Review: Graveminder by Melissa Marr

Title: Graveminder by Melissa Marr

Published: May 9^th, 2011

Source: Purchased

Format: Hardcover

Challenge(s): TBR Pile

Grade rate: B-

This is an adult book!

Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville. While growing up, Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual at every funeral: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words, "Sleep well, and stay where I put you." 
Now Maylene is gone and Bek must return to the hometown—and the man—she abandoned a decade ago, only to discover that Maylene's death was not natural . . . and there was good reason for her odd traditions. In Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected—and beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D. From this dark place the deceased will return if their graves are not properly minded. And only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things to right once the dead begin to walk. 

My Review

Hmm… I’m not quite sure how to explain this book, but I will try my best.  It was different in an interestingly-creepy sort of way.

Probably my biggest ‘issue’ is that I didn’t care much for Rebekkah.  She is supposed to be mature adult (she’s about 28) and most of the time acted like an insecure teenager, for some reason this bugged me.  I know that at some degree, the graveminder heritage was of a ‘paranormal’ nature, but she was skeptical and actually acting quite dumb about it and the next minute she was acting like she was born to be the graveminder.  I did like Byron, he seemed more realistic about things and tried to do his duty to the best of his ability.  I also enjoyed Amity’s character and other minor characters in the story.  Daisha was another interesting case; because she is essentially a ‘bad’ character turned ‘good’ (I’m using very relative terms here).

The plot was interesting and intriguing, but it felt a little fragmented to me.  Let me explain, I did like the overall story, but I don’t think we have all the background information we need to really understand and also it seems like different stories running parallel to the main one.   The story is told in the third person from different points of view, which is very refreshing after reading so much YA lately.  The writing is lyrical and well-paced.  This book was written as a stand-alone, but it seems like there is potential for series since there are a few loose ends at the end.

Overall Graveminder is a good try for the author of the Wicked Lovely series into the realm of adult novels.  If you like mystery / paranormal you will enjoy Graveminder. 

About the cover:  I don’t think the cover has anything to do with the story, but it is creepy though.