Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I Am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew on March 4, 2025
Genres: Horror, Young Adult, Fantasy Romance
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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Following the death of his father, Thomas Walsh had to grow up quickly, taking on odd-jobs to keep food on the table and help pay his gravely ill mother's medical bills. When he's offered a highly paid position as an interpreter for an heiress who exclusively signs, Thomas -- the hearing child of a Deaf adult -- jumps at the opportunity.
But the job is not without its challenges. Thomas is expected to accompany Vivienne wherever she goes, but from the start, she seems determined to shake him. To make matters worse, her parents keep her on an extremely short leash. She is not to go anywhere without express permission. She is not to deviate from her routine.
She is, most importantly, not to be out after dark.
A selective-mute, Vivienne Farrow hasn't said a word in years -- not since going missing in Red Rock Canyon when she was four years old. No one knows quite what happened to her out in the dark. They only know that the sound of her voice is now as deadly as a poison. Anyone who hears her speak suffers a horrible death.
Ever since that fatal family vacation, Vivienne has been desperately searching for a way to regain control of both her voice and her body. Because the face staring out of the mirror isn't hers. It's something with teeth.
Thankfully, Vivienne has a plan. She's finally found someone who claims to be able to perform a surgical exorcism. She just needs to find a way to get rid of Thomas first. But Thomas can't afford to walk away, nor is he willing to abandon the mysterious girl he's quickly falling for, no matter what dark powers threaten to swallow them both whole.
When you are the monster, how can you trust someone will come to save you. I Am Made of Death is the third book set in the world of The Whispering Dark (TWD). It is a stand alone, however a few of the characters from TWD make and appearance and play a role so as a reader you may want to read that first. I haven’t read TWD and was able to follow the story fine, however I think I would have been even more invested if I had read the other story as well. I would describe this as romantic horror-lite.
Thomas needs this job. That is what he reminds himself every time Vivienne cuts him deeply or alternatively makes him want to protect her with everything he is. But, Thomas needs this job and the enormous paycheck that comes with it. He has been most of the sole support for his family since his dad died and his mom has been so sick. So he reminds himself that the girl is just a job. He shouldn’t look at her too long. He shouldn’t get too involved with whatever trouble she is in. And he definitely should under no circumstances kiss the girl that can cut him to the bone with signed word. Thomas knows Vivienne has a secret; she might be in trouble and it looks like Thomas is going to be the fool that risks himself to help a girl he just met and can’t stop thinking about.
Vivienne is a monster, or close enough to one that she might as well be. She hasn’t spoken in years. Bad things happen when she speaks out loud, people plead and beg and die. So she is selectively mute, because she doesn’t want to be a monster, she only ever wanted to be a girl. Vivienne has maybe found a way to get the monster out of her. It is dangerous and she will need some people with very specific skills to help her. She will also need to ditch the Thomas, the interpreter/babysitter her step-father has hired. But, that is getting harder everyday she spends with the boy who looks almost as broken as her in some ways. What if she could just tell him everything, what if he could help her, what if she kills him.
She wondered if he’d weep if she told him what she thought of him, right out loud. Sometimes they did. Weep, that is. They begged. They crawled. They foamed at the mouth and writhed on the floor. All she had to do was scream. She was a piteous Medusa, her mouth full of snakes. A cursed siren, her voice full of venom.
My first Kelly Andrew book was Blood of my Bones and it was such a strange story with a haunting and beautifully written prose I wanted to see what else Kelly Andrew could do with that writing style. I was intrigued by the siren call premise of I Am Made of Death and forbidden love, it seemed like another winner for me. I enjoy the flowery and descriptive writing style that adds to the gothic feels of the book. Vivienne and Thomas both capture my heart with the dual PoVs and struggles the reader experiences through there eyes. Vivienne isn’t a really loveable character, all jagged spikes and harsh actions. But seeing her through Thomas’ eyes, you could see how she was just a girl who wanted someone to be on her side, instead of just thinking of how to use the monster she could be.
Vivienne Farrow wasn’t for loving. She wasn’t warm or sweet or good. Most days, she wasn’t even sure she was human.
The story was captivating and I had a hard time putting it down. It was a good tease of mystery and horror to discover Vivienne’s past and how she became made of death. The resolution went very differently from what I expected, however that is a good thing and I liked the direction the author took with the story. While the horror aspect was interesting I was here for the prose and the romantic interest aspects of the story and they delivered.
Recommended for anyone looking to try out horror as a new genre. The combination of the love story, horror aspects and prose make it an easy entry point.
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“She hasn’t spoken in years. Bad things happen when she speaks out loud, people plead and beg and die. So she is selectively mute” OooOOOoooo
When I read the book description I was so excited. Really just a different concept for a siren or sorts
I got this ARC in the mail, I don’t think I signed up for it? I’ll be reading it coming closer to the pub date. Great review!
O.o…I hope you enjoy it. I like the way this author writes and have enjoyed both books I’ve read by her.