The Grave Keepers

Reviewed by: Deirdre Dupree - Scarborough High School, Scarborough, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 8, 2018

Review

Sisters Laurel and Athena Windham tell their story of family, friendships, and community in this first novel by Elizabeth Byrne. Parents, Claudia and Walt Windham, are keepers of a cemetery in a society in which coming of age rituals are focused upon an individual’s final resting place; their grave. Grave Openings are celebrated with family and friends when an individual has reached the age of responsibility in the care and personalization of their own grave.

Laurel is the youngest Windham, born after the accidental death of Lucy, an older sister. Laurel is homeschooled and spends her days working for the family cemetery and wandering the property alone. Athena had been the youngest family member behind George and Lucy, before Lucy’s death. Athena too was homeschooled but insisted her parents allow her to attend the local school as George and Lucy had. Having succeeded, Athena now wondered why she bothered as high school was not exactly what she had hoped.

Both girls struggle with friendship; Laurel for the lack of friends and Athena in the search for true friends. A runaway boy, an eventual discovery, a ghost, a recluse and a life threatening mishap add dimension to the many storylines that take away from the interesting idea of Grave Keeping.

Overall Book Score: fair