Water Born Rachel Ward Frome, Chicken House, 2014, 275p
I have been saving this book, knowing that I would love it. It is the sequel to The Drowning and comes from the author of Numbers, all of which I have devoured. Nic is a passionate swimmer, but her overprotective father drives her a little mad. She can't understand his fear about water, especially when she starts to become more successful in the pool. Somehow, she finds the inner strength and focus needed to beat the best of the girls in her club; but as time goes on, the voice in her head starts to scare her. This disembodied voice is not hers, and when she turns to her father, she finds more questions than answers. Amongst other things, she finds a list on her dad's computer of girls who look just like her who have drowned.
It has been some time since I read The Drowning, meaning I had forgotten some of the detail. What I love about Water Born is that it is a brilliant stand alone book, as well as a dramatic continuation of Ward's most recent series. The story is haunting and modern, a perfect contemporary horror story. I can see similarities with the Numbers trilogy, but the genius Rachel Ward has found clever new ways of throwing the reader off the scent and allowing the mystery to unfold very gradually. All the action seems to happen within a few final pages, and you are gripped throughout. I am definitely not patient enough to wait for the next one!
Gone Girl Gillian Flynn London, Phoenix, 2013, 496p Another one of those contemporary novels I have been meaning to read for a while, I finally found a few days on my half term holiday to be drawn into the dark, haunting world of Nick and Amy Dunne. And all I needed was a few days (my flight was delayed, I was stuck in an airport for three hours longer than expected), despite this being a 500 page novel. Gone Girl is the story of a missing woman and her husband, who suddenly finds himself accused of her abduction and possible murder. Their relationship was on the rocks, and the police find significant evidence that places Nick at the scene of various unsavoury disturbances. And despite having the support of his sister and Amy's parents, Nick finds himself hurled into a media storm determined to drag his name through the mud. The novel is narrated through both Nick and Amy - Nick's narrative explains what happens following the disappearance, whilst Amy's diary recounts their past: how they met, their marriage, their move to the suburbs, and their slow deterioration. Nick is clearly not the perfect husband, and Amy's diaries increasingly cast light on a growing fear she felt around him. But the narrative is not as honest as it may seem, and in the second half of the novel, a whole new level of psychotic drama unfolds. It is so difficult to write about this novel without ruining the plot, though I am sure most people have a vague idea of what happens (especially since the movie adaptation was recently released). But I will say that it is a haunting novel about the darker side of relationships. As the story unfolds, it is not just Nick who is revealed to be a dishonest character, but Amy's true colours begin to show. These are not individuals that you root for or support - neither are 'in the right' - but you are gripped as you watch them destroy themselves and the world they have built together.
My Swordhand is Singing Marcus Sedgwick London, Orion, 2006, 194p
I have finally been able to return to the realms of the Gothic - horrah! Peter lives in the a small village, on the edge of the woods, with his father. Both are woodcutters, though with his old age setting in and his reliance on alcohol, Peter's father does not contribute much. Chust is the first village Peter and his father have settled in for some time, having previously preferred to be on the move. Peter is glad of the respite, happy to be falling for the prettiest girl in the village; but he is conscious that everything is not as it seems. There is talk of dead husbands returning to their wives, and as winter draws nearer, the superstitious townsfolk take to decorating their homes against the Shadow Queen. My Swordhand is Singing is packed full of drama and drowning in Gothic horror. The whole of my English department love him, asking every year if I can get him to visit for World Book Day (no luck yet! - he's a busy man). This novel is part of the year nine curriculum at OSA, and I am always impressed by the number of students who come looking for further Sedgwick reads.
Say Her Name James Dawson London, Hot Keys, 2014, 287p
Another of the books I have been meaning to read for some time, Say Her Name, is gem from James Dawson, with whom I had the pleasure of recently spending a few days on a First Story residential. A Halloween dare seems like a good idea to Bobbie and her best friend Naya, until they discover that the legend of Bloody Mary might be more than just a story. In the five days following the night when they chant her name into a mirror, Naya and Bobbie are haunted by the ghost of the dead girl, and history suggests there is little chance of survival. James Dawson brings the classic tropes of Gothic literature into the twenty first century, redesigning the thriller genre for the age of technology and teenagers. Bobbie and Naya board in an old school, but they are modern, clever girls, not easily scared by ghost stories and dark corridors. And yet, Dawson creates a terrifying environment in which the drama plays out, with Mary growing stronger and stronger as the girls try to find a way to help the ghost rest in peace. There are hundreds of different versions of the Bloody Mary legend, and Bobbie points out that there are teenagers chanting her name all over the world in search of a bit of Halloween fun. But what is different about this scenario is that, as Bobbie and Naya discover, the real Mary went to their school, and her death still haunts the old school. And alongside the haunting terror is a romance - it is not just Naya and Bobbie who chant into the mirror, but the handsome local Caine is brave enough to give it a try, too. As they try to understand if there is any hope to save themselves, Bobbie and Caine come closer and closer, and Bobbie cannot stop herself falling for the gorgeous young man. Say Her Name is a fast-paced thriller that I could not put down - I had to find out if the threesome survived the curse of Bloody Mary, and there are no guarantees with a horror like this...
The Bunker Diary Kevin Brooks London, Penguin, 2013, 259p *Possible spoiler alert* It is hard to write this blog without giving too much away - and I desperately do not want to give anything away, since I was given a little warning regarding how haunting and spine-chilling it is and I worry that too much information might detract from the tension of the story. When Linus wakes up in an abandoned bunker, he is angry at himself for being tricked by a blind man who kidnapped him. He finds himself alone, but, with five empty rooms around him, suspects that this won't be for long. The only way in or out is a lift, which comes up and down at set times through the day. As time goes by, more people are sent down to join him, each from vastly different backgrounds, each having been tricked in strange and well-planned ways. And they are being watched; there is no way out. Together, the captives work out how to communicate with their captor, but every attempt at escape seems wrought with punishment. They struggle to be civil with one another, especially in the context of this unusual situation. As the characters sink into desperation and depression, the reader is trapped with Linus in this underground dungeon. I have not read any Kevin Brooks before, though I have always been intrigued by the packaging of his novels. In fitting with the dark trend running through this year's Carnegie list, The Bunker Diary is a strong contender, full of mystery, tragedy and a slither of hope.
To see the rest of my Carnegie reviews, click here.
Doll Bones Holly Black London, Doubleday, 2013, 244p
Zach's dad thinks he's too old to play with dolls. At twelve years old, Zach spends a lot of his time hanging out with Alice and Poppy, and together they embark on the most epic of adventures in the safety of their own back gardens. But when Zach's dad throws away all his toys, Poppy and Alice resort to borrowing the most valued of all their play toys, the Queen.
But the Queen has a secret, one she shares with the children by haunting their dreams. Her real name is Eleanor Kircher, and she died in 1895. Now, she wants to return home to her grave, and the children take it upon themselves to do this for the poor toy. So they set off in the dead of night, learning more about the dark history of Eleanor along the way.
Wrapped in a black cover with a horrifying illustration of a doll on the front, Doll Bones is made to cause nightmares. The Queen is a strange toy, and so much happens around her that is impossible to explain. Adults seem to see her as a human rather than a toy, and at night, the doll seems to come alive, moving unexpectedly whilst the children sleep.
This novel is not as haunting as some of the books I have read recently, though it is well written and has many spooky moments. Dolls are one of those objects that are conventionally terrifying, being inanimate and yet strangely alive. But this book caused no sleepless nights, which is arguably a very good thing!
There is more to this novel than the Gothic, and that is the physical and emotional journey that the friends take. They are all on the cusp of adulthood, soon to grow into teenagers and experience all the trials that brings; but they have this one last adventure together, and we, the reader, are lucky enough to be able to go with them.
Ghost Stadium Tom Palmer Edinburgh, Barrington Stoke, 2013, 88p
I could not put this book down. And that is not just because it is short and I knew I could read through it quickly - no, this book is haunting, action-packed and completely brilliant.
School's out, and Lucas, Irfan and Jack have a great plan for the first night of summer. They are going to break into the old Northface Stadium, abandoned since the closure of the club five years ago. They are going to break in and camp out, reliving the memories of the old football team. But years ago, someone lost his life within the stands, and now he is out to avenge his death. I don't think I have ever read such a gripping Barrington Stoke novel - it is hardly recognisable as a dyslexia friendly book because it is so fast paced and scary. The chapters are short and succinct, but each ends with something that makes you want to turn to the next page. Every sentence is carefully crafted to entice you to read on, as you get deeper and deeper into the mystery and horror.
Although there are no illustrations, Ghost Stadium is very visual, drawing on classic Gothic tropes and common phobias - you feel like you are there with the boys, seeing strange things in the corners of your vision.
I cannot get enough of this new wave of engaging, high interest level fiction for reluctant and low ability readers. Now if only they could make some romances for my girls...
Tales of Terror from the Tunnel's Mouth Chris Priestley London, Bloomsbury, 2011, 277p
Tomorrow is World Book Day, and I am honoured to have Chris Priestley visiting my school. I cannot wait to hear his gruesome tales and see our students shiver in terror! So I have been reading through some of my favourite Priestley books, including Tales of Terror from the Tunnel's Mouth. Robert is taking the train back to school, on his own for the first time. Accompanying him in the same carriage is a mysterious Woman in White; and when the train stops unexpectedly in a tunnel, she entertains the boy by telling him supernatural and scary stories. Robert is initially very logical and rational, listening to the stories with pessimism, but soon finds they are creeping into his subconscious and lulling him into an uncomfortable stupour. I'd rather not spoil any of the stories - especially as I feel words could not explain how haunting they are - so you will just have to read for yourself. But as Robert notes, the images stay with you long after you have finished reading, and this little collection caused me many a sleepless night. I initially encountered Chris Priestley at the recommendation of a student, but now constantly find myself giving his books to my readers, both advanced and reluctant. He is an incredibly talented writer, drawing on hundreds of years of Gothic tropes to turn the seemingly ordinary into something terrifyingly disturbing.
Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase Jonathan Stroud London, Doubleday, 2013, 440p
I am not a huge fan of ghost stories - either I find it too hard to suspend my disbelief or I get too creeped out - and I abhor hard back novels - they are much too hard to read in comfort. And yet, I found The Screaming Staircase to be a clever, gripping horror story with witty and complete characters.
The story begins with Lockwood and Co on a case. Lucy and Lockwood have been left alone in a haunted house, where the owners suspect evil is hidden somewhere. Armed with iron filings and rapiers, the two young detectives set out to find the Source. Lucy can hear the whispers of the ghost, whilst Lockwood is able to see them in the dark. Children are more sensitive to the elements, and across England, bands of young ghost hunters are employed to find and suppress ghosts. I loved that this novel jumped right into the action - in the second part of the novel, Lucy takes us back to contextualise the situation, explaining all about the Problem. Some fifty years ago, sightings and hauntings increased dramatically, giving rise to a number of government policies to protect people from ghosts. The most popular solution tended to be the use of agencies such as Lockwood & Co., though this company is somewhat smaller of staff and reputation than some of it's competitors. Throughout the novel, Lockwood, his business partner George, and their new employee, Lucy, plot to get the company to the top of it's game. The Screaming Staircase is a rather long novel, but I did not feel that way. I quickly engaged with Lucy, a feisty, self-assured young girl, though often others fail to see her value. Lockwood and George are an entertaining double act, one being always eager to jump into danger whilst the other would prefer to spend hours researching before approaching any new case. The ghostly element of the novel is suspenseful and memorable. The fear creeps up on you, so that the early pages lure you into a false sense of security and by the end you are unable to stop reading. Jonathan Stroud is a measured guide through the story, taking you on highs and lows of drama and horror. The combination of mystery and thriller was more than enough to keep me completely enthralled into the early hours of the morning.
Mister Creecher Chris Priestley London, Bloomsbury, 2011, 384p I'm a little uncertain of meta fiction, especially if I'm a fan of the original. But I do love the Gothic, and love taking a trip down memory lane, reminding me of my A-level days studying Dracula and Frankenstein. It's the start of the nineteenth century and life is not easy for young Billy. He is a street boy, a petty thief, when he meets Mister Creecher. This mysterious, terrifying giant helps Billy out of a sticky situation, and each become embroiled in their new friends life. Creecher is Frankenstein's famous creation - this novel tells of the time Frankenstein spends in England working on a mate for his "monster". Creecher asks Billy for help: he supports Billy in his thievery, and Billy follows around Frankenstein to ensure that the creation can keep tabs on the scientists progress. The two companions begin their journey in London, haunting the streets of the city. Billy's life is greatly improved by his new friend: he is well fed, properly clothed and lives in warm accommodation for the first time in his life. And yet, he knows very little about Creecher and his peculiar qualms with the mysterious scientist. This is a brilliant Gothic tale - dark, gorey and tragic. Priestley is brilliant at this, as I found when I read his Tales of Terror, which caused many a sleepless night. He draws on some traditional tropes, dating back to the original story of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley; but he adds some modern twists and more accessible language for his young contemporary audience. Part of my love for the original Frankenstein novel comes from Mary Shelley's exploration of the concept of the noble savage: is the creation moulded most by nature or nurture? In the 1818 novel, the creation is given the chance to tell his own story, explaining how his initial innocence was corrupted by the judgements and unkindness of mankind. In Mister Creecher, Priestley expands on this concept, taking the reader on a journey that allows us to understand how his anger and aggression grows through constant rejection and lack of love. In this story, Creecher's relationship with Billy seems like an opportunity for redemption, but we all know where the story ends. Well, I assume many readers do, but of course it is not guaranteed that Priestley's audience would have read Shelley's original. I found myself musing on what a young reader might think of Mister Creecher without the contextual knowledge of the original story, the Romantics Movement and early nineteenth century London. Luckily, this novel is being read as part of my school book club, and I cannot wait to hear what my students think!
Coraline Neil Gaiman London, Bloomsbury, 2009, 185p
This is a dark, sinister novel that I have been putting off reading for a while due to concerns about having nightmares...
Coraline is a bored, lonely girl. She likes exploring - out in the woods, up in her neighbours' flat, all around her new old house. Her parents are very busy so she is left to entertain herself. Then one day, she unlocks a door into another house, where the other mother and father give her lots of love and attention. They want her to stay there with her, promising to give her everything she could ever want. But Coraline just wants her real parents back.
Coraline is a clever and curious protagonist. She loves to learn new things, always asking questions about the worlds around her. Unfortunately, the adults around her are pretty useless, too caught up in their own lives to engage with and entertain her. Her little adventure is full of strange people and places, like the man who is trying to teach rats to play musical instruments and the women who reminisce extensively about their past lives as famous actresses on stage.
The world Coraline finds herself in is dark and dangerous. It looks just like her parents house, but the more she investigates the more she realises that things are not as they initially seem. Her room is brightly decorated and contains strange, living toys; and outside, the woods are incomplete, slowly becoming misty and vague the further she wanders in. And her other parents, though kind and caring in appearance, are greedy and evil, desperate to possess her soul. As a child, I was scared about my parents forgetting about me or losing me. Here, Gaiman plays on that universal fear, creating a nightmare that no child ever wishes to live.
The Savages Matt Whyman London, Hot Key, 2013, 280p
This is a deliciously disturbing treat of a novel. It is unconventional in it's subject and it's style, but I found myself strangely enticed.
The Savages are a close knit and private family, spanning three generations. Grandpa is getting pretty aged, starting to forget things like where the bathroom is located. Angelica and Titus are caring parents, cautious about protecting their children. Sasha is a typical teenager, with all the worries that come with boys and friends; Ivan is a mischievous boy whose pranks never turn out how he wants them to; and baby Kat is learning her first words.
Titus' business transactions catch the attention of a private investigator, who becomes instantly enthralled by the family when a model goes missing after a film shoot at the Savage's house. Vernon eavesdrops on the family, installing a bug in the house and following the children around. He has no idea what he has gotten himself in for - the Savages are not as they initially appear.
This is not an action-packed thrill of a novel, but a slow meander through a strange little house. The family are charming, their relationship is heart-warming. Rarely does a novel with so little story keep me reading on, but the language and form of Whyman's writing was irresistible. I love black comedy, and this is the most sardonic novel I have read recently. Food is an essential element to this novel, but I would not recommend eating whilst you read - dark, gorey sceens come out of nowhere and ruin your appetite. The descriptions of the meals are incredibly vivid, making me wonder how experiemental Whyman is with his cooking.
Zom-B Darren Shan London, Simon & Schuster, 2012, 218p
I decided his blog was going to be difficult to write without giving anything away, so:
*SPOILER ALERT*
I am not a huge fan of zombie stories. Shortly before I was recommended this book, I had just given up on Pride and Prejudice and Zombies because all it did was made me want to read the original again. But I had a lot more success with Zom-B.
B is a rather unlikeable protagonist. Rude and aggressive, B takes after dad, who is also overtly racist. They sit at home in London together, watching zombies attack a small town in Ireland, speculating whether it is a hoax. Everyone at school seems to have an opinion, from scientific experiment gone wrong to big-budget movie publicity stunt.
And the twist? About three quarters of your way through this novel, you discover the young, angry thug you thought was a boy is in fact a girl!
Unfortunately, this was spoiled for me by a students as I was reading the novel. I was struggling a bit with how little I sympathised with B, so my year 7 informed me B was short for Becky. Suddenly, a whole new reading of this book opened up, and I devoured it (like a zombie on human flesh).
The pace was perfectly executed, the drama was constant - from kidnappings at the museums to beatings from B's horrible father to zombies attacking the school. I still found it hard to relate to B, simply because I was never the bad kid at school. But when I learned of B's real identity, even the meanest of characters grew on me.
This novel is the first in a long, well-planned new series from Darren Shan. It is dark and graphic and gorey, making me gag more than once; sprinkled with equally disturbing moments of racism and bigotry from B's father. B struggles to juggle her conscience with her love for her father, sometimes taking his side and sometimes finding herself wracked with guilt when she acts like him.
Racism is an incredibly sensitive subject to tackle in teenage fiction, as the author must avoid the possible outcome of implanting bigoted ideas in the readers' heads, but I felt Shan handled it superbly. Due to the paralleling of the racism with the zombies, the fascists became just as disgusting and terrifying as the supernatural undead.
And to top it all off, there was the most enticing cliff hanger at the end. I am ready to forget my previous apathy to zombie literature and read on.
This blog is dedicated to Finn, even though he ruined the ending.
Ghouls in School (Spook Squad) Roger Hurn Winchester, Ransom, 2013, 46p
I have had a large box of short reads sat on my desk for almost three months now, as they are waiting to be covered in protective plastic. As they are just within reach, I am working my way through them, grabbing for one any time I need a quick read during a quiet break.
The Spook Squad is a brilliant series, all of which are on Accelerated Reader. They are targeted at young female readers who like scary stories, claiming to be "adventures too scary for boys". The protagonists are a group of intelligent, fun girls - all with slightly different personalities, perfect for girls to find one to relate to.
You can probably guess what Ghouls in School is about. Roxy, Emma, Leena and Nita arrive at their lockers to find them glued together. It looks like a practical joke, but soon they find themselves getting the blame. Throughout the school, strange things are happening, and no one is sure of who is responsible.
I am constantly impressed by the ability of some writers to get a whole story into less than 50 pages, with illustrations taking up a lot of the space. Such books are a hugely supportive of the more challenged reader, with the words in large fonts spaced out across the page, and images to help with the visual side of reading.
This series also has little biographies of the characters at the beginning, detailing elements of their personalities. The word counts are so limited that this really helps with character development, and the female readership of this series will benefit from having a character to relate to. There is also a pages of spooky jokes and a map of Otherworld, where some of the stories are set.
Now, I really should get on with actually preparing these books so the students can read them, too!
Oliver Twisted JD Sharpe London, Electric Monkey, 2012, 274p
It has been a couple of years since I last read Oliver Twist, but I do remember feeling that it lacked gore.
If you felt the same way, JD Sharpe's re-imagining of Dickens' classic is just what you need. Oliver Twisted takes the rags-to-riches tale of an orphaned boy and adds vampyres, magic and demons.
We begin with a birth in a workhouse. When Oliver Twisted comes into this world, his mother dies. No one seems to know where she came from, so the young orphan is thrown in with a bunch of other boys to be 'farmed'. The blood of these poor children is fed to the vampyre gentry of the parish, who love the sweetness of a young food source.
Oliver is a pale, frail boy when he is apprenticed to the undertaker; a man who has been charged with bringing out the bad in the apparently innocent orphan. It is prophesied that Oliver is a powerful warlock, and the Brotherhood of Fenris want him for their evil deeds. But as we learn, Oliver is an overwhelmingly good boy, and his purity cannot be turned to darkness. On multiple occasions, I found myself squirming at Sharpe's vivid descriptions of gore - I never knew there were so many ways to visualise blood!The story remains surprisingly loyal to the original, as if Dickens himself had secretly prepared his novel for a Gothic re-writing. It was incredibly well-written and researched, keeping the reader simultaneously engrossed and grossed out.
My only tiny disappointment was that Nancy's character remained somewhat the same. All the other characters had been recreated with dark alter-egos, from werewolves to soul-eaters, but Nancy remained ultimately human. Dickens has been criticised by some for lacking imagination when it came to women, merely creating caricatures of angels and whores. Here, Sharpe had a brilliant opportunity to empower the main female character in Oliver Twist, but failed to deter from the helpless victim of Dickens' Nancy.
The Tulip Touch Anne Fine London, Penguin, 1997, 168p
The Year 7s are currently reading this in their English lessons, and although I am pretty sure I read it when I was at school, I cannot remember it at all - a little like Room 13. The Tulip Touch is a Gothic horror about a troublesome friendship between Natalie and Tulip. Written from the viewpoint of Natalie, the story tells of how a innocent friendship turns dark, as Tulip reveals her naughty side as the girls became closer. Tulip lies, controls and deceives. She leads Natalie into trouble - first it is just little things - the girls giggling behind their hands - but it develops into acts of theft and arson. The novel is distinctly Gothic, with death pervading through the story. Tulip is described as witch-like, enchanting Natalie against her will. Eventually, Natalie pushes away from Tulip, taking back control over her life, getting back on track at school; but, there are dark consequences of abandoning her old friend. You sympathise initially with Natalie because you read about her experience of the friendship. But you also grow to understand Tulip. Her behaviour is linked to her upbringing - she lives with an abusive father and a mother unwilling or unable to protect her. Although Natalie is relieved to be free of her, she does not regret the time they had together. Many young people have had good relationships turn bad, and Anne Fine has accurately portrayed the difficulty of such a situation. She explores the fear felt by young girls who are trapped by that desire to be included. Natalie is constantly asking herself why she didn't back out sooner. This is a timeless story, a rite of passage for teenage girls, portrayed through a sinister friendship.
The Drowning Rachel Ward Frome, Chicken House, 2013, 273p
When Rachel Ward visited my school for World Book Day, I was excited to learn that she had a new novel on the way. I had loved Numbers, the series about a girl who could see the dates of people's death when she looked into their eyes. It was dark, brave and dramatic, and The Drowning is more of the same excellent teenage literature. Carl Adams is fished out of lake, with little memory regarding how he got there. He is told that his brother died, it was an accident, but Rob's ghost still seems to follow him around. There was a girl there, too - Carl struggles to remember who she was. But slowly, he starts to piece together the events of that day, with the ghost of his dead brother watching over his shoulder. This novel is a lot more than a ghost story. At it's core, it is about grief, about how "sometimes the dead don't go quietly". Everyone deals with grief differently: his mother turns to alcohol, whilst Carl seems to be going mad. Carl is haunted by the unknown - he cannot work out what happened on the day his brother died, and doesn't know who is responsible. Did he kill his own brother? It makes for an incredibly dark Gothic novel. Water becomes a symbol of fear - it caused the death of Rob, and it's presence produces terror in Carl. It's a psychological thriller, playing on the uncertainty that Carl and the reader share. The first few chapters are confusing and disorientating, creating a feeling of horror that haunts the reader. It is fast-pace and addictive - Rachel Ward is confidently controlling where this story is going, and you cannot help but follow. My expectations were high, and she has impressed.
The Icarus Girl Helen Oyeyemi London, Bloomsbury, 2005, 322p
This novel is much darker than I had anticipated. It is a modern psychological thriller, dealing with the concept of identity through an eight year old girl. It is clever and confusing, making the reader doubt at every turn; and I adored it.
The Icarus Girl is about Jessamy Harrison, half-British, half-Nigerian, who is quiet and thoughtful; she reads a lot and has a wild imagination. Her parents take her to Nigeria, to meet her family there, where she befriends someone who seems to understand her - TillyTilly. But as their friendship solidifies, TillyTilly reveals a darker side to herself, as strange incidents occur and secrets are revealed.
For much of the novel, it is unclear who TillyTilly really is - you suspect she is a figment of Jess' imagination, but cannot be sure, as the novel is predominantly narrated from her point of view, and you cannot distance yourself from Jess' reality. As the darkness within TillyTilly is revealed, Jess starts to push away from her, but finds she cannot - they are bound together by secrets and emotions. Oyeyemi explores the complexity of growing up mixed race. Jess cannot work out where she belongs or who she is, resulting in the creation of her imaginary friend. The story develops from the focus about race into a doppelganger novel, as we learn that Jess had a twin who died in birth. As such, the novel became too complex - I found myself confused and full of questions - wishing Oyeyemi has focused on just one of these aspects. And yet, I read this book fervently. It was fairly predictable in terms of the psychological thriller genre, but very well written, with the language of Gothic horror releasing the ghostly TillyTilly into my nightmares. Oyeyemi was only 17 when she wrote The Icarus Girl, and I cannot wait to see what else she will produce.
Completely unconnected to this whole review is a lovely quote that I just wanted to include here:
"Two hungry people should never make friends. If they do, they eat each
other up. It is the same with one person who is hungry and another who
is full: they cannot be real, real friends because the hungry one will
eat the full one. [...] Only two people who are full up can be friends. They don't want anything from each other except friendship."
