Review: Grim by Anna Waggener

Title: Grim

Author: Anna Waggener
Pages: 320
Publisher: Scholastic
Genre: Paranormal
Release: June 1st 2012
Buy the Book at: Book Depository / Indigo Chapters

A fantastic debut from the winner of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards novel contest. When Erika wakes up after a horrific car crash, she finds herself somewhere between earth and heaven, between life and death. She doesn't want to accept help from Jeremiah, who she's not sure she can trust, even as she finds herself drawn to him, following him into a grim city of souls. She's not sure who wants to help her and who wants to hurt her. And she's desperate to get back to her children. Shawn's never thought about having to shoulder the responsibility of caring for his young sister Megan and his reckless older sister. And he never imagined that the three of them would find themselves in a haunted wood, sometimes chased, sometimes assisted, never sure where they're headed. With Grim, the terrifically talented Anna Waggener delves into the place where myth becomes reality, where family can distort you as easily as it cares for you, where death and eternity meet.

A Complex, Rich and Dark Story

When I received this novel for review, I was highly intrigued by the premise and the dark feelings this one gave me. However, and even though it was very hard for me to get into the story, Grim by Anna Waggener is a complex and rich story with a beautiful prose that kept me reading until I turned the last page.

Erica is the mother of three children who, after dying in a tragic car accident, finds herself in the afterlife. Here is where she meets Jeremiah, the son of the King who decides to lead her through this unknown land. The story is told from two different perspective. One is Erica's and the other one is the children's she left behind (two of them are teens).

It took me a while to get into the story since it keeps switching from Erica's perspective to the Children's and there also these black pages where another and completely different story is narrated. For me, it was very hard to follow the pace of the story, but as I said before, it was the writing and exquisite world that kept me enthralled. So yes, it was a hard book to get into it but I am very glad I didn't give up because once I finished the book, I felt highly rewarded with the entire experience this story gave me as a reader.

I really admire Anna Waggener's creativity. The story feels very different and fresh due to the unique and very special world that Waggener created. However, there are certain things I enjoyed more than others. I was really intrigued about Erica's perspective and I really wanted to know more about Jeremiah. Unfortunately, and even though there is some information about him, I wished I had more of it. On the other hand, the children's perspective, for me, wasn't very intriguing and I just wanted to go back to Erica's side of the story.

The beautiful writing plus this unique world Waggener's created will certainly captivate many readers. And regardless the things I didn't like too much about this novel, Grim is a dark and complex and interesting tale that I certainly did enjoy.  

❤Copy received from Scholastic Canada for review ~ Thanks so much!❤

Visit the author's website at http://www.annawaggener.com