Review: Something Strange and Deadly

Title:  Something Strange and Deadly
Series:  Something Strange and Deadly #1
Author:  Susan Dennard
Publisher:  HarperTeen
Pages:  388
Format:  Hardcover
Source:  Bought

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

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

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

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

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

My Review:  This book definitely was not what I had been expecting.  When I picked it up, I'd been gearing up for some awesome, zombie fighting action and, while there is certainly some of that, this book focused more on the mystery of her brother being missing.  Not to say that was a bad thing, it just wasn't what I had expected initially going into it.  

We start with a bang and a bunch of action!  I loved the way we were thrust head first into a fight from the very first page.  It immediately grabbed my attention and sent my heart racing!  It was an excited and interesting way to introduce us to a major problem in the book and I thought it was done very well.  It developed the world and gave us some perspective on exactly what was going on.  

I enjoyed the mystery of this book a lot!  I was constantly going back and forth trying to pick up on little hints as to who exactly was causing all of these problems and how they were pulling it off.  It kept me glued to the pages, trying to piece together all the clues we were offered.  And while I wasn't totally floored when we found out who was doing all this stuff, I still really enjoyed going back and piecing together the puzzle now that we'd been given the final picture.  

I think my biggest problem with this book was just connecting with the characters.  I thought Eleanor was very brave and independent but she didn't always think he actions through.  And I really didn't understand why she did some of what she did.  Why couldn't she tell anyone that her brother was missing?  It seemed like a smart thing to do.  If I was in this situation, the first thing I would have done is tell my parents and then call the police.  However, Eleanor did neither and I just didn't understand why.  And I didn't get why her mom did some of the things she did either!  I get that she wants everyone to think she's wealthy and living well but is image really worth being broke just so you can throw a couple parties and impress a few people?  That part really bothered me.  

The Spirit-Hunters were an interesting group of people and I enjoyed the parts with them the most.  They seemed like the only ones with a bit of sense to them and they did what they had to do to protect the people in the city.  

I enjoyed this book despite some problems I had with the characters.  It was mysterious and held my attention for the most part.  I'm anxious to find out what happens and where this story line takes the characters.  If you're a fan of mystery with a bit of zombie action, then I think that you'd enjoy this book a lot!

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