Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by thepaperwitch
My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due
5.0
Reviewed on Books Cats Tea
Another book I could just not put down! I chose My Soul to Keep after searching for a book I wanted to read in the spirit of Black History Month. I wanted to read something by a modern black author, but something more along the lines of fantasy. By the time I was done reading the synopses on several of Due's works, I had a stack of books coming from all across Ohio to my local library. This was the first of Due's books that came in and I devoured it.
My Soul to Keep partially takes place over a 400+ year span of time, but predominantly takes place in the 1990's, where the viewpoint changes across several characters. It focuses on Jessica, her daughter Kira, and her husband David, as well as reaching into the lives of Jessica's close friends and family. David, though, is not who he appears to be. Centuries ago, he undertook a ritual to make him an immortal and now the secret group of his fellow immortals are searching for him again to bring him back into their fold. David has become deeply attached to his family and proceeds down a dangerous path of breaking the Covenant's most sacred vow: to never tell mortals who or what they truly are. Yet he goes a blasphemous step further by wanting to transform his wife and daughter. To keep them with him forever.
The thrilling journey has its ups and downs. I couldn't help myself but cry when it came to Princess and Teacake, but I also couldn't put the book down. The story shifted in unexpected directions without loosing continuity. There are some religious elements, as Jessica and her side of the family are Christian, but these were written in a way that I could absorb them as part of the fantasy. They were not preachy nor burdensome to the story.
The cover quotes Stephen King saying My Soul to Keep "bears favorable comparison to Interview with the Vampire" and I would have to agree it does in certain ways. Due's writing reminds me more strongly of Shirley Jackson. I feel that the book has a strong Gothic horror framework (which is one of my favorite genres!) with elements of the supernatural and religion, romance, mystery, death, and a reflection on certain aspects of society.
Though there are 3 other books in the series, I felt that the ending was well fashioned. It did not leave in the middle of a crisis or question, but felt more like the dawn of a new aspect to the story. I am excitedly looking forward to reading the next book The Living Blood.
Another book I could just not put down! I chose My Soul to Keep after searching for a book I wanted to read in the spirit of Black History Month. I wanted to read something by a modern black author, but something more along the lines of fantasy. By the time I was done reading the synopses on several of Due's works, I had a stack of books coming from all across Ohio to my local library. This was the first of Due's books that came in and I devoured it.
My Soul to Keep partially takes place over a 400+ year span of time, but predominantly takes place in the 1990's, where the viewpoint changes across several characters. It focuses on Jessica, her daughter Kira, and her husband David, as well as reaching into the lives of Jessica's close friends and family. David, though, is not who he appears to be. Centuries ago, he undertook a ritual to make him an immortal and now the secret group of his fellow immortals are searching for him again to bring him back into their fold. David has become deeply attached to his family and proceeds down a dangerous path of breaking the Covenant's most sacred vow: to never tell mortals who or what they truly are. Yet he goes a blasphemous step further by wanting to transform his wife and daughter. To keep them with him forever.
The thrilling journey has its ups and downs. I couldn't help myself but cry when it came to Princess and Teacake, but I also couldn't put the book down. The story shifted in unexpected directions without loosing continuity. There are some religious elements, as Jessica and her side of the family are Christian, but these were written in a way that I could absorb them as part of the fantasy. They were not preachy nor burdensome to the story.
The cover quotes Stephen King saying My Soul to Keep "bears favorable comparison to Interview with the Vampire" and I would have to agree it does in certain ways. Due's writing reminds me more strongly of Shirley Jackson. I feel that the book has a strong Gothic horror framework (which is one of my favorite genres!) with elements of the supernatural and religion, romance, mystery, death, and a reflection on certain aspects of society.
Though there are 3 other books in the series, I felt that the ending was well fashioned. It did not leave in the middle of a crisis or question, but felt more like the dawn of a new aspect to the story. I am excitedly looking forward to reading the next book The Living Blood.