Book Review: The Day Death Stopped
I’ve read this book several times, so I’ll start there and you can guess what my star rating will be at the end.
A BRIEF SUMMARY
Set in a kind of parallel or alternative universe version of our world, The Day Death Stopped by Rebecca Thorne is a captivating tale that weaves together magic, mayhem, and a touch of mystery. Claire Bishop, renowned Las Vegas stage magician, shares a powerful magical ability that should qualify her to be the next Zaro—leader of the world’s witches. However, she has no interest in using her magic for The Greater Good anymore, fully supporting her counterpart Ozarik in becoming the Zaro instead. He can be the one to shoulder all that responsibility. However, Claire finds herself entangled in quite the predicament when Ozarik decides to stop death on Earth to protect her, leading to all kinds of horrific consequences.
WHAT I LOVED
The Day Death Stopped is a rollercoaster that left me both in stitches and in contemplation. The narrative voice had me audibly laughing at several points, a testament to the author's keen sense of humor and clever Good Omens-style voice. The plot, while seemingly chaotic with its jumps through time, adds to the overall excitement and intrigue of the story. Surprisingly, I never felt lost amidst the temporal twists. Instead, it kept me on the edge of my seat, eager to unravel Claire and Ozarik's journey (and Reiki’s).
One thing that sets this novel apart beyond the high-stakes premise is its character development. Claire and Ozarik, each with their distinct and layered backstories, become more than characters. The relationships depicted in the book, though far from feel-good, are remarkably real and messy, adding a layer of authenticity that made everyone entirely relatable, even if I didn’t exactly like them at points.
The overarching plotline of stopping death serves as a brilliant device for exploring profound and complicated concepts regarding life, death, love, power, responsibility, and the lengths we sometimes go to in the name of those things. Thorne effortlessly weaves in elements of magic, but beneath the supernatural veneer, the story delves into the very essence of humanity. I’d confidently say the beauty of The Day Death Stopped lies in its portrayal of complex, gray characters. Their selfish and frustrating decisions are not exasperating but deeply human because we understand the motivations behind them. Thorne invites us to empathize with characters that some might be tempted to label as villains and criticize those deemed heroes, only to reveal that everyone is just a person doing their best.
The story itself is written with a delightful mix of witty prose and clever dialogue, making it a total joy to read. With near-perfect pacing and rhythm, Thorne keeps readers engaged and entertained from the first page to the last, and as the story unfolds, it navigates the intricacies of relationships, choices, and the consequences of wielding immense power. The ending, bittersweet yet entirely satisfying, serves as a testament to Thorne's storytelling prowess and willingness to gut punch her readers if it means keeping the story believable.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Day Death Stopped is another 5/5 star read for me.
It’s a must-read for those who crave a magical escape with a dash of humor. Thorne's storytelling shines in this story of difficult decisions, the inevitable consequences of those, and reluctant heroism. As someone on the ace spectrum, I also can’t neglect to mention the ace rep! I have recommended this book to several people already, and will continue to do so.
(I promise, I’ll post some reviews that aren’t 5 stars soon lol)
On a personal note
I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Rebecca Thorne, and read this book pre-publication as a sensitivity reader. I have had the great fortune of reading in this capacity on several projects with several authors, and it must be said—Rebecca Thorne genuinely cares about her craft, about the writing community, about readers, and about appropriate representation in literature. I’ve seen her make adjustments in her work when people have noted issues on another project, and she was an absolute pleasure to work with on this one. I had very few notes for her in regard to sensitivity, aside from everything she did right, and how appropriately I felt she wove in cultural elements. That said, I’m confident that she would have incorporated any suggestions that would have made her book even more accessible for all readers in those areas. It’s always a massive relief and joy when I can confidently recommend an author, not only because of their incredible work, but because they are an incredible person as well.
