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A review by moonlightcupofcocoa
The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What a rare treat it is to find a book so gripping that I'd want to experience it twice in one year! I hadn't heard of Jonathan Stroud or the series when its title caught my attention in the bookstore. But before I knew it, I found myself almost as 'ghostlocked' as the characters.
Jonathan Stroud's writing is so vivid and atmospheric that I could practically feel the characters' fear, leaving me as cold and tense as the characters themselves.
His approach to worldbuilding is a particular win here. This isn’t just another ghost story. It's a well-crafted reality. Spirits are dangerous and unpredictable but also are grounded in a clear set of rules that are expounded upon the more you read. The characters, teens in this case, have agency and skills and are not at all helpless. This structured nature of the universe doesn't lessen the fear. Instead, it heightens it. We know the risks and we sense the consequences. The knowledge only builds the suspense.
The character dynamics are so well done. They all feel real in their complexity, with each bringing in their own strengths and flaws. In their collaboration and loyalty to one another, the trio really shine. You find yourself enjoying their bickering and relishing their quiet moments (perhaps with a biscuit or three to share in their feasts).
The author really created characters that linger in the mind long after the final page and I am almost sad that I'm just meeting them now.
All in all, I'm hooked and am reading the other books.
Jonathan Stroud's writing is so vivid and atmospheric that I could practically feel the characters' fear, leaving me as cold and tense as the characters themselves.
His approach to worldbuilding is a particular win here. This isn’t just another ghost story. It's a well-crafted reality. Spirits are dangerous and unpredictable but also are grounded in a clear set of rules that are expounded upon the more you read. The characters, teens in this case, have agency and skills and are not at all helpless. This structured nature of the universe doesn't lessen the fear. Instead, it heightens it. We know the risks and we sense the consequences. The knowledge only builds the suspense.
The character dynamics are so well done. They all feel real in their complexity, with each bringing in their own strengths and flaws. In their collaboration and loyalty to one another, the trio really shine. You find yourself enjoying their bickering and relishing their quiet moments (perhaps with a biscuit or three to share in their feasts).
The author really created characters that linger in the mind long after the final page and I am almost sad that I'm just meeting them now.
All in all, I'm hooked and am reading the other books.