Review: The Grave Artist Drew Me In
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 1, 2012
The word I'd use to describe The Grave Artist is "authentic."  I'm definitely NOT a member of the YA audience, but I completely enjoyed the story because it was so real, in the sense of character development.  The main character we're following is Clare, a 16-year-old artist who's going through a rough transition in life.  But her experiences with family, school, work, etc take a back seat to her experiences with Samantha, a young ghost from a different era.  As more and more of Clare is revealed throughout the story, so is more and more of Samantha revealed.  The story is written in Clare's voice, and her thoughts, emotions and turning points are authentically 16-year-old. Clare's relationships with her parents, her sister and her friends all seem very real.  The plot proceeds with perfectly increasing intensity and pacing.  Nothing seems forced or abrupt.  The *only* thing that I wish was explored more was WHY Samantha "chose" Clare.  The Grave Artist is a satisfying ghost story, a very real look into the head of a normal teen, and an enjoyable read.