Reviews

GIVING UP THE GHOST

Kirkus Reviews (September 15, 2007):

Equal parts psychological realism and supernatural thriller, this story about living in the present and conquering fear has teen appeal in spades. Thirteen-year-old Davia Peters and her family travel to a plantation home in South Louisiana to care for Davia’s great-aunt Mari as she dies of cancer. The family’s task is even more difficult than one might expect given the fact that Davia’s mother has recently come through her own harrowing battle with the disease. To make the situation even tougher, Aunt Mari asks Davia to befriend the plantation’s ghost, a girl Davia’s age named Emilie. Davia somehow finds the courage to get to know Emilie, and ultimately, the exchange of their most painful secrets proves to be exactly what each girl needs most. Sinykin’s simple, straightforward prose can be read by those as young as nine, but the subject matter—disease, death, arranged marriage and suicide—makes this title more appropriate for older readers. A good choice for reluctant teens. (Fiction. YA)

Booklist (Anne O'Malley):

For Davia, the summer before eighth grade would not be the usual routine. Instead, she travels to the deep South with her parents to help a great-aunt through her final illness. Even at death’s door, Aunt Mari is a force to be reckoned with, to say nothing of her strangely haunted estate near New Orleans. Mari fixates on Davia, sharing some secrets of the family’s tragic past and challenging the girl to grapple with the wandering ghost Emilie. When Emilie is at rest, Mari can expire peacefully. That’s a tall order for 13-year-old Davia, who is both terrified and fascinated by the cantankerous Emilie and holding her breath as her own mother recovers from cancer. Death permeates every nook and cranny of Sinykin’s haunting tale, yet Davia persists to face her fears and engage Emilie, in some ways her alter ego. The two have a way of releasing the sorrows that bind their lives. What emerges from the process is peace and hope. Grades 6-8

Children's Literature (Amie Rose Rotruck):

Davia has already dealt with her mother having cancer. Now in remission, Davia’s mother goes to take care of her dying Aunt Mari, bringing Davia with her. Aunt Mari lives on an old plantation that has a lot of history . . . and ghosts. Aunt Mari tells Davia to help Emilie, a girl from the nineteenth century who died when she was only thirteen, Davia’s age. Davia has a difficult time getting over her fear of ghosts, but once she gets used to Emilie’s presence, she finds the ghost to be rather unpredictable. Aunt Mari cannot die peacefully until she knows Emilie is at peace as well. This story is less about ghosts and more about death and how people can chose to face it for both themselves and loved ones. Davia learns to take joy in memories and family history, and Sinykin manages to convey the message without being trite. This is a very thought-provoking story that inspires readers to treasure their loved ones, living or not.

KLIATT Review, November 2007 (Vol. 41, No. 6) (Janis Flint-Ferguson):

It’s a hot, steamy day as Davia and her parents arrive at Great-Aunt Mari’s house in the Louisiana bayou outside of New Orleans. Davia’s mother is in remission from cancer and now, Aunt Mari is dying of cancer. Mom wants to spend time with Aunt Mari during the final weeks. Davia, however, is afraid--she fears for her mother’s health. Mari is a demanding patient and so Davia is encouraged to find her own entertainment. While walking near a deserted old plantation house, Davia is startled by a young woman her age, dressed in white and obviously a ghost. Later, Davia and Mari talk about the history of the old plantation and the ghost who does indeed wander the property. Of course, nobody believes Mari, but she enlists Davia to help the ghost rest in peace. The novel includes a realistic look at death and dying. Within the story of Aunt Mari’s death is information on what to expect and how to comfort the dying. Through the story, death may become less frightening for YA readers, and questions will arise from the realistic tone and informational passages. Category: Hardcover Fiction. KLIATT Codes: J--Recommended for junior high school students.

VOYA, December 2007 (Vol. 30, No. 5) (Jenny Ingram):

Thirteen-year-old Davia travels with her parents to her family's ancestral plantation in Louisiana to help care for her dying great aunt, Mari. Upon arrival, she learns that the plantation is haunted by the ghost of a thirteen-year-old relative, Emilie, who died in the nineteenth century. Davia, a timid girl who has struggled with her mother's recent treatments for cancer, demonstrates to her skeptical parents that she is able to cope with Mari's impending death, and she quickly gains the trust of her aunt, who from her sickbed assists Davia in putting the ghost of Emilie to rest. More than a ghost story, this book serves as a guide for teenagers experiencing illness and death in their families, and hospice and its volunteers play a large role throughout. The backstory of Emilie and the forced marriage that drove her to suicide provide enough suspense to keep the reader captivated, but the descriptions of Mari and her deterioration drive the book. Sinykin successfully blends essential information about the process of dying with a fictional narrative that could be useful for teens facing similar circumstances in their lives. For that reason, the book will appeal to a specific audience only. VOYA CODES: 3Q 2P M J (Readable without serious defects; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9).

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