This wonderfully written, middle grade debut from the author of ‘The Bear and the Nightingale’ is a loveable ghost story for all ages.
I have to admit, this is my first reading experience with Katherine Arden, ‘The Bear and the Nightingale’ remains on my TBR but.. I have yet to get to it. I happened to come across a review of this book and I just had to read it.
And I am so glad I did!
This may be a quick read but the characters, the writing, and the pace were all done wonderfully.
I’ll be looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.
(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Any purchases made through my links may earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you.)
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
Publication date: September 2018
Pages: 218
Genre: Middle Grade, Horror fiction, Paranormal fiction, Coming of age
Series: Book 1 of 3: Small Spaces
First line: OCTOBER IN EAST EVANSBURG, and the last warm sun of the year slanted red through the sugar maples.
Eleven year old ‘Ollie’ would rather spend her days between the pages of a book than have to face the devastating reality of her mother’s absence. She’s tired of the way everyone looks at her.. like she’s broken and just needs to be fixed.
One day, almost like any other, she happens to come across an odd, frantic woman at the river. Ollie should have left her there, never mind the small book the stranger wishes to be rid of.. permanently, she shouldn’t get involved.
But she does.
Ollie snatches the book before it can be tossed into the water and races home, protecting her stolen treasure like an old friend. With the unsettling encounter still fresh in her mind, Ollie’s curiosity
With the unsettling encounter from earlier still fresh in her mind, and realizing it isn’t just a book, but a small journal, Ollie’s curiosity towards it only grows.
But a spooky story may not be all there is to this thing and Ollie is about to find herself in the middle of something much bigger than a stolen journal.
With two of her classmates, a slightly possessed watch, and some pretty confusing help from a creepy bus driver.. the kids struggle to navigate the nightmare they’ve found themselves in.
Follow this clever young girl as she finds acceptance and friendship in the face of impossible odds; learning through sacrifice and triumph that, sometimes, the greatest things in life can also be found.. in small spaces.
Four and a Half Stars!
About the book:
A young girl, without thought, steals a book from a crazy woman before she can toss it into the river. Had she paid more attention to the woman’s crazy mutterings.. it may have saved her some trouble, but Olivia had no idea what this strange encounter would mean.
“Small!” shrieked the woman. “Small spaces! Keep to small spaces or see what happens to you! Just see!” She burst into wild laughter.
Ollie doesn’t know what’s going on or why it all seems connected to the story in Small Spaces but she knows something is off. Maybe it’s the sudden reappearance of the odd lady who tried to throw the book away. It might even have something to do with the creepy driver who whispers twisted riddles.. It could even be all the scarecrows that watch them from their perches.
The author of Small Spaces had probably visited the farm once. She had seen the graves, heard the story, gotten inspired. That was the only logical explanation.
From one nightmare to the next, the children stumble through the darkened woods, avoid being captured by terrifying creatures, and follow little clues in a race against the clock to survive this strange place together.
And for every trial they overcome, this small group begins to see the good in one another, and form a bond born that can only come from coming face to face with the impossible.
And so, arm in arm, the three of them walked through the Christmas lights home to the Egg, where Ollie’s dad was waiting for them.
Overall:
We see a girl hurting, who lashes out in her grief, and hides in her books to escape the reality of her mother’s absence. She hates pity. Hates it.. but she’s a smart kid, willing to accept when she’s wrong, and tries to make up for it. She stands up for others, even those she’s not all that interested in, and we get to watch her slowly open up and begin to let people in.
Liked: Right away I liked the writing. It was a pleasure to seamlessly slip from one scene to the next with remarkable cohesion and beautifully written characters. You’ll quickly become attached to our smart, sneaky, brave girl. The story can be devoured quickly and in one sitting, it’s too good to put down. The haunting atmosphere, unusual characters, and absorbing back story really highlight the urgency and danger the children are in. It was a fun and entertaining read that I would highly recommend.
Disliked: I think the adults allowance of Ollie’s continued bad attitude and behavior were a disservice to her and sets a pretty poor example about what you should be able to get away with, and for how long. She didn’t appreciate them treating her like she was some fragile, breakable thing, either. And.. while I think copious amounts of love, support, and sympathy should go to anyone suffering a loss. I feel like being more present in her life, instead of letting her hide away and lash out, may have been a healthier approach. But it is a book.
I really liked this book. Ollie is a loveable girl and the story is a creepy kind of great read.. slightly reminiscent of ‘Goosebumps.’ I would absolutely recommend this, will probably be getting copies for my nieces, and have every intention of finishing the series!
I hope you enjoyed this review and if you get the chance..
Check out this book, guys, it’s something else!
Lovely review Sheri! I havent read this series but yes, The Bear and the Nightingale is a good one so I can imagine this would be too.
Thank you! I still have to read TBaTN but, man, I’ll be a lot more excited now that I know how beautiful her writing is.
Pingback: Site Update: 200 Amazing Followers! - Read Betwixt Words