Novella Review – A Dawn Most Wicked (Something Strange and Deadly, Book 0.5) by Susan Dennard (4.5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Size: 111 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: June 4, 2013
ASIN: B009NG1VIM
Stand Alone or Series: 0.5 book in the Something Strange and Deadly series
Source: Bought
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

This is a novella that takes place at the end of Something Strange and Deadly. It was an interesting addition to the series, although more about ghosts than anything zombiesque or steampunkish.

This novella starts with Daniel leaving Eleanor, on his way out the door he has a flashback to earlier in his life when he spent some time as an engineer on the heavily haunted steamboat, the Sadie Queen. On the Sadie Queen Daniel works with a vivacious young woman pilot in training named Cassidy. The Sadie Queen is going on one final race to prove her worth, despite the ghosts that haunt her. Daniel and Cassidy will have to work to win this race or else both of their futures are at risk.

This novella provides some excellent background on Daniel. We get to learn about his first great love Cassidy. We also get to learn how Daniel, Joseph, and Jie meet to form The Spirit Hunters group.

Daniel is an excellent character. Here you can see how haunted he is by accidents in his past, how loyal and hardworking he is, and how determined he is to do things right. That’s not to say that he doesn’t have a large mischievous streak as well…

I want to read more about Cassidy as well. She has so much energy and determination and is really something special in a world where women just aren’t pilots. I hope she shows up in the next book.

The plot was absolutely wonderful. Basically Daniel is looking for a way to rid the Sadie Queen of her ghosts so that Cassidy doesn’t lose her apprenticeship and way of life. The ghosts are incredibly creepy and gory. They totally gave me the creeps. I loved how the hauntings all tied in with a curse, it was very well done.

This was very well written, engaging, and easy to read. I am glad I read it before reading the second book in the series (which I hope to be reading in the next couple weeks).

Overall a very well done novella. This gives a lot of excellent background on Daniel’s character and on how the Spirit Hunters formed. It was incredibly engaging and very well written. Highly recommended to those who enjoy historical ghost stories. Also highly recommended to fans of this series. I can’t wait to read A Darkness Strange and Lovely.