Publisher’s Thoughts – Sign Here – Claudia Lux:
A darkly humorous, surprisingly poignant, and utterly gripping debut novel about a guy who works in Hell (literally) and is on the cusp of a big promotion if only he can get one more member of the wealthy Harrison family to sell their soul.
Peyote Trip has a pretty good gig in the deals department on the fifth floor of Hell. Sure, none of the pens work, the coffee machine has been out of order for a century, and the only drink on offer is Jägermeister, but Pey has a plan—and all he needs is one last member of the Harrison family to sell their soul.
When the Harrisons retreat to the family lake house for the summer, with their daughter Mickey’s precocious new friend, Ruth, in tow, the opportunity Pey has waited a millennium for might finally be in his grasp. And with the help of his charismatic coworker Calamity, he sets a plan in motion.
But things aren’t always as they seem, on Earth or in Hell. And as old secrets and new dangers scrape away at the Harrisons’ shiny surface, revealing the darkness beneath, everyone must face the consequences of their choices.
Staff Thoughts:
Sign Here is by far one of the most entertaining books I have read in a long while. This debut novel from Claudia Lux is unique, entertaining, and at times, even poignant – touching on friendship, growing up, love, loss, and hope. Sign Here tells the story of Peyote Trip, a soul collector in Hell’s bureaucracy seeking advancement; it also weaves in the story of the Harrison family, who from the outside seems to be a normal, happy family but internally is struggling with secrets, betrayals, and long-told lies, dredged up by their teenage daughter and her inquisitive new best friend.
Throughout the book, these stories begin to intertwine, told from Peyote’s point of view as well as the point of view of various members of the Harrison family, switching from chapter to chapter smoothly and building to an intense and harrowing last few chapters where much is revealed. Along the way, the main characters experience the beauty of friendship and hope while also being haunted by the pain of deceit, bad decisions, and guilt.
Fans of authors such as Neil Gaiman and Christopher Moore would appreciate this dark tale for its eccentric approach, well-written characters, and its balance of dark humor with weighty subjects such as death and betrayal, though I would say this book leans a little more to the serious side. The author has a striking way with words, and certain lines will stick with you long after finishing the book. However, I did find myself slightly unsettled at the end, feeling it concluded a bit abruptly and leaving some questions unanswered, but the story itself is still very much worth the read! I look forward to reading more of Lux’s work in the future.
