Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
One of the best debut novels I have read, Something Strange and Deadly is a perfect blend of 19th century science fiction, paranormal, romance, historical, zombie story. It is highly entertaining while subtly addressing some of the illusions of 19th century romance stories.
The characters, protagonist and secondary, are very well created. Their multidimensional personalities and distinct individualities make for great conflict building and keep the reader intrigued throughout the entirety of the story. The protagonist is a joy to get to know, she is a bit feisty and determined and not at all the typical heroine that readers usually encounter in such stories. The secondary characters compliment the protagonist very well and provide realistic interactions.
The plot is rich and enticing, societal, political, familial and supernatural tension make sure that the reader never finds a moment of boredom. A few details I was able to guess at only to be slightly surprised by the outcome the author chose to have the characters experience. There are hints of romance that work well with the protagonist’s inner conflict, but those are kept to a minimum and do not overtake the story as a whole or make her seem whiny, weak or just plain boy crazy.
The writing is superbly done. The story flows without any awkward moments or attempts to make the text seem more intelligent than the author believe it to be. The story, characters and comment on societal norms speak for themselves with respect to the amount of work and consideration this story required to write.
Overall, this was an excellent introduction to a trilogy of the paranormal, steampunk, romantic zombie story. I absolutely loved reading this story every minute and every page and cannot wait to start the second part. I would recommend this book to anyone, who is looking for a good quality story, rich in plot and superbly written.
