4.5
Book source ~ BBNYA2022

You’d think being a Grim Reaper would have some leeway over how the job is done. Not in this world. There are many Grim Reapers. And they all have to answer to a boss. And that boss answers to a boss and it’s basically just like a large corporation who doesn’t give a shit about its employees. Do the job or be gone. Except when a Grim Reaper is gone, they’re gone for good. Right? That’s one question that Grim Reaper #2497 wants an answer for.

This is a slightly horrifying tale about death and the million ways to die with a snarky main character and dark humor. But it’s also got a lot of heart. And questions. So many questions. I love this book. Maybe you will, too. ( )

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Reaper's Quota

Reaper #2497 remembers his name was once Steve. He also remembers the unfortunate circumstances where he killed a man and sealed his fate to become a reaper. But unlike some of the other reapers, he hates his job. While his daily assignments may help him bring mercy to those near the end of their life, the thirty random people each month weigh heavily on him. This month he’s pushing the limit. He doesn’t start his quota until he’s threatened with extermination and he has three days left to eliminate thirty people. But there has to be something he can do to restart his life. Or at the least, make something better in his reaper unlife. With three days left, Steve sets out to find a different path.

The Reaper’s Quota is steeped in dark humor and has a protagonist who tries to make the best out of his situation. Readers will travel alongside Steve as he fulfills his daily assignments and slowly but surely takes out his monthly quota. But in between reaping, readers will see Steve struggle to remember emotions and how to be human.

The story did grow repetitive at times. While this added to Steve’s experience as he struggled with his day to day reaping, adding a few extra days to Steve’s plight would have helped bring balance to the plot. With a little extra time, readers would have been able to see a more elaborate version of Steve searching for a different way and trying to experience “life” even though he was a reaper. The connection to him as a character would have been solidified and the ending would have definitely brought out a stronger emotional response.

But the little things are what I really enjoyed about The Reaper’s Quota. All the details and effort Sarah McKnight put into Steve contemplating what he would be feeling or thinking if he were still human. Even though it was all done through telling, as Steve could not experience it, it was so well written and added to the impact readers felt with his struggle.

The Reaper’s Quota contemplates life, death, and the choices people make and their final paths because of them. If you enjoy dark humor and the search for a second chance give this a read. And with the way it ends, you’ll definitely want to jump straight to book two. ( )