Monsters in the Mist - Juliana Brandt

Author: Juliana Brandt

Genre: Middle-Grade Fiction, Paranormal.

Rating: 4.25 stars.

In a Nutshell: A middle-grade horror story that works on two levels – supernatural horror as well as real-life horror. I loved how seamlessly the author interwove these distinct elements.

Story:

1989. Thirteen year old Glennon McCue’s father has taken an overseas position and his mother doesn’t want to stay in an empty house. Thus Glennon finds himself temporarily relocated, along with his mother and his fourteen year old sister Lee, to his Uncle Job’s house, which is on Isle Philippeaux, right in the middle of Lake Superior. Glennon gets an eerie feeling from the island and its surroundings and even from some of its denizens, but he isn’t able to pinpoint what’s wrong. When a storm rocks the island and a ship wrecks near the lighthouse where Job works, the survivors either act strange or are terrified of having reached this isle. What is the secret of Isle Philippeaux? Why isn’t anyone answering Glennon’s queries about the island? Will his family and he be safe? Read and find out.

Where the book worked for me:

👻 I can’t read adult-level paranormal horror as I'm a big scaredy-cat. So this book fit in with my requirements perfectly. It has a scrumptious mix of paranormal elements, right from creepy animals to eerie forests to spooky graveyards to “unhuman humans”. There was no gore too, which I had expected as this is aimed at kids. The writing is very atmospheric.

👻 As I said, the book balances paranormal components with real-life horror. There is an underlying thread throughout the story that talks of mental abuse. This is just brilliantly done. It is so subtle that I was wondering how kids will even understand what lies behind Lee’s panic attacks and Glennon’s low self-esteem and their mom’s apparent aloofness. But the author’s note at the end will help children to understand the issue better. The entire story works on this dual level – defeating the paranormal haunting and defeating whatever is haunting from within.

👻 I loved the message the author sent across in her author’s note.

👻 There are so many wonderful characters in the story. Glennon and Lee obviously take the lead in being well-crafted and layered characters, but some of the people around them too are created well enough to make an impact within a few pages.

👻 The book casts a wonderful light on the role of adults and children and the interconnection between these. The point it makes – that it is not the child’s duty to protect the adult but vice versa – is so relevant. A lot of the untold elements made me feel sad.

👻 So many books romanticise lighthouses. But this book shows the reality of living around them. I liked this look into life on on island and especially the importance of a lighthouse.

👻 There is a really smart cat in the story. His name is Seamus. Give me a book with a cat or a dog in a good role and the story will automatically get bonus points.

👻 There’s a wonderful map at the start.

Where the book could have worked better for me:

☠ It is a bit repetitive and too descriptive, especially when it comes to Glennon’s feelings and the events occurring around him. The book could have easily been trimmed by a few pages without losing its impact. The wordy writing style might bore some of its readers.

☠ There are a few things that remain unexplained. This isn’t related to closure or the ending but with some minor plot points that don’t make sense after the big reveal.

The story is too dark for a children’s book, and I don’t just mean the paranormal elements. Then again, I was always a child who never picked up a horror book, and even now, I rarely touch one. So there will certainly be little readers out there looking for a quaint ghost story. This is the book for them. I relished it more for the familial issues and how Glennon overcomes his deepest fears.

Definitely recommended to middle-grade readers of paranormal horror.

My thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Kids and NetGalley for the DRC of “Monsters in the Mist”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.