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A review by purrson
Sixteen Souls by Rosie Talbot
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
4.5
I received a copy of this with my RainbowCrate subscription and had no idea what to expect, but enjoyed it so much, I’m hoping for a sequel.
Teen melancholy comes in strong at the forefront of this YA story, with a main character who’s trying to hang on to normalcy despite ghostly drama only he can see, and (in very relatable/typical adolescent fashion) is sometimes so-self conscious, he doesn’t notice what’s right in front of him. But the pity party doesn’t go on too long, and it’s hard not to love the characters we meet (our MC’s new and old friends) as this mystery ramps into adventure.
Throughout this book a true love of the location—its setting’s present and past—really shines through, and brings the living and long dead characters and their history (or the times they represent) to life. It’s delightfully queer and inclusive (the main character has a visible disability), with some romance to boot. The villains are sinister enough to make the stakes properly high, and these teens deal with enough real life drama that the story stays grounded where it needs to be. It’s truly heartfelt, endearing, and delightfully spooky that I absolutely recommend it for a fun, good read.
Teen melancholy comes in strong at the forefront of this YA story, with a main character who’s trying to hang on to normalcy despite ghostly drama only he can see, and (in very relatable/typical adolescent fashion) is sometimes so-self conscious, he doesn’t notice what’s right in front of him. But the pity party doesn’t go on too long, and it’s hard not to love the characters we meet (our MC’s new and old friends) as this mystery ramps into adventure.
Throughout this book a true love of the location—its setting’s present and past—really shines through, and brings the living and long dead characters and their history (or the times they represent) to life. It’s delightfully queer and inclusive (the main character has a visible disability), with some romance to boot. The villains are sinister enough to make the stakes properly high, and these teens deal with enough real life drama that the story stays grounded where it needs to be. It’s truly heartfelt, endearing, and delightfully spooky that I absolutely recommend it for a fun, good read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Death
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Medical content, Torture, and War