Of Monsters and Madness

Gr 7 Up—Upon her mother's death in 1826, Annabel Lee returns to Philadelphia to live with her father, a brilliant scientist prone to unsavory experiments. Her father's home is not the joyous and warm place she was expecting. But the loneliness ebbs when Annabel finds a friend in Allan, her father's assistant. When horrific murders begin occuring and her father's second assistant Edgar appears to know more than he lets on about Allan and Annabel's father, she must find out the truth or risk losing everything. Verday's novel is a quick read that hooks readers into the mysterious and gothic atmosphere of Annabel's Philadelphia. The plot is thrilling, though the "gruesome" murders are far from being truly gruesome, making the novel appropriate for some middle-school readers. Annabel is a strong character; she wants to be a doctor in a time when such professions were not encouraged for women. However, the novel's climax is rushed, which creates a confusing ending--perhaps in order to accomodate a sequel. A few key plots points toward the end of the novel happen abruptly and without previous clues or foreshadowing. A supplementary purchase for libraries where Megan Shepherd's The Madman's Daughther (HarperCollins, 2013) is popular.—Paige Garrison, Aurora Central Public Library, CO