Mia’s ordinary life is disrupted for good in the most horrifying way possible when she is possessed by a hungry and powerful demon—and saved only by the arrival of relatives from Italy, the country her grandfather fled many decades ago. Now her cousins, the charming and gorgeous Emilio and stern, elderly Giuliano, say the only way to keep Mia safe is for her to come back with them to Milan, to live, to learn Italian, to fall in and out of love, and to master the family trade: fighting all demons with the ancient lore of bell, book, and candle. Milan is not what Mia expected, but it will change her forever.
The Demon Catchers of Milan
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up-Mia Dellatorri is possessed by a demon. With an opening scene reminiscent of Linda Blair's ordeal in The Exorcist, readers are drawn into this intriguing and unique story. Mia is saved by a pair of long-lost Italian relatives and is subsequently whisked off to Milan for her own safety, where she learns the ancient family trade of demon hunting. She learns about much more than demons-she uncovers plenty of mysteries in her own family history as she discovers the history of Milan. Beyer combines atmosphere, characterization, and plot for a believable demon-infested story, replete with ghosts, a touch of romance, an exotic setting, and history to enrich the narrative. Mia's personal growth matches the intensity of the tale, which will surely be continued in further books, as there are plot threads left dangling. The "girl in a pretty dress" cover does not quite match the mood or quality of the book, but it might attract readers who will be pleasantly surprised to find a supernatural novel with a fresh premise worthy of note.-Angela J. Reynolds, Annapolis Valley Regional Library, Bridgetown, NS, Canadaα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
About the Author
Kat Beyer established herself as a fine artist before turning to fiction writing with The Demon Catchers of Milan, her debut novel. She lives with her family in, variously, Oregon, California, and Wisconsin. You can visit her online at www.katspaw.com.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Kat Beyer's first book is stunningly good, and makes one hungry for the next in what one hopes is a long line of sequels. As other reviewers and the book description provide the outline - a teenage girl in upstate NY survives a possession only with the aid of her Italian cousins, who then take her back to Milan with them in order to protect her from subsequent attacks, and to teach her the tricks of the family's demon-catching trade - I'd rather praise the extraordinary richness of the detail with which she crafts so compelling a narrative, the delightful spirit which animates the storytelling, particularly regarding Mia herself, the seriousness of the family mission, and the courage which gracefully inhabits so many of the characters.
The Demon Catchers of Milan is not just a great read - it has successfully conjured a great world, inhabited it with characters you want to meet (or be), and made you wonder how much of that world might just possibly leak in to this one, if we could be so lucky.
About the cover - looks to me like a marketer's idea of what will sell books, and maybe it will, but please know that the book is much more richly textured and thoughtful than the cover would imply. If you like the cover - buy the book. If you don't like the cover - buy the book anyway.
The Demon Catchers of Milan is not just a great read - it has successfully conjured a great world, inhabited it with characters you want to meet (or be), and made you wonder how much of that world might just possibly leak in to this one, if we could be so lucky.
About the cover - looks to me like a marketer's idea of what will sell books, and maybe it will, but please know that the book is much more richly textured and thoughtful than the cover would imply. If you like the cover - buy the book. If you don't like the cover - buy the book anyway.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Sarah
Format:Hardcover
Mia's an American who doesn't know much about her family's history, or the rest of the family back in Italy, but when she's possessed by a demon, she has to travel to Milan, where she joins her extended family to deal with her...problem. The writing here is stunningly rich. Kat Beyer's Milan comes alive--its sounds, colors, smells, and most especially its tastes.
For me, despite the cover that makes it look like yet another YA supernatural with romance elements, the book stands out from that typical YA crowd. For one thing, the writing is much more evocative. For another, the romance isn't a crucial element of the book. There's no monosyllabic bad boy named Nick with a dark past and dark hair that falls down into his smoldering eyes. Instead, as the starred Kirkus review points out, the romance in this book is between Mia and Milan, and between Mia and her new family. Another way this book is distinct is this: in so much supernatural YA, the girl with the Special Talent is defined by that talent. She's normal, flat, typical, except for this one thing that is supposed to make her distinctive. So many of the YA voices are indistinguishable from each other; it's as if they all share the same basic girl character, just pasting a different Special Talent on each one.
(Obviously I'm getting burned out on YA supernatural).
Anyway, Mia is a distinct person *in herself*, apart from the weird things that are happening to her. As such, she feels like a real person in the midst of a pretty wild, scary plot.
To sum up: if you're looking for a typical YA supernatural with a romance element, this might not be the book for you. But if you'd like something more distinctive and memorable, give this one a try.
Five stars.
For me, despite the cover that makes it look like yet another YA supernatural with romance elements, the book stands out from that typical YA crowd. For one thing, the writing is much more evocative. For another, the romance isn't a crucial element of the book. There's no monosyllabic bad boy named Nick with a dark past and dark hair that falls down into his smoldering eyes. Instead, as the starred Kirkus review points out, the romance in this book is between Mia and Milan, and between Mia and her new family. Another way this book is distinct is this: in so much supernatural YA, the girl with the Special Talent is defined by that talent. She's normal, flat, typical, except for this one thing that is supposed to make her distinctive. So many of the YA voices are indistinguishable from each other; it's as if they all share the same basic girl character, just pasting a different Special Talent on each one.
(Obviously I'm getting burned out on YA supernatural).
Anyway, Mia is a distinct person *in herself*, apart from the weird things that are happening to her. As such, she feels like a real person in the midst of a pretty wild, scary plot.
To sum up: if you're looking for a typical YA supernatural with a romance element, this might not be the book for you. But if you'd like something more distinctive and memorable, give this one a try.
Five stars.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The Demon Catchers of Milan is a book that was more... "meh" for me. I was probably expecting a lot more action than I got, although there were some fantastic gothic elements that kept my attention.
My main issue with the book was the fact that I was expecting more action, especially from the first few pages that I read. During the middle, especially when the author was describing Milanese culture or family gatherings, although it was beautiful, it didn't hold my interest for a long time. I did read through it, although to be frank, I was a little bored. Don't get me wrong - I loved the setting and the factors dealing with exorcism, but I did wish there was more action.
However, I found that the parts where there were actual demons and exorcisms to be pretty engaging. These scenes were pretty vivid and I was definitely hooked! The Della Torres' explanations of methods, and some of the history were pretty intriguing and added to the gothic setting and atmosphere of the book. I especially was interested in Mia's possession at the beginning - it scared me a bit, and if I saw someone who was possessed by a demon, I think he or she would look exactly like Mia o___o
The characters were, I suppose, just... okay. To be honest, I didn't find Mia to be particularly interesting, although her personality traits were admirable. I didn't feel like I got to see other characters develop either, until there was more of a "feel-good" moment at the end in the Christmas scene. Overall, the characters weren't too bad... but they weren't spectacular either.
Overall, The Demon Catchers of Milan presents some creepy aspects of exorcism and demons, with some moments of great action and vividly described scenes, although sometimes I felt a bit bored :/ If you're interested in urban fantasy that's not too mainstream, or exorcism, or something of the sort, this book would be for you.
My main issue with the book was the fact that I was expecting more action, especially from the first few pages that I read. During the middle, especially when the author was describing Milanese culture or family gatherings, although it was beautiful, it didn't hold my interest for a long time. I did read through it, although to be frank, I was a little bored. Don't get me wrong - I loved the setting and the factors dealing with exorcism, but I did wish there was more action.
However, I found that the parts where there were actual demons and exorcisms to be pretty engaging. These scenes were pretty vivid and I was definitely hooked! The Della Torres' explanations of methods, and some of the history were pretty intriguing and added to the gothic setting and atmosphere of the book. I especially was interested in Mia's possession at the beginning - it scared me a bit, and if I saw someone who was possessed by a demon, I think he or she would look exactly like Mia o___o
The characters were, I suppose, just... okay. To be honest, I didn't find Mia to be particularly interesting, although her personality traits were admirable. I didn't feel like I got to see other characters develop either, until there was more of a "feel-good" moment at the end in the Christmas scene. Overall, the characters weren't too bad... but they weren't spectacular either.
Overall, The Demon Catchers of Milan presents some creepy aspects of exorcism and demons, with some moments of great action and vividly described scenes, although sometimes I felt a bit bored :/ If you're interested in urban fantasy that's not too mainstream, or exorcism, or something of the sort, this book would be for you.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
a refreshing debut--part fantasy, part travelogue
Before Milan, Mia Della Torre was the unexceptional sister compared to her smarter, prettier younger sister Gina. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Miss Print
5.0 out of 5 stars
FANTASTIC series opener!
Having barely survived a demon possession, Mia must move in with her Milanese extended family where she'll stay alive by learning the family heritage and mastering the family trade... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Christina E. Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Engrossing, and beautifully written
I just finished reading this book, lent to me by a friend. It exceeded my expectations. I must admit to being rather tired of first person point-of-view. Read more
Published 2 months ago by A. M. Riconosciuto
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enthralling!! Definitely a must read, can not wait for book two!
I have to confess something... demons scare the ever living crap out of me. Seriously... It's not that I'm really religious or anything but I think the idea of someone possessing... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Novareylin
5.0 out of 5 stars
pure pleasure
This is a really lovely book that's odd and original in ways that make it subtly haunting. You know those stories that you enjoy while you're reading, but then years down the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by K. Meisner
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Bit Disappointing
I had not heard much about this book before I requested it on Netgalley, but the cover was beautiful and the summary sounded promising and different, so I wanted to give it a shot. Read more
Published 5 months ago by The Book Scout
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding
Kat Beyer's debut novel transcends the apparent limitations of the young adult genre. Featuring compelling three-dimensional characters, its ambition reaches beyond its... Read more
Published 6 months ago by the olive press
3.0 out of 5 stars
enjoyable, but several areas lacked suspense
Mia is possessed by a demon and an exorcism is performed on her. Relatives from Italy come to her aid and are going to take her to Milan so that she can be protected. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Medeia Sharif
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent start to a new series
When a demon takes possession of her, Mia Della Torre discovers a side of her family--and herself--that she never knew existed. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Pig_Weasley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Made me want to visit Milan
The story is accessible to young readers, and well-written, so more mature readers will enjoy it as well. The characters are believable and likable. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Jeff Wilkinson
