This book is a compilation of my favorite things, and October is the perfect time to read it. Breezy, our intrepid heroine, is a biracial bisexual woman, and the impact of her identities are constant in the narrative. She's just the right mix of logos and pathos to survive her harrowing journey, though I wish she was a little faster on the magical world uptake. I loved her, cheered for her, and occassionally forgot she was fictional. Her instincts, intellect, curiosity, and bravery harrow us for quite the gorey tale, but she never seemed older than she was or out of character. She seemed like a teen she was. Last, I deeply enjoyed Breezy's sense of respect and empathy. The murders--and there are A LOT of murders in this book--aren't just there for shock value. Breezy claims the killers, but she respects the victims and their stories. She mourns them and tries to give them any sort of dignity she can.

Besides Wallace's excellent work on Breezy's character, the poetry of the prose and themes were absolutely lovely. The supernatural members of the story's cast aren't just scary monsters there for the heck of it. Wallace effortlessly teases out the thematic and existential questions that monsters conjure up. Why did humans dream up ghouls, the undead, nightmares, vampires etc? What fear do humans crystallize and give form by creating monsters, and what is it like to be that form, that crystal? Is being a monster a freeing act, letting you not have to ascribe to "human" ethics and morals? If being a monster is freeing, what if you have too much freedom, too little consequences? How does that affect your well-being and relationships with others? What limits do you set yourself?

SHALLOW GRAVES is a fascinating, beautiful read. I highly, highly recommend it for anyone with a strong enough stomach. There is, understandably, a lot of death and blood. Stay spooky, friends.