Published by: Amulet Books, March 8th 2016
Genre: YA, Historical, Retellings, Paranormal
Pages: 352
Format: Ebook
A thrilling reimagining of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, The Steep and Thorny Way tells the story of a murder most foul and the mighty power of love and acceptance in a state gone terribly rotten.
1920s Oregon is not a welcoming place for Hanalee Denney, the daughter of a white woman and an African-American man. She has almost no rights by law, and the Ku Klux Klan breeds fear and hatred in even Hanalee’s oldest friendships. Plus, her father, Hank Denney, died a year ago, hit by a drunk-driving teenager. Now her father’s killer is out of jail and back in town, and he claims that Hanalee’s father wasn’t killed by the accident at all but, instead, was poisoned by the doctor who looked after him—who happens to be Hanalee’s new stepfather.
The only way for Hanalee to get the answers she needs is to ask Hank himself, a “haint” wandering the roads at night.
Not at all what I expected, but every bit as good as I knew it'd be.
For some reason I expected this to be heavier on the paranormal. It definitely has a very important ghost, but I thought there'd be more of that. Turns out it's mostly historical, which isn't bad at all because it's very well written and researched.
This is another one of those books that you don't enjoy reading because of the subject matter (racism, homophobia, KKK) but that's important to have read (especially as a white person - although I am on the lookout for a YA #ownvoices historical in the same era so I can read an authentic POV!!) So I didn't like it and I didn't enjoy it but I'm glad I read it.
The Steep & Thorny Way is emotional, compelling, and powerful. The characters are realistic and read as real people, the setting is tangible, and the story is horrific. You should read it.
For some reason I expected this to be heavier on the paranormal. It definitely has a very important ghost, but I thought there'd be more of that. Turns out it's mostly historical, which isn't bad at all because it's very well written and researched.
This is another one of those books that you don't enjoy reading because of the subject matter (racism, homophobia, KKK) but that's important to have read (especially as a white person - although I am on the lookout for a YA #ownvoices historical in the same era so I can read an authentic POV!!) So I didn't like it and I didn't enjoy it but I'm glad I read it.
The Steep & Thorny Way is emotional, compelling, and powerful. The characters are realistic and read as real people, the setting is tangible, and the story is horrific. You should read it.
Characters ★★★☆☆
Setting/world ★★★★☆
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