Reviewed by OHS Student, Rory C.

Robin Wasley’s novel, “Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear,” was an imaginative masterpiece with such a thoughtful and meaningful plot filled with wonderful characters that is definitely worth every reader’s attention. In her crazy town full of magic, Sid Spencer has always been normal until a guardian of the magic in town is killed, leaving her to join other extraordinary guardians and fight to make things right. The captivating, constantly growing, and interesting plot truly makes the story even more charming than it already is. The imagery present in the novel is also extremely detailed and well-written; every scene felt as though you were with the characters as well.

I really loved how well the characters were written. Every character was human with flaws, regrets, mistakes, etc. They felt real and not superficial. They all had things to add to the story and push events forward in various ways. Every character was important with their unique differences. It was wonderful to read and connect to as it truly resonated with me a lot. I also loved the message of the novel. It is such a beautiful and amazing message that I think everyone should hear and remember. The imagery and details were also astounding and captivated me whenever I read a scene. Overall, the novel felt inspiring and truly meaningful to me.

At first, I will admit, I did not really like the novel at the start (though that definitely changed as it progressed). It was confusing at first and a little boring as I had not really found a reason to care about it specifically. This led it to being a novel that I had a hard time getting into but once I did, it was amazing. Also, a fantasy novel being confusing at first happens all the time so I do not think that is a true negative aspect to the book. Besides that, I think sometimes the pacing up to the point of the reveal of certain important things was a little off. I don’t know if it’s just me but it never really felt that suspenseful or jaw-dropping when it seemed like it should’ve been. This made some reveals be a little less satisfactory for me.

Anyone who enjoys fantasy and emotional roller-coasters in novels should read this book. I think it will satisfy and go beyond each of your standards when it comes to fantasy.