Review: Thornhill

Title: Thornhill
Author: Pam Smy
Publication Date: August 29, 2017
Genre: Middle Grade/Graphic Novel/Gothic/Horror/Suspense/Paranormal
Recommended If You Like: quick reads with eerie pictures, books told in diary format, parallel stories that intersect, one side of the story told entirely in pictures

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

The Book:

The words tell the story of Mary, an orphan who lived in Thornhill as a ward of the state before it was shut down. The pictures tell the story of Ella, who finds herself alone in the house across from Thornhill after her mother passes away and her father loses himself in work.


What I Liked:

The pictures were so striking, and really captured the eeriness of the story. The use of first person narration through Mary's diary made everything feel very immediate, just like it felt to both Mary and Ella. This book definitely grabbed me, and flew by.

Anything I Didn't Like?

I found not having any words with Ella's side of the story did make things a little confusing for me. I occasionally had trouble following what was going on.

So...?

This would be a great read with fall coming up, especially as Halloween draws near. It could scare younger readers, but it definitely has a captivating spooky tale to tell that can pull in adults as well.