Meet the strange and dark world of Purgatory in Velveteen. This was an oddly beautiful and fascinating story with a lot of depth and unique world-building. I went into this novel with a lot of excitement to begin with because I am a huge fan of The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. So when I heard some of the comparisons that it was like reading a darker YA version, I jumped at the chance. I’d like to make a note now that in my honest opinion, it’s NOTHING in comparison to The Lovely Bones. It’s fantastic, yes, and it’s told from the view of a dead girl, but this is darker and wittier at times. Velvet has power and sass, and it’s unique all on its own. Purgatory was strange. I kept imagining a gothic Tim Burton setting world, kind of like in the movie Sweeny Todd. I know. I’m probably strange for that, but that’s the picture I kept picking up for it. The descriptions were vividly detailed. I thought the ash was interesting and the concepts kept my attention. The only thing I wanted more from the story was more of Velveteen’s conflict with Bonesaw. I think from the blurb, I had expected it to be more about her revenge on her killer, but the majority of the story was about life in Purgatory it seemed. However! I don’t want to give away spoilers at all. Let’s just say that it’s a long book with a lot of interesting action that didn’t disappoint in the slightest. The characterization was confusing sometimes. There were several characters to keep up with. And I was a bit distant from the romance on occasion.Velveteen (by the way, I just LOVE her name!) has spark. She’s a bit bitchy at times, and she’s not afraid to admit it. I like her personality. She’s straight-forward, strong, smart, and witty. Plus has a great sense of fashion. But what a violent way to die. I felt sympathy for her often, which proved that I had easily attached myself to her character from the beginning and held on through the end. I liked the dark humor sprinkled in at times, and the natural flow of dialogue between the characters. The background was chilling and twisted. I was hooked from the beginning until the end. The writing was incredibly crafted. All in all, Velveteen was a wonderful read and I certainly hope to be reading more in the future. This will keep you up late into the night gasping out loud and flipping the pages with a rush. P.S. I just adore the cover of this book!
