A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano
Reviewed by: Sharon Crawford, Youth Services
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Suggested Age: Tweens, Teens
What is the book about?: Pram (short for Pragmatic) Bellamy possess a strange talent: she can see and hear ghosts. Orphaned at birth, Pram was raised by her aunts in a home for the elderly. Her aunts aren’t exactly the lovey dovey hugs and kisses type, but it is very clear that they cherish Pram and worry about her. Her best friend is a ghost named Felix, who hangs out down by the pond. Pram is home-schooled and seems to be much smarter than her peers. However, a social worker comes along and says that Pram must go to school because she is lacking in social skills. There she meets her first real friend, Clarence. Clarence and Pram form an instant bond because they both lost their mothers. Pram reveals to Clarence that she can talk to ghosts. Clarence, missing his mother so much, decides to ask Pram to help him talk with her again. She accompanies him throughout town to meet with different spiritualists to help but who are all shams. While this is going on, Pram decides she wants to find her father and receives an invitation from a Lady Savant who promises to help. But Lady Savant knows the true power Pram has and what she wants to do with Pram is scarier than any ghost could be.
My Review: I loved getting to know Pram, seeing how her mind worked, and how she viewed the world around her. Felix and Clarence also are strong characters, each with his own interesting back story that unfolds as we get to know them. They are so very different yet the one thing that they undoubtedly share is their care for Pram. Felix and Clarence are such great friends and are so protective of Pram which I absolutely loved. Their friendships were portrayed so well and is one of the best things about this book. This book was a really nice read. It was kind of dark, but never real scary. It was pretty fast paced, which I liked.
Rating: 4/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!