FICTION

Into the Grey

by Celine KIERNAN
304p. ebook available. Candlewick. Aug. 2014. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780763670610. LC 2013952836.
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Gr 7 Up—Set in Ireland in the early 1970s, this story stars twin brothers Patrick and Dom Finnerty, who have their world turned upside down when their house and all they possess is burned to the ground. Displaced, the family moves into their summer seaside cottage. Now in the middle of winter, the cottage seems dull, bleak, and quite eerie. Suffering from horrible nightmares, the boys' bond of brotherly love is put to the test when they discover that the "goblin-boy" is not just a dream. When Patrick tries to rid them of the ghostly creature, it takes possession of Dom instead. Patrick realizes that in order to save his brother's life he must befriend this ghost and figure out what it wants and why before time runs out. The protagonist's journey of self-discovery uncovers numerous family secrets, forges unlikely allies, and proves that the power of friendship, loyalty, and love are far stronger than he ever imagined. Kiernan's beautiful and haunting novel is full of mystery and suspense with continuous plot twists and turns. The narrative voice is compelling and honest while capturing the emotional terror the teen has to face. The refreshing, multidimensional characters drive the story line and readers will connect with them because of the poignant and touching moments. A captivating read that combines Irish history with the supernatural.—Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY
Twin teens Patrick and Dominick move with their family to a shabby seaside cottage. There Pat sees that Dom is being haunted by the ghost of a young boy, while Pat himself is visited by nightmares about a WWI soldier. Family love, loyalty, and protectiveness are palpable in a well-drawn cast of characters. The pace is galvanized with energetic drama and evocative Irish dialect.
When their home burns down, twin teens Patrick and Dominick move with their family to the shabby seaside cottage where they usually spend summer holidays. Almost at once, Pat sees that Dom is being haunted by the ghost of a young boy, while Pat himself is visited by nightmares of a soldier drowning in the muddy trenches of World War I. Eventually Dom is utterly possessed by Francis, the ghost of a boy who died of diphtheria decades ago, and Pat is desperate to do what he can to retrieve his brother. Family and local history come together as the twisting plot makes its way toward resolution: another pair of twin brothers, a senile grandmother, Irish lads turned British soldiers, and a series of surreal dreams and psychic landscapes all fall into place. Sometimes Kiernan's storytelling is fraught and overdrawn; at its best it is confident, pungent, and poetic. Family love, loyalty, and protectiveness are palpable in a well-drawn cast of characters, and the pace is frequently galvanized with energetic drama and dialogue pierced with Irish dialect. deirdre f. baker
Reviewed by Donna Rosenblum , Jun 01, 2014

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