the strange disease that changed her average-weight figure into a skeletal frame… even though she eats like a pig. So when the grim reaper comes knocking at Suzie’s door she is more curious than scared. It isn’t until the grim reaper mysteriously transports her to a world between life and death that Suzie realizes she has a lot more questions than answers. School of Deaths by Christopher Mannino, a young adult/fantasy novel, is imaginative, inventive, and packed full of mysterious twists and turns with every page turn. For this reason, I rated this novel a 4 out of 4 stars.
With a wave of a scythe, Suzie’s life has changed forever. Suzie is forced to sign a contract saying that a year of her life will be devoted to becoming a Death. A Death is a member of the grim reaper group who ferry souls from the land of the living to the Hereafter. In exchange, she will have a chance to pass the final test and be transported back to her old life sickness free. But this year isn’t going to be easy for her: the last female reaper that trained in the college was over a million years ago. Furthermore, this last female trainee was believed to have betrayed her fellow Deaths, resulting in a brutal war.
School of Deaths is an exciting tale that puts a good spin on death, exploring the possibility of a better life after passing away. This story is well-written and vividly describes the in-between world as “strangely beautiful,” with the sun setting, “turning the sky orange and red, with bands of blue and violet.” The author adds a touch of humor with the idea that the grim reaper isn’t actually a huge, scary being, but instead a group of teenagers trying to figure out the powers of a scythe.
Christopher Mannino makes the story exciting by developing unique world-building aspects (the Deaths eat a sandwich called a gorger, which takes on the flavor of anything you can imagine), introducing mysterious characters with special abilities, and creating confusion on who to trust. In a world dominated by males, Suzie tries to figure out why she is sent to this strange world and has to face challenges of being bullied and teased. With the support of her friends, she gains confidence and courage helping her uncover a deeper plot about the history of Deaths.
I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys fantasy and mystery novels as it reminds me of the Harry Potter series. It contains a well-developed plot that allows the story to progress smoothly and at a fast pace. I felt like every scene had a purpose and delved deeper into the mystery and history of the Deaths’ secrets. I also liked how the author ended the novel, but allowed for room to add on sequel novels in the series. I found no faults with this book and loved every page. I only hope that the next book in the series lives up to the action, adventure and mystery described in the School of Deaths.
******
School of Deaths
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4 out of 4 stars
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Suzie has given up hope finding the cure to the strange disease that changed her average-weight figure into a skeletal frame… even though she eats like a pig. So when the grim reaper comes knocking at Suzie’s door she is more curious than scared. It isn’t until the grim reaper mysteriously transports her to a world between life and death that Suzie realizes she has a lot more questions than answers. School of Deaths by Christopher Mannino, a young adult/fantasy novel, is imaginative, inventive, and packed full of mysterious twists and turns with every page turn. For this reason, I rated this novel a 4 out of 4 stars.
With a wave of a scythe, Suzie’s life has changed forever. Suzie is forced to sign a contract saying that a year of her life will be devoted to becoming a Death. A Death is a member of the grim reaper group who ferry souls from the land of the living to the Hereafter. In exchange, she will have a chance to pass the final test and be transported back to her old life sickness free. But this year isn’t going to be easy for her: the last female reaper that trained in the college was over a million years ago. Furthermore, this last female trainee was believed to have betrayed her fellow Deaths, resulting in a brutal war.
School of Deaths is an exciting tale that puts a good spin on death, exploring the possibility of a better life after passing away. This story is well-written and vividly describes the in-between world as “strangely beautiful,” with the sun setting, “turning the sky orange and red, with bands of blue and violet.” The author adds a touch of humor with the idea that the grim reaper isn’t actually a huge, scary being, but instead a group of teenagers trying to figure out the powers of a scythe.
Christopher Mannino makes the story exciting by developing unique world-building aspects (the Deaths eat a sandwich called a gorger, which takes on the flavor of anything you can imagine), introducing mysterious characters with special abilities, and creating confusion on who to trust. In a world dominated by males, Suzie tries to figure out why she is sent to this strange world and has to face challenges of being bullied and teased. With the support of her friends, she gains confidence and courage helping her uncover a deeper plot about the history of Deaths.
I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys fantasy and mystery novels as it reminds me of the Harry Potter series. It contains a well-developed plot that allows the story to progress smoothly and at a fast pace. I felt like every scene had a purpose and delved deeper into the mystery and history of the Deaths’ secrets. I also liked how the author ended the novel, but allowed for room to add on sequel novels in the series. I found no faults with this book and loved every page. I only hope that the next book in the series lives up to the action, adventure and mystery described in the School of Deaths.
******
School of Deaths
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Like KAV's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "Angelica" by Clabe Polk
