Blain’s ‘magical romantic comedy’ is hard to swallow

I thought I’d have lots of time to read while I healed from ankle surgery, but I underestimated how sleepy my medications would make me. I’m not sure if it was the book I chose or if I had “brain fog,” but I had a terrible time finishing “Grave Humor: A Magical Romantic Comedy (With a Body Count)” by R.J. Blain.

Most books begin with an event or action that sets the tone. Many establish a back story creating an interest in the main characters. But this one just drops the reader into a very bizarre premise. The story doesn’t include more than a few actual humans. Even those who are human have some level of occult attributes.

Sunset, South Carolina, is a stereotypical, very small Southern town. Young Anwen is considered a loser because she dropped out of high school and now works at a low-end funeral home. In truth, Anwen is bright and ambitious. She didn’t want to leave school, but she had to support herself after her parents stole her college savings.

Only the funeral home would hire her. The pay is so low that she can’t afford much beyond her monthly rent. Yet her parents return often to try to squeeze more money out of her. She detests them. In order to eat, she must keep the deceased in their coffins and quiet. Did I mention that this book’s very weird? Yes, sometimes the dead will get out of their caskets and cause a fuss. If no one attending a visitation or funeral screams, Anwen receives a bonus for groceries.

The action begins one evening when funeral director Hammel locks Anwen in the basement with noisy Old Mr. McGregor. While she’s making a bargain with him to stay quiet, something goes off script.

Suddenly Anwen is accosted by an amazingly handsome man. She knows that the director has a vampire here on ice, but this man is something else. Eventually we find that he has been “slumbering” in the funeral home basement for many years. After a lot of conversation and confusing bargaining, we learn he is Eoghan Olin, and he needs Anwen as a “personal assistant.”

Those overseeing all the odd, magical, demonic, angelic and other-worldly creatures are known as the CDC. I couldn’t figure out why, but Anwen agrees to allow Gordon (the vampire) to feed on her and be restored to life. Again, I’m not sure why, but they discover a dead body stuffed in a 55-gallon barrel of formaldehyde.

In the next scene, Anwen is in the hospital having her severely gnawed arm repaired. Eoghan, Gordon and a CDC official are there explaining what had happened. The bare essentials say that Anwen will be Eoghan’s caretaker as he wants to learn all can out of this era. He is wealthy enough to hire or buy just about anything he might want or need. Since Gordon has no plans, Eoghan has invited him to stay with him.

Before long, we have a bunch of other characters to contend with. Angels, Lucifer, various demons and archangels arrive with various missions to complete. CDC operatives pop up to offer information or suggestions for Anwen and Eoghan. The only clear action is finding and neutralizing director Hammel and restoring some sort of “natural order.”

When I reached the last page, I wondered what I had just read. I will say it kept me interested though confused. The comedy was cleverly inserted, and the romance definitely understated. The supernatural was evident, but it lacked a discernible linear plot.

Sometimes we find a book that follows a clear path. Sometimes we get one that uses a winding trail. Once in a while we find a book that takes deep into a reading rabbit hole. I know that your public library can offer every imaginable journey. Just stop in soon and get your travels started. After all, it is your library. Go check it out.