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Children are chosen at birth to be the next Child of Death – a chilling fate that means when they turn 18, they must relinquish their soul to become a reaper – to travel the world and set free the souls of the recently deceased. They’re marked from birth with tattoos on their dominant arms, designs spiralling each birthday, showing the world that they’ve been chosen.
Ani is 15 and the current Child of Death. It’s a fate he doesn’t want, as it marks him as an outsider. He’s only got one friend, Zephyr, a budding and talented chef – but Zephyr isn’t around when Ani is running away from the towns bullies. He happens upon a beautiful, flower filled garden when he trips over a rock. He’s helped up by a beautiful girl, Nulla, who appears to be just as lonely as he. She’s a ‘Color’, someone with bright golden skin and eyes, and curly silver hair. Colors are much maligned in their society, and as such, she’s lived a solitary life with only her twin brother, Lysander, and their guardian Cecile as company.
Ani, Zephyr, Nulla and Lysander quickly become friends, and cook up a plan to try and help Ani escape his fate. They plan to go somewhere where Nulla won’t be discriminated against, and where they can all be free.
I was drawn to this book because the tropes honestly sounded right up my street. Unfortunately, A Grave of Flowers did not quite deliver. The narration was clumsy, moving around too quickly. The conversations didn’t feel organic – they felt more forced. There was also many cases of info-dumping. We learn about Ani’s legacy all in one go, instead of it being drip fed throughout the story. Scenes move from one situation to another with no breaks – leaving the reader unsure about what’s just happened.
It’s honestly a shame, as Attler’s world was a bright and interesting place to be. The story just needs polishing up and some refinement for it to be above parr.
S. A
Originally reviewed on Reedsy Discovery as part of their ARC program. Read it here.
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