Author Spotlight: Sally Gardner

I would like to regularly shine a light on some amazing UKYA authors. I hope you enjoy this new feature!

Sally Gardner is the author of many books for children and young people including picture books, early readers, middle grade book and young adult novels.  I will be focusing more on Sally's teen books throughout this post.  

I think the first time that Sally Gardner really showed up on my radar was with the publication of Maggot Moon, which won both the Costa Children's Book Award as well as the Carnegie, which is an amazing achievement! 

But the fact that Sally Gardner has been quite outspoken about her dyslexia and the challenges she faced growing up really made me sit up and take notice as well.  She didn't learn to read until she was 14 but went on to do very well at art college, and working in both theatre and costume design before writing and illustrating beautiful and engaging books. 

Many of Sally Gardner's books are historical fiction.  I, Coriander (published in 2005) was about 17th century London.  It sounds really good, with a fantasy twist and the addition of magical powers and a fairy princess!  Coriander sounds like a fun main character...

Sally then went on to write The Red Necklace and The Silver Blade both of which are stories set during the French Revolution.  I'd never really come across either of these books before I sat down to write this blog post, but I have to say, I'm intrigued!  I absolutely love reading about the French Revolution and stories set in France in general, but it sounds like The Red Necklace and The Silver Blade are amazing adventure stories, filling with great characters and plenty of drama and mishap.  I will definitely, definitely be on the look out for both of these titles! 

The Double Shadow is probably the book I know the least about, aside from the fact that loads of lovely people have said wonderful things about it.  And actually, I was sent a copy of this book for review but I was put off a bit by the sheer size of it and sent it to one of my amazing guest reviewers (who loved it!) I've since acquired another copy of it and I am determined to uncover this book's secrets! 

And then there's Maggot Moon a book I've heard so very much about!  I've heard this book described the most as being 'original' and having a really stand-out main character, Standish Treadwell. This is the book I'm most looking forward to reading of Sally Gardner's.  I love that it crosses genres and has a main character with dyslexia and the fact that this book won two very prestigious awards.  I'm just looking forward to it in general! 

Ooh, Tinder is the most beautiful, slim little book.  It's illustrated by David Roberts and I've always loved flicking through a finished copy of this book to see the drawings included that go together so well with the text.  Tinder is a retelling of a fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson, The Tinderbox, with a setting of the 30 Year War.  I know absolutely nothing about the original fairy tale or the 30 Year War but I'm intrigued.  I hope this book is dark and slightly twisted and, from looking at some of the illustrations, I think that both are the case!

The Door That Led To Where is Sally Gardner's latest book, published this month by Hot Key Books.  It's an absolutely stunning little hardback book and I'm so excited to read it.  It's a sort of time-travel mystery adventure between present day London and 1830s London.  Exciting.

I'm so impressed with this collection of books that I've decided to do my own Sally Gardner read-along this month. I'm aiming to read the four books by her that I own but have not yet read: Tinder, Maggot Moon, The Double Shadow and The Door That Led To Where.  I'd love if you wanted to join with me in this!  

Find out more about Sally Gardner and her books at her website, or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

Have you read anything by Sally Gardner? Will you be joining in my readalong?

REVIEW: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Despite owning a copy of The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black for a very long time, I didn't read this book until very recently.  I had my doubts about the vampires and the thought that this possibly wouldn't be the most original story, and if I'm honest, I was put off a little bit by the size of this book at over 400 pages.

Once I sat down with The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, I found myself being sucked in almost effortlessly by this story.  That first chapter really surprised me.  It was dark and violent and it went places that shocked me.  And similarly, I quite liked the way the story ended as well, though I can see that it could make some people feel a little frustrated.

This story is set in America at a time when vampirism has spread like crazy.  In order to combat the spread of vampires and to protect humans, Coldtowns were created. These are walled cities in which vampires live and are meant to keep them in.  Once you enter a Coldtown, you're not to leave.  Coldtowns also have become reality TV sets as people are so fascinated and intrigued by vampires and are desperate to know what's going on in them.

The main character of this story, Tana, wakes up from a party only to find out that there has been a massacre and everyone at the party except for her and her ex-boyfriend have been slaughtered by vampires.  It's all a little bit tense getting out, but she manages to save herself, her ex, AND a vampire and goes on this journey towards the nearest Coldtown.

I thought Holly Black brought us some incredibly interesting characters in this story, characters that I really wanted to know more about. I liked the main character, Tana, even if I didn't always fully understand her decisions or motivations.  My favourite thing about her was her relationship with her little sister and how much Tana wanted to protect her. I also found it interesting to see some of Tana's flashbacks and memories of what happened with her mother.

Along the way to the Coldtown, Tana not only spends time with Aidan, her sweet but exasperating ex, and Gavriel, this mysterious vampire but also comes across other fab characters.  Midnight and Winter, brother and sister, are vampire-wannabes who are heading to Coldtown hoping to be infected and turned and to broadcast their experiences on their website. I liked that there was not only revulsion and fascination shown towards vampires but also this obsessive longing from some characters. In fact, the entire mythology of Holly Black's vampires was very interesting and it gave it a new twist.

My only criticism of this book is that there are all of these great characters populating the story and unfortunately, I didn't really felt the connection that they had with each other.  There's a lot of backstory told between Tana and Aidan's previous relationship and a lot of build-up of tension and feelings between Tana and Gavriel and I just didn't believe in it throughout. In fact, towards the end, several key players start dying and doing shocking things and I felt slightly distanced from these events.  I thought the action was exciting and the pace was fairly quick for a book of this length and, like I said, I loved the characters.  I just didn't quite feel the friendships or romance at all. Despite all of this, I shall definitely be picking up more stories by Holly Black...

REVIEW: Far From You by Tess Sharpe

This review was originally posted in October of 2013 but is being republished today for #LGBTApril which I've been taking part in this month! Far From You by Tess Sharpe was recently published. Get your hands on a copy now!

Far From You by Tess Sharpe was combination of absolutely everything that I love about YA. The story felt real and emotional. The characters were wonderfully created and relateable. The relationships between the characters was messy and complicated which made it heartbreaking to read. There was a diversity of characters which I always enjoy reading about, an interesting look at a difficult subject and a thrilling mystery that had me at the edge of my seat.

I really shouldn't have tead Far From You when I did. I was studying for an important exam and this book isn't being published until April of next year. I didn't even fully know what it was about due to the vagueness of the product description (which I do have issues with, more on this later!) But on a whim, I clicked on this one to read on my Kindle and I just couldn't put it down once I'd started. I don't always love stories that are told for differing timelines and Far From You is told from THREE. But everything fit together really well with no confusion and I came to really enjoy the emotional impact that came with telling Mina and Sophie's story split over three sections.

Sophie Winters has nearly died twice. The first was when she was 14 and she was involved in a car accident involving her best friend, Mina, and Mina's brother, Trev. That accident affected Sophie in many ways but two major consequences of that accident include... a limp that she'll have forever and an addiction to painkillers that will take years to kick.  Then, at 17, Sophie nearly dies again. This time she's attacked in the woods alongside Mina ... who does not survive that attack. The third section of this story relates to several months after the death of Mina in which Sophie is finally released from a forced stint in rehab. Nobody - Trev, Sophie's parents, the police - believes Sophie's version of events or the fact that Sophie did not relapse. So on top of battling an addiction that will stay with her forever, grieving for the loss of her best friend, and without the support of friends or family Sophie is on a mission to track down Mina's killer and finally put to rest what happened that night. This mystery while a very large portion of the story is very interesting and twisty turny but at the same time, for me anyway, take a backseat to the main thing in the story - Sophie and Mina's friendship.

Honestly, I went through so many feelings during the course of this book.  Sophie and Mina's relationship is so beautiful and complicated and messy. And Sophie's grief over her death is so palpable. I felt her grief on every single page of Far From You. I also felt her anger at how little belief that her parents or anybody place in her. While it is understandable to have a shattered sense of belief in Sophie after she lied for several years about her oxy addiction it is also quite horrible how badly treated she is from the people who she expected to love and support her. I loved that this is a story about the consequences of addiction. The lying and concealment of it, the battle to fight it, and the destruction that it has caused in Sophie's life and in her relationships.

And as Sophie recalls memories of her friendship with Mina, I experienced them too. I felt like I was part of this story, I felt like a member of this little trio between Sophie and Mina and Trev. I felt the heartrending betrayal and the grief and especially the different types of love. It was all in there. My only gripe with this story is that the product description is ambiguous about the secrets that Mina and Sophie share. I won't spoil it for you, but I don't believe this type of story needs to be misleading about what it is.

Far From You is a beautiful and emotional story about friendship and love. It's a story about honesty and addiction and the aftermath and grief of traumatic experiences. I'm so glad that I picked it up to read and I couldn't recommend it any more than I do. I will be looking out for more by Tess Sharpe.

Discussion Starters by Sara Grant (Half Lives Blog Tour)

I am absolutely thrilled today to be part of the blog tour for Half Lives by Sara Grant. I really enjoyed Sara's debut book, Dark Parties, and I think Half Lives explores some really interesting themes. If you aren't already familiar with what the story of Half Lives is about, here is the product description:

Present day: Icie is a typical high school teenager - until disaster strikes and her parents send her to find shelter inside a mountain near Las Vegas.

The future: Beckett lives on The Mountain - a sacred place devoted to the Great I AM. He must soon become the leader of his people. But Beckett is forced to break one of the sacred laws, and when the Great I AM does not strike him down, Beckett finds himself starting to question his beliefs.

As Beckett investigates The Mountain's history, Icie's story is revealed - along with the terrifying truth of what lies at the heart of The Mountain.

Sara Grant's HALF LIVES is a dystopian chronicle of the journeys of two unlikely heroes in their race against time to save future generations. 

Please give a warm welcome to Sara Grant...

 

Discussion Starters

by Sara Grant

I’m like that annoying toddler who keeps asking, why? But why? Why? Why? Why? For me writing is equal parts imagination and exploration.

My new teen novel Half Lives is a story told in two voices from a pre- and post-apocalyptic time – challenging the nature of faith and the power of miscommunications but most of all the strength of the human spirit to adapt and survive.

Icie is a typical teenager, until disaster strikes. Her only hope of survival is escaping to a top-secret mountain bunker. Hundreds of years later, 18-year-old Beckett leads a cult that worships a sacred Mountain. But Beckett and his beliefs are under attack. Icie and Beckett must fight to survive. They are separated by time but connected by a dangerous secret that both must protect at any cost.

While pondering, researching and writing Half Lives, three themes kept popping up:

• Survival – Not only what it might take to survive but how far you would go to save yourself and others.

• Legacy – What are we leaving behind for future generations? How will they judge our way of life?

• Faith – Everyone develops a belief system. For some it’s based on an organized religion. For others it’s grounded in superstition or history or logic.

I don't write because I have all the answers, I write because I'm happy to endlessly ponder the questions. When I was a teen, I loved to stay up late and chat with friends about life’s big questions and mysteries. But sometimes I didn’t feel as if I had the vocabulary or the necessary education in politics, history, geography, philosophy, etc. to adequately discuss some topics. What I love about science fiction and fantasy stories is that they give readers the chance to discuss current issues in a way that’s not intimidating.

Writing has always been a way for me to explore my world. When I was a teen I wrote stories and poems to discover what I was thinking and feeling. And that hasn’t changed. I still write to ask why, why, WHY? The only difference now is I get to share these topics with readers!

I’ve created discussion sheets for Half Lives  and Dark Parties  on my web site, if you’re interested in a discussion.

But Half Lives isn’t an ‘issues’ book. First and foremost, I hope readers are swept away by Icie and Beckett’s stories.


About Sara Grant

Sara is an author of fiction for teens and younger readers and freelance editor of series fiction. She has worked on twelve different series and edited nearly 100 books. Dark Parties, her first young adult novel, won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for Europe. Her new novel for teens – titled Half Lives – is an apocalyptic thriller. She also writes – Magic Trix – a fun, magical series for younger readers.

Sara was born and raised in a small town in the Midwestern United States. She graduated from Indiana University with degrees in journalism and psychology, and later she earned a master’s degree in creative and life writing at Goldsmiths College, University of London. She lives in London.

www.sara-grant.com    @authorsaragrant

Review by Kulsuma: A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler

Review by Kulsuma from sunshine and stardust

A Year Without Autumn by Liz Kessler is about family and friendship. Twelve year old Jenni and her family are holidaying in Riverside Village like they do every year without fail. For Jenni, it’s the perfect place to spend time with her best friend Autumn. Now that they go to different secondary schools, Jenni is determined to keep their friendship as strong as ever. Autumn and her family are adventurous, spontaneous, and love life. Jenni’s family, on the other hand, like everything to be neat and organised.

When Autumn persuades Jenni to go horse-riding, it sets off a chain of events that will define their friendship. Jenni rushes to meet Autumn in time for horse-riding, but the lift doesn’t work. However, the old lift, which hasn’t ever worked as far back as Jenni could remember, does work. When she appears at Autumn’s door, she gets the shock of her life. She’s one year in the future and her life, her family and her friendship with Autumn have changed beyond recognition. Can Jenni repair her friendship with Autumn? Can she help her family? Can she change events for the better?

Whilst A Year Without Autumn is a short book, it is full of action and mystery. I was interested in the time travel aspect of the novel. I couldn’t wait to see whether Jenni could change events and how losing a year of her life would affect her. Of course, she has a lot of questions; missing a year or more of your life while everyone else has lived normally will ensure that. It was amazing how one event can shape the rest of your life for better or worse.

I liked all the characters in A Year Without Autumn. I could relate to them. I found the side story about Mrs Smith very gripping. However, I wished Autumn’s brother Mikey had been shown more in the story. Overall, A Year Without Autumn was a very fast and exciting story featuring time-travel and the repercussions of one moment over years. I loved watching Jenni grow as a person throughout the book and become confident. I enjoyed A Year Without Autumn. It is a fantastic story for middle grade readers.

Sounds like a lovely book! Thank you, Kulsuma

REVIEW: The Dark Horse by Marcus Sedgwick

Reviewed by Kulsuma from Sunshine and Stardust

This is the first book that I have read by Marcus Sedgwick and I was impressed with the world he created. The story focuses on Sigurd who finds a small girl living in the caves with wolves not too far from his village, Storn. Due to her continuous silence, he decides to name her Mouse and treats her like a sister after she is adopted by his family. The bond of affection grows between them throughout the passing years and while Mouse is glad to have a brother, Sigurd grows to love her.

When Sigurd and Mouse find a mysterious box on the beach, they take it back to their village, unaware that the owner of the box is lying unconscious nearby and oblivious of the evil that is about to befall them. Storn is running out of food and as the crops are failing, tensions are running high. But then things turn from bad to worse as rumours spread that The Dark Horse are approaching.

The most striking aspect of The Dark Horse was the magical atmosphere that Sedgwick was able to create in such a small amount of space. It was full of mystery, action and suspense, yet narrated in an enchanting way. I felt like I was hearing this story around a campfire which made it even better. The narrative is split between two points of view; Sigurd and the narrator. At first this was jarring; however, as the narrative threads converged it seemed natural.

Sigurd was a great character. This was his coming-of-age story and I hoped he would prove himself to be worthy of the position he finds himself in as the story reaches its climax. However, events happened too quickly at the end of the novel and though Sigurd tried to stay in control of the situation, I did not agree with some of the decisions he made.

Mouse remains a mysterious character. I thought she was a highly interesting girl with untapped potential. She had a brilliant power; she could communicate with animals. It would have been fantastic if Sedgwick had explored Mouse’s power in greater detail. As well as this, the box’s power needed to be explained in greater detail. Throughout the novel, I wondered what the title could possibly mean and when I did find out, I felt slightly let down. I was expecting something more awe-inspiring.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Dark Horse and I will be reading more of Marcus Sedgwick’s books in future such as My Swordhand Is Singing and Revolver. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, history and adventure. Also, if you liked Michelle Paver’s Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, you are sure to like this.

I'm intrigued, thank you Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

I am such a fan of Marcus Sedgwick and there's never been more apparent than after reading his latest offering, Midwinterblood. Such a beautiful, engrossing little book!

I was slightly confused as I started it, but mostly because I hadn't read a single thing about it beforehand, afraid of reading anything that might spoil the enjoyment of this book for me. But at it's heart, Midwinterblood is a kind of doomed and gothic love story. Told in seven parts, each corresponding to different phases of the moon and set over centuries, two souls, that of Eric and Merle, struggle to be reunited.

I really, really loved the layout of this story. I was constantly surprised the farther I read this book. I was expecting each of the parts to be narrated by either Eric or Merle, but it isn't the case and I totally didn't expect some of the events that happen.

I really love the way in which Marcus Sedgwick tells this story, I love the layering, as each new parts adds another element. I love the sweet relationship pairings - from mother and son to brother and sister, artist and subject. I love the different settings and circumstances that these characters find themself in. And I especially love the element of sacrifice and also how lasting and enduring love is over centuries.

But it is a Marcus Sedgwick novel, so of course there is a ritual sacrifice and Viking vampires and freaky memory-impairing plants. But everything is beautifully intertwined and sweet and sort of sad that I couldn't put Midwinterblood down for anything. I read the book in a single setting and I immediately wanted to read the book again. Instead, I finished the book and I just sat for awhile, letting everything sink in. It's a really wonderful story, one that I recommend. You will be convinced after reading it that you really must pick up more of Marcus Sedgwick's books. I guarantee it.

Guest Post: Mia James' Favourite Vampires

I'm really pleased today to host the final stop in the Darkness Falls blog tour! Mia James is here today talking about her favourite vampires - and who to cast as Gabriel or Benjamin?

Who is your favourite vampire? And who do you picture Gabriel or Benjamin as?! To find out more about the books, please visit www.ravenwoodmysteries.com

Over to you Mia...



Hmm...Brad Pitt? Tom Cruise?

R-Patz?

Which to choose?

One of the most useful exercises a writer can do when you're beginning a novel is ask yourself 'who would play this character in a movie version of the story?' - that way you can get a first picture of them in your head.

When I was writing By Midnight, I pictured April as played by Romola Garai when she was in 'I Capture the Castle' and April's best friend Caro as Heather Matarazzo who played Lily, the side-kick in 'The Princess Diaries'. That was just the starting point of course and as the story developed April and Caro took on a life of their own, especially in the second Ravenwood book Darkness Falls where their friendship is stretched to breaking point.

But when it came to the male leads - brooding, mysterious Gabriel and blue-eyed smooth-talking Benjamin - it was harder to pin them down. Here are a few of the movie vampires I auditioned for their parts:

Brad Pitt. As Louis in Interview With The Vampire, Brad should have been the perfect vampire, but the silly hair and the weird squeaky voice were a bit of a turn-off.



Similarly, Tom Cruise is a bit too fey, possibly because of all the lace. Antonio Banderas is by far the sexiest vamp in this film.



Stephen Dorff. He's super-cool in the first Blade film, even covered in blood. And he takes his top off a lot.



Kiefer Sutherland. Way before becoming Jack Bauer in 24, Keef was blonde and seductive in The Lost Boys, where the vampires all lived in a 'party cave' and rode motorbikes. Wasn't keen on his scratchy little beard, though.



David Boreanaz. As Angel, he was suitably dark and brooding, looks good in a long overcoat and has a deeply troubled past, but in Buffy, Spike ended up being more interesting - the bad boys are more sexy, aren't they?

Sadly none of them were quite Gabriel or Benjamin. But then that's where books trump Hollywood every time, isn't it? - you can use your imagination to cast the story however you like.

REVIEW: Darkness Falls by Mia James

I was very excited to hear of Darkness Falls by Mia James, the sequel to By Midnight. By Midnight was the first book I finished this year, and I loved the combination of mystery, romance and creep factor involved in the story about an infestation of vampires in this fancy school near Highgate Cemetery. It was thrilling and exciting and I thought it would be a hard book to follow. I'm thrilled to say that if anything, I enjoyed Darkness Falls even more! Don't read any further if you haven't read By Midnight, because there are lots of spoilers straight ahead!

Darkness Falls begins several months after the shocking events of By Midnight. Aprill Dunne has been in hospital and physical therapy recovering from the wounds she recieved during the attack by one of her fellow students. Her father is dead, and her sort-of boyfriend, Gabriel is dying from a disease that April gave him. From all sides, April feels under pressure to solve several major problems - 1) find some important, mythical book which will cure Gabriel of the disease 2) figure out who the Regent is and kill him, thus releasing Gabriel from his vampireness 3) avenge her father's death.

What makes accomplishing these three tasks difficult are many. April's squicked out by her mother possibly already back in the dating scene. The fact that April is surrounded by many vampires and must hide what she is, hide her relationship with Gabriel and pretend to be in with The Faces obviously leads to jealousy issues between April and Gabriel and some serious misunderstandings between April and Caro. And because she has no idea where to start gathering intel on the vampires of this mysterious book, April must jump between thin leads here and there trying to track down any information she can. It sort of felt like a TV crime drama unfolding before my eyes.

And I couldn't take my eyes away from this book. I thought that April was unbelievably selfish and immature during A LOT of the book and I found myself huffing impatiently at quite a lot of her attitude and behaviour, but she is still a teenager and has no idea what she's doing, so I kind of understood. There was plenty of action, both in a scary vampire attacking way as well as kissing, both of which made me happy. I love the whole atmosphere of Highgate Cemetery and Ravenwood Academy. And solving this huge obstacles and figuring out the mysteries surrounding vampires and Ravenwood really kept me on the edge of my seat!

This book is a wonderful sequel, just as filled with mystery and excitement and romance as the first book and I cannot wait to see where this story will go!

REVIEW: An Act of Love by Alan Gibbons

An Act of Love by Alan Gibbons is an amazing book. I was blown away by the emotion that has been poured into the events that have changed and transformed our two main characters.

It was really an eye-opening experience for me as, embarassingly, I have not always been that aware of the goings-on in respect to the war on terror in Afghanistan or of the events that went on here in the UK, such as the race riots. I think what is very important and so wonderful about An Act of Love is that it makes every attempt to show both sides of the picture that perhaps has not always been obvious and apparent in the media coverage. I think it is always very easy to hear the news about cerain events such as the war and not consider how these things might affect other people, cultures and nationalities. And in my case, it's been quite easy to not engage myself fully in these topics because of the lack of direct involvement in my own life.

In An Act of Love, our story focuses on the lives of two young boys who begin with this wonderful, strong bond of friendship. Chris and Imran share a neighbourhood and their daily lives together, but as they grow up and racial tension and world events and the different views of their families and society's, they begin to grow apart and eventually are miles apart. Chris becomes a soldier in the British army and Imran becomes involved with a group of radical Muslims.

And this transformation between the two boys is quite a heartbreaking thing to witness. For Imran, he feels as though he is fighting against unfair treatment and a different set of standards. The arrest of his older brother during a race riot has a huge impact on his life. And understandably. It felt hugely unjust reading of a 4 year sentence for a protest against racial bigotry. The treatment that Imran and his family and of his community was terrible to read. The backlash against Islam surrounding 9/11 and 7/7 and the war on terror must have something very difficult to live through. Through reading of Imran's struggles I could relate to his feelings of despair and disillusionment which leads him down a much darker path - a path not condoned by his family or iman.

And the same goes for Chris's story and path. I could really relate to his unconcious decision to slip away from his friendship with Imran as his environment, friends and hobbies changed as they both grew older. Having no real ambition of his own, he follows an easy path into the army. And his time at the Helmand Province in Afghanistan was quite poignant to read about. I loved that Chris managed to hold onto his own beliefs and maintained his integrity as those around him showed their bigotry.

An Act of Love is such a wonderful story of friendship. It shows both sides of the war on terror and the consequences, the casualties and the effects that it is has had to our very multicultural society. Thought-provoking, emotional and eye-opening, An Act of Love is a book not to miss!

REVIEW: The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Max Carver's father - a watchmaker and inventor - decides to move his family to a small town on the coast, to an old house that once belonged to a prestigious surgeon, Dr Richard Fleischmann. But the house holds many secrets and stories of its own. Behind it is an overgrown garden full of statues surrounded by a metal fence topped with a six-pointed star. When he goes to investigate, Max finds that the statues seem to consist of a kind of circus troupe with the large statue of a clown at its centre. Max has the curious sensation that the statue is beckoning to him. As the family settles in they grow increasingly uneasy: they discover a box of old films belonging to the Fleischmanns; his sister has disturbing dreams and his other sister hears voices whispering to her from an old wardrobe. They also discover the wreck of a boat that sank many years ago in a terrible storm. Everyone on board perished except for one man - an engineer who built the lighthouse at the end of the beach. During the dive, Max sees something that leaves him cold - on the old mast floats a tattered flag with the symbol of the six-pointed star. As they learn more about the wreck, the chilling story of the Prince of the Mists begins to emerge.

This is the first book that I've read by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and apparently the first book he wrote. I've heard people rave about The Shadow of the Wind, but I haven't gotten around to it as yet. I've heard it can be confusing? So I was a little worried when I started this one. I needn't have been. The Prince of Mist is quite straight-forward and entirely readable.

Max and his family move from their home in the capital to a coastal town. It's the war and it's thought that they might be safer farther away. But once they arrive to this old, abandoned house, strange things start occuring. Dreams that seem to be focused on an overgrown garden nearby containing the statue of a circus troupe. At it's centre, a creepy clown which seems more than it appears to be. A cat jumping out wardrobes. Unsettling feelings that something is lurking about this house, waiting.

Max learns that the house they are living in once belonged to a doctor with a small family. The doctor's son, Jacob died in a terrible drowning accident and the house has stood unlived in for many years. Max does, however, find film that was recorded by young Jacob before he died. When tragedy occurs, Max and his sister Alicia and the new friend they've made, Roland set out to solve this ghostly mystery and it takes them from a spooky old house to the town's lighthouse, even to a boat, shipwrecked in the bay. Piecing the clues together, Max and his friends come up with a very spooky tale.

I'd describe The Prince of Mist as a gently unsettling story. I never felt in any grave peril, but I did feel rather creeped out at some of the descriptions and details of the story. Max and his sister Alicia seemed very likeable and I enjoyed the progression of their relationship from misunderstood brother and sister to that of a more firm relationship. Even Alicia's burgeoning relationship with Roland was rather cute, especially seeing it from Max's perspective - his rather uncomfortable 'where do I fit in and how will this change my relationship with my sister' feelings. It was sweet.

The whole atmosphere of the book, from the old house to the creepy clown, to the sunken boat was sufficiently ghostly but not to an extent that it would frighten anyone too entirely. So while it didn't quite scare the pants off me, I also didn't want to put the book down. I think it's an excellent step into Carlos Ruiz Zafon's writing and it has made me a lot more curious about his other works and I do hope his other work for young adults will be published soon!