CEMETERY GIRL Book One: THE PRETENDERS

CEMETERY GIRL Book One: THE PRETENDERS

Writers: Charlaine Harris, Christopher Golden

Artist: Don Kramer

$24.95, InkLit, 128 pgs.

ISBN 978-0425256664

Her name is Calexa. It's not her real name; she doesn't remember who she used to be. Calexa is merely the name she chose for herself upon waking up in the cemetery after someone tried to kill her. Afraid to venture outside the cemetery should she run afoul of the would-be-killer she can't identify, Calexa ekes out a life amid the tombs and tombstones while trying to recover her past. Calexa must also come to terms with a newfound ability: she can see the souls of the dead as they depart their bodies upon burial. This is a mere curiosity at first, but when Calexa witnesses a graveside murder and finds herself playing host to the victim's memories, it becomes slightly more problematic.

CEMETERY GIRL is, technically speaking, a well-executed graphic novel; the art is tonally and stylistically appropriate, the script is clear, and Calexa is a likeable if somewhat bland teenage protagonist. Where the book suffers is in the same area virtually all of Charlaine Harris's work suffers: the heroine doesn't really do anything. Calexa doesn't  take action; she doesn't initiate. She reacts. Everything the character does is in response to external stimuli. Calexa meanders through her strange quasi-life just "getting by," waffling when faced with any kind of decision. In the book's final act, it's only because of the immediate proximity of the villains that Calexa is forced to finally take the action the reader will have been begging for her to take for dozens of pages, said action being both simple and obvious.

Now I suppose this passivity, this "Average Jane reacting to remarkable circumstances" quality, might make Calexa relatable for many readers (at the risk of being dismissive, it worked for Harris's Sookie Stackhouse character). Personally, I found it made for a very dissatisfying read. I prefer a protagonist with plans and goals, and the gumption to pursue both. Your mileage may vary, of course, but I found Calexa incredibly frustrating. She's not a strong female lead. If you're looking for one of those, read LAZARUS, FATALE, VELVET, SAGA, or BATGIRL.  

TIPS FOR LIBRARIANS: While this book presents a self-contained story that's digestible on its own, it is the first book in a planned trilogy. I point this out because--as we all know--buying the first book in a series tends to force us to buy subsequent volumes to keep patrons happy. This one might be worth the investment, though, if only because of Harris's established fan base.

READERS' ADVISORY NOTES: And speaking of Charlaine Harris's fan following, this is another of those prime opportunities to introduce new readers to graphic novels. If your readers enjoy the Sookie Stackhouse novels, they may "dig" CEMETERY GIRL (sorry...I've been watching Tales from the Crypt reruns). This work is far less graphic than Harris's novels, so if that's what attracts them to Harris's work, they'll be disappointed. That said, CEMETERY GIRL's not children's fare; to borrow a term from the film industry, this is a "PG-13" kind of book.

CONTENT ADVISORY: Violence, adult language, supernatural elements (which might offend some folks), adolescent mayhem and mischief (including drinking and violence)

Review©2014, C. Michael Hall.