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3.36 AVERAGE
3.36 AVERAGE
That a ghost will find its way home is a truth that Jennie Lovell knows all too well. After Jennie’s fiancé Will dies fighting for the Union Army during the American Civil War, her world is thrown into chaos. An orphan, Jennie was only afforded shelter in her aunt and uncle’s home because she was to be the next lady of the house. Now that her fiancé is gone, she very well may be thrown out at any time. To make matters worse, Will’s ghost begins haunting Jennie, torturing her and pushing her to the brink of madness. And then rumors start circulating that suggest Will was not the man he claimed to be. Readers will be spellbound as Jennie grapples to solve the mystery surrounding Will’s last days and the novel gallops like a runaway carriage to its thrilling end. If you enjoy gothic ghost stories, Civil War romances, and are interested in early photography, you will love this book. It’s especially recommended for fans of [b:A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama|199741|A Drowned Maiden's Hair A Melodrama|Laura Amy Schlitz|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172624348s/199741.jpg|193232].
Adele Griffin's restrained prose is perfect for this haunting tale. She never oversells the mystical elements and often the descriptions verge on poetry. Lisa Brown's digital illustrations based on daguerreotypes and archival documents, are interspersed between each of the novel's short chapters. As in Deborah Wiles' [b:Countdown|7192385|Countdown|Deborah Wiles|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275659846s/7192385.jpg|7776967], Brown's illustrations are not merely decorative; they provide clues to the central mystery and help carry the plot. It's a shame that the narrative begins slowly because the almost graphic novel format should appeal to reluctant readers. But if readers persevere, they will be rewarded. The last fifty pages provide edge-of-your-seat suspense. An author's note is included and explains the historical basis for the story, as well as elements that were fabricated.
Recommended for purchase in public and school libraries, especially where graphic novels and paranormal romance are popular. This title would be a good Halloween/scary book recommendation for middle graders and teens.
Adele Griffin's restrained prose is perfect for this haunting tale. She never oversells the mystical elements and often the descriptions verge on poetry. Lisa Brown's digital illustrations based on daguerreotypes and archival documents, are interspersed between each of the novel's short chapters. As in Deborah Wiles' [b:Countdown|7192385|Countdown|Deborah Wiles|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275659846s/7192385.jpg|7776967], Brown's illustrations are not merely decorative; they provide clues to the central mystery and help carry the plot. It's a shame that the narrative begins slowly because the almost graphic novel format should appeal to reluctant readers. But if readers persevere, they will be rewarded. The last fifty pages provide edge-of-your-seat suspense. An author's note is included and explains the historical basis for the story, as well as elements that were fabricated.
Recommended for purchase in public and school libraries, especially where graphic novels and paranormal romance are popular. This title would be a good Halloween/scary book recommendation for middle graders and teens.
A beautiful, haunting blend of love, loss, truth, and betrayal, set in the venue of the Civil War.
I did not like this book. Paranormal historical fiction is usually something I really enjoy, but I didn’t like how this story was presented. While the art left something to be desired, I found the writing dull and lackluster. The plot itself wasn’t bad, but everything else just left me deeply disappointed.
This creepy tale is set during the Civil War. Will, his twin brother Quinn, and Jennie's brother Toby go off to fight for the Union. Will is also Jennie's fiancee. When Quinn returns home injured, Jennie discovers both Will and her brother have been killed. Quinn says Will was killed in battle, but was he? Jennie begins to experience strange happenings she believes are caused by Will's restless spirit. Is there something he wants Jennie to do? Can she solve the mystery of Will's death? Or is Will trying to save her life? This is a great mystery and is sufficiently creepy to charm both boys and girls.
After his death, Jennie had always felt the spirit of her twin brother near her. Now her fiancé Will has died in the Civil War. His brother, Quinn, has returned with injuries. According to the army, Will died honorably in battle, but his brother tells a different story of prison and Will being a criminal. Jennie seeks out the help of a spiritualist photographer, who takes the family’s picture and edits it by adding another image of an angle. Jennie is not fooled, but soon she experiences things that she cannot explain. Images of her are edited without anyone touching them, clues lead her deeper into a mystery, and time is running out as her place in Will’s family is threatened. This paranormal, spiritualist mystery will have readers enthralled.
This book is so beautifully designed. Lisa Brown’s illustrations take the book to another level, ensuring that readers are completely surrounded by Jennie’s world. Jennie keeps a scrapbook and often takes small items to add to her book without the owners knowing. As she adds these bits and pieces to her scrapbook, a series of visual clues start to emerge. At the start of each chapter, readers will see items that will be added to the scrapbook in the next chapter. This way each chapter starts with the clues and continues with the story itself. This is an immensely entertaining way to read a book.
Griffin has created a book that lingers, slowly revealing its secrets. The book is beautifully written. Griffin has intertwined Jennie’s brother’s voice in the chapters, his advice for spies always right at hand when courage is needed. Jennie is an intriguing protagonist who is multidimensional with her small thefts, desperation for a home, and ability to love two brothers. It is her complexity that makes the book so fascinating.
Eerie, haunting and mysterious, this book is one that takes over your world. Bright summer sun dims into streets at night, heat becomes a chill, breezes blow on still days. Griffin and Brown have created a book that is an immersive experience that readers will not soon forget.
Appropriate for ages 13-16.
This book is so beautifully designed. Lisa Brown’s illustrations take the book to another level, ensuring that readers are completely surrounded by Jennie’s world. Jennie keeps a scrapbook and often takes small items to add to her book without the owners knowing. As she adds these bits and pieces to her scrapbook, a series of visual clues start to emerge. At the start of each chapter, readers will see items that will be added to the scrapbook in the next chapter. This way each chapter starts with the clues and continues with the story itself. This is an immensely entertaining way to read a book.
Griffin has created a book that lingers, slowly revealing its secrets. The book is beautifully written. Griffin has intertwined Jennie’s brother’s voice in the chapters, his advice for spies always right at hand when courage is needed. Jennie is an intriguing protagonist who is multidimensional with her small thefts, desperation for a home, and ability to love two brothers. It is her complexity that makes the book so fascinating.
Eerie, haunting and mysterious, this book is one that takes over your world. Bright summer sun dims into streets at night, heat becomes a chill, breezes blow on still days. Griffin and Brown have created a book that is an immersive experience that readers will not soon forget.
Appropriate for ages 13-16.
Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin and illustrated by Lisa Brown is a good paranormal mystery set during the Civil War, if a bit predictable. Personally, I was hoping for a little bit more outright horror and a bit of a faster pace. However, though, I love that this story is practically dripping with atmosphere and those eerie illustrations definitely helped set the tone.