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Shadowland by Jenny Carroll
4/5
New stepfather. New stepbrothers. New home. New school. It's enough for any sixteen year old to cope with. But add the fact that Susannah is a mediator - someone who can see and talk to ghosts, and who helps them resolve their issues so they can move on - and we're talking major amounts of 'cope'. Fortunately she has a couple of new allies, as well as a couple of new ghosts. Unfortunately, one of those ghosts has decidedly unfriendly feelings towards her... [Young Adults agegroup]
It would be easy to dismiss this book as a 'The Sixth Sense meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer' ripoff, but the writing, plot and sheer liveliness of the characters more than make up for the lack of original premise.
Written in first person POV, Susannah, the main character is an interesting and realistic mix of teenage bolshiness, warmth and cynicism, even without the added factor of being able to talk to and touch (and occasionally, punch) ghosts. Her observations are sharp, and the delight and disgust she takes in her new home environment and community creates an immediate connection with the reader. I was particularly impressed with the fleshing out of the secondary characters - Carroll manages to avoid falling into stereotypes and engages the reader with them early on.
The story isn't particularly complicated, but there are enough curveballs thrown in to keep it from being a 'go straight from A to B' narrative. Although this is part of a series, the story stands on its own two feet and the dangling threads are thin enough to escape the irritation factor. I recommend it for teenagers, and will certainly read the rest of the series myself.
Currently reading: Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
(I succumbed to the temptation of the 'Alex Rider' collectors' edition box).
4/5
New stepfather. New stepbrothers. New home. New school. It's enough for any sixteen year old to cope with. But add the fact that Susannah is a mediator - someone who can see and talk to ghosts, and who helps them resolve their issues so they can move on - and we're talking major amounts of 'cope'. Fortunately she has a couple of new allies, as well as a couple of new ghosts. Unfortunately, one of those ghosts has decidedly unfriendly feelings towards her... [Young Adults agegroup]
It would be easy to dismiss this book as a 'The Sixth Sense meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer' ripoff, but the writing, plot and sheer liveliness of the characters more than make up for the lack of original premise.
Written in first person POV, Susannah, the main character is an interesting and realistic mix of teenage bolshiness, warmth and cynicism, even without the added factor of being able to talk to and touch (and occasionally, punch) ghosts. Her observations are sharp, and the delight and disgust she takes in her new home environment and community creates an immediate connection with the reader. I was particularly impressed with the fleshing out of the secondary characters - Carroll manages to avoid falling into stereotypes and engages the reader with them early on.
The story isn't particularly complicated, but there are enough curveballs thrown in to keep it from being a 'go straight from A to B' narrative. Although this is part of a series, the story stands on its own two feet and the dangling threads are thin enough to escape the irritation factor. I recommend it for teenagers, and will certainly read the rest of the series myself.
Currently reading: Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
(I succumbed to the temptation of the 'Alex Rider' collectors' edition box).