Guardian of the Dead

Gr 9 Up—Ancient Maori myth and tradition meet contemporary teens and teen problems in this engaging debut novel (Little, Brown, 2010) by Karen Healey. As the story opens, 17-year-old Ellie is attending boarding school in New Zealand while her parents are on an extended vacation. She has made friends at school—Kevin is her best friend, and she's attracted to Mark, a mysterious, handsome loner who is somehow able to make her forget certain events. The author takes her time setting up this story steeped in the supernatural, and in so doing, gives it depth. Ellie, who is full of spunk and wit and has substantial martial arts skills, gradually becomes aware of her special powers. Alternating between exciting, frightening, horrific, and darkly humorous, this unique and engaging story involves battles between ancient enemies, supernatural beings, suspense, malevolence, horror, serial murder, romance, friendship, danger, and death. Saskia Maarleveld's youthful New Zealand accented delivery perfectly captures Ellie's vitality and sarcastic humor, as well as the dark intensity of the tale. She gives all the characters unique voices. A brief discussion of the history and myths that inspired the story is included at the end, as well as resources for further reading. The inclusion of Maori legends and a glimpse at another culture make this novel unique.—Mary Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH