The Swallow: A Ghost Story
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Average rating4.5
A classic ghost story with twists and turns: a spooky house, a malevolent spirit and two plucky heroines. In 1960s Toronto, two girls retreat to their attics to escape the loneliness and isolation of their lives. Polly lives in a house bursting at the seams with people, while Rose is often left alone by her busy parents. Polly is a down-to-earth dreamer with a wild imagination and an obsession with ghosts; Rose is a quiet, ethereal waif with a sharp tongue. Despite their differences, both girls spend their days feeling invisible and seek solace in books and the cozy confines of their respective attics. But soon they discover they aren't alone--they're actually neighbors, sharing a wall. They develop an unlikely friendship, and Polly is ecstatic to learn that Rose can actually see and talk to ghosts. Maybe she will finally see one too! But is there more to Rose than it seems? Why does no one ever talk to her? And why does she look so ... ghostly? When the girls find a tombstone with Rose's name on it in the cemetery and encounter an angry spirit in her house who seems intent on hurting Polly, they have to unravel the mystery of Rose and her strange family... before it's too late.
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This book is creepy and atmospheric, perfect for the fall.
I loved Rose and Polly. It's got ghosts, a strong friendship, annoying siblings.
This book got me in the feels.
If you enjoy middle grade, give it a try.
‘Twas a bad case of cover love that drew me to this book. In a world packed to the brim with covers that blend together, the beautiful simplicity of The Swallow: A Ghost Story called to me. Once I'd read that it was set in the 1960's, and rife with ghostly happenings, I was sold. I love Middle Grade reads anyway, but this one in particular seemed something I'd all but devour.
Things started out well enough. Although I wasn't completely in sync with Polly or Rose, I was fascinated by their shared ability to see ghostly apparitions. From the first moment that Polly mentioned seeing the specters, the book had this slight air of menace. I know, that sounds odd. It's just that Cotter does a wonderful job of helping the reader understand that Polly's particular ghost isn't quite nice. Not nice at all, in fact. That being said, for the age group that this is aimed to, I'd be a bit wary. There are mentions of ghostly attacks that, while they didn't bother me one bit, might spook a younger reader.
What I couldn't get enough of during this read, truth be told, was the setting. I don't want to say too much and risk spoiling anything, but I would so have loved to live in Polly's or Rose's homes. They spoke of times gone past. Of hidden secrets, and musty attics. Even now, as an adult, I can't help but fall in love with places like these. When I was a child I would have loved to explore a place like this, ghosts or not. I suppose things never change, do they?
I wish I knew what exactly kept me from really enjoying this story. It truly has all the markings of a journey I'd normally fall in love with. Cotter writes of friendship and mystery, all with an undercurrent of deep uncertainty. I didn't dislike Polly or Rose, and the writing was smooth enough. Somehow it just lacked that bit of extra. The piece that keeps me glued to the page, and wanting to come back for more. That's all I can offer up to you. The Swallow: A Ghost Story is a fine read. It'll appeal to many a bookworm. It just wasn't exactly what I was looking for.
