**spoiler alert** It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, theref**spoiler alert** It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on the death of a child, the abduction of children & minors, psychological distress, mental illness, grief, the death of a loved one, child endangerment, & others.
Before starting this review I want to make a special note of the content warning. This book is classified as Horror for Middle-Grade readers & it delivers just that. However, the contents of this story surround events that take place in the real world. This is primarily seen through the central conflict which is the disappearance of Ari’s sister, Lana. Multiple children are named as being either victims of possible abduction or of a disappearance; there is no in-between. For readers who are currently dealing with these occurrences, the subject matter within this story might pose as severely distressing. For readers who are of a more sensitive temperament, this subject matter might lead them to feel a heightened level of emotions.
I would like to make it explicitly clear that a child does die within this story—having his head forcefully smashed by an adult character, albeit the caricatured version of an adult man. The disappearances of local children also include descriptions of vacant houses, where once their families lived, & which now lay abandoned. Please be aware that though the subject matter does present as appropriate for the target age range in linguistics & thematic approach, the subject matter is incredibly distressing as it links itself wholeheartedly to our non-fictional world.
The reader meets Ari one year after the disappearance of his older sister, Lana. Ari is a very dynamic character who holds an enormous love for his sister & is extremely distraught over her loss. Every day he draws more into himself as his parents force him to do everything under their watchful eye; never to engage in the independent activities of before. In some unknown format, Ari writes to the reader—a warning. The woods in Hanging Hill—the town in which he lives—are dangerous & people go missing around town, never to be seen again. What follows is a quest undertaken by the fearless leader & main character as he seeks the answers to account for the sudden vanishing of his best friend in the entire world, Lana.
To begin, I want to acknowledge that it was a lovely thing to see Ari hold so much adoration for his sister. I appreciated that their relationship was written as being one filled with respect, understanding, love, & kindness. I am glad to see this representation of siblings in literature. I am a sibling & it is wholesome & all-encompassing to have our relationships previewed in such an authentic manner within stories. Children should be reminded that love is shared in a multitude of ways, just as Lana shows Ari. Whether it be through their shared hours at the comic book shop or the trust they have to share their innermost thoughts with each other, sans judgment. I very much loved what they have.
With that said I think there was an aspect of dynamism that was lacking in this story. The characters are all interesting in their own way but, because the world of the narrative is not fully developed, they end up seeming like wandering fantoms rather than well-rounded individuals. It would have added to the depth of the story to take a couple of extra pages to develop the scenery. We spend so much time in the woods I found myself almost forgetting that there was meant to be a fully functional town surrounding this spot. Is this a big town or are people pinning to leave? There is no indication as to where this story takes place. There is one mention of someone travelling to Arizona but that does not leave the reader with anything other than the knowledge that someone travelled; whether by plane, train, or automobile, we cannot know.
Those details aside, I found the characters themselves to be interesting representations of what we may view as familiar entities within our own world. The maternal character in this book is the prime example of what it means to have one’s emotions dictate their approach to life & I appreciated this inclusion. There is a great deal to be said about the parenting style that is adopted throughout this book & I would be remiss if I didn’t say that it made me feel incredibly overwhelmed. This is where further world-building might come into play.
Ari’s family is Kurdish & so we can, as adults, assume that there are some cultural aspects that show themselves in the way his family functions. I haven’t been a child for several years now but was curious about Ari’s mother’s request to meet Timmy’s parents before letting him go over & play. This is something that few parents (in my day) were doing. It would be wonderful to know that this is more commonplace today given the obvious benefits associated with placing a face to a name. On the other hand, both of Ari’s parents leave him alone at home & allow him to wander at his leisure. This is something that was more common in my day when we were less accustomed to seeing all the horrible things that circulate in this world.
These are obviously adult questions, posed from an adult mind. However, they aid in rounding the story from one that simply presents parents as being overbearing to a pair who trust in their community but have had to adapt to the loss of a child & are now unsure how to proceed. With a bit of extra information the reader might be able to understand their own circumstances better; why do parents ask for an address before leaving to play with friends? It is bizarre that Ari isn’t allowed to lock his door or is this circumstantially normal? Etc.
Aside from these questions, I found the mystery within this story quite intriguing. As an adult reader, I found the youthful twist on traditional lore to be very compelling & it reminded me of why I love the Horror genre as much as I do. Deep in the woods, a thief did live. He stole for pleasure until what pleased him most consumed his living being into that of the ancient tree. I do feel a bit confused about the actual lore & this might be attributed to my waning attention as some parts of this story were a bit tedious to work through. However, I remain confused as to why the rock from the sacred Arizona land cursed Lenny into being a tree that leached-off human beings for sustenance.
Essentially, the curse heightened his bleak desires & transformed them from petty thieving to serious criminal activity—kidnapping. All the while, he remains essentially immortal as this half-tree, half-man, & only has to reveal himself every ten (10) years to kidnap a child so that his life force is sustained by draining theirs. Perhaps, this is just me but that doesn’t actually feel like a terrible curse given the alternative—i.e. any semblance of proximity to whatever you might imagine purgatory to be. Again, I am an adult so the details of this story are not targeting me as the ideal consumer but, I have read & adored many a Middle-Grade Horror in my time & therefore hold fast to my questions & confusion.
There is much to praise regarding the positive male representation within this story. Firstly, we have Ari’s father who is a Goliath among men but who is tender, soft, vulnerable, & emotionally available for himself, his wife, & his son. Throughout the entire novel, we see him adapt his conversational style so that the person he is speaking with does not become overwhelmed by the subject matter, primarily when discussing Lana. Ari has grown up with a positive father figure; a person worth applauding for their authenticity towards themselves & all those whom he loves.
Though Ari has not had much experience with having friends, he shows the kindness his parents have given him when he meets Timmy; even when he is unsure of how to proceed he tries to default on being thoughtful & remembering that everyone is different. I really adored Ari as a character & was beyond happy that he found a forever friend in Timmy. I was just as glad to see that Timmy was given the redemption that he needed to be free of the pain within this life, that he might forgive himself for letting go of Penny’s hand when the Twig Man was consuming her.
Overall, there is a lot to appreciate & enjoy within this book. The author has a great deal of potential & appears to know where they want the story to go. I believe that with experience & care their stories could bloom into tales shared amongst friends, new & old, just as the Pokemon cards were between Ari & Timmy.
When reviewing books indented for younger audiences I am reminded of the child that I was & the life that I led, all those years ago. I am reminded of the books that I was lucky to come upon & the adults who adored reading just as much as I did; for their presence & love guided my passion to flourish into a lifetime of adventure & comfort. I am glad that children have authors such as Rasoul who write stories via an imagination that holds the depth of a reader inside.
Thank you to NetGalley, Hashtag Press, & Sana Rasoul for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!...more
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