Matia Bryson

Book Review: Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt

Here is another case of not judging a book by its cover art. I do not know why publishers do this, but the heroine of our story would never wear the satin or silk of the young woman on the cover, and her pose makes the book look like a typical romance novel. It is not. I see the story more as a parable of sorts, especially since the personification of Death cannot be taken too literally. Our heroine is trying to postpone her death night after night by telling a new story to Lord Death, Scheherazade-style. On top of the that, she must also try to find her True Love by day, for a more long-term reprieve from death. I very much liked the lesson of sorts about living each day as your last and how any good thing (light, life, good) cannot be fully appreciated unless you have become acquainted with their opposites (dark, death, evil). I recommend this novel to young people and all readers.