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ENTRY TYPE: new
WORK TITLE: Darkness and Demon Song
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.mrfournet.com/
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COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; children: one son.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and artist.
AVOCATIONS:Belly dancing.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
M.R. Fournet is a writer and professional artist based in Dallas, TX. She is the author of horror novels for middle grade readers. In an article she wrote on the YA Books Central website, Fournet explained why she wrote books of that genre for that particular audience. She stated: “Scary books are important because in a terrifying world, kids need a safe place to explore their own fear. They test their bravery in a controlled environment. A haven where the things that go bump in the night have rules. Books have rules.”
Fournet’s first novel is Brick Dust and Bones, released in 2023. The book is the first installment in a series that is set in Louisiana, where Fournet often spent time with her family as a child. In an interview with a contributor to the Monster Complex website, Fournet explained: “My big inspirations for the series would be southern folkloric monsters and the setting of the Louisiana bayou. There’s something magical and ancient about it.” The protagonist is Marius Grey, a twelve-year-old who works at his family’s cemetery and has the ability to connect to the spirit realm. He goes to a hybrid school with other spiritually-gifted, or “fringe,” kids like him. Marius frantically struggles to earn enough Mystic coins by fighting monsters to bring his mother back from the dead before the first anniversary of her death, taking on increasingly dangerous opponents. A critic in Kirkus Reviews noted that the volume provided “a strong mix of bone-chilling and full of heart.” “Fournet deftly balances Marius and his demonic foes’ gruesome and exhilarating battles with meditative ruminations on grief, loss, and moving on,” commented a Publishers Weekly reviewer.
Marius returns in Darkness and Demon Song. He has brought his mother back from death and is hoping to resume a normal life, but his mother is behaving strangely. Marius works with others to determine what is afflicting her, and he determines to fix what is wrong. Meanwhile, he contemplates the morality of killing monsters, considering that his best friend, Rhiannon, a mermaid, could be categorized as a monster. Marius differentiates malicious monsters from harmless monsters, like Rhiannon. In the same interview on the Monster Complex website, Fournet noted: “For Darkness and Demon Song, the main inspiration was when I went to the ATM caves in Belize. Swimming in the pitch black of those caves where Mayans made sacrifices to the gods deeply influenced Marius’s journey to Hell in the second book.” A Kirkus Reviews critic described the book as “a delightful deep dive into a swampy world of hunters and prey.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2023, review of Brick Dust and Bones; April 15, 2024, review of Darkness and Demon Song.
Publishers Weekly, May 8, 2023, review of Brick Dust and Bones, p. 67.
ONLINE
Literary Rambles, http://www.literaryrambles.com/ (June, 2024), article by author.
M.R. Fournet website, https://www.mrfournet.com/ (October 18, 2024).
Monster Complex, https://www.monstercomplex.com/ (July 8, 2024), author interview.
YA Books Central, https://www.yabookscentral.com/ (June 19, 2024), article by author.
About M.R. Fournet
M.R. Fournet's ties to New Orleans are part of her own origin story. As a kid, she would go fishing in South Louisiana and eat crawfish with her family in Houma. Luckily, her cajun family forgives her Texas accent.
Even though M.R. Fournet grew up in West Texas, she has always been fascinated by the myths and legends of New Orleans. She fell in love with horror as a kid reading books like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. What better way to pass on those interests along than to write new tales to scare everyone else?
When not writing, she is a professional artist, belly dancer, and autism mom. She now lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, son, and ungrateful cats. Brick Dust and Bones is her middle grade horror debut.
QUOTED: "Scary books are important because in a terrifying world, kids need a safe place to explore their own fear. They test their bravery in a controlled environment. A haven where the things that go bump in the night have rules. Books have rules."
Guest Post with M.R. Fournet (DARKNESS & DEMON SONG)!
June 19, 2024No Comments
Written by Cherokee Crum, Staff Reviewer
Posted in Authors, Monthly Column, News & Updates
Today we are excited to share a guest post from author M.R. Fournet,
Darkness & Demon Song (Marius Grey book 2)!
Read on for more about the author and Darkness & Demon Song!
Meet MR. Fournet!
M.R. Fournet’s ties to New Orleans are part of her own origin story. As as kid, she would go fishing in South Louisiana and eat crawfish with her family in Houma. She has always been fascinated by the myths and legends of New Orleans. When not writing, she is a professional artist, belly dancer, and autism mom. She now lives in Texas with her husband, son, and ungrateful cats. Brick Dust and Bones is her middle grade debut.
Website * Twitter * Instagram * Facebook
About the Book: Darkness & Demon Song
In this second book of the Marius Grey series, a cemetery-boy-turned-monster-hunter must race against time to save his recently-resurrected mother in Darkness and Demon Song, M.R. Fournet’s eerie middle grade follow up to Brick Dust and Bones.
Marius Grey’s mom is back from the dead. After hunting monsters and performing forbidden spells, Marius is just happy she’s there, helping him to take care of their Louisiana cemetery again.But it soon becomes clear that something has gone wrong. Marius’s mother is growing more distant and strange things start happening around her. Worse yet, sometimes it feels like she’s a completely different person–one who definitely isn’t his mom.
If Marius wants to save her, he’s going to need help. Serious help. Good thing he has a flesh-eating mermaid for a best friend and a classmate with extra strong magic. Add in mysterious clues for new hunts, graveyard hopping from Louisiana to Texas, and a tough ex-hunter he doesn’t know if he can trust, and it’s clear that Marius has his work cut out for him.
Amazon * B&N * IndieBound
~ Guest Post ~
Why Scary Stories Are Good for Kids
written by M.R. Fournet
“Are you worried your books will give kids nightmares?”
As a horror writer, I get this question often when speaking with parents. In fact, I don’t recall doing an event where this doesn’t come up. My stock answer is, “Have you ever asked a ten-year-old to tell you a scary story? It’s way worse than anything I come up with.” This never fails to get a laugh.
The statement is true, but it’s not the whole truth.
Scary books are important because in a terrifying world, kids need a safe place to explore their own fear. They test their bravery in a controlled environment. A haven where the things that go bump in the night have rules.
Books have rules.
The heroes have a fighting chance because they know this trick or that spell or where to hide. The trolls turn to stone when the sun comes up, and the demons run screaming from holy water. And if all else fails, you can always just close the book, and the monsters go away.
The real world has no rules.
Most adults forget what how vulnerable teens feel. In that place between childhood and adulthood where you don’t know where you fit. You still need your parents but want your autonomy. You’re learning about reality, and it can feel so isolating.
Even though I was raised by an absolute rock star of a single mom, I remember feeling lonely and vulnerable and afraid. When I felt that way, I’d curl into myself and create stories. There were heroes and villains. Grand adventures and narrow escapes. But most of all, there were monsters. My monsters.
They helped me process my own fear. They protected me in the dark. They held my hand when I was lonely. Since I made them, they did what I said. I had the power. Thankfully, my mother never sent me to a doctor about my strange imagination. She’d just shrug and say, “Well, she’s creative, and that’s a good thing.” She is and will always be my hero for that.
Today, kids have a different experience. I grew up in a time before social media or the internet. We knew about injustice and starving people in far away countries, but it was an abstract idea. Something I never actually witnessed. I can’t imagine what it’s like to wake up with all that visual information at your fingertips. Videos, images, inundating news, commenters, and talking heads. Everyone discussing the latest doom and gloom. How vulnerable that must make them feel. How frightened.
When someone asks me that question about giving kids nightmares, I want to say something else. Something deeper. Something absolutely true.
“No, I’m not worried my books will give them nightmares. A scary world without rules is far worse than anything in my book. My stories are secure. They can escape into the pages knowing it will be alright. They can process fear safely. The pages of a book provide an oasis of certainty in a world gone mad.”
But I never have time for all that. I stick to my stock answer. It’s a good, short sound byte. Besides, how do you explain it to adults who don’t remember how this feels? As for the truly important people—the kids—I want to say this.
“Don’t worry. You are okay in my book. It’s safe here. These are my monsters. I made them, and I would never ever let them hurt you.”
Title: DARKNESS & DEMON SONG (Marius Grey book 2)
Author: M.R. Forunet
Illustrator: M.R. Fournet
Release Date: 6/18/24
Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
Genre: Horror/Paranormal/Scary
Age Range: 9 – 12
Tags: DARKNESS & DEMON SONG, Guest Post, M.R. Fournet, Macmillan Publishers
QUOTED: "My big inspirations for the series would be southern folkloric monsters and the setting of the Louisiana bayou. There’s something magical and ancient about it."
"For Darkness and Demon Song, the main inspiration was when I went to the ATM caves in Belize. Swimming in the pitch black of those caves where Mayans made sacrifices to the gods deeply influenced Marius’s journey to Hell in the second book."
Interview: M.R Fournet on DARKNESS AND DEMON SONG
Jul 8
A cemetery-boy-turned-monster-hunter must race against time to save his recently-resurrected mother.
“After talking with middle school kids, I realized they come up with way crazier monsters than I do. So, I focus on making them scary enough, minus any foul language or super gore.”
For middle grade horror author M.R. Fournet, her ties to New Orleans are part of her own origin story. As a kid, she would go fishing in South Louisiana and eat crawfish with her family in Houma. She has always been fascinated by the myths and legends of New Orleans.
Brick Dust and Bones was her 2023 middle grade debut—and the first book in the Marius Grey series. It is now followed by the 2024 release of the eerie middle-grade follow-up, Darkness and Demon Song.
In our interview with M.R. Fournet, the author talks to Monster Complex about big inspirations for the monster series, how much her own background influenced the mythology and folklore behind these books, and the challenges of writing monster books for middle grade readers.
Monster Complex™ uses Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. (At no additional charge to you.)
About the book
Darkness and Demon Song (Marius Grey #2)
By M.R. Fournet
Children’s Spine-Chilling Horror
Children’s Fantasy & Magic Books
A cemetery-boy-turned-monster-hunter must race against time to save his recently-resurrected mother.
Find Darkness and Demon Song on Amazon
Interview: M.R Fournet on Darkness and Demon Song
Q: What inspired the story in Darkness and Demon Song? How much is a standalone book and how much a follow-up to Brick Dust and Bones?
Darkness and Demon Song is technically the second book in the Marius Grey series, but you can read it as a standalone. I included enough information from the first book, so the reader is not lost. I do recommend reading the Brick Dust and Bones first for the best experience.
My big inspirations for the series would be southern folkloric monsters and the setting of the Louisiana bayou. There’s something magical and ancient about it.
As for Darkness and Demon Song, the main inspiration was when I went to the ATM caves in Belize. Swimming in the pitch black of those caves where Mayans made sacrifices to the gods deeply influenced Marius’s journey to Hell in the second book.
Q: How much of your own background influenced the mythology and folklore behind these books?
I have family in and around Houma, Louisiana. I remember fishing at our camp outside of Dulac and eating crab and crawfish with my family. The uncles / grandads / cousins loved scaring the kids with stories of monsters in the bayou. New Orleans is still my favorite place to spend a long weekend, and I absolutely fell in love with all of the ghost and ghoul stories from there as well.
Q: What are the challenges of writing monster books for middle grade readers?
There’s always the push and pull of two questions:
Is this too scary?
Is this not scary enough?
Growing up, I read R.L. Stine’s Fear Street at age 10, and Stephen King at age 12. I gobbled up horror, so I wasn’t sure I could really go off of my childhood barometer. After talking with middle school kids, I realized they come up with way crazier monsters than I do. So, I focus on making them scary enough, minus any foul language or super gore.
Q: What are the monster stories that you are a fan of or that inspire you? (Books, movies, TV, whatever.)
Anything Neil Gaiman. As I mentioned earlier, I loved R.L. Stine and Stephen King. I’ve been reading the Small Spaces series by Katherine Arden with my son. Evil Dead will always be a go to for me, as will Cabin in the Woods. The most terrifying movie I ever saw was The Descent, which probably began my love/fear relationship with caves.
Q: What are your pet peeves from other monster stories? How do you avoid making the same mistakes in your fiction?
In general, I detest lazy writing. If you want to capture someone’s attention, tell a complete story. Monsters deserve three dimensions. A mindless beast with a singular focus is scary, but one with complex thoughts and reasoning is terrifying. I try to constantly evolve my monsters with every book.
Q: What are the best ways for readers to connect with you and keep track of your author news updates?
You can visit my website at mrfournet.com. I’m also on Instagram at @mr_fournet. My
publicist made me get on TikTok, so you can follow me there at @mrfournet. Thanks for having me!
A Bulldog With Football Skin: My Path From Indie to Traditional Publishing by Author M.R. Fournet and Darkness & Demon Song Giveaway
Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have author M.R. Fournet here to share about book 2 in her MG fantasy/horror series, Darkness & Demon Song. It sounds like a creepy fantasy with forbidden spells and an exciting adventure in our world, which I know I’m going to enjoy.
FYI, for the giveaway, one lucky winner can choose which book they want: Book 1, Brick Dust and Bones or Book 2, Darkness & Demon Song.
Here’s a blurb of Darkness & Demon Song from Goodreads:
A cemetery-boy-turned-monster-hunter must race against time to save his recently-resurrected mother in Darkness and Demon Song, M.R. Fournet’s eerie middle grade follow up to Brick Dust and Bones.Marius Grey’s mom is back from the dead. After hunting monsters and performing forbidden spells, Marius is just happy she's there, helping him to take care of their Louisiana cemetery again.But it soon becomes clear that something has gone wrong. Marius's mother is growing more distant and strange things start happening around her. Worse yet, sometimes it feels like she’s a completely different person–one who definitely isn’t his mom.If Marius wants to save her, he’s going to need help. Serious help. Good thing he has a flesh-eating mermaid for a best friend and a classmate with extra strong magic. Add in mysterious clues for new hunts, graveyard hopping from Louisiana to Texas, and a tough ex-hunter he doesn’t know if he can trust, and it’s clear that Marius has his work cut out for him.
Now here’s M.R.!
A Bulldog with Football Skin: My Path from Indie to Traditional Publishing
After writing novels for roughly eighteen years, I’ve learned three definite things I wish I knew before I started:
1. You don’t need to add two spaces after a period. Forgive us poor folks who learned on typewriters.
2. The literary world is big enough for everyone.
3. People love to tell you that it’s not.
In the beginning, I had no idea what I was doing. When I finally went to my first author conference, I learned about the Sisyphean feat of getting an agent and going on submission. It was a difficult path but a straight line, more or less. Meanwhile, those rogue indie authors roamed in the shadows. All of the pros said not to look one in the eye lest you end up like them.
Okay, that’s dramatic. But it was also the vibe back then.
In reality, the path to publishing more closely resembles a topographical map of Appalachian Trail than a straight line. Unexpectedly triumphant peaks and self loathing valleys. Probably a few dead bodies along the way if you’re a mystery writer. Like a good book, it won’t end the way you’re expecting.
My rejection count is easily in the triple digits if you count agents and editors. I’ve heard varying degrees of “nope” for years. Some unreasonably cruel but most professional. It’s a hazard of the job.
How did I keep going? Well, I’m a bulldog with football skin. Every time I get knocked down, I stand back up and go again.
The thick skin came from art school. We’d work on a piece for weeks or months. Then, we’d tack them up on the wall for judgement. Taking something you made and putting it on display for everyone to see is terrifying. What you’re really doing is holding it up for everyone to tear down. It’s the same thing with any creative endeavor, including writing.
The tenacity I learned in school got me an agent. We went on submission, and absolutely nothing happened.
I stayed sane by writing another book. One I felt passionate about, and when I showed it to my agent, she dropped me. “We can’t sell a book about a little girl who loved Vincent Van Gogh.” I was crushed, but I padded my skin and stood back up.
That’s when I learned an important lesson. If they turn it down, it doesn’t mean it’s a bad book. It doesn’t mean there’s not a place for it. When you’re in traditional publishing, it’s all about what they can sell. That is decided by multiple people and for a myriad of reasons. To find the freedom you desire to write your crazy stories, do what I did. Go to an independent press.
Smaller presses can turn on a dime. With all of today’s tools at their disposal, they can market cheaply and effectively. Print on demand changed the whole game. They can afford to take risks.
This isn’t to say that I didn’t get rejections there too. I absolutely did. But suddenly, I was getting “yes” as well. That story about the little girl and Vincent Van Gogh won awards, as did my book about Calamity Jane, the real Alice in Wonderland, and Maud Wagner, the first female tattooist in America. My novella that was written backwards garnered me my first starred review in Publisher’s Weekly, and the Indie Author Project awarded me the Best Young Adult Author award in Texas for my book, Manufactured Witches.
Had I believed that first agent (and all the others), I might have given up on this whole endeavor. But the bulldog with the football skin just kept getting up. I kept writing books. Kept tacking that work on the wall.
I wanted to move into writing for a younger audience, and I wanted to write horror. Oh, the beauty of experimenting in the indie world! You can add a pen name and try something new. When I wrote Brick Dust and Bones, I had a plan. Shop it around to some agents, and if that didn’t pan out, send it to one of my indie publishers.
That’s when I met my agent, Ben. He loved my work, and we got along immediately. He wasn’t the first agent to say “yes”, but he was the first to say, “If this one doesn’t hit, you can indie publish it and write something else for submission.”
This floored me. Oh, how much the industry changed in a matter of years.
We went on submission, and low and behold, we found Holly, an editor who loved it too. I got a contract for two books. Suddenly, the bulldog didn’t need the football skin as much. I wasn’t alone in the harsh world anymore. There were people in my corner.
Does that mean traditional publishing is all rainbows and donut sprinkles? No. It’s much more restrictive than the free-flowing indie world. Again, it’s about what they can sell, and I respect that. More people see my work now, and I feel accomplished every day with a team behind me.
I do get depressed every time I think about authors who gave up because of the rejection. Those who didn’t have football skin. To all you out there, maybe your journey will take you to self publishing or indie press publishing. Maybe you’ll find your perfect agent. Maybe you won’t. But don’t give up, little bulldogs. There’s a place here for your books.
About M.R. Fournet
M.R. Fournet's ties to New Orleans are part of her own origin story. As a kid, she would go fishing in South Louisiana and eat crawfish with her family in Houma. She has always been fascinated by the myths and legends of New Orleans. When not writing, she is a professional artist, belly dancer, and autism mom. She now lives in Texas with her husband, son, and ungrateful cats. Brick Dust and Bones was her 2023 middle grade debut and the first book in the Marius Grey series. It is followed by the 2024 release of book two, Darkness and Demon Song. Connect with her on Instagram or her website.
About Brick Dust and Bones, Marius Grey Volume 1
A twelve-year-old cemetery boy and monster hunter–along with his flesh-eating mermaid friend–has to race against the clock to save the ghost of his dead mother in Brick Dust and Bones, M.R. Fournet's magical middle grade debut.
About Darkness and Demon Song, Marius Grey Volume 2
A cemetery-boy-turned-monster-hunter must race against time to save his recently-resurrected mother in Darkness and Demon Song, M.R. Fournet’s eerie middle grade follow up to Brick Dust and Bones.
Giveaway Details
M.R.’s publisher and publicist is generously offering a hardback of Brick Dust and Bones or Darkness and Demon Song, winner’s choice, for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment telling me which book you want by July 6th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.
If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter or follow M.R. on her social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is U.S.
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.
Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops
Wednesday, June 24th I have an agent spotlight interview and query critique giveaway with Bethany Weaver
Monday, July 1st I’m participating in the Sparkle Time Giveaway Hop
Wednesday, July 3rd I have an interview with debut author Amber Chen and a giveaway of her YA mystery fantasy Of Jade and Dragons and my IWSG post
Monday, July 8th I have an agent spotlight interview with Rebecca Williamson and a query critique giveaway
Tuesday, July 16th I’m participating in the Sip Sip Hooray Giveaway Hop
Monday, July 22nd I have an interview with author Sally Pla and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Invisible Isabel
Monday, July 29th I have any agent spotlight interview with Sheila Fernley and a full picture book or three-chapter MG or YA critique and a one-hour Zoom call giveaway
I hope to see you on Wednesday!
Posted by Natalie Aguirre on Monday, June 24, 2024
QUOTED: "a delightful deep dive into a swampy world of hunters and prey."
Fournet, M.R. DARKNESS AND DEMON SONG Feiwel & Friends (Children's None) $17.99 6, 18 ISBN: 9781250876041
Marius was warned that people "don't come back right" after they've died; his mom's no exception.
Having saved his mom from Hell in Brick Dust and Bones (2023), Marius is glad to have her back and hoping for a return to normalcy--well, as normal as it gets for "fringe people" like monster hunters. But his mom suddenly isn't doing so well; she's sick, cold, and haunted by dark figures. Worse, though, are her odd behaviors and the gaps in her memory. It will take Marius' support network and some new allies to unravel what's happening to her and how to fix it. The hints and foreshadowing are well placed, and all have narratively satisfying payoffs. In a side storyline, Marius ponders the ethics of monster hunting--after all, his best friend, the mermaid Rhia, technically counts as a monster. Though some of the monsters he faces (such as demons) are purely predatory in an evil way, where does that leave the ones like Rhia? The variety of monsters in the story results in high-stakes action sequences. Throughout, the Deep South setting is as vivid and authentic as the interpersonal relationships, and many of the decisions characters make have to do with the bonds of trust (or lack thereof) among them. The resolution is hard fought, and the epilogue provides a sinister hint of what's to come.
A delightful deep dive into a swampy world of hunters and prey. (Horror. 9-13)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Fournet, M.R.: DARKNESS AND DEMON SONG." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Apr. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A789814739/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=774f7e16. Accessed 17 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "a strong mix of bone-chilling and full of heart."
Fournet, M.R. BRICK DUST AND BONES Feiwel & Friends (Children's None) $16.99 7, 18 ISBN: 9781250876027
New Orleans may be called the Big Easy, but it certainly hasn't been easy lately for Marius Grey.
One would imagine 12-year-old Marius' life as a cemetery boy is quiet and solitary, but that's dead wrong. Although he's lived alone since his father's disappearance and his mother's untimely death, he's far from lonely: There are the ghosts of those interred in Greystone Cemetery, where he is caretaker of the souls before they pass on to the next place and has the disembodied voice of his mother for company. He spends a lot of time at the hybrid school for "fringe kids" like him, frequenting local stores like the Habada-Chérie, which sells magical supplies. Armed with a magical book of monsters, his father's enchanted coat, brick dust, salt, his mother's raven skull necklace, and an effective spell, Marius catches monsters and exchanges them for Mystic currency, hoping to save enough to resurrect his mother. The only one who knows his desperate plan is his mermaid best friend, Rhiannon, whom he befriended instead of capturing. The book offers nods to the rich history of storytelling devoted to ancestors, cemeteries, and the veil between the ordinary and the magical, and it provides readers with a determined protagonist, unlikely allies, and a satisfying conclusion that promises a sequel. Marius has black hair, blue eyes, and a grayish complexion; many supporting characters are coded Black.
A strong mix of bone-chilling and full of heart. (Fantasy. 9-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Fournet, M.R.: BRICK DUST AND BONES." Kirkus Reviews, 15 May 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A748974190/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=bc35a738. Accessed 17 Sept. 2024.
QUOTED: "Fournet deftly balances Marius and his demonic foes' gruesome and exhilarating battles with meditative ruminations on grief, loss, and moving on."
Brick Dust and Bones
M.R. Fournet. Macmillan/Feiwel and Friends, $17.99 (256p) ISBN 978-1-250-87602-7
In Fournet's macabre debut, an orphan cemetery caretaker leading a double life as a monster hunter stalks paranormal beasts in the Louisiana bayous. Whitepresenting 12-year-old Marius Grey is responsible for maintaining Greystone Cemetery, which his family owns, and tending to its spectral inhabitants while attending a hybrid school for children with connections to the real world and the spirit realm. To earn enough Mystic coin to bring his mother--whose spirit accompanies him on his caretaker duties--back from the dead for good, he moonlights as a monster hunter, using an enchanted book to trap boogeymen, boo hags, and other mythological threats and trade them at the monster bounty-hunting market. But with the anniversary of his mother's death approaching, and her spirit becoming increasingly difficult to manifest, time is quickly running out. As Marius's desperation grows, he seeks out stronger creatures with larger bounties, setting his sights on the fearsome and deadly rougarou, a legendary swamp beast worth 20 boogeymen. Via Marius's self-assured voice, Fournet deftly balances Marius and his demonic foes' gruesome and exhilarating battles with meditative ruminations on grief, loss, and moving on. A hint of sweet romance and sensorial depictions of New Orleans landmarks and legends further elevate this lightly gory found-family thriller. Ages 9-12. Agent: Ben Miller-Callihan, Handspun Literary.
(July)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Brick Dust and Bones." Publishers Weekly, vol. 270, no. 19, 8 May 2023, p. 67. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A750326389/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b9798df4. Accessed 17 Sept. 2024.