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The Dark Garden
This riveting young adult Gothic novel by award-winner Margaret Buffie explores themes of trauma and identity.
248 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 1995
7 people are currently reading
293 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Buffie
14 books47 followersAward winning author, Margaret Buffie, was born and grew up in the west end of Winnipeg, attended various schools - graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Manitoba. An artist for many years, Margaret decided to write a YA novel and Who Is Frances Rain? was published by Kids Can Press. It quickly became a bestseller after appearing in bookstores in 1987. Since then Margaret has published nine more YA books. She works at her home in Winnipeg during the winter and on the veranda of her cottage in Northwestern Ontario in the summer months. Margaret's books have been published in the United States, Norway, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Great Britain, Germany, China and other countries. Margaret is the recipient of the prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for Body of Work (For writing inspirational to Canadian Youth); The Young Adult Canadian Book Award; is a two time winner of the McNally Robinson Book for Young People award and has been shortlisted for many other awards and honours.
Here are a few reviews of my first novel and most recent novel. To see more reviews for my other books go to http://margaretbuffie.com and click on each title.
WHO IS FRANCES RAIN?
REVIEW: Who is Frances Rain? is as distinctly Canadian as the intoxicating lure of silent woods and wind-whipped lakes. The textures of the narrative and the well-rounded characters are just as haunting as the ghosts Lizzie finds on Rain Island. It’s a ghost story with much to reveal to the thoughtful reader about the turbulent emotions at work within families. It’s a novel that makes us grateful for a strong new voice in Canadian literature for young people, a voice we’ll want to hear again soon. QUILL AND QUIRE
REVIEW:Who is Frances Rain? will probably be devoured by its young adult readers in one sitting. It deserves to be; this is an excellent book. TORONTO STAR
REVIEW:Buffie’s story is moody and atmospheric – the lake and the island are pungently, perfectly evoked. Lizzie’s encounters with ghosts are beautifully handled, with just the right balance of eerie and emotional moments. PUBLISHERS WEELY
WINTER SHADOWS
REVIEW:Vicky Metcalf Award-Winner MargaretBuffie returns with a breathtaking novel that is part realism, part time-travel fantasy,
and part coming of age tale. Winter
Shadows focuses on two young women who
live in the same Manitoba home a century and a half apart.....
This communication across time obviouslydraws on the conventions of fantasy, but these elements
arenever forced or implausible, and there is plenty of suspense and energy to sustain the two alternating narratives." QUILL AND QUIRE, DECEMBER 2010:
REVIEW: Buffie is a master of the ghost story, carefully allowing Cass and Beatrice to drift in and out of each other's lives in convincing fashion. The convention of the diary allows Cass to connect the dots and learn more about her ancestors. The dialogue both in past and present is authentic, revealing character and moving the action along. CANADIAN MATERIALS
REVIEW: The alternating narratives are gripping, and the characters are drawn with rich complexity; even the stepmothers are finally humanized. Readers will be pulled in by the searing history of bigotry as well as the universals of family conflict, love, and friendship. Grades 7-10.
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOC. BOOKLIST: January 2011
THE DARK GARDEN
REVIEW: a first rate blend of ghost story and problem novel about Thea, 16, struggling to recover from traumatic amnesia after a bike accident. Buffie creates a tightly knit, evocatively written, and lushly (but chastely) romantic thriller. The protagonists - living and dead - are distinctly characterized; a once beautiful, now weed-choked garden is simultaneously setting and symbol of lost happiness. vivid sensory writing makes the fluctuations in Thea’s state of consciousness perfectly convincing. KIRKUS
Here are a few reviews of my first novel and most recent novel. To see more reviews for my other books go to http://margaretbuffie.com and click on each title.
WHO IS FRANCES RAIN?
REVIEW: Who is Frances Rain? is as distinctly Canadian as the intoxicating lure of silent woods and wind-whipped lakes. The textures of the narrative and the well-rounded characters are just as haunting as the ghosts Lizzie finds on Rain Island. It’s a ghost story with much to reveal to the thoughtful reader about the turbulent emotions at work within families. It’s a novel that makes us grateful for a strong new voice in Canadian literature for young people, a voice we’ll want to hear again soon. QUILL AND QUIRE
REVIEW:Who is Frances Rain? will probably be devoured by its young adult readers in one sitting. It deserves to be; this is an excellent book. TORONTO STAR
REVIEW:Buffie’s story is moody and atmospheric – the lake and the island are pungently, perfectly evoked. Lizzie’s encounters with ghosts are beautifully handled, with just the right balance of eerie and emotional moments. PUBLISHERS WEELY
WINTER SHADOWS
REVIEW:Vicky Metcalf Award-Winner MargaretBuffie returns with a breathtaking novel that is part realism, part time-travel fantasy,
and part coming of age tale. Winter
Shadows focuses on two young women who
live in the same Manitoba home a century and a half apart.....
This communication across time obviouslydraws on the conventions of fantasy, but these elements
arenever forced or implausible, and there is plenty of suspense and energy to sustain the two alternating narratives." QUILL AND QUIRE, DECEMBER 2010:
REVIEW: Buffie is a master of the ghost story, carefully allowing Cass and Beatrice to drift in and out of each other's lives in convincing fashion. The convention of the diary allows Cass to connect the dots and learn more about her ancestors. The dialogue both in past and present is authentic, revealing character and moving the action along. CANADIAN MATERIALS
REVIEW: The alternating narratives are gripping, and the characters are drawn with rich complexity; even the stepmothers are finally humanized. Readers will be pulled in by the searing history of bigotry as well as the universals of family conflict, love, and friendship. Grades 7-10.
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOC. BOOKLIST: January 2011
THE DARK GARDEN
REVIEW: a first rate blend of ghost story and problem novel about Thea, 16, struggling to recover from traumatic amnesia after a bike accident. Buffie creates a tightly knit, evocatively written, and lushly (but chastely) romantic thriller. The protagonists - living and dead - are distinctly characterized; a once beautiful, now weed-choked garden is simultaneously setting and symbol of lost happiness. vivid sensory writing makes the fluctuations in Thea’s state of consciousness perfectly convincing. KIRKUS
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
May 4, 2011
I am working my way through a young adult supernatural/paranormal reading list. Prior to picking up this book, I was suffering through a very popular series that I won't mention by name. Suffice it to say that, while the series was imaginative, I found myself wondering what was so great about these books. The writing was stiff and felt forced in places, which, of course, made the storyline feel stiff and forced. I decided to take a break from the series - in part, because I was tired of struggling with it, but mostly because I remember reading Buffie as a teen and I loved her.
Sometimes, as an adult, I find that I am not as entertained by books/authors that I loved as a kid. But I was absolutely enthralled by this book. Both the story and the writing flowed so beautifully that I paused to wonder why this author isn't given more attention. This book was deliciously spooky - not in a way that makes you afraid of the dark, but in the way that makes you stop and think about how much effect our actions have on others, especially our loved ones. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop until I turned the last page.
Sometimes, as an adult, I find that I am not as entertained by books/authors that I loved as a kid. But I was absolutely enthralled by this book. Both the story and the writing flowed so beautifully that I paused to wonder why this author isn't given more attention. This book was deliciously spooky - not in a way that makes you afraid of the dark, but in the way that makes you stop and think about how much effect our actions have on others, especially our loved ones. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop until I turned the last page.
October 10, 2017
This was kind of boring, and I didn't like the way the story unfolded. About 2/3 of the way through, when things started to be revealed, I thought the book took a WTF turn. I could accept in ghosts to a certain extent but other things tested my suspension of disbelief. In some ways this book reminded me of another 90s YA, Dreadful Sorry, although this dealt with amnesia and not past lives. But I much preferred Dreadful Sorry (perhaps because I read it in the 90s) and recommend it instead.
January 13, 2009
This is one book I've come back to over and over after I bought it on a whim at a book fair.
The story isn't especially original, by any means, but it's one of the first books I ever read with the kind of loyalty displayed, and with a compelling amnesia story tied into the action of the book.
I've yet to find anyone else who's read this book, but I think I'd prefer that to finding someone who read it and wants to gut this book that I still re-read with true nostalgia.
The story isn't especially original, by any means, but it's one of the first books I ever read with the kind of loyalty displayed, and with a compelling amnesia story tied into the action of the book.
I've yet to find anyone else who's read this book, but I think I'd prefer that to finding someone who read it and wants to gut this book that I still re-read with true nostalgia.
February 21, 2017
This ghostly story captivated my young mind when I was only 9. It has held a special place in my heart since. The Dark Garden's Gothic tones with allusions to a modern Romeo-Juliet story and paranormal overtures are beautifully sad. It's one of the few books I can keep re-reading and never grow bored or distant from the emotion Buffie writes. It's a great read for young and old, especially those who love ghost stories.
February 13, 2025
All my reviews about fellow Winnipegger, Margaret Buffie, gush that I would have relished her paranormal mysteries in childhood. A few spectres were scary to contemplate, if I had dealt with them face to face. Most are realistic spirits who requested a helping hand with something, or who delivered a special message for the heroines.
If I isolated my praise of these stories’ sheer originality, the talent I value above everything, they would have five stars. The reader and writer I am, must balance realistic behaviour, plotting, likeable characters, and stories that are enjoyable all the way through. Margaret writes of handling a problem and spirits. To get it right, juvenile nonsense had better be at a minimum. Encouraging kids and coping skills is essential but never swamp great mysteries and action with mundane drama. Adventures are no place for picky parents, bickering siblings, or moody teenagers.
For a change, there is no “reluctant move” or “deceased parent” but I hated this novel’s Mother, almost as much as the frontier bitch in “My Mothers Ghost”, 1992. Foremost: PRESENT-TENSE NARRATION IS UNPALATABLE! AUTHORS MUST STOP USING IT!
Mysteries abound at home. I appreciate “The Dark Garden” 1995, for kids exploring their own yard. The eldest saw spirits, following a head injury. Thea was called prickly prior but with a selfish Mother foisting two kids and all chores on a modern girl, to prioritize her career; Thea should protest! These irresponsible parents were even into a fourth pregnancy!
I docked a second star for the typical jilted suitor and most cringingly, “miscommunication” and “bad timing” tropes that preposterously resulted in death. The depressed lovers haunting the same places, should have seen each other. Nonetheless, this novel was riveting and eerie. I loved Thea’s cat and the cheerful minister, helpful with local information.
If I isolated my praise of these stories’ sheer originality, the talent I value above everything, they would have five stars. The reader and writer I am, must balance realistic behaviour, plotting, likeable characters, and stories that are enjoyable all the way through. Margaret writes of handling a problem and spirits. To get it right, juvenile nonsense had better be at a minimum. Encouraging kids and coping skills is essential but never swamp great mysteries and action with mundane drama. Adventures are no place for picky parents, bickering siblings, or moody teenagers.
For a change, there is no “reluctant move” or “deceased parent” but I hated this novel’s Mother, almost as much as the frontier bitch in “My Mothers Ghost”, 1992. Foremost: PRESENT-TENSE NARRATION IS UNPALATABLE! AUTHORS MUST STOP USING IT!
Mysteries abound at home. I appreciate “The Dark Garden” 1995, for kids exploring their own yard. The eldest saw spirits, following a head injury. Thea was called prickly prior but with a selfish Mother foisting two kids and all chores on a modern girl, to prioritize her career; Thea should protest! These irresponsible parents were even into a fourth pregnancy!
I docked a second star for the typical jilted suitor and most cringingly, “miscommunication” and “bad timing” tropes that preposterously resulted in death. The depressed lovers haunting the same places, should have seen each other. Nonetheless, this novel was riveting and eerie. I loved Thea’s cat and the cheerful minister, helpful with local information.
August 1, 2022
This was an excellent little story. The main character despite having amnesia was still realistically written and her situation felt very relatable. The supernatural elements were written in such a way that it was easy to imagine them and get absorbed into the story. It's too bad there wasn't more of a conclusion regarding Thea's parents and their development felt a little rushed. But this is just one chapter in Thea's life and although we don't know how things work out for her after this it's established that she's such a strong person who can do anything she sets her mind to so I'm sure her and her sisters would've ended up fine :)
August 22, 2017
I liked this book not because the plot was amazing or anything but because it was extremely easy to read (which is what I need right now) and was interesting enough for one to keep reading.
I have a few comments though.
1) When Thea thought she was hallucinating, I think she was way too nonchalant about it as if seeing things is a common occurrence for people. Additionally, I think it took her way too long to realise she was seeing spirits or ghosts. I mean, once she found out that there was a real person named Susannah years before, it was quite obvious then that she was being haunted in some way.
2) I like the way Thea narrates in this disconnected way because it makes so much sense since she lost her memory. When she talks about her family or her parents, specifically, you can feel how distant she feels from them.
3) I don't think it was explained why Thea was "chosen" by Susannah how why she could see and/or feel the spirits. Was it coincidence? Was it because Thea and Susannah were both the same in that they both feel trapped? Or was it just because I was paying enough attention and totally missed the explanation? Someone enlighten me if they know the answer.
Overall, it was fun to read this. It was spooky in a very non-spooky way.
I have a few comments though.
1) When Thea thought she was hallucinating, I think she was way too nonchalant about it as if seeing things is a common occurrence for people. Additionally, I think it took her way too long to realise she was seeing spirits or ghosts. I mean, once she found out that there was a real person named Susannah years before, it was quite obvious then that she was being haunted in some way.
2) I like the way Thea narrates in this disconnected way because it makes so much sense since she lost her memory. When she talks about her family or her parents, specifically, you can feel how distant she feels from them.
3) I don't think it was explained why Thea was "chosen" by Susannah how why she could see and/or feel the spirits. Was it coincidence? Was it because Thea and Susannah were both the same in that they both feel trapped? Or was it just because I was paying enough attention and totally missed the explanation? Someone enlighten me if they know the answer.
Overall, it was fun to read this. It was spooky in a very non-spooky way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2017
Probably my favourite book ever! This is keeping in the theme of some of Margaret Buffie's other novels with ghosts. A little creepy, but I found it much better than My Mother's Ghost because that scared me and gave me nightmares.
The protagonist has had an accident with her bike and awakens in the hospital. She's suffering from amnesia supposedly, and so she doesn't recognize the people taking her 'home'. She starts having visions of who she really is, but these visions are really projections of a ghost who's trying to use this girl for her own benefit.
A great lead-in if you'd like to read more of Buffie's ghost stories. I certainly recommend it!!
The protagonist has had an accident with her bike and awakens in the hospital. She's suffering from amnesia supposedly, and so she doesn't recognize the people taking her 'home'. She starts having visions of who she really is, but these visions are really projections of a ghost who's trying to use this girl for her own benefit.
A great lead-in if you'd like to read more of Buffie's ghost stories. I certainly recommend it!!
March 2, 2011
The title and premise intrigued me so I took a chance on this one. I found it incredibly hard to put down and read it in four installments. It reminded me of The Time of the Ghost by Diana Wynne Jones which I also recommend.
A good ghost story, a good mystery, and some interesting and memorable characters.
A good ghost story, a good mystery, and some interesting and memorable characters.
September 25, 2015
omg I must have read this book over 15 years ago...
I'd completely forgotten about it until I came across the cover on a Goodreads list. I have a vague recollection of the premise but not the details.
It would be great to find it somewhere and read it again after all these years.
I'd completely forgotten about it until I came across the cover on a Goodreads list. I have a vague recollection of the premise but not the details.
It would be great to find it somewhere and read it again after all these years.
August 3, 2012
What can I say about this book? For starters, it was such a delightful, haunting and enchanting book, yet again by Margaret Buffie.
May 26, 2020
I’d forgotten how fun ’90s Canadian Gothic YA was.
December 30, 2020
Cross-posted from my blog where there's more information on where I got my copy and links and everything.
I really liked this! I actually wish I had read this as a kid. I’ve had it for years but for some reason I never clicked with reading it, but I wish I had. I would have really liked it, I know. It’s such a kid!me book. The writing has held up very well, and it’s surprisingly undated, really. There’s a few things that date it a bit, but overall, I don’t think it’s anything that’s like “wow, that’s awkward”.
The story of this is really creepy and interesting, and I love me a good ghost story. It’s very satisfying in the way it’s unrolled. I kind of figured it out pretty early, but that didn’t make me enjoy it any less. I also think it was really well done how absolutely suffocating Thea’s family life felt, and how realistic that seemed. That it was set in Canada was also something neat for me. All in all, I really liked this. Honestly, I’m keeping it and I’d reread it, and I’d be really interested in reading more of the author’s work.
Also, kudos to the author for having a writing career for longer than I’ve been alive, and I think it’s great that her older books are now available as ebooks. I really think more authors should do that if it’s possible. The kindle copy is under four dollars, and I think that’s a great price. If you want to read a creepy, interesting ghost story, grab it.
I really liked this! I actually wish I had read this as a kid. I’ve had it for years but for some reason I never clicked with reading it, but I wish I had. I would have really liked it, I know. It’s such a kid!me book. The writing has held up very well, and it’s surprisingly undated, really. There’s a few things that date it a bit, but overall, I don’t think it’s anything that’s like “wow, that’s awkward”.
The story of this is really creepy and interesting, and I love me a good ghost story. It’s very satisfying in the way it’s unrolled. I kind of figured it out pretty early, but that didn’t make me enjoy it any less. I also think it was really well done how absolutely suffocating Thea’s family life felt, and how realistic that seemed. That it was set in Canada was also something neat for me. All in all, I really liked this. Honestly, I’m keeping it and I’d reread it, and I’d be really interested in reading more of the author’s work.
Also, kudos to the author for having a writing career for longer than I’ve been alive, and I think it’s great that her older books are now available as ebooks. I really think more authors should do that if it’s possible. The kindle copy is under four dollars, and I think that’s a great price. If you want to read a creepy, interesting ghost story, grab it.
March 30, 2020
This is another one of my classroom YA’s. It is definitely a high school read, though, and is a thriller with paranormal events. Thea, a sixteen year old, got in a bike accident and received traumatic amnesia–she couldn’t remember anything about herself, her family, or her past. But, she started seeing ghosts and hearing voices. She wasn’t sure if this ghost, Susannah, was actually herself and her memories, or if she truly was Thea. But, with the help of a local farthely priest and a teenage clairvoyant named Lucas, Thea was able to begin to piece memories and scenes together and figure out a murder mystery.
I initially liked the idea of this book, but I thought the writing was a little all over the place and too confusing with the points of view and timings. I also absolutely hated Thea’s family–the parents were basically absentee, and the kids definitely needed social services to care for them. I also thought the climax was a bit anti-climatic, especially with all the spooky and paranormal buildup. It also happened way to fast.
I initially liked the idea of this book, but I thought the writing was a little all over the place and too confusing with the points of view and timings. I also absolutely hated Thea’s family–the parents were basically absentee, and the kids definitely needed social services to care for them. I also thought the climax was a bit anti-climatic, especially with all the spooky and paranormal buildup. It also happened way to fast.
November 1, 2023
The biggest problem I had with this story was that in the end there were way too many unanswered questions and not quite as many answers for questions never asked. Part of the problem is that the two stories (maybe three once we meet Lucas (though his is never really developed)) are told mostly by Thea who is both closely connected to the stories but is also an unreliable narrator. Though fairly short the story seems too long, due I think to the overuse of similes, metaphors, and adjectives with a special reliance on the color pallette. Lastly, the ending is fit for a Disney princess. It happens suddenly with almost no explanation. Miraculously everything seems happily resolved but it leaves behind all of those unanswered questions I mentioned. Writing this makes me wonder if I should go down to 2 stars, but no, in spite of my issues, I enjoyed reading this book.
January 28, 2024
This is a nostalgia read.
This was one of my first books I remember reading when I was younger and it was so impactful for me. It started a very beautiful journey for me of reading and of leaning into my artistic side. I loved the way this story made me feel. I wish I felt the same things reading it as an adult but I do have the lingering shadows of the mystery and the supernatural and how exciting they were to me back then.
I am so happy to be rediscovering the books I loved as a kid.
This was one of my first books I remember reading when I was younger and it was so impactful for me. It started a very beautiful journey for me of reading and of leaning into my artistic side. I loved the way this story made me feel. I wish I felt the same things reading it as an adult but I do have the lingering shadows of the mystery and the supernatural and how exciting they were to me back then.
I am so happy to be rediscovering the books I loved as a kid.
August 29, 2025
After so many years of owning this book and being locked away in some tote. The pages have yellowed and spotted I finally read this book. I personally enjoyed this story. I kept trying figure out who did it and how it was done. The twist I was not expecting.
Even though the ending left me feeling it was more of a drop off because I wanted to know more about the main character and her gardener. I still enjoyed the epilogue as an ending.
Even though the ending left me feeling it was more of a drop off because I wanted to know more about the main character and her gardener. I still enjoyed the epilogue as an ending.
September 14, 2020
i mean??? first of all why do i own this?? i think i took it from my high school library when they were giving stuff away during stocktake lmaooo
anyway it was intriguing!! we all know i love a gothic atmosphere and yes i read it in one sitting. was it particularly good?? was it special?? no, not really. but it was a quick and entertaining read so maybe that’s enough
anyway it was intriguing!! we all know i love a gothic atmosphere and yes i read it in one sitting. was it particularly good?? was it special?? no, not really. but it was a quick and entertaining read so maybe that’s enough
August 11, 2021
A fun short book to read that gives mild little chills.
September 2, 2023
Not a fan of the writing style and the protagonist but I love the story nonetheless.
July 3, 2025
Older book from 1995
I never heard of this author before.
I didn't love it, but didn't hate it.
I never heard of this author before.
I didn't love it, but didn't hate it.
September 6, 2021
I read this book in middle school. And then as an adult was searching everywhere for it as I had no author and title. Years of mystery! And then I googled teenager possessed by ghost book 1990s and it was on a f*cking goodreads list. Thank you! I’ve since read it and found the passage that had stayed with me all this time. I finally found my white whale book. And am so happy to now own a copy!
It’s a great preteen/ya 90’s ghost mystery with a teen girl who’s parents aren’t kind or caring. Thea, the MC is able to finally stand up for herself by the end. And I’m so glad I found this treasured book. Done stories just stick with you. I think her home life was so sort of tragic that I couldn’t let this one go.
It’s a great preteen/ya 90’s ghost mystery with a teen girl who’s parents aren’t kind or caring. Thea, the MC is able to finally stand up for herself by the end. And I’m so glad I found this treasured book. Done stories just stick with you. I think her home life was so sort of tragic that I couldn’t let this one go.
December 1, 2021
"The air has a thousand voices. You'll have to learn to listen to the right one."
This book dealt with the following, but not limited to: diving into discomfort, running away from it, discovering who you are, running away from it, boundaries, sacred space, responsibilities, creativity, community, problem-solving, determination, restoration, risk. This one will stay with me for a long time.
This book dealt with the following, but not limited to: diving into discomfort, running away from it, discovering who you are, running away from it, boundaries, sacred space, responsibilities, creativity, community, problem-solving, determination, restoration, risk. This one will stay with me for a long time.
July 16, 2024
At first, the book seemed to start off kind of slow, so I wasn’t sure if I was going to really like it. About halfway through or so, I really got into it. I started to feel for some of the characters. The author actually ended it pretty well-not rushed like many stories; but I still wanted more. Wish there was a sequel on how the characters (lives) progressed. But I think I’m always wondering and wanting more 😝
March 25, 2024
I first read this book in middle school. I picked it up at my school library, mostly because of the intriguing cover. Something about the art worked for me. Well, something about the story must have worked for me as well, because I went back to the library multiple times to re-read it that year. Then suddenly, I stopped being able to find it anymore, and I was never able to read it again. I always felt a little forlorn about it.
Well, a couple of years ago, I decided to hunt the book down again and re-read it to see if it still held up. I eventually found it on Amazon, with the same cover, and soon after had it in my hands.
And then promptly failed re-reading it twice.
I don't know why I couldn't get into it either time, but something prevented it from happening. I guess the saying third times' the charm is right though, because the third time stuck. I picked it up a couple of weeks ago and found myself unable to put it down. With a quick-paced story and relatable lead and a more hauntingly sad then hauntingly horrifying ghostly element, I got a lot of enjoyment out of the reading experience.
There are a few things that I think didn't work quite as well as they could have, of course. First, the books biggest flaw is the pacing. I like the quick pace, but everything in the story happens over the span of a few days. At one point, it begins to feel like the book has become just one long series of ghost encounters with very few moments in between to allow you to breathe. The events of the book definitely should have happened more gradually, maybe over a few months' time. I think this would have given the story a little more breathing room without ruining its quick pacing.
I'm also not a fan of the combination of ghosts And astral projection And psychic powers And traditional religion. It felt like a lot of unnecessary elements that didn't really mesh together, and I would have preferred maybe just two of them instead.
And truthfully, I liked Lucas as a character more when he was mostly the silent type. He talked a lot more in the later part of the book than seemed natural for someone with the kinds of challenges he faced and considering the relatively short amount of time he'd spent with Thea one-on-one at that point, and I didn't connect with him anymore because of this.
Buffie does, however, know how to weave a story. The ghostly encounters are very well-done, and Thea's struggle with her amnesia, these ghostly encounters, and what is a Very dysfunctional family, all play off each other quite nicely. I was never particularly scared while reading, so on that front Buffie may not have succeeded, but that's okay with me, because I don't know that I was looking for that anyway.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read, and I plan on picking up some more of Buffie's books when I can.
Well, a couple of years ago, I decided to hunt the book down again and re-read it to see if it still held up. I eventually found it on Amazon, with the same cover, and soon after had it in my hands.
And then promptly failed re-reading it twice.
I don't know why I couldn't get into it either time, but something prevented it from happening. I guess the saying third times' the charm is right though, because the third time stuck. I picked it up a couple of weeks ago and found myself unable to put it down. With a quick-paced story and relatable lead and a more hauntingly sad then hauntingly horrifying ghostly element, I got a lot of enjoyment out of the reading experience.
There are a few things that I think didn't work quite as well as they could have, of course. First, the books biggest flaw is the pacing. I like the quick pace, but everything in the story happens over the span of a few days. At one point, it begins to feel like the book has become just one long series of ghost encounters with very few moments in between to allow you to breathe. The events of the book definitely should have happened more gradually, maybe over a few months' time. I think this would have given the story a little more breathing room without ruining its quick pacing.
I'm also not a fan of the combination of ghosts And astral projection And psychic powers And traditional religion. It felt like a lot of unnecessary elements that didn't really mesh together, and I would have preferred maybe just two of them instead.
And truthfully, I liked Lucas as a character more when he was mostly the silent type. He talked a lot more in the later part of the book than seemed natural for someone with the kinds of challenges he faced and considering the relatively short amount of time he'd spent with Thea one-on-one at that point, and I didn't connect with him anymore because of this.
Buffie does, however, know how to weave a story. The ghostly encounters are very well-done, and Thea's struggle with her amnesia, these ghostly encounters, and what is a Very dysfunctional family, all play off each other quite nicely. I was never particularly scared while reading, so on that front Buffie may not have succeeded, but that's okay with me, because I don't know that I was looking for that anyway.
All in all, this was an enjoyable read, and I plan on picking up some more of Buffie's books when I can.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2015
I don't know how this book got on my childhood bookshelf, but I devoured it. I think the most appealing thing was the relationships that the amnesia-stricken protagonist had with her family- a controlling mother, distrusting sisters, and the hazy memory of her own past. Through the subplot of the ghost story, Thea can reclaim part of herself and decide, futurewise, what sort of person she wants to be. Touching if somewhat sad story.
October 19, 2010
I remember really enjoying this book. It's not creepy or gory or anything like it. There is a little mystery to it, and some things begin a little strange, but it all sorts itself out. Definitely not a book that will give you nightmares or anything like it.
March 10, 2013
Who was Susannah Lever, and why is she haunting Thea? That's what Thea wants to know. But ever since the accident, The can't even remember who she is, let alone a long dead ghost. But unless Thea finds out what happened in the past, Susannah isn't going to leave her alone.
May 13, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. I remember reading part of it in elementary school, and found it again not too long ago. I finally finished reading it, and I'm really satisfied with the story of the book.
September 11, 2016
Una storia originale, piena di segreti e misteri irrisolti dove il mondo dei morti si fonde col mondo dei vivi. Non mancano i colpi di scena e a chi ama il genere paranormale piacerà di sicuro. L'epilogo però è sottotono e rispetto al resto del libro, peccato.
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