Review: beginning of my new favorite series!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 28, 2014
****I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.****Life and deathNaomi Grim is the kind of book that made me realize I wanted something I didn't even know I wanted. Or maybe I just didn't know how to put it into words. Either way, this was a read that had me thinking beyond the story about life and death and the bigger picture which led me to absolutely love this story. A book is special to me when it can not only give me an escape from reality for a while but also give me much to think about. Naomi Grim is special to me.Naomi - most compassionate Grim everNaomi is a character I could relate with, and she asked questions I would ask if I was in her shoes - things like why is there a lower class of Grims who are allowed to die when there are plenty of lifestones to go around and why is it so terrible to feel sad when someone dies, especially if that person dies a horribly violent death or is really young? She has thoughts and feelings that cause other Grims to look down on her, especially her older brother, Bram. She's expected to just accept things the way they are, and I love that she doesn't.The brotherBram was a character I couldn't stand as harsh as that is to say. He's Naomi's older brother and is so full of himself, thinking he should just get away with whatever he wants. He's the favorite son of their father, and I could see why - Bram and his father are just alike - both power hungry and willing to suck up to their boss. It's sickening really. Naomi is the opposite of Bram so everything I love about Naomi is everything I don't like about Bram.Family life as a GrimNaomi's parents brought out different reactions in me - I loved her mother but wasn't fond of her father. Naomi's mother understood her the best, but they didn't get to spend much time together being called at different times on assignment. Her father was power hungry and only cared about moving up to the next class. The amount of time he spent sucking up to the top Grim and the research he constantly did was all in an effort to snag a privileged life for him and his family. I suppose if I had an unlimited amount of time to live, maybe I would want the same thing. I'd like to think not though.Grim customsThe customs of a Grim created by Smith is not only imaginative and creative but also believable. Grims live by stricter laws than humans do in some ways. For example, parents choose who their children marry, and tattoos are forbidden and seen as body mutilation. I was surprised at some of the the laws and regulations they must live by. I didn't think Grims would have some of the beliefs and laws they did.OverallNaomi Grim was a story that stole my heart from the beginning, and one that I won't be forgetting any time soon. If you're looking for a young adult paranormal novel that isn't about vampires, I highly recommend this one!