Daniel Marks

Originally reviewed on A Reader of Fictions.

Velveteen is another novel with a whole lot of hype surrounding its release. The premise sounds so insane and creepy that this should come as no surprise. A dystopia about the dead? Serial killers? Purgatory? Strong heroine? That's all kinds of awesome, right? Well, I definitely think so.

My first recommendation is not to come into Velveteen looking for a dystopia. There really isn't anything particularly dystopian here, although I do see some show more definite possibility for there to be a big reveal of evil government at work later in the series. This could have been a huge disappointment, because obviously I love dystopias, but the whole of the story was so delightfully fresh and funny that I wasn't particularly bothered.

On Twitter, I've seen people tweeting Daniel Marks as they read through this book. They commented how grossed out they were and how horrified. Well, I really didn't have any moments where I was overwhelmed by the ick or horror factors. Maybe I just have a strong stomach, but I doubt it, since I can't watch a horror movie without hiding through pretty much all of it. There are gross things that happen, but they're no worse than what I've encountered in all the zombie novels I've read. So, basically, if you don't often read macabre things, Velveteen might freak you out, but, otherwise, I wouldn't worry unduly.

Actually, more than anything else, I thought Velveteen was hilarious. Humor of course is very subjective. I suspect most readers will either love or hate Velveteen, depending on whether you think Daniel Marks' humor is funny or obnoxious. For me, it totally worked. If you're concerned, you might want to watch some of Marks' vlogs and see if you like his style.

The description of the novel makes a big deal about Velvet's desire for revenge against her murderer, Bonesaw. While this certainly is a plot point, it's actually a fairly minor plot arc, important to the story, but definitely not the focus of Marks' grisly tale. Still, he definitely wove this arc perfectly into the larger tale.

The focus of the novel is, instead, on the tensions within Purgatory. There is a revolution happening in Purgatory. The Departurists believe that the powers that be within Purgatory are preventing them from moving on and unfairly keeping them from the daylight (aka the world of the living). The revolutionaries are somehow causing bigger and bigger cracks to form in Purgatory, by trapping souls in daylight and causing shadowquakes. The world building on this Purgatory was crazy cool for sure.

Within Purgatory, there are jobs, ranging just as widely, although differently, from those in our world. Our heroine, Velvet, has one of the best jobs, as a salvager team leader. Scavengers enter daylight to save trapped souls, putting an end to shadowquakes and protecting Purgatory. This gives them a rare chance to travel to daylight and is also just really cool, since you need special abilities to do it. Teams consist of four: one body thief, who takes over the body of a living human temporarily, one undertaker, who takes over a dead body and becomes a zombie, and two poltergeists, who stay ghosty but have a natural power to move things in that form. Velvet and her team are the best and they love what they do. On one of their missions, they rescue Nick, aka love interest.

Now, we must talk about Velveteen. She is an amazing heroine, assuming you like them sarcastic, closed-off, and a bit violent. Thankfully, I do. If you're sick of all of the wimpy, clutsy, obedient heroines that can't do anything but moan about boys, you will love Velvet, as she is the antithesis of all things Bella. Similar heroines are Lex from Croak or Ashline from Wildefire. Velvet has a smart mouth and is quick to resort to physical violence. Just to give you an idea of the kind of girl we'll dealing with: she dressed up as Alex from A Clockwork Orange at one point. She felt real to me, and she read like a female.

Her romance with Nick also totally worked. There was definitely instalust, but Velvet is not the kind of girl to mistake that for love. She initially thinks he looks like and probably is an asshole. There's lots of kissing, because she's not the kind of girl who is against having a little fun. Though Nick and Velvet's relationship does progress fairly quickly emotionally, there's a natural flow to it. The two really do have a rapport. They have real conversations, develop little inside jokes, and have awesome witty banter. Their chemistry is fantastic.

So yeah, I thought this was a fantastic ride, entertaining and funny from beginning to end. I definitely anticipate Marks' next macabre tale and hope for more dystopian-ness! show less

Velveteen Monroe is dead. At sixteen, she was killed by a serial killer called Bonesaw after being kidnapped and tortured. Now, she resides in the City of the Dead, or as it's usually known, Purgatory. Something holds her back from moving on, so she becomes part of a squadron that saves captured souls used for magic that create devastating shadowquakes in the City of the Dead. They cause cracks throughout Purgatory. In her spare time, Velvet visits her killer and haunts him, destroying his show more stuff and freeing his other victims. Her ultimate wish is to kill him and make him pay for his disgusting crimes, but unsanctioned hauntings are against the rules and those caught are harshly punished. Aside from all of this, a faction of citizens that are calling for a Departure from the City of the Dead starting with burning effigies and quickly escalating. How they expect to accomplish this is unknown, but Velvet must stop them to save Purgatory.

Based on the description of the novel, I was expecting a book about a ghost girl getting revenge on a serial killer, which would be pretty cool. What I got with Velveteen was so much more. Daniel Marks' view of Purgatory is the most unique I've ever read. It's dull, dusty, and decaying, made up of a hodgepodge of different architectural movements. Everyone there has a job to do, whether it be fighting to free trapped souls like Velvet or something more mundane. They are productive and make a real life for themselves instead of marking time until they cross over. Even though no one really wants to be there, there is a nice sense of camaraderie between the residents. Every night, they gather for salon to perform and to share their stories with each other. Everyone is forced to be there and has something that they need to do or overcome in order to move on to the unknown. It is also interesting to see old souls in young bodies. Some people died young, but have been there for a very long time, making their level of maturity and mental age not equal to their appearance.

Velvet is a pretty cool character who is strong, no nonsense, and isn't afraid to take leadership.I like how intelligent and sensitive she is despite her hard, sarcastic outer shell. She feels an immediate attraction to Nick, but recognizes it as such and tries to push him away. I like a girl that can recognize the difference between attraction/lust and love. I also like a girl that stands up to her killer and tries to sabotage him at every turn. I do wish there was more about the serial killer because I find them morbidly fascinating. Nick is a far cry from the alpha male jerks that have become so prevalent in the genre. His vulnerability is the first thing we see because he has to come to terms with the fact the he was killed and is stuck in purgatory after he was trapped in a crystal ball. He keeps it together pretty well because he's strong and tempers his anxiety and fear with humor, but he still shows emotion and freaks out a little. This type of male love interest is so enjoyable because not all guys are borderline abusive and emotionless. Men have emotions even though society tends to mock those that don't act or think like a "manly" man should.

I love Velveteen. Although pretty long, I breezed through it in a couple days. I was totally sucked into this cool and twisted version of Purgatory. Each page that went by was more addictive than the last and I felt compelled to finish it as fast as possible. I enjoyed being confused for a couple of parts in the novel. Daniel Marks just throws the reader into the deep end of his world and doesn't spell everything out for them. I respect an author that trusts that I as a reader don't need every little thing fed to me. I am definitely reading the next book and anything else Daniel Marks writes. show less

My humor has always been border lined inappropriate. For instance, during the movie Night Of The Twisters, there is a part where a lady gets hit in the face with trash can lid and flies back. I laughed so HARD. While most people gasp, I laugh. Even now, while I write this, I'm snickering under my breathe. Seriously, my humor sometimes is wicked. And that's why my friends, I adored Velveteen.

So the best part of the book are the characters of course. Velveteen thoughts are equivalent to who I show more was in high school. Seriously go ask my mom. I had loud mouth that got my in trouble all the time. Being in Velvet shoes was like having a flashback in high school. Velvet isn't afraid to say what she has to say appropriate or not. She is clear in all of her motives and let's that be know. She doesn't play games but is fiercely blunt in everything. LOL. So me...

Now, the plot of the book is great! I loved that the reader not only saw what is happening in Velvet's world, but also what is going on outside of it. Velvet is on a mission and will not let anything stop her. The plot pacing is sometimes slow, but as I said before Velvet's humor always seems to pick up the pace.

The love interest is what I thought it would be and more. Velvet's way out of being close is always some sexual inappropriate innuendo which for me made me laugh more. Seriously, the things this chick comes up with just amazes me. Sometimes, all I could do I shake my head, snickering under my breathe. I like that Velvet found someone to be close to and find solace in. She needs that peace.

Velveteen is a darkly comedic story that provides a quirky story. Crude and raunchy, Velveteen's sharp tongue keeps the reader entertain even when it's ashen with death. This raucous story will no doubt keep you on your toes and snickering under your breath. Filled with awesome punch-lines, Velveteen is great! show less

Let's get this out right at the beginning. I love Velveteen Monroe. She's strong, borderline inappropriate the majority of the time, and has a mouth on her that made me crack up laughing. Trust me, this is not a girl you want to mess with. Velveteen was my favorite part of this book, hands down. From the very first page I fell in total love with her tough demeanor and her ability to think outside of herself. Velveteen is cool. There's no other way to say it.

Now in case you're going into this show more book thinking that you'll be hearing about her ultimate revenge against Bonesaw, let me set you straight. The synopsis is definitely misleading. Velveteen does touch on this a little bit (and it's really gory), but mostly focuses on what Purgatory is really like. Honestly? It's a pretty amazing place. Daniel Marks creates a world where the dead go when they aren't ready to move on. A world filled with mismatched clothing and buildings. A world where souls can rest when they're not taking care of important business. It is Purgatory that is really the center of the book.

What I really loved about this book was the interaction between the living at the dead. Watching Velveteen and her "Salvagers" do their work was really interesting, and made for a fun read. Add in a fast moving plot that pits the people in Purgatory against one another, and you have a book that kept me reading. Velveteen may not have been what I was expecting, but it was definitely still a really great read. Best of all (at least in my mind) is that the romance is not over the top mushy. No spoilers, but what exists between Velveteen and Nick is fabulous. That's all you'll get from me.

There are some very graphic scenes in this book, you've been warned. This is not for the faint of heart. However if you are willing to snicker at a few inappropriately morbid jokes, and suspend disbelief in favor of hanging with Velveteen and her crew, this will be a book that you'll enjoy. Go into it with an open mind. I'm certain that you'll find something to love about Daniel Marks' Purgatory. show less