The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner

The Dead I Know
Scot Gardner
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pub Date: March 3, 2015
ISBN-13: 978-0544232747
Hardcover: 208 pages
Genre: Young Adult

About the Book:

Aaron Rowe walks in his sleep and haunted by dreams he can’t explain and memories he can’t recover. Death doesn’t scare him—his new job with a funeral director may even be his salvation. But if he doesn’t discover the truth about his hidden past soon, he may fall asleep one night and never wake up.In this dark and witty psychological drama about survival, Aaron finds that making peace with the dead may be easier than coming to terms with the living.

My Thoughts:

Aaron Rowe is a likable but truly haunted kid. He walks in his sleep and has terrible nightmares that he can't get rid of. The only thing that Aaron seems to be able to identify with and find comfort from are the dead that he works with. You see, Aaron is apprenticing to become a funeral director and even though he has a hard time with things from time to time, he is good at it and seems to really understand life and death. Yet, something still haunts him to the point of putting him in dangerous predicaments.

I adored Aaron from the beginning. I guess there is something about one being broken that makes me just attach to the character. He is a likable guy and he seems to try doing his best for others, including his grandmother who suffers from dementia.In this great coming of age story, Aaron finds that no matter how hard he tries to hold things together, things start unraveling and he can't control the outcome. As secrets surface and control goes away, he finally learns about just being human.

This is a great story for anyone who loves young adult and darker stories with some dark humor. The Dead I Know is not just for teens but will appeal to the adult audience as well.

This book was supplied through the Amazon Vine Program for me to honestly review.