Take a photo of a barcode or cover
WELP that final illustration is SUPER unsettling.
It's like... Idk. I want to make a joke about Hugo and Wonderstruck suddenly getting haunted by ghosts and creepy dolls, but, umm, I can't.
It's like... Idk. I want to make a joke about Hugo and Wonderstruck suddenly getting haunted by ghosts and creepy dolls, but, umm, I can't.
Creepy. I really liked the alternating chapters. One story is told as a diary of a tormented girl, and the other is told in stunning drawings depicting a very lonely girl.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The concept of the book - narrated via a diary in 1982, but via pictures in 2017 - is a nice touch. However, the story of an orphan being bullied by other orphans has been told countless times, as has the story of a lonely ghost of a kid luring living kids to them. On top of that the drawing style just wasn't my cup of tea; a bit too simplistic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Death, Abandonment
dark
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If I had to describe this book in one word it would definitely be depressing. I loved the format of the book. It was a mixture of old diary entries from the past and illustrations of current day, which were hauntingly beautiful. Quick read but very sad.
I thought it wasn’t very creepy...until the end 🙀
This was a dark and depressing story. The whole tale felt bleak, but ironically is accompanied by gorgeous art and illustrations. It wasn’t for me, I can’t stand stories that leave me feeling worse emotionally/mentally than when I started them.
You read Mary’s story through her journal entries as she’s tormented at the Girls’ Home of Thornhill in the 1980s. The social home is about to close its doors when tragedy strikes.
Then Ella’s tale of moving next door to the abandoned and derelict structure is conveyed through pictures. It’s now 2017 and she’s another lonely teen who feels abandoned and without friends. She sees a mysterious girl on Thornhill’s grounds and decides to find out who she is.
The ending was, truthfully, disappointing. I don’t understand why the author didn’t give the story any redeeming plot points; readers are left feeling hopeless and distraught over what the characters are going through. The constant negative barrage of heartbreak, bullying, and woe was just too much.
The stars I’m giving are strictly due to the art that conveyed Ella’s narrative.
You read Mary’s story through her journal entries as she’s tormented at the Girls’ Home of Thornhill in the 1980s. The social home is about to close its doors when tragedy strikes.
Then Ella’s tale of moving next door to the abandoned and derelict structure is conveyed through pictures. It’s now 2017 and she’s another lonely teen who feels abandoned and without friends. She sees a mysterious girl on Thornhill’s grounds and decides to find out who she is.
The ending was, truthfully, disappointing. I don’t understand why the author didn’t give the story any redeeming plot points; readers are left feeling hopeless and distraught over what the characters are going through. The constant negative barrage of heartbreak, bullying, and woe was just too much.
The stars I’m giving are strictly due to the art that conveyed Ella’s narrative.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Woooo! What a great read for the Halloween season! And a very quick read too. Like Hugo Cabret, it draws you in and makes you feverishly read page after page with it's beautiful artwork and then intriguing story text to go along with it. Probably best for grades 5+, it is certainly creepy (towards the end) but deals with heavy stuff such as bullying and death.
Creepy! A great ghost story with a disturbing twist.