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Title: Shadowed Summer
Author: Saundra Mitchell
Published: New York: Delacorte Press, 2009
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 180
Total Page Count: 135,124
Text Number: 396
Read Because: mentioned on GeekDame, borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: Nothing ever happens in the small town of Ondine, Louisiana, except when a local boy named Elijah went missing years ago—and now, when fourteen-year-old Iris finds herself haunted by his ghost. Shadowed Summer has an amazing setting: small town summer-set southern gothic with a distinctly paranormal slant; hot, humid, and haunted. Mitchell can write a evocative turn of phrase, but these are sparse; her voice is pared down to suit Iris's adolescent—and convincing, but frankly prosaic—narration, and it fetters the setting's richness. But Elijah's haunting and the mystery that surrounds him is superb: his presence is claustrophobic and frightening, his past a tapestry seen piecemeal, and both his haunting and its consequences have a distinct impact on Iris's present day; it's one of the better ghost stories I've read. I wanted a little more from Shadowed Summer—a better realized setting, perhaps a different target audience, and clearer motivations behind Elijah's actions—but still found myself consistently impressed. The book's inspiration and execution don't always line up, but the result remains compelling. Despite caveats, I recommend it.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
Author: Saundra Mitchell
Published: New York: Delacorte Press, 2009
Rating: 4 of 5
Page Count: 180
Total Page Count: 135,124
Text Number: 396
Read Because: mentioned on GeekDame, borrowed from the Multnomah County Library
Review: Nothing ever happens in the small town of Ondine, Louisiana, except when a local boy named Elijah went missing years ago—and now, when fourteen-year-old Iris finds herself haunted by his ghost. Shadowed Summer has an amazing setting: small town summer-set southern gothic with a distinctly paranormal slant; hot, humid, and haunted. Mitchell can write a evocative turn of phrase, but these are sparse; her voice is pared down to suit Iris's adolescent—and convincing, but frankly prosaic—narration, and it fetters the setting's richness. But Elijah's haunting and the mystery that surrounds him is superb: his presence is claustrophobic and frightening, his past a tapestry seen piecemeal, and both his haunting and its consequences have a distinct impact on Iris's present day; it's one of the better ghost stories I've read. I wanted a little more from Shadowed Summer—a better realized setting, perhaps a different target audience, and clearer motivations behind Elijah's actions—but still found myself consistently impressed. The book's inspiration and execution don't always line up, but the result remains compelling. Despite caveats, I recommend it.
Review posted here on Amazon.com.
