Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Death is an irresistible suitor in mature Gothic fantasy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In BELLADONNA, after yet another cruel caretaker dies, 19-year-old orphan Signa travels to the Hawthorne family mansion to live with her uncle and cousins and prepare to enter high society at last. She arrives to find the Hawthornes in turmoil. Her uncle is in deep mourning after the death of his wife, reacting to his loss by throwing extravagant parties and drinking away his sorrows. Her cousin Percy is frustrated and embarrassed by his inebriated father and worries about his inheritance. Her cousin Blythe is bedridden and weak. It's lucky for this very unhappy family that Signa has a secret: She can see ghosts and even evade Death when he comes for her. One ghost in particular seeks Signa out: Blythe's mother, who believes she was poisoned and that Blythe is being poisoned, too. So by day Signa prepares to woo future suitors with dance lessons and beautiful dresses -- and by night she works to solve a murder and prevent one more with the help of Death himself, who turns out to be more intriguing than she ever imagined.
Is It Any Good?
This Gothic-tinged fantasy-romance will draw readers in with its conflicted female hero, mansion hauntings, poisoning mystery, and Death at his swoony handsomest. Yes, Death. Signa loathes the Reaper at first but must come to trust him if she's to unlock her powerful potential. If, that is, she actually wants that power. Her inner conflict is clear -- and repeated far more often than necessary: Does she really want tea parties, dresses, and a rich hubby more than the mysteries Death promises to unlock? The need to solve a murder and save her cousin pushes her away from crowded ballrooms and into Death's shadowy embrace whether she likes it or not. It seems strange to root for Death as a love interest, but it turns out he's just a lonely hot dude with a lot of compassion for the dying. Wow. This adds to the unique appeal of Belladonna and keeps readers guessing about what the characters' relationship can actually be, all while the mystery runs its course with red herrings, shocking reveals, and a brand-new murder mystery to set up Book 2, Foxglove.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the pressures of conformity that Signa faces in Belladonna. She thinks of the Lady's Guide to Beauty and Etiquette as "a grim reminder that ... she would never be good enough." Has there been a time you got sick of doing things to fit in? Were you ever, like Signa, courageous enough to stop doing those things?
Were you rooting for Signa to be interested in Death? Why, or why not? What about this depiction of Death makes it easier to imagine him as a love interest? What other depictions of Death have you read about?
How did Signa's compassion for Blythe lead her to a closer relationship with Death?
What do you think is next for Signa and the Hawthornes?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Animals
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : August 30, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 416
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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