a re-telling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth

A Song for Ella Gray by David Almond
If you're not familiar with the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, it goes something like this: Musician Orpheus falls in love with the beautiful Eurydice and they marry. On the day of their wedding Eurydice dies in a tragic accident. Orpheus is heartbroken and resolves to reclaim her from the land of Death, using the haunting music of his lyre to gain access to the underworld and bargain for her return. David Almond has kept all of the concepts, darkness, and deep feeling of the original mythical tragedy and translated the story to modern day Britain in what can only be described as a modern literary myth. This story will suck you right in just as Orpheus' music has sucked in a group of high school friends one night on the beaches of Northumberland, England.  The entire group is enchanted by this mysterious and beautiful stranger, but when Ella Grey hears the music she falls in love immediately, with tragic consequences.  Almond's writing is strange and lyrical, and his storytelling is flawless.  It's a very quick read at only 268 pages, so curl up for a couple of hours to devour this one whole!