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    Graveminder
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    Graveminder
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    Graveminder
    Ebook376 pages5 hours

    Graveminder

    By Melissa Marr

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    When Rebekkah returns to her small-town home for her beloved Grandmother’s funeral, she little suspects that she is about to inherit a darkly dangerous family duty on behalf of Claysville’s most demanding residents – the dead.

    Everyone in Claysville knows that the Barrows are no ordinary family, but no one can really explain why. When respected matriarch Maylene Barrow dies suddenly her granddaughter Rebekkah returns to the small town she grew up in, where she must face the demons of her past – the suicide of her half-sister Ella, the person she was closest to in the world, and the subsequent break-up of her parents marriage. And she also re-encounters Byron, Ella’s old boyfriend, someone to whom she has always felt a deep and mysterious connection.

    But the demons of the past are nothing compared with what the future has in store for Rebekkah. Her grandmother has left her an inheritance both wonderful and terrible. An onerous responsibility now rests on her shoulders – one for which she is ill-prepared to say the least.

    For behind Claysville’s community-spirited, small-town facade lies a dark secret. One that ties Rebekkah and Byron together in an inextricable bond, and that will require them both to sacrifice everything to keep their friends and neighbours from harm.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins UK
    Release dateJul 7, 2011
    ISBN9780007364657
    Author

    Melissa Marr

    Melissa Marr was voted in high school the “most likely to end up in jail”. Instead, she went to graduate school, worked in a bar, became a teacher and did a lot of writing. Her novels Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange and Fragile Eternity are published by HarperCollins.

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    Reviews for Graveminder

    3.5/5

    411 ratings61 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Find this review and more at whatsontheshelf.wordpress.com Graveminder is a fantastic novel of the walking dead, not your typical zombie-like story. Unlike the popular zombies that you see in movies, these walking dead are aware of things going on. Rebekkah is the granddaughter of Maylene, who is the graveminder, and when she is murdered, Rebekkah must return to Claysville. On top of her grandmother’s murder, many other issues are thrown onto her, including a past relationship she has been running from, a difficult inheritance, and something that is running around hurting the townspeople. Melissa Marr is known for her Wicked Lovely series in which she shows us the world of fairies. She has a superb way of creating worlds and being able to put the reader into them. Graveminder is her first adult novel, and I was just as sucked into this story as I was with the Wicked Lovely series, which is for young adults. Her style of writing and description make it hard to put the book down and bring yourself back into the real world. With this style of story, the author has stepped outside of the box for what is normally seen as the walking dead, giving this novel a freshness that others of the same subject do not have. Strong characters, strong relationships between them, and a strong story, I recommend this to those who are already a Melissa Marr fan and to those who want something outside the norm.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book. I have never thought of this topic where the dead can come back and someone has to be able to take them back to the land of the dead. Bek has been assigned the task of graveminder after her grandmother is killed by the dead. She must go around and make sure the dead stay where she puts them. But she is drawn to the land of the dead and wants to be in both worlds. The undertaker helps keep the graveminder safe. They are drawn together and help each other. They are supposed to keep the living in Claysville safe. I found this well written although halfway through the book there were tons of typos. But it is enjoyable and I recommend this book.
    • 5/5
      I'd like to say that I've read everything by Melissa Marr. I'd like to say that. However the truth is that until Graveminder showed up at my door, and drew me in with it's Southern Gothic cover and blurb, I hadn't realized Melissa Marr's books were out there. Shame on me, I know. Let's just say that I've remedied that now, and if Graveminder is any indication of Marr's shining talent, then I'm 100% in. Call me a fangirl.

      Graveminder is deep, gritty and filled with the type of tension that you only see in really good, old, horror movies. You know, the ones where the town seems peaceful and quiet at first glance, but deep down you know there's something brewing under the surface. The small town feel allows the reader to watch characters interact who know one another so intimately that it is captivating. I believe it's on the front cover that Charlaine Harris mentions Melissa Marr's stunning world building abilities. I second that, third it, and go back to read this book another time through. Claysville is not only a town populated by some of the most intriguing characters I've ever met. It's not just a town that buries secrets. No, Claysville literally breathes. It's alive.

      If the town itself is alive, the characters are even more so. Their lives bleed off the page, intermingling into a group of people you might just meet some day. I fell in step with Rebekkah and Byron almost instantly, watching as their paths widened, met, and finally tangled into a messy heap. Each of them was believable, and I enjoyed that Marr didn't try make them perfect. Rebekkah and Byron each have their own demons that they are fighting, even as they are trying to keep one another from drowning. The tension between them, both in terms of anger and sexual interest, is palpable. I couldn't get over the fact that they were thrown together so unceremoniously. Following them as they tried to sort things out, and learned to rely on one another, was definitely a big part of what kept me reading on.

      There's not really too much I can share with you in terms of the story line, without spoiling things. I am enamored with how little the synopsis gives the reader in terms of back story. To be honest, the less you know going in the more you'll be open to falling in love with the concept. This isn't your typical zombie book my friends. I'm honestly not even sure it should be compared to that. What Marr has created in Graveminder is something new, fresh and beautifully original. Her characters, her setting, the gorgeously woven story, it all comes together to create one heck of a book. Grab a copy and dive into Claysville. You might find that you just can't leave.
    • 3/5
      I liked "Graveminder" well enough, but the beginning and parts of the middle were much slower than they needed to be. Questions are not answered for a hundred pages or more, and by that point a literal portal to the afterlife feels like a bit of a stretch. I knew something mystical was going on, but "Graveminder" is set in our world, roughly at the present day, but because of the lack of hints or answers prior to the introduction of the portal to the afterlife I wasn't at all prepared for something that big to happen. Up until that point I had thought "Graveminder" was more magical realism than straight-up, other-worlds-attached-to-ours, fantasy.

      Other than the slow pacing and sudden jolt when things picked up, I enjoyed "Graveminder" well enough. My favorite thing was how the point of view continually shifted--I loved seeing how different Rebeckah and Byron viewed the world of the afterlife, how other characters (particularly Daisha, Rebeckah's step-cousin Liz, and the mayor) viewed Rebeckah and Byron's relationship, and how Daisha reclaimed her humanity. The whole story is told through third-person limited point of view, but with who the POV is limited to always shifting, the world of Clayville became far more robust. The cast was varied but interesting, and very few minor characters were anything but fully 3D.

      All in all, well worth a read, but I'm very glad I got my (virtual) copy on sale. Don't pay full price for "Graveminder."
    • 3/5
      Yet another book where it comes into the Circ Desk, a co-worker says, "HM, this looks interesting!" and its on Hold for me... ;)

      Pretty good, if asked I'll stay with "worth reading"... and considering how picky I've been about reading of late....

    • 4/5
      Sleep well and stay where I put you. More than mere words uttered over the newly dead. The Graveminder and her undertaker are the heart of survival for the small town of Claysville - but it had been this way for over two hundred years. Now this survival is being threatened.
    • 5/5
      When I first read the cover I was a little worried. This book was recommended from a friend. This book had me till the end. I won't add a spoiler. It's a favorite of mine and have lended my copy out several times. In fact I have just recently borrowed it out again. :) I was easily taken in by the story and the characters. Wish it hadn't ended.
    • 3/5
      I loved this book. I really did. The world building from Ms Marr was, as always, impeccable and believable. I especially liked the world of the dead.

      Having said this, there is one thing that pushed down the rating of this book from a 4 star to a 3 star; how unconcerned Rebekah and Byron were about the fact that Maylene's murderer was a dead girl and was still out there, killing people. Sure, I get that Rebekah is jet-lagged and her grandma just died and she's the Graveminder, and has to look after the graves of the newly deceased. Oh, and let's not forget visiting the world of the dead., but she and Byron should perhaps be a little more concerned about Daisha running about free? At least, concerned enough that they don't take 5 days over getting around to solving it.

      Not enough variety in the mood of this book to give it a higher rating. The description was good and that was about it.
    • 5/5
      Excellent! This is zombie fiction for those that aren't crazy about zombies! It was very interesting, and completely different from her Wicked Lovely series. Highly recommend!
    • 3/5
      The overall idea of grave minding drew me in. Imagine having to mind graves? "spooooooky" (ghost story type voice) I thought ghosts or maybe I don't know something but did I expect zombies? No I did not! *GRRRJHGHJ* The idea I like but that's where it ends. Grandmother dies (gets eaten by a girl yuk) and you have to return to the place and the man you left behind to make sure the graves are cared for or else (dun, dun, dun). So I thought to myself just give it a try, let it have a chance. ERGH big mistake no matter how much I liked the idea and the characters I could not read more than half of this novel. I mean i'm a huge fan of pretty much any idea. I've even watched a few zombie films but to read about someone let alone a girl eating flesh it turns out is just not for me. This is in fact the first book I have not read till the end. I just couldn't do it. The writing is beautiful the words are not. I tried, I really tried I just couldn't do it. If it had only been monsters or something, anything but flesh eating (creepy) maybe this is for you?.... I might at some point pick it back up and re-try but that day is not today and it certainly is not in the seeable future. I do how ever want to know what happens to these characters so maybe it could be sooner than I thought......
    • 3/5
      This book was decent. I love Melissa Marr's characters, and while my love for Byron and Rebekkah was tepid, I really enjoyed the concept of the book which was giving offerings to the dead. A lot of the book fell flat for me though, and I wasn't too sorry when the book was over. The concept wasn't original, and the book itself while it had great potential sort of fell flat in the end.
    • 3/5
      Originally published on my blog, My Urban FantasiesThis was supposed to be Melissa Marr's first adult novel and she missed the mark. It reads like a bizarre mix of a YA novel and a New Adult novel. Rebekkah Barrow starts the book with the emotional maturity of a teenager. Byron Montgomery, eventually Rebekkah joins him, is still transitioning between who he was when he left home and who he is expected to become. I noticed that some people consider this a horror novel. If you are very easily scared then this might be true otherwise no. I didn't even get the goosebumps. The prologue was full of suspense and was cryptic enough that I devoured page after page to see what would happen next. Maylene Barrow was by far my favorite character, unfortunately she does not live to see chapter one. The chapters between the prologue and when Byron officially becomes the Undertaker and Rebekkah finds out she is the Graveminder, which is about halfway through, are slow. It was well written but the suspense is gone and the plot became a little predictable. Things were remarkably better in the last half of the book. The predictability is almost gone and the suspense is back though it does not reach the same intensity it had in the prologue.I found Rebekkah highly annoying, unsympathetic and slightly distracting. She has a history with Byron, and gives a whole new meaning to love them and leave them. Rebekkah is constantly avoiding her feelings about Byron. She hooks up with him when it's convenient for her and then leaves, sometimes in the middle of the night. Whenever Byron approaches the subject of their relationship, or lack of one, Rebekkah uses sex as a distraction. Eventually she tells Byron to stay out of her life forever and he did until Maylene was murdered. I know I'm complaining a lot about Rebekkah. Byron does bear a little of the blame, he has this whipped, kicked puppy feel to him. But, I'm so tired of heroines who can deal with anything supernatural without blinking an eye, but dealing with their emotions is too scary and must be avoided at all costs. This book barely made it to 3 Moons. Conceptually it was a brilliant story and I really enjoyed the last half of the book.
    • 4/5
      A spellbinding gothic read for Melissa Marr's first adult fiction. I hope she continues to write adult fiction concurrently with young adult fiction.
    • 3/5
      Hmmm. A premise that was new to me, which is always wonderful. Some cool images, interesting ideas, and a plot that hummed along and clunked along at times. The ending was weak.
    • 4/5
      I liked the concept and characters, it was my own visuals of the world that drew me out of the story.
    • 1/5
      Hundreds of years ago, a town made a pact with Death. In exchange for near perfect health and long life, any person born within the town will rise as a zombie. The only way to avoid this is to inter the bodies within the town borders and constantly appease them with visits, holy water and liquor. This is the job of the Graveminder, and Rebekkah has just unwittingly inherited it.

      She inherits it at a most perilous time, when the dead are walking in greater numbers than in generations. This sounds exciting, but astoundingly, Marr manages to make it anything but. Instead of trying to stop the zombies, Rebekkah mostly just describes what dresses she wears in the Underworld and angsts about how she kissed Byron (her Fated One True Love) while he was still dating her step-sister. It takes like three seconds to actually solve the plot. The world building is so full of holes that I can't even handle it. If I started detailing all the ways Marr's town doesn't work, I would wear my fingers to the bone. A nonsensical dystopia would be forgivable if I liked the characters, but they are all too stupid to live.
    • 4/5
      I was really pleasantly surprised by this book, the first I'd read by this author.
      She doesn't an excellent job of mixing the familiar and the original to create a fun and emotionally touching story.
      It reminded me a bit, in tone, of Marion Zimmer Bradley's "Ghostlight" series, but I actually liked this better.
      There's a small, insular town in the South where, instead of being desperate to get away, people who were born their always find themselves coming back. Tradition has it that anyone born their must also be buried there. Little do most of them know that their peaceful lives and their odd traditions are part of a magical contract drawn up hundreds of years ago.
      But when the terms of that contract are not fulfilled, the dead walk...
      Sympathetic characters, ghostie zombies, a dashing devil, a dash of romance... I hope there's a sequel!
    • 4/5
      Graveminder
      4 Stars

      Upon returning home to Claysville following the death of her beloved grandmother, Rebekkah Barrow learns the town's troubling secret known only to a select few, and discovers that she has been chosen to carry on a family tradition. Unfortunately, not everyone is pleased with the choice and Rebekkah finds herself the target of a malicious and dangerous foe ...

      The original premise and solid writing style more than compensate for the lackluster romance.

      Rebekkah is a strong and independent heroine, but also stubborn and emotionally distant. She has trouble accepting help from others even when she clearly needs it. Although she is obviously in love with Byron, she cannot admit it either to him or to herself, which adds unnecessary angst to their relationship. Byron, in contrast, has not such difficulty and there are times when his devotion to Rebekkah grates on the nerves. While Rebekkah and Byron do eventually come to terms with the fact that they must work together as a team both personally and professionally, their chemistry falls flat and their romance fizzles.

      Notwithstanding the problems with Rebekkah and Byron, it is the plot of Graveminder that makes the book well worth reading. The town’s secret is intriguing and the build up to its revelation adds tension and suspense. There is also the added mystery of who precisely is out to get Rebekkah and why. The villain is a nasty piece of work, but ultimately receives the just reward in a very satisfying climax.

      The world building is fascinating and the secondary characters, whether dead or alive, are very engaging. All in all, an entertaining story with just the right amount of gothic horror and grisly scenes to keep me satisfied despite its flaws.
    • 2/5
      Having loved her series Wicked Lovely, I was vastly looking forward to her first foray into Adult fiction. Sadly, I felt that I was still reading writing for YA's. It lacked depth of story, development of character and background. In a story that was aiming for a more mature audience she could and should have written a more substantial story.
    • 1/5
      I haven't read a book in a long time. Somehow, I was busy with school and life to actually have the time to pick up a book and read it.

      When I went to the library to pick up some graphic novels/mangas I saw this and somehow I was drawn to it. The cover (with the old house) was creepy and the blurb sounded delicious. For the first time in a long time, I was truly excited to pick up a book.

      Then I started to read it. This is the first book of Melissa Marr that I've read, I know her by her Wicked Lovely series and can tell that she's a talented young adult novel. The problem with this book is that it is marketed towards adults, but the writing sounds like something you'd find in teen fiction. Nothing wrong with that if done correctly, but it didn't work here.

      The characters. There are actually three issues I had with the characters:

      1. Rebekkah is annoying. Byron is whipped. And for the majority of the book (especially the first 2/3rds of it) they talk about nothing except their angst for each other. I felt suffocated just reading about how much Byron loved her but how much Rebekkah couldn't handle commitment, but still wanted him but couldn't. Add on to the fact that they are apparently destined for each other and this little reader couldn't handle it. It was just too much. The entire time they were together, I wished that either one of them died or they broke up.

      2. The rest of the characters are very flat, with the exception of Daisha and Elizabeth. Daisha is shown quite a bit, but I wish we saw more of Elizabeth. From the two chapters that she showed up, she was a really interesting character. Her mother is power hungry, but she just goes with the flow afraid of the consequences. She knows her mother is wrong, but she's afraid. Interesting. Except she doesn't show up and after all is said and done, she didn't even need to be in the book.

      3. The villain. No spoilers, but the villain was pretty bad. The problem here is that...hmmm, how can I explain this without spoiling? I don't think I can, so here I go Cissy being a villain was predictable, but it made sense that she would do this given what we know about her. The only problem is that we see her in the beginning for a little bit and then at the end. The only thing she's known for is being spoiled and being a wakadoodle. From how she sounded in the beginning, I don't understand how she could kill one of her daughters just like that. It didn't make sense to me. If she was shown more, maybe during an extra chapter with Elizabeth somewhere in the middle of the book, it might have worked better. As it stands now, it just didn't work for me.

      The plot, by itself, is interesting. It just wasn't executed properly. Was it creative? Yes, I think Melissa Marr had a lot of great ideas in this book. Was the writing great? Sadly no. As an adult novel, it didn't work. Had this been written with teens I think I might have liked it a bit more. Rebekkah and Byron's angst wouldn't have been as annoying, because I could blame the hormones.

      The premise of the book makes it exciting and when I picked this up, I felt that. Sadly, the execution and the characters are a different story.
    • 3/5
      I liked the plot well enough--interesting idea. I wanted a bit more character development, but it was entertaining. I suspect I'd enjoy her YA novels as well or better. 3.5 stars.
    • 5/5
      I absolutely fell in love with this book. A unique concept that was superbly carried out.Rebekkah Barrow has to go home for her grandmother's funeral. Bek has always had a wanderlust and a dislike for staying in one place for long. Plus, there is her past with Byron that she doesn't want to deal with. However, upon returning, Bek finds out that she has inherited her grandmother's position of Graveminder for this small quaint town and exactly what that means.The characters and the world that is built in this novel is so real and so entertaining. I couldn't wait to read the resolution, but also never wanted it to end.
    • 3/5
      Graveminder is kind of like, if Melissa Marr sat down in front of me and said, "I have this great idea for a novel!" and then she launched into it, explaining about the city of Claysville and the Graveminder and the Undertaker and the Land of the Dead, started laying out these neat characters and all the relationships. And I'd be sitting there, thinking, "Wow, what a great idea for a novel, yeah, amazing, so cool, do it!" However, when presented with the same thing in book form, the sketch handed over as the complete novel, I'm not quite so thrilled.

      This really stumps me. I love Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series. She is an amazing writer, and the other books of hers that I've read have just sucked me in from page one and totally drenched me in a strange and scary alternate reality. I found her writing so vivid, and her fairy tales so real.

      Graveminder, on the other hand, was hard to get into. I really trudged through the early chapters, always annoyed by one thing or another. Especially the flashbacks, which always seemed to come out of nowhere.

      I felt like I knew who Rebekkah was supposed to be, but I always felt like I was getting a description of who she was -- her itinerant lifestyle and relationship dodging, her artistic streak -- rather than really seeing it in action. All the scenes where she talks to Byron, for example, about the state of their relationship - they just constantly rehash this history, using the same words from conversation to conversation, more or less at a standstill. There are a few scenes between the two of them that really pop, that come alive and have the kind of intensity I expect from a Melissa Marr book, and a lot that fall flat.

      I could say the same about a lot of the characters, especially Mr. D. The one character that consistently pulled me in was Daisha. All the scenes with Daisha were wonderful.

      I kind of feel like Graveminder is still in its fetal state, like I read a draft instead of a finished novel. I really hate writing a bad review when I'm a fan of the author's work, and I think the concept is pretty fantastic, but the execution left me pretty tepid. I'd say this is a 3.5 star book but I'm rounding up for old times sake.
    • 3/5
      This was a very interesting read. I liked the concept, and the story line - I really enjoyed the character of Charlie - he was painted exactly they way I would have imagined him. The main character was not my favorite, perhaps a little too naive at first, and the change in personality not quite satisfying, but overall I really enjoyed the book and the other characters. Like all things Melissa Marr it was written beautifully.
    • 4/5
      Very good original story, i hope there' a sequel
    • 4/5
      I was a fan of Melissa Marr because of her Wicked Lovely series in the young adult/urban fantasy genre. Graveminder however is adult fiction - and I feel as good or better than her other work. It was one of the books I was able to read in two days. (The only upside to being sick; I have all the time in the world to whine and read.)I've seen mixed reviews of this book, but I'm not sure why unless you decide to treat this as high literature and critique every single thing. Not much fun and really not fair.This is good mystery with some romance that doesn't get mushy or distracting. For those familiar with her YA stuff, be aware that this is not YA - it is definitely adult. I guessed the mystery toward the end, but I found that this didn't detract from the revelations and how the story is finished off. This was a very pleasant read and I highly recommend it to fans of mystery/horror/paranormal stories. Graveminder is hard to pin down genre-wise, but very easy to enjoy, especially when one is spending days in a sick bed. Okay, maybe a couple of days, still...regardless of your health, you have to check out this book. Enjoy!
    • 3/5
      3 1/2 stars.

      Melissa Marr has one heck of an imagination! This book was a little darker than I usually prefer and it is far from fast paced. There is little romance here. Although the main two characters are "destined", I never felt a real connection between them.

      What I liked best about this story is that it was quite different from anything I've read before.
    • 4/5
      Very scary and creepy...and the heroine's name is Rebekkah! (Okay, so only the crazy aunt who hated her called her Becky, but still, the family names continue.) I was really looking forward to reading Marr's first "adult" book, as I have enjoyed what I've read so far of the Wicked Lovely series. (Though the characters in this one are adults, there really isn't much "adult" stuff going on--kind of reminded me of Ann Brashares' first adult book in that way--just older characters.) This one was very different, being about a small, rather isolated town that has some very..interesting quirks. Hardly anyone who is born there moves away. None of the locals who die there are embalmed before burial. Illness is unheard of under the age of eighty. Couples have to wait their turn to have children. And a local woman has an office at the undertaker's funeral home, a woman who spends hours each day visiting the town's graveyards with a mysterious flask, some food, and whispered words. Very engrossing read.
    • 3/5
      Got this as a GoodReads advance reader giveaway! Yay!

      Overall, I really enjoyed the book and blazed through it in 48 hours. I loved the concept of the whole Graveminder/Undertaker set-up and dynamic of traveling to and from the world of the dead is pretty awesome. All the nuances of the world really interested me--who can and can't be hurt in the underworld, the laws of the Graveminder and the town contract, etc. It was an addictive read that I wanted to get through the minute I picked it up.

      On the negative side, Rebekkah's commitment-phobia was kind of hammered over our heads a little too much. The "tough girl with relationship issues" trope is nothing new, so I wish the author had gone a little lighter with it. I was much more interested in Bek's reaction to becoming the Graveminder and all the restrictions and challenges that come with that than I was with her "I love him-NO I DON'T" angst with Byron. I felt like I wasn't learning anything new and just being told the same thing eight different ways every time they interacted.

      The book took a while to pick up steam and I was impatient for Bek to become Graveminder. (I was literally skimming over paragraphs, which I rarely do.) Once she got to that point in the book where everyone knew what was up, the plot picked up speed quite nicely! Like other reviewers, Mr. D was one of the most interesting characters. I also though Alicia had some meat to her. I hope in any future book the rest of the cast get fleshed out with a bit more complexity and given the same treatment.

      Bottom line, while I would have liked less relationship angst and a faster pace, the concept of the world and Claysville's contract really drew me in. Warts and all, it's a good read and I'll be interested in seeing what else Melissa Marr comes out with!
    • 3/5
      I admit I am fairly addicted to certain ghost shows on TV. When I received Graveminder last year, I was intrigued. A novel about a woman whose job is to keep the dead dead seemed all right to me. I really wanted to like this. It was spooky enough, scary enough but I draw the line at zombies. And the walking dead eat people. That’s just creepy. There were some things I couldn’t ignore. Overall, the novel lacked something. I think the writing was a bit elementary. The premise was interesting, but the execution could have used some work. In defense to Ms. Marr, I received an ARC of Graveminder. I’m sure the finished novel was better. I know the dead and zombie’s are no laughing matter but this novel definitely needed a dose of laughter. Something, anything, to lighten it up.I liked how Bek embraced her role as Graveminder. She knew it was her destiny. I thought she was a strong character. She knew what needed to be done and didn’t shy away from her responsibility. My issues lay with Byron. I didn’t like that Byron’s rose-colored love for Bek made him blind to everything else. Maybe I’m just a cynic, but seriously, the guy needed to settle down. Yes, I know as her Undertaker they are forever linked and he’s supposed to protect her, but still. It was nauseating to watch someone that clingy. It was creepy. My favorite character was William, Byron’s father and Maylene’s Undertaker. Of all the characters, he was the most real to me. Ms. Marr portrayed his grief beautifully. Although his role was limited, there was such grace about him. I wish Graveminder was about him and Maylene instead of Byron and Rebekka. I have several questions, especially about Mr. D (Charles).I like Rebekka, but can’t really stomach Byron. My opinion of the novel changed frequently during the reading. Sometimes I liked it, sometimes I didn't. Although in the end, I felt a glimmer of like but it might have been joy that it was finally over. I do believe if you are a fan of this genre, you will enjoy this novel. Me, not so much.