Review Detail

Belladonna tells the story of a girl who can’t die and Death, who is a person. For the first time, Death can actually touch someone, and they don’t die, and together they get wrapped up in solving a murder mystery. Of course, with all that time together, a romance is almost inevitable. The setting reminded me a lot of The Haunting of Bly Manor, with its eerie tone, and I think anyone who liked that show would enjoy this book. The writing is lush and descriptive, pulling you into the story, and there were twists I never saw coming. I was genuinely shocked during the last fifteen percent of the book.

Even though this is the first in a series, the story feels complete on its own. It ends in a way that naturally sets up the next book, which I appreciate. I will admit that I didn’t feel fully engaged until the second half, but once it picked up, it really made the story worth reading.

Signa, the main character, isn’t necessarily the most unique protagonist, but I really enjoyed her story. Her stubborn personality and her loyalty to the people she cares about made her very relatable. I loved seeing her start to question her original plans for her life and realize what she truly wanted, which felt very meaningful. It’s a nice reminder that even when life doesn’t go as expected, there can still be beauty and new possibilities in the unexpected.

The way the book handles discussions about death is thoughtful, especially for a young adult story. Death isn’t portrayed as purely scary or bad, but as a natural and necessary part of life. I loved how the afterlife in the story included options like reincarnation and even a version of heaven, which made me think about choice in a new way. Even if I don’t consider myself particularly spiritual, this book made me feel like there could be a kind of peace or control in death, which was surprisingly comforting.