How do I feel about Rotters? My first thought is, this book is not for everyone. It will push you to the edge of your comfort level and then a little further. The graphic details of what it means to be a digger will make you cringe but leave you wanting more. The complexities behind the diggers, their morals, motives and codes of conduct confuse you. You want to hate these men, they are grave robbers but you don't. You like them, you begin, with Kraus' help, to identify with them, you see yourself in them as you watch them toil with their daily struggles of surviving in a world they are not part of. Initially, you love to hate Harnett, and then as he begins to teach Joey, you start to become attached. There is someone underneath all of the filth and as it starts to crumble away, you see a complex man that is passionate about what he does. He isn’t just a grave robber. He is a ressurectionist.
Daniel Kraus has a brilliant grasp of the English language and can wield it until you see things exactly as he describes. His characters come to life and you can see them, smell them, hear them. They are wonderfully unique from anything I have read before. All they want to do is become oblivion but we will never forget them. Joey, Harnett, Boggs, Lionel and many more, all characters that are fascinating and splendid. I was looking for a good book that was gripping and well written and Rotters did not disappoint. YA authors look out; the bar has been raised.
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