Mundie Moms

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Book Review - Keturah and Lord Death



By: Martine Leavitt
Published by: Boyds Mill Press
Published: November 2006
4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis: (from http://www.barnesandnoble.com/)
Martine Leavitt offers a spellbinding story, interweaving elements of classic fantasy and high romance. Keturah follows a legendary hart into the king's forest, where she becomes hopelessly lost. Her strength diminishes until, finally, she realizes that death is near. Little does she know that he is a young, handsome lord, melancholy and stern. Renowned for her storytelling, Keturah is able to charm Lord Death with a story and thereby gain a reprieve -- but only for twenty-four hours. She must find her one true love within that time, or all is lost. Keturah searches desperately while the village prepares for an unexpected visit from the king, and Keturah is thrust into a prominent role as mysterious happenings alarm her friends and neighbors. Lord Death's presence hovers over all until Keturah confronts him one last time in the harrowing climax.


Oh, I honestly expected NOT to like this book. It was recommended to me by many of my Goodreads friends and I'd glance at the cover, read the synopsis and always put it back. But then I saw Tessa Gratton's (one of the Merry Sisters of Fate) review, and I ran to check it out of the library.


Once again, I learned the lesson to not judge a book by its cover or title, for that matter.

Keturah and Lord Death is a fantasy romance with an extremely well written plot and a delicious little nod to Arabian Nights/Scheherazade.

The plot follows Keturah, the village storyteller, who manages to convince Death (who is a young, brooding, handsome man) that she can find her True Love in twenty-four hours or she will return to him and become his Queen. The twists and turns in the plot will leave you wondering, pondering and determined to get to the end.

I would recommend this to readers who like Gail Carson Levine, Shannon Hale and Robin McKinley. I would also recommended it to anyone who likes a well written story. The prose is so lovely and lyrical that you find yourself a little sad when you turn the very last page.

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