Review: Kirsty takes charge
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 19, 2013
I enjoyed "Esprit de Corpse" but not as much as the previous novel "Scythe Does Matter" because Kirsty is back in the real world. The puns and other witticisms about Hell really added to the charm of the novels so it was a shame that world was essentially abandoned. In "Esprit de Corpse" Kirsty's evil boss Conrad has turned into a demon (thanks to her using Dante's scythe) and possessed the body of his daughter, Shannon. The police promptly arrest Shannon for Kirsty's murder. Kirsty's not one to abandon her friend and so she convinces Dante to help her evict Conrad and get Shannon off a murder rap. Things get a mite confusing from here on in.Kirsty went through a fairly big character reboot in the last novel and luckily that `can-do' spirit has continued - she must be racking up all manner of karma points. She still has a tendency to whinge and do really stupid things which was irritating. Fortunately, she also has a habit of turning really bad situations around through doing something equally, if not more stupid. Kirsty's devotion to Shannon really shone through and she even ended up watching over her body while she was incarcerated to make sure it was okay. The old Kirsty would never have gone to such lengths. I'm still not sure of the depth of her feelings for Dante because she isn't prone to great introspection but she gets jealous whenever he interacts with another woman.Dante treated Kirsty fairly poorly in this novel by patronising her, doubting her and accidentally calling her by the name of a woman he once loved. He seems to think that because he has been a Reaper for far longer than her, she can't have anything of any worth to contribute. For all her faults, Kirsty is at least willing to take risks whereas Dante finds comfort in following the rules. I found this fairly ironic as he lives in Hell. I missed the many weird and wonderful characters of Hell. Shannon was fairly bland but Colin was suitably evil.Grant tied up all the loose threads with this novel so I'm assuming it is the last in the series - yes, in case you are wondering, the stapler of doom does make another appearance. The denouement was a little too pat for me and the humour a little hit and miss but overall, I've enjoyed this series.