This book builds up the tension and secrets right until the end and then unveils everything in a dramatic reveal. If you can survive being in suspense for pretty much the entire book, then this one is for you, my friends.
Ghost stories set in boarding schools are always so much cooler and so the premise of this book really excited me.
Maddy Deeprose can see ghosts. You would think that would give her some clue to what she is, but she takes this all in her stride. She’s been seeing them all her life, and they don’t scare her at all. She is sent to Crowham Martyrs, the type of strange boarding school that is filled with history and secrets. Soon strange events start to take place, and when her friend Hannah disappears suddenly Maddy knows things are getting serious.
Maddy Deeprose is an amazing character. Her resilience and determination particularly inspired me, even when she was terrified herself. They way she was adamant to help her friend in peril is inspiring even though she knows it will be scary and dangerous. Throughout the book she is constantly putting herself in danger to help her younger friends, whilst simultaneously having to face the unknown monsters alone. As Nelson Mandela said, ‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it’. Maddy realises saving her friends is more important to her than escaping her fears, and this gives her the courage to do just that. A courageous, inspiring female protagonist such as Maddy is the perfect role model – the kind of character young children should look up to.
The writing in this book is good. It’s not too complex or flowery, flinging metaphors in every paragraph. It is straight to the point and easy to digest, meaning all of the reader’s attention can be focused on the plot. For this reason, I think this book is perfect for younger readers who perhaps want to read a horror book that isn’t all-out gore, but is also balanced by some interesting history of the characters. The plot of the novel is relatively fast paced, making sure the reader stays hooked onto the story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a scary read that isn’t going to give them nightmares and who loves interesting characters.
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Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop
