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A review by somesubtlebutessentialway
Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I was obsessed with ghost books as a kid. And this was my favorite ghost book of all.
I read this twice in elementary school, once in fourth grade and once in fifth. There was something that chilled me to the bone about it but also had me totally invigorated. Now that I'm older, I can see what drew me to it. I had just moved to a rural podunk town, with a stepfather that I didn't like and a mom who was trying her best. I felt like nobody understood me. I felt like it was me against the world, and I think that version of me saw herself in this book. Though thankfully I didn't have to deal with vindictive little stepsisters or vengeful ghosts.
Reading this as (what some would call) an adult was so interesting. It's strange to reread what once was your favorite book, to fall again into the pages that were once the greatest thing to your small eyes. I grew out of ghost books. I grew out of the podunk town. And yet rereading this it was like fourth grade was just a blink away; like I could reach out and touch it.
That little girl I was then, the ghost. That little school I borrowed this from, the lake.
I read this twice in elementary school, once in fourth grade and once in fifth. There was something that chilled me to the bone about it but also had me totally invigorated. Now that I'm older, I can see what drew me to it. I had just moved to a rural podunk town, with a stepfather that I didn't like and a mom who was trying her best. I felt like nobody understood me. I felt like it was me against the world, and I think that version of me saw herself in this book. Though thankfully I didn't have to deal with vindictive little stepsisters or vengeful ghosts.
Reading this as (what some would call) an adult was so interesting. It's strange to reread what once was your favorite book, to fall again into the pages that were once the greatest thing to your small eyes. I grew out of ghost books. I grew out of the podunk town. And yet rereading this it was like fourth grade was just a blink away; like I could reach out and touch it.
That little girl I was then, the ghost. That little school I borrowed this from, the lake.