Published by: Katherine Tegen Books, July 26th 2016
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Gothic, Ghosts
Pages: 320
Format: Ebook
Source: Katherine Tegen, via Edelweiss
16 -year-old Gretchen takes photographs to understand the world around her, a passion her mother Mona fostered and encouraged when she was still around. Since her mom disappeared years ago, Gretchen and her dad have lived on their own in New York City, haunted by Mona’s absence.
When Gretchen’s great aunt Esther calls unexpectedly to tell her that she has inherited the pre-Civil War mansion on her mother’s side of the family in upstate New York, Gretchen understands nothing except that her aunt needs her help. But what she finds there is beyond her imagination. The house is crumbling apart, filled with stacks of papers and journals from decades, even centuries past, and it’s crawling with rodents. It’s also full of secrets and a legacy of racism and violence so reprehensible that the ghosts of the past are exacting revenge on the living.
Somehow the mystery of Mona’s disappearance and the atrocities that happened on the land during the Civil War are inextricably intertwined, and it’s up to Gretchen to figure out how…before even more lives are lost.
16 -year-old Gretchen takes photographs to understand the world around her, a passion her mother Mona fostered and encouraged when she was still around. Since her mom disappeared years ago, Gretchen and her dad have lived on their own in New York City, haunted by Mona’s absence.
When Gretchen’s great aunt Esther calls unexpectedly to tell her that she has inherited the pre-Civil War mansion on her mother’s side of the family in upstate New York, Gretchen understands nothing except that her aunt needs her help. But what she finds there is beyond her imagination. The house is crumbling apart, filled with stacks of papers and journals from decades, even centuries past, and it’s crawling with rodents. It’s also full of secrets and a legacy of racism and violence so reprehensible that the ghosts of the past are exacting revenge on the living.
Somehow the mystery of Mona’s disappearance and the atrocities that happened on the land during the Civil War are inextricably intertwined, and it’s up to Gretchen to figure out how…before even more lives are lost.
This is a damn good ghost story. When I went into this book I expected a run-of-the-mill horror. Flat characters, bland relationships, a tonne of unanswered questions, a bit of tense spookiness to keep me going. But it was Halloween, and What The Dead Want seemed suitably creepy.
This is not run-of-the-mill. This is stand out, well written gothic paranormal and it has memorable, likeable (what?!) characters. The story was not predictable at all. I LOVED the element of photography, how spirits could be captured on film, and how integral it was to the end of the story. There's a perfect blend of ghostiness (that's a word!), history, mystery, danger, and plucky and brave characters trying to uncover secrets. I also loved how it confronted the racist history of the house and the church, and how Gretchen accepted her own link to her predecessor's horrific actions. How she never shifted the blame or responsibility and was determined to get justice for the victims.
Multi-faceted, horrifying in unexpected ways, and driven by passion and heart. You won't find a better ghost story than this.
This is not run-of-the-mill. This is stand out, well written gothic paranormal and it has memorable, likeable (what?!) characters. The story was not predictable at all. I LOVED the element of photography, how spirits could be captured on film, and how integral it was to the end of the story. There's a perfect blend of ghostiness (that's a word!), history, mystery, danger, and plucky and brave characters trying to uncover secrets. I also loved how it confronted the racist history of the house and the church, and how Gretchen accepted her own link to her predecessor's horrific actions. How she never shifted the blame or responsibility and was determined to get justice for the victims.
Multi-faceted, horrifying in unexpected ways, and driven by passion and heart. You won't find a better ghost story than this.
Setting/World ★★★★☆
Writing ★★★★☆
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