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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Explore more posts from this blog:

Violent Advents: A Christmas Horror Anthology - Edited by L. Stephenson - ★★★.¼

-
Image
  EDITOR: L. Stephenson GENRE: Christmas Horror Anthology PUBLICATION DATE:  December 12, 2024 RATING: 3.3 stars. In a Nutshell: A short-fiction anthology filled with Christmassy horror. Some really good stories here, though I wish there had been more variety in the “source of the evil.” A good option for those who are fed up of saccharine seasonal stories. This is the time of the year when readers are torn between spooky season and Christmas season. Here's a book that combines both. 😉 This indie anthology contains twenty-six stories by twenty-six writers. There’s no editor’s note, but the title and the tagline make the theme clear – it is a “Christmas horror” anthology. The stories are mostly fast-paced, which works well in this genre. After the first few stories, I wondered why a majority of them were using the Christmas tree as the horror device-of-choice. It occurred frequently enough for me to start eyeing every Christmas tree in the stories suspiciously. Only after...
Read More»

The Little Christmas Library - David M. Barnett - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: David M. Barnett GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: October 10, 2024 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: A character-oriented contemporary fiction with a strong Christmas spirit and a dash of Christmas magic. Excellent characters and a well-connected narrative linking them all. True to contemporary times in every way. Might get a bit too sugary, but works well for the genre. A fabulous and heartwarming option for the festive season. Plot Preview: When Molly McGinley moves from London to her Northern hometown of Merry-le-Moors, she feels like an utter failure. Ten years in the big city, and all she has to show is a broken relationship and no job. Her widower dad Jack is more than happy to have his daughter home, especially as he is still missing his wife who passed away a decade back. Jack now whiles away his time driving the town’s mobile library and he insists that Molly accompany him on his rounds instead of moping alone at home. As the two take the library bus t...
Read More»

Somebody I Used to Know - Wendy Mitchell - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Wendy Mitchell GENRE: Memoir PUBLICATION DATE: June 5, 2018 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: The memoir of a woman who unexpectedly became the face of young-onset Alzheimer’s in the UK. Ghost-written with the help of a journalist, this book covers her diagnosis, reaction, coping strategies, everyday experiences, and her plans for the future.. The writing is filled with pain and frustration as well as hope. Much recommended. Do note that it might be triggering for Alzheimer’s patients and also caregivers. A reading challenge I am participating in needed a book penned by a ghost-writer. I was very clear that I didn’t want to opt for any celebrity memoir, most of which are sanitised fake versions of their lives. Nor did I want to try fictional novels that straddled the line between pseudonymous and ghost-written. ( The Nancy Drew series, for instance. ) Google led me to Wendy Mitchell’s memoir. One look at this book’s blurb, and I knew I finally found the right option for the...
Read More»

Making Up the Gods - Marion Agnew - ★★★★.¼

-
Image
AUTHOR: Marion Agnew GENRE: Contemporary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: October 15, 2023 RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: An indie drama with some quirky characters and a great setting in Lake Superior, Canada. Mellow in tone, genuine in content, thought-provoking in themes. I enjoyed this unusual novel. Plot Preview: Simone, almost 70, is a retired widow who lives an isolated life in her cottage on the banks of Lake Superior and still misses her husband, though he’s been dead for five years. While she is now active in her local church and finds solace in baking for those grieving, she is fiercely protective of her privacy. But when the local reverend asks her to take care of nine-year-old Chen while his widowed mother goes on a much-needed trip, Simone finds it tough to refuse a fellow-mourning widow. Just before Chen arrives, a stranger named Martin knocks at Simone’s door, claiming to be her cousin. Simone is suddenly handling two strangers at once, and she worries that they will dis...
Read More»

Dropseed: The Story of Three Sad Women - Nettie Magnan - ★★★

-
Image
AUTHOR: Nettie Magnan GENRE: Literary Fiction PUBLICATION DATE: June 30, 2024 RATING: 3 stars. In a Nutshell: A literary fiction about three women and their individual struggles. Great nature imagery and intriguing flawed characters, but too overwritten for my liking. Readers who like descriptive prose and don’t mind meandering storytelling are bound to enjoy this better. I was the wrong reader for this book. So please take this review with a pinch of salt. Plot Preview: Sally is a frustrated middle-aged ex-artist who is tired of the monotony of her life. Now with the added task of caring for her ailing mother, Sally seeks a change, but can she do so at the cost of her responsibilities? Mary, Sally’s mother, is not happy about how she has been reduced to complete dependence because of her illness. Her crankiness is often a cover for her frustration and her regrets. Is it too late for her to find peace? Beth, Mary’s caretaker, knows she has a tough patient, but even handling Mary is b...
Read More»