2 stars
Two things before we get into it: 1. I have not read Mary Downing Hahn’s original novel. 2. I’m reading this right after Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story Graphic Novel (which I really enjoyed) so I can’t help but compare them.
A spooky story set in rural West Virginia, featuring a villainous conjurer, her skeletal companion, and a mystery that dates back hundreds of years. Daniel and his family move into the old Estes house where 50 years earlier, Selene Estes disappeared without a trace. Settling in to a new town isn’t easy, but things get even stranger when Daniel’s sister, Erica, starts going off into the woods along, talking to her look-a-like doll.
The creepy vibe is strong with this one. It’s got a little bit of everything. Blood and gore, a creepy doll, “took” children, a flesh-eating skeleton, urban legends, a seemingly-abandoned cabin, a spooky woods, and an old woman looking for a lifelong servant.
This is the second adaptation I’ve read of Hahn’s books and the parents are always terrible. Somehow Daniel’s parents in this one are even worse than Dave in Wait Till Helen Comes. Their violent outbursts really took the enjoyment out of this book for me. Even before they arrived at the house, they’re sneering and snapping at Daniel. As the stress sets in, things only go downhill. Honestly, most of the adults in this book were horrible, including the teachers and police officer. No one ever believes Daniel and blames him for everything. While the ending is mostly happy, I still feel bad for Daniel having to grow up with such unsupportive adults around him.
The shifting narration was also jarring at times. There are no labels to indicate when time has passed. You just get thrown into the next scene. The narration also jumps between the main story following Daniel (first person perspective) and checking in on “the old woman” (third person perspective). Again, I haven’t read the original so I’m not sure if it was clearer there, but here it kind of threw me off.
An okay story. I found Wait Till Helen Comes more engaging. It was simpler but more developed. This one has a lot of elements thrown in, but isn’t able to fully develop them all. Heavy on the spooky, but a bit jumbled.