The Grave Keepers

September 1, 2017

Gr 8 Up-The Windhams are cemetery owners in the Catskills in a world where, at age 13, certain individuals have grave-opening ceremonies where they receive keys to their future graves. The recipients are expected to maintain the sites until they are sealed inside upon death. Laurel and Athena Windham lead very different lives. Because Lucy-the Windham's firstborn daughter-died while being struck by a car, Laurel, who was born after her death, is homeschooled and confined to their property. Meanwhile, Athena attends school, goes to the library, assists with grave-opening ceremonies and errands. While their lives are different, both have one thing in common: they desperately want a friend. As the story unfolds, Laurel befriends Charlie, a runaway, and-after being mistreated by some popular girls-Athena eventually finds a friend in Maude. Yet, someone else on the property is seeking an eternal friend. A ghost that poses as Lucy intends to take Laurel to be her friend by ending her life. Interwoven with alternating chapters about Laurel and Athena are observations from the mysterious ghost. The ghost's story centers on the 10 tenets of grave keeping, which are highlighted at the start of the book. Laurel and Athena are quite likable and some readers will find them to be relatable. While Byrne's writing is compelling, the plot's slow pacing might lose some readers. VERDICT An additional purchase for those needing light ghost stories or coming-of-age tales.-Adrienne L. Strock, Nashville Public Library

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2017
Gothic surrealism as everlasting as a ghost's kiss blends with coming-of-age angst for the modern age. Byrne introduces readers to a world in which entering one's own grave is a rite of passage for 13-year-olds on par with Sweet 16 parties and graduation celebrations. Each year, newly teenage kids eagerly await receiving the keys to their very own personal graves. In fact, "a person's grave was a window to her innermost thoughts. To go into another person's grave was like eavesdropping on someone praying--it was beyond improper; it was flat out wrong." The Windhams, a white family of grave keepers, live in upstate New York. High school junior Athena spends all her free time in her grave, but younger sister Laurel hasn't embraced the ritual, much to the chagrin of her overprotective parents. It's an eerie concept with just enough curiousness to make a person want to know more. Byrne's masterful presentation of minute details makes the whole ritual world feel so real readers will want to Google it. But while the story is as layered as any cemetery worth its salt, it also juggles multiple storylines, including: the death of a sibling and the loss of a child; home schooling vs. traditional school; suffocating loneliness and a missing child. The result is a congested plot and obtuse characters. Atmospheric writing and a premise that's as fresh as newly turned earth can't compensate for an overcrowded plot, making this a good effort but a challenging read. (Fiction. 12-16)

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