Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Romance
Publication Date: November 1st 2006
POV: Female - First-person, Past tense
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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Martine Leavitt offers a spellbinding story, interweaving elements of classic fantasy and high romance. Keturah follows a legendary hart into the king's forest, where she becomes hopelessly lost. Her strength diminishes until, finally, she realizes that death is near. Little does she know that he is a young, handsome lord, melancholy and stern. Renowned for her storytelling, Keturah is able to charm Lord Death with a story and thereby gain a reprieve -- but only for twenty-four hours. She must find her one true love within that time, or all is lost. Keturah searches desperately while the village prepares for an unexpected visit from the king, and Keturah is thrust into a prominent role as mysterious happenings alarm her friends and neighbors. Lord Death's presence hovers over all until Keturah confronts him one last time in the harrowing climax.

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This was such a unique story. I loved it. It read like a fairy tale, or folklore or myth. Keturah was such an unusual girl. She had never been in love, but she wanted to love with all that she was. It seemed to be her life's ambition to find her soul mate and fall madly in love. But there was no one that piqued her interest. She gave everyone a fair chance. She was very forward about it. She spoke to every man in her town to see if she could love them, some she even told the truth of why she was speaking to them.

When she got lost in the woods and Death came for her, she convinced him to give her another day to find her true love. She didnt want to die before finding her love. Each day she goes back to Death and convinces him to give her another day. Three days she searches high and low. At first, she thinks she might love Ben, the best gardener in town. Then she thinks she might love John, the Lord's son. But neither prospect fills her with happiness. Something is missing, until she realizes what it is.

It was beautifully poetic and I loved every minute of it. I was so anxious to get to the end and find out who Keturah's true love was. Although part of me knew, I just didnt want to get my hopes up. :P

My only complaint is that the story started as a story within a story. Keturah is around a fire and begins to tell the story of when she met death. But at the end, it does not go back to an older Keturah, and the beginning doesnt really fit with the ending. I am kind of confused about that. Also it never explained why the eye slowed down for Ben and wept for John. But besides that, this book would have been perfect!

“She knew she had never been truly alive until she met him, and never so happy and content with her lot until she was touched by the sorrow of him.”