October 7, 2009

Review: Breathe: A Ghost Story by Cliff McNish

In honor of October and Halloween I’m going to focus some of my reviews of scary stories. The first is Breathe: A Ghost Story by Cliff McNish

Summary from Barnes and Noble


Jack is not a normal boy. He can talk to ghosts. In his new home, an aging farmhouse, he meets the Ghost Mother, a grief-stricken spirit who becomes very attached to him...too attached. He learns that the Ghost Mother is preying in the cruelest imaginable way on four child ghosts who are trapped in the house, stealing their energy to sustain her own. Before Jack can figure out how to help them, the Ghost Mother takes possession of his real mother's body. Jack wants to fight back, but he has severe asthma and risks fatal attacks with any physical exertion. It will take all his resources, and his mother's as well, to fight off the Ghost Mother and save the ghost children from a horrible fate.

I read this book last spring, but it really stuck with me. It’s not a ghost story in the pop out at you sense. It’s more a creepy story that makes you feel very unsettled. The ghost mother made my skin crawl – especially with what she was doing to the ghost children. Many times I want to tell Jack to run - run away fast! I couldn’t stand the thought of the ghost mother touching Jack or being near him! I will admit the ending was a bit confusing to me. I had to reread it several times to make sure I understood it.

In a nutshell: great creepy story that made me shudder a few times.

Lexile: 680
Best for ages: 12+

6 comments:

  1. I haven't heard of this one. I love the cover! I'm adding it to my wishlist.
    Thanks!

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  2. Oooh, that does sound creepy in an Other Mother kind of way.

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  3. OMG Sounds like I would get scared. Great review.

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  4. wat is the setting for this book

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  5. i would really like to read this book but not so sure what its about

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  6. i have read this book very interesting if you don't like to be scared don't read it and the setting is a house in England

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