Review: Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt

From the Back Cover:

I will tell you a story of magic and love, of

daring and death, and one to comfort your

heart. It will be the truest story I have ever
told. Now listen, and tell me if it is not so.

Keturah follows a legendary hart deep into the forest, where she becomes hopelessly lost. Her strength diminishes until, finally, she realizes that death is near--and learns then that death is a young lord, melancholy and stern. Renowned for her storytelling, Keturah is able to charm Lord Death with a story and gain a reprieve--but he grants her only a day, and within that day she must find true love. Martine Leavitt offers a spellbinding story, interweaving elements of classic fantasy and romance.

My Thoughts:

Beautiful, sixteen-year-old peasant girl Keturah is known for her ability to enthrall the residents of her village with her stories around the communal fire. One of her favorite subjects is the elusive, legendary hart that inhabits the forest, and when she sees him at the edge of her garden one morning, she follows him into the woods and becomes lost. After three days, Lord Death comes for her, but Keturah is not ready to die.

Lord Death knows Keturah. He's watched her, he's listened to her stories, and he's sympathetic toward her. What does she want to live for? he asks. Keturah believes she has one true love somewhere waiting for her and she wants only to find it. She dreams of a cottage of her own with a babe and a husband who loves her. She dreams of a love like her grandparents had, a love that is greater than Death. When Lord Death claims such a love does not exist, Keturah begins to tell him a tale.

She captivates him with her tale and Lord Death is angry when she demands one more day of life before she'll tell him how the story ends. But Lord Death wants to hear more, so he agrees and tells her if she can find a love greater than Death by the end of that day, he will let her live, but if she doesn't, Lord Death will make her his bride. The rest of the book centers around Keturah's desperate attempts to find her true love and stave off Lord Death a little longer with her tales.

I thought this was a charming story, smartly written and told in a fairy tale-like manner with an ending that was surprising, yet fitting and satisfying. I couldn't put it down and I highly recommend it.

My Rating:  4 Stars out of 5