Author:
Kat Beyer
Publication Date:
August 28, 2012
Publisher:
EgmontUSA
Formats:
Hardcover, 288 pages
Source:
An eARC was provided by EgmontUSA via NetGalley for review
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Description
Mia’s ordinary life is disrupted for good in the most horrifying way possible when she is possessed by a hungry and powerful demon-and saved only by the arrival of relatives from Italy, the country her grandfather fled many decades ago. Now her cousins, the charming and gorgeous Emilio and stern, elderly Giuliano, say the only way to keep Mia safe is for her to come back with them to Milan, to live, to learn Italian, to fall in and out of love, and to master the family trade: fighting all demons with the ancient lore of bell, book, and candle. Milan is not what Mia expected, but it will change her forever.
About this author
Kat Beyer established herself as a fine artist before turning to fiction writing with The Demon Catchers of Milan, her debut novel. She lives with her family in, variously, Oregon, California, and Wisconsin. You can visit her online at www.katspaw.com.
Review
Demon possession, restless spirits, and hearing voices only you can hear? This is the world that Mia lives in. She’s not your average teenager at all. In the beginning, Mia has survived a demon possession. With the help of her relatives she never knew she had, she goes off to Milan to go live with her third cousin, and his grandparents. What she doesn’t know is that they get rid of demons for a living.
I felt the book was rather tedious and a little boring. It dragged on and on and I couldn’t really understand if there was a significant plot. My guess? The plot was to stop the demon from possessing her again. There were a lot of other good points though. The detail of the setting was wonderful. You can fully understand how beautiful Milan really is. I also liked the parts where she learns Italian. I’m guessing Mia is a fast learner because in only three or four months she was having conversations with everyone. I felt Mia having a crush at this point in her life was wrong. And the person she has a crush on was even worse. I basically ignored those bits in the book.
There were a lot of creepy scenes that gave me chills. And I couldn’t help but shiver knowing that the demon wanted her. Why he wanted her, I had no idea. Mia doesn’t either. In order for her to become part of her demon catching family, she had to learn the history. I would have loved to read more about the family’s history but sadly there wasn’t any story. The ending felt flat and unfinished.
Highlight the sentence to see
[START SPOILER] I also had to comment on how they banish the demons…with..*drumroll please* frightening, burning, bright, hot and shiny CANDLES. I thought there was going to be kick-ass scenes, and a slice of a demon’s arm, not shutting them all nice and tightly in a candle. [/END SPOILER]
If you’re looking for a creepy and eerie read, you might want to check this one out. If you’re looking for action, better skip it.
Rating 3/5
Quotes
“I learned to speak a new language because I wanted breakfast.”—Mia
“Granted, demons are unbelievably terrifying. But sometimes I feel like actual living human beings are so much more frightening.”—Mia
“The most valuable things are worth the trouble.”—Lucifero
The thing that makes me want to actually give this book a try is that there are scenes creepy enough to give you chills. That is always a plus for me. I like them dark and creepy. I might have to try this one out after all
I was looking forward to this book but now I think I’ll skip it
It was a great concept but it sounds like they didn’t execute it very well!
Thanks for the review, I guess it sounded better then it was.
I love eerie reads, but I’m still wavering on this one. Nevertheless, it’s going on my TBR list because it looks kind of neat. Never heard of the author, but thank you for the introduction!
Ths book sounds kind of different. Maybe if I stumble acrossed it, I might read it. But it doesn’t sound like something I would enjoy all that much. It seems like Demon and Angel books aren’t that much of a hit with me.
tnx 4 the review . i think i will skip