Oh, man. This book is heavy. The Things She’s Seen was a hard one to read, but it’s oh-so worth it.
I received an ARC of this YA title by Australian brother-sister writing duo Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, and I was thoroughly hooked from the first page. This story is a poignant blend of mystery, fantasy, and brutal reality that will leave you eagerly turning the pages for more.
There’s a lot of action and issues packed into this slim novel, and the reader learns about it all through two narrators whose stories eventually start to intertwine. First, there’s Beth, who — not a spoiler, btw — is dead. Which means, she’s a ghost. Not a creepy ghost, though. Just the ethereal remnants of a sweet, normal girl who hasn’t passed on yet. She knows she should go to wherever it is dead girls go, but she’s hanging around her (living) father, who, understandably, isn’t coping well with her death.
A lot of The Things She’s Seen is told from Beth’s point of view; think along the lines of The Lovely Bones. I was gutted by this girl lovingly “haunting” her father. The sheer agony of losing a child is palpable in the early chapters, and certain sentences forced me to choke back tears as I read the bittersweet interactions between father and ghost daughter. Your heart breaks for Beth and her dad as you watch them enjoy remnants of their former life together, all the while knowing what can never be again.
Then, there’s (Isobel) Catching, the witness to a crime scene that Beth and her dad, a detective, are investigating. Catching’s story is downright terrifying, made even more so by the upside-down world in which it seems to take place. She tells of her capture and torture in short, choppy sentences that are both beautifully poetic and deeply unsettling. The creatures and events she describe don’t seem to correlate to anything found in the real world, but…they also kinda do. That’s the part that’s incredibly disturbing. You’re constantly wondering if Catching actually endured some otherworldly encounter in a mythical realm, or if it’s all a big metaphor for something in the human world that’s just too horrible to contemplate.
Threads of reality and fantasy weave together throughout the novel, so you’re left guessing until the very end about what’s real and what’s not…and, even then, the authors throw in an extra twist or two to keep you surprised. I found myself racing through the last few pages, trying to take it all in as quickly as possible, yet not wanting to miss a single second of what’s revealed.
What is inarguably real is the severity of the topics addressed in The Things She’s Seen. All of the book’s characters are working through tough issues: death, obviously, in Beth’s case — that one’s a real kicker — but, also, moving on, letting go, dealing with loss, and managing grief. Authors Kawymullina are absolutely brilliant writers; they expertly combine just the right amount of sentiment with stark, hard-to-face facts to evoke an emotional response from the reader. The end result is a deeply moving novel that resonates with you long after you put it down.
Although The Things She’s Seen relies on fantasy to drive its story, you shouldn’t skip this one just because you’re not into that genre. This book is SO much more than a simple ghost story — it’s a cautionary tale, it’s a social criticism, and it’s a story about empowerment. It will make you believe in monsters, but not the kind you’re thinking of. And, if you read the author’s note, you’ll discover that the story is deeply influenced by Aboriginal lore, which adds a whole new layer of complexity and intrigue to the novel, and to the character of Catching in particular.
My one caveat with this book, and as with most YA books I read, is that I’m very surprised it’s marketed for a YA audience (ages 12+). The subject matter is heavy, and I found some concepts and passages difficult to deal with. I can’t imagine handing this book to an impressionable, 12-year-old kid and saying “Here, read this.” I know kids are a lot less naive these days, but still… if you’re a parent, I suggest reading this book before giving it to your kids.
What are some books you’ve read that blur the lines between fantasy and reality? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
And, as always, be sure to check back in for my book-inspired recipe: Rainbow Pinwheel Cookies!
The Things She’s Seen by Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymillina will be available for sale on May 14, 2019 from Knopf Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House Books. Although I received a complimentary advance copy of this book, all opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I was not compensated in any way for this review or for any other promotion/publicity I’ve done related to this book.
This sounds creepy and good! I might need to check it out!
I feel as though I have to make a full confession here. I read your blog post last week and as soon as I got to your question at the end: “What are some books you’ve read that blur the lines between fantasy and reality?” I immediately thought of one of the best books I’ve ever read: Sunshine by Robin McKinley. One of my friends stole my original copy, so I went out and bought a new one last week so I could reread it.
The narrator is so spectacular at describing her everyday, routine life as a baker in Charlie’s Coffeehouse that you are deep into the book before you realize that the supernatural is encroaching on her normal, cinnamon-filled world. Here’s a word of warning: don’t read this on an empty stomach. The main character bakes for a living and her descriptions of the delights that she makes from scratch make your mouth water. And if my favorite Well-Read Tart reads this and feels compelled to create her own version of Bitter Death by Chocolate or Cinnamon Rolls as Big as Your Head (two of the many creations described in passing in the book), my only humble request is that such recipes be shared so that all may enjoy them.
Thank you for your recommendation of An Unwanted Guest, I look forward to reading it. And thank you, thank you, thank you for inspiring me to get off my butt and repurchase one of the best book’s I’ve read so I could have the pure joy of rereading it after years had passed. It’s still just as good as I remembered, but now I’m hungry.
OMG, Sunshine sounds like a book that I would LOVE! Supernatural AND baking?!?! Those two recipes the main character creates in the book sound amazin, btw. I feel compelled to read this just so I can figure out how to make a Bitter Death by Chocolate, haha. Thanks for the recommendation!!