Something Strange and Deadly

Let's get something out of the way right up front: I do not like zombies. I've never bought into the zombie craze. I don't watch The Walking Dead, nor do I have any desire to do so. I usually DNF zombie books because I just can't handle the gore.

With that, you might wonder why on earth I ended up buying a copy of this book and rating it quite highly. Well, it's because Susan Dennard's zombies are mostly nothing like their feral cousins. These zombies are being controlled by The Necromancer, who keeps their 'must feed at any cost' drive at a low. These zombies end up being more like smelly messenger boys. There wasn't anything to disgust me and make me feel like I was going to throw up. No blood and guts, thank you very much.

I liked that show more this story mixed up historical fiction and some steampunk with a dab of paranormal. It was a really cool combination and it totally worked for me. When I finished, I immediately ordered a copy for myself. It's one of those books that just needed to be on my shelf. I'm looking forward to reading it again at some point to see if I can pick out some of the early clues and see if it makes a difference in my reading experience.

I'm really looking forward to the sequel. There were some loose ends that I REALLY need to see resolved; mostly the relationship between Eleanor and another character. I couldn't believe the way THAT ended. :O Why?! WHY?!

Overall, a brilliant read and one that I'll enjoy again. It was a 4.5 Eiffel Tower book. show less

So I guess I've been on a Susan Dennard kick and I am so happy that I have. Her ability to weave worlds and tackle different genres such as Fantasy and in this case horror and steampunk I really love. Author's who can multi-genre always have a big one up on other authors for me. Anyway on to the book.

The book opens up with Eleanor trying to meet her brother at the train station, only he doesn't show, then the dead comes. I like that it opens up a bit with action even though Eleanor is not an action hero (yet). Eleanor at first was maddening, she was mousey, shy, and a little rude which is such a bad combination for me. Eventually, we see Eleanor start to open up and actually show her backbone and that she had the ability to think about show more situations rather than just take them at face value. Being able to actually read and see Eleanor grow was really great and I love that Dennard did that (and did it well).

The background characters were great, and I wish that we had more interaction with some more but I didn't mind it. The one thing I did mind was the romance and the 'twist' of who the necromancer was. First, I felt the romance was sudden and quick. It went from a casual sudden attract to FEELINGS, I wish that Dennard would have pushed it until the second book to give it a bit of a foundation. I saw the twist a mile away and knew exactly how that was going to go since the beginning of the book, this is the reason why I didn't give this book a higher rating.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will read the second one. show less

First thing first, I hate zombies. I normally stay as far away from anything zombie related as I can. I watched half of the first episode of The Walking Dead and couldn't stand looking at the zombies and had to quit (although I've read almost all the graphic novels but somehow watching the zombies were just too much). But I'd heard so many good things about this book. The cover is just so darn beautiful and intriguing. Then, I read an interview with Susan Dennard and she was just hilarious and so personable, I knew I had to at least attempt the book. I couldn't put the book down. It is fabulous. Eleanor is a wonderful heroine. She's smart, feisty and caring. Eleanor doesn't rush into something without thinking about it first. She cares show more about not just her family but other people - even the ones she doesn't particularly like. I would love to have Eleanor as a friend!

I loved the way Dennard takes her time with elements of the story (like romance). Don't get me wrong, the story is fast paced but she doesn't make Eleanor fall instantly in love or try to tell us too much too fast. She parcels out the information in little pieces and the fits the puzzle pieces together slowly. And the romance is beautiful.

Hands down one of my top books this year - even with the zombies! show less

Where to start with this book? How about so freaking awesome! I loved it.


What I loved most about this book is the feel of it. 1800's. Big poofy dresses. Parasol. Gloves. Proper talking. AHHHH. It's make me all giddy cause I would have loved the lived in this time period. Not to mention is has kick butt heroine who kills the rising dead with her parasol. Double sweet!


The plot of this book race forward. I loved how easy it was for me to step into Eleanor shoes. She is feisty yet the coolest girl ever. I loved her attitude and her willingness to help others despite what it may to do her. She is strong yet witty.

There are minor characters in this book that bigger parts that what I thought. These parts made me love the book so much. The show more revenge that is being wielded is dangerous yet scary. I like that there is mystery for the reader. The reader is left out of the loop. I like getting each piece of the puzzle and putting it together.


The love interest is awesome. I like that they are from two different world brought together by the same hate and conspiracy. It's makes their love much more exciting to see. I'm not for the ending, but I am excited to see what else will happen between these two. I just know that fate is not done with them yet.


Something Strange and Deadly is an exciting and thrilling book. With blazing emotions and amazing descriptions of the 1800's, it really feels like you are really there. Something Strange and Deadly is awesome! show less

Originally reviewed here.

Much as I try to avoid reading reviews, I do generally take a quick glance at friends' reviews. From these, I went into Something Strange and Deadly warned that it might be a bit slow to start, perhaps even taking roughly half the book to get good, and that there wasn't really much zombie mayhem. I'm not sure if it was because I was forearmed or what, but I didn't have a problem with either issue at all. Something Strange and Deadly charmed me immediately, and I thought there was plenty of zombie goodness.

I can see, however, why some might be bored in the opening, so taking that warning to heart certainly can't hurt you. What made this book a perfect fit (pun!) for me from beginning to end was Eleanor Fitt. I show more just loved her and thought she made an utterly enchanting heroine. She's one of those heroines that I totally get and that I do not see often enough. She's snarky and doesn't feel at home in the uppercrust society to which she and her mother are just barely clinging. Unlike so many heroines, she doesn't turn all heads. She's not astoundingly gorgeous, she's well-padded, and she's outspoken. When people try to keep secrets from her, she pesters them until she learns what she wants to know. Tenacious, stubborn, nosey heroines just rock my socks.

Cementing Eleanor Fitt as one of the fictional characters I am sure I would be total besties with is the fact that, despite being a corset-wearing lady, she is no wilting flower. Early on, she gets attacked by zombies and doesn't run or faint: she attempts to defend herself with her corset. She's not very good at it, but she learns by watching the Chinese member of the Spirit Hunters how best to incapacitate the walking dead. She watches, learns, and fights herself. Throughout the book, she continues to use those skills, and becomes increasingly more badass. Seriously, at the end, I defy you to not think she is really fucking badass.

Now, the zombies. They may not be the central point of the book, but they are definitely woven throughout. They are not the big bads; they are merely tools wielded by an evil necromancer attacking Philadelphia for some unknown reason. Despite being essentially attack dogs, there were plenty enough horrifying zombie moments to satisfy zombie enthusiasts. It was also cool seeing the zombies used in some different ways, like as messengers.

Eleanor gets involved in all of this necromancy and walking dead business for two reasons: she suspects her brother has been captured by the necromancer for nefarious purposes AND her mother summoned an evil spirit at an otherwise routine high society seance. For help, Eleanor turns to the Spirit Hunters (Who ya gonna call?), here to help the city with their walking dead problem. Despite the prickly reception from the Spirit Hunter's inventor, Daniel, Eleanor will not be rebuffed.

I loved the Spirit Hunters, and am so completely looking forward to getting to know more about them in the subsequent books. Joseph, for example, I don't feel like I really got to know much of anything about. I could totally know more about Jie and Daniel as well. They're great characters (diverse too!) and have such a great group dynamic.

The ending, guys! I am seriously in pain at not having the next book in my hands right now and totally want to discuss it with someone. I saw the twists coming, but that did not detract from the my pleasure in the book, because I still didn't know what would happen AFTER that. Eleanor has a fun, witty way of thinking and her perspective keeps things from feeling all that dark even when they are. This juxtaposition totally shook me at the end, in the very best of ways.

If you like steampunkery, zombie mayhem, spunky heroines, good writing or, well, awesome things, I highly recommend this fantastic debut. This was pretty much everything I hoped it would be and more. show less

This is genuinely fun and doesn't mangle its period (too badly) or enforce a love triangle (though there are two male possible romancey characters). That's practically an A endorsement right there.

Set during the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia (which the internet tells me was 1876), this book managed to carry a real feel of the time - of the trembling on the edge of modernity, but also of what it meant in a day to day sense for a teenage girl - that I very much enjoyed. And while so many steampunky novels can have a heroine who leaps readily into the trousered fray, I liked that Eleanor wrestled with being a heroine while being ladylike (while not being overly fond of her not-like-other-girls-ness, but willing to allow it just show more this once). And I loved that there are big, significant and permanent consequences of said heroine-ing.

So, basically, thumbs up for a heroine who thumps zombies with her parasol but still saves the boy right back. If the plot and action occasionally wasn't as coherent or innovative as I might have liked, I can forgive a lot for characters and world-feel that work for me, and this did. Definitely picking up the next one. show less

In Victorian era Philadephia, Eleanor Fitt is part of a historically important and successful family, but her father went crazy after his business failed. Her mother insists on keeping their previous standard of living to keep up appearances that they are rich, but they are close to being destitute. Their only real hope is for Eleanor's brother, Elijah, to come home and support them, but he has been mysteriously detained. This also happens to coincide with the arrival of zombies in Philadelphia controlled by a mysterious and dangerous necromancer. Eleanor thinks her brother is somehow mixed up in this whole mess and goes to the Spirit Hunters, who are helping to fight off the animated corpses, for help. Can they save Philadelphia from show more the undead menace and figure out how this is all tied to Eleanor's brother?

Based on the synopsis, I was expecting something like Lia Habel's Nora Dearly series. The two works have commonalities, including time period, fashions, zombies, and kickass heroines, but Something Strange and Deadly stands by itself as a compelling and exciting novel. I loved this book and its magical version of Victorian Philadelphia that includes zombies and ghosts. These zombies aren't contagious or diseased in any way like those in most zombie books. They are simply dead people raised from a graveyard and controlled by a necromancer. They will attack any threat in order to protect their master to the bitter end, even if they are in pieces, but will stay still if they aren't needed. It's kind of like having undead bodyguards. The extra danger for everyone comes in if the necromancer somehow loses control of these zombies. Then the zombies become wild, hungry for any flesh available. Don't be put off by the Victorian setting; there is plenty of zombie action to enjoy. The ghost is just as fearsome and dangerous as the zombies at times. Its motives and identity are very murky up until the end and kept me guessing, unlike the identity of the necromancer. The mixture of the two supernatural beings is an interesting dynamic not seen in recent fantasy novels.

The characters are flawed and realistic and the outcomes of the situations aren't sanitized and neat. Eleanor is a kickass girl, but she isn't the strongest or the fastest. She accomplishes things with a steely resolve and the knowledge that if she won't do it, no one will. I liked seeing Victorian society through her eyes. Her future is basically planned out for her: marry very well, be a good wife, and have children. Even Victorian fashions are extremely restrictive and uncomfortable, which reflects the restrictive nature of the society. Her romance blooms naturally, no instalove needed, and her love interest is just as dynamic and compelling. The Spirit Hunters are a rag tag group of outcasts that work to protect people from the zombie menace despite the misleading and slanderous press surrounding them. I really liked that characters get injured and the ending isn't all tied up in a nice bow. It's messy and gives a sense of realism in a fantastical world of zombies, ghosts, and steampunk gadgets.

Something Strange and Deadly is one of my favorite reads of the summer. It combines so many things I like so very well. I am only sad that I read it so early because I will probably have to wait a year or more for the next book to come out. Highly recommended for fans of steampunk, zombies, or fantasy. show less