Creature Feature Review: Anna Dressed in Blood

Welcome to the very first review in Starting the Next Chapter's Bump in the Night Spooktacular! All this week, I will be reviewing books that relate to the topic of the day. Today is Monday, so that means that I will be kicking off the fun with my personal favorite, ghosts. The book I have selected for review is the delightfully creepy Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. Later today, I will have also be posting an homage to ghosts in the first round of the Bump in the Night Brawl, so I hope you will come back for that! Now, without further ado, I bring you the first review of the week.

Anna Dressed in Blood
by Kendare Blake
publisher: Tor Teen
date of publication: August 30, 2011
format: hardcover
pages: 316
source: purchased
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

What I Thought

Anna Dressed in Blood is the horrifying yet moving story of Anna Korlov, a murderous ghost in the small town of Thunder Bay, and Cas Lowood, a ghost hunter in search of the ghost that murdered his father. However, neither is what they at first seem and, as the events set in motion by their encounter unfold, what is revealed is nothing less than a terrifying, heart-breaking, and intriguing story. This is a tale of betrayal, redemption, and revelations that will make you gasp and your jaw drop in shock. Buckle up, for you are in for quite the ride!

The plot that makes up Anna Dressed in Blood can be described in several ways. Action-packed, riveting, deliciously creepy, and shocking are but a few of the phrases that come to mind. I simply did not want to put this book down. With each page turned, the spell woven by the story became more palpable. One chapter led to another until I found myself at the end of the book, wishing for more pages. I simply can't say enough about how well this plot line was constructed.

The characters found within the pages of this book are every bit as well done as the plot. From Cas to Anna, each character is vivid in construct, engaging, and well-developed. The interplay these characters exhibit is superb, the conversations held engrossing, and the behaviors demonstrated fully capable of being pictured internally. Cas is an interesting character due to his motives, quirks, and level of commitment to his cause. Anna, however, is my favorite out of all of the characters found in this story. She is very much a multi-faceted character that I found to be intriguing, likeable, and frightening all at once. If I may say so, she is probably the most formidable ghost I have read about in quite some time. I couldn't get enough of these two.

Finally, we come to the setting. Thunder Bay could not have been a more perfect backdrop for this story. The atmosphere has a tangible spookiness about it that lends itself perfectly to the tone of the book. Just reading the description makes it easy to imagine just what sort of ominous tales this town hides beneath its surface. I loved everything about it and think Blake did a great job bringing it to life.

To me, Anna Dressed in Blood rates as one of the top 5 books to come out this year. I am already eagerly awaiting the chance to read more about the world that Kendare Blake has created. If you are looking for a good ghost story with thrills, chills, and an excellent plot, I highly recommend this one. You can't go wrong.