Annotation:
After
spending the last two years constantly getting in trouble at school for
fighting, stealing, and cursing, sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby’s parents decide
to send her to live with her Uncle Mort in upstate New York for the summer.
Upset that she has to spend the next three months on a farm, Lex is surprised
when, after arriving in the small town of Croak, she learns that her uncle is
actually a Grim Reaper, and he is recruiting her for one unusual summer job.
Personal
thoughts: It’s been awhile since I’ve picked up a book that I loved as much
as Croak from start to finish. Gina Damico’s writing style really resonated with me because
she is able to accomplish a lot without being cliché, melodramatic, or
attempting to manipulate the reader into feeling a certain way. She simple wrote
a good, entertaining and original story with a solid plot and likable
characters: a definite recipe for success! Even though I didn’t like her at
first, I am now a huge Lex fan and can’t wait to see what happens in the
sequel, Scorch. I highly recommend
this book to teens, adults, or anyone who simply wants something that is
breezily paced and enjoyable.
Plot
summary: For the past two years, sixteen-year-old Lexington “Lex” Bartleby
has made it her personal mission to punch, bite, scratch or generally injure
her classmates. She used to be a straight-A student and have more friends than
just her twin sister, Cordy, but for some reason she has been overcome by an
inexplicable rage that makes her lash out at everyone, even her loving parents.
Fed up with her bad attitude (and potty mouth), her parents decide to send her
to live with her Uncle Mort in upstate New York for the summer. Lex is, of
course, beyond angry, but soon finds herself on a bus travelling north to the
small town of Croak. After she arrives and meets her motorcycle riding, crazy-haired
but strangely likable uncle, she soon realizes that Croak isn’t your average
farming town. It’s actually home to the eastern seaboard’s population of Grim
Reapers, people who travel instantaneously from place to place, extracting the
souls from those who have died and transporting them to the afterlife. Uncle
Mort informs Lex that her rage is a normal reaction that arises from those who
have the natural ability to be Grims, and that she will be spending the summer
reaping along with the other Juniors, teenagers who call Croak home. At first,
Lex is excited about her new life in Croak. She gets along well with the other
Juniors and even likes her partner in reaping, a guy just a few years older
than her named Driggs. But not everything is happy-go-lucky in Croak: it seems
that a rogue Grim has been travelling under the radar and killing people who
weren’t ready to die. When it appears that this murderer is now targeting other
Grims, Lex, Driggs and Uncle Mort must find out who it is before it’s too late.
Review: Funny and
original, it is difficult for fans of the young adult genre not to instantly
fall in love with Croak, the first
novel in a witty new series for teens by Gina Damico. From start to finish, Croak is well-written, entertaining and
thoroughly enjoyable. One of the most unusual (and ultimately satisfying) parts
of the story is that, in the beginning, the reader isn’t compelled to like Lex.
She is foul-mouthed, rude, violent, and just plain irritating. She has no
reason to be as angry as she is, and, like her parents and sweet twin sister,
the reader hopes that Uncle Mort will (literally) knock some sense into her.
After she arrives in Croak, however, and begins working as a Grim, she begins
to transform into someone readers can root for. This transformation isn’t
forced, but is one of the best parts of the story. In addition to this, there
are loads of other things readers will love about Croak. The town itself is interesting, with all of the shops having
morbid names and equally morbid owners. The mechanics of the Grim system of
collecting and transporting souls from those who have died is also very
original and not confusing, something that often happens when novels for teens
get a bit too scientific in their descriptions of how paranormal things
actually work. Supporting characters like Lex’s lovable Uncle Mort, her
wise-cracking partner, Driggs, and her other new friends in Croak add a great
deal to the story as well. Overall, a fast-paced and fun start to a series that
is easy to recommend to both teen and adult readers alike. The sequel, Scorch, was released in September 2012.
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Reading
level: Grade 8+
Similar
titles: Anna
Dressed in Blood and Girl
of Nightmares by Kendare Blake, Revenants
series by Amy Plum, Soul Screamers
series by Rachel Vincent.
Themes: Grim Reapers, the afterlife, death, anger,
friendship, murder, mystery.
Awards/Reviews:
Positive reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, Bulletin and Booklist.
Series
Information: First novel in Croak
series. Second novel, Scorch,
released in September 2012. Third novel set to be in 2013.
Discussion
questions:
-
Why do you think Lex was such a bully at her
school? Do you think that bullies often have a “rage” like the one Lex
described?- Were you surprised to learn Uncle Mort’s actual profession and the true nature of the town of Croak? Do you think Lex was?
- What did you think of the author’s description of the afterlife? Do you think it’s okay to read books like Croak even if your personal or religious beliefs conflict with the story? Why or why not?
- Who was your favorite character in the novel? Why?
- Why do you think the residents of Croak were so distrustful of Lex? Do you think their opinions changed over time?
- What would you like to see happen in the sequel, Scorch?
