The House That Whispers
-
- £3.99
-
- £3.99
Publisher Description
A subtle exploration of gender identity, family, and the personal ghosts that haunt us all, perfect for fans of Kyle Lukoff.
Eleven-year-old Simon and his siblings, Talia and Rose, are staying the week at Nanaleen's century-old house. This time, though, it’s not their usual summer vacation trip. In fact, everything’s different. It’s fall, not summer. Mom and Dad are staying behind to have a “talk.” And Nanaleen’s house smells weird, plus she keeps forgetting things. And these aren’t the only things getting under Simon’s skin: He’s the only one who knows that his name is Simon, and that he and him pronouns are starting to feel right. But he’s not ready to add to the changes that are already in motion in his family.
To make matters worse, Simon keeps hearing a scratching in the walls, and shadows are beginning to build in the corners. He can’t shake the feeling that something is deeply wrong…and he’s determined to get to the bottom of it—which means launching a ghost hunt, with or without his sisters’ help. When Simon discovers the hidden story of his great-aunt Brie, he realizes that Brie’s life might hold answers to some of his worries. Is Brie’s ghost haunting the old O’Hagan house? And will Simon’s search for ghosts turn up more secrets than he ever expected?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
While their parents take "time to talk," trans sixth grader Simon Bradley and sisters Rose, eight, and Thalia, 13, stay with their maternal grandmother, Nanaleen, in Misty Valley, Ky. Simon is a "secret name" that feels new and tender, like "a baby bird that's not ready to fly out of the nest yet," but Simon's been mentally employing it when people address him otherwise. Nanaleen's house is different than Simon remembers: the town is quiet in the off-season, Simon keeps seeing a ghostly figure in the family home, and Nanaleen exhibits significant memory lapses during the siblings' stay. Unsettled by these occurrences and changing dynamics, and wondering if the ghost is to blame, Simon investigates the family's history, looking into a great-aunt who mysteriously left home as a teen. Though the novel's ending is hastily resolved, Thompson (The Best Liars in Riverview) punctuates a gentle story of bonding with genuinely scary moments and lovely descriptions of gender euphoria ("This warm feeling would start in my chest, like I was carrying around a little glowing light"). Reminiscent of Kyle Lukoff's Too Bright to See, it's an intriguing, warmhearted exploration of beauty and change. Simon's family reads as white. Ages 8–12.
