Review by Booklist Review
It's been a year since Roslyn's older sister, Adeline, died, found in the woods by a hiker eight weeks after disappearing. Desperate for answers, Roslyn hasn't been able to move on. Unfortunately, the only person who could tell her what happened is gone--until a charmingly eccentric group of girls passes through town. Adeline had traveled with their caravan before she disappeared, and Roslyn wants to know why, even as she's drawn in by their seemingly carefree, nomadic lifestyle. Then Roslyn meets Death, a man in a well-tailored suit who leaves her chilled. The girls reap souls for him to avoid their own deaths, as did Adeline. Roslyn isn't dying, but Death offers her the truth if she'll join them. Roslyn processes the girls' different thoughts and reactions to death as they road-trip to Las Vegas and take lives along the way; meanwhile, she comes to terms with her own complicated feelings about Adeline and her last moments. This introspective speculative novel is an atmospheric and cathartic depiction of grief and its lasting impact.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Determined to uncover the truth about her sister's death, a teen joins a roving group of girls who kill for Death. Roslyn Volk has been a shell of her former self ever since her older sister, Adeline, died mysteriously after a summer spent with a strange group of five girls. Adeline had returned home changed, so when the teens visit Roslyn's Michigan town, she decides to join them in hopes of uncovering the truth behind her death. The group members, who were supposed to die young, have been spared by Death, and now they must travel the country killing people as his proxies. Desperate to learn the truth, Roslyn makes a deal with Death: She'll kill for him, and he'll answer her questions about Adeline. But as time passes and the girls' situation grows more dangerous, she wonders if she'll be joining her sister sooner than expected. Henderson's YA debut is a gripping, horror-filled read that examines grief and the aftermath of loss. As Roslyn rediscovers the joy of living, the novel explores how people face their own mortality. The girls encounter various types of deaths, from natural causes to a horrific car accident, and the tension builds steadily throughout. Each member of the large cast is carefully delineated, allowing readers to understand them and their motivations. The sisters' dad is white and their mom is Black, and most of the supporting cast members present white. A hauntingly raw look at life, death, and grief.(Supernatural. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
