A review by natashaleighton_
Sixteen Souls by Rosie Talbot

adventurous dark emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

A delightfully spooky, humorous and marvellously plot twisty romp that hooked with the promise of ghost-filled antics, that I’m happy to report did NOT disappoint! 

I’ve yet to visit York (the setting for Sixteen Souls) myself but Rosie Talbot’s beautifully atmospheric world-building and wonderfully descriptive prose really brought the city and all of its rich, uniquely haunted history to life. 

I also loved the dialogue, and the use of British colloquialisms, which made all of the characters’ interactions feel waay more realistic —it was almost as if Talbot had eavesdropped on actual ghostly conversations, making for an incredibly immersive and entertaining reading experience.

Our loveably endearing cast of characters helped with that too. Aside from the obvious villains and a few of the Mouldy Oldies (old spirits who essentially govern the city’s ghost residents) , I pretty much loved them all. Particularly Charlie (our reluctant, ghost seeing MC) and his spectral, ride or die besties Ollie and Heather— as well as the highly amusing George Villiers, who won me over with his rather amusing antics. I also liked fellow seer Sam whose adorably sweet romance with Charlie gave me supernatural Heartstopper vibes that I’m excited to see more of.

If you’re looking for something spooky to read this autumn, but also love heartwarming found family vibes, LGBTQIA and disability rep —then I thoroughly recommend checking this out. Just make sure to check the TWs beforehand. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings