Hi ForeverBookers,
How are you all today? I hope you’re well!
I’ve just finished Small Spaces by Katharine Arden and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! It was much creepier than I expected, as it’s a middle-grade. I didn’t know how it could be creepy, to be honest. When I think of middle grade literature, I think of books for young children, and I don’t think this was for young children! That’s not to say that it can’t be read by a younger person but there are creepy and somewhat disturbing parts to the plot. I’m really glad I read this at Halloween! I wish I’d finished it on Halloween. Almost everything about the plot surprised me in a good way. I certainly wasn’t at all bored when reading it, I can tell you all that!
5 Stars!
Ollie, a 6th grade girl, goes on a school trip to a farm after taking a book called “‘Small Spaces’” from a woman because the woman, Linda, doesn’t want it. She claims it’s cursed. Is it cursed? What happens because of the book? You’ll need to read to find out!
I read Small Spaces for a couple of readathons:
Reading Rivalry - A book featuring life and death - Some of the characters are bought back to life through ‘Small Spaces’!
PopSugar Reading Challenge - An oxymoron in the title - “But we hid in small spaces at night, and the scarecrows couldn’t get to us” is a direct quote that demonstrates this oxymoron. I won’t say where the quote happens because I don’t want to spoil it but I took the spaces to be big.
Believathon 2021 - For the last round of Believathon, hosted by Gavin from How To Train Your Gavin, I read “Small Spaces” for the prompt, “Read a Five Star Prediction.” I gave the book 5 Stars too, as you can see above!
Always Fully Booked 2021 Reading Challenge - A book rated over 4 Stars on Goodreads - 4.02 Stars!
Always Fully Booked 2021 Reading Challenge - On The Cover Reading Challenge - Sun Moon or Stars - There are a few stars on the cover.
Disney Magical Hopathon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3F55Y7bfU8&t=61s - Read A Fantasy or Magical Realism book for the park entrance prompt - I call “Small Spaces” fantasy because we certainly don’t have walking/talking scarecrows in the real world! I’m doing this reaathon late - it happened in October 2021.
Spoilers below...
The children go on a school trip to Misty Valley Farm where characters called Jonathan and his brother Caleb lived, way back in the day.
“Soon after that,” Mr Easton went on, “the younger brother disappeared. No one ever found traces of either of them. Eventually the sheriff decided that the younger brother had killed the elder and then been overcome with remorse and thrown himself in the creek. That was when the rumors of hauntings started. Rustling in the corn. Voices. Footsteps without feet. They said the two brothers didn’t lie quiet.” Mr Easton, Ollie’s teacher is telling his class about the Misty Valley Farm legend that so say happened...did it? As a part of this legend, the farmhouse burned down, according to Mr. Easton.
“But the weird thing,” insisted Coco. “You didn’t say the weird thing.”
“Yes, alright Coco,” said Mr Easton patiently. “The weird thing, as Miss Zintner puts it, is this: they never found any bodies...But nothing. no bones or teeth.”
I found this part really creepy. It was nice to have something to base the action in the novel on, instead of it just happening. The fire really isn’t a big part of the plot, though. Yes, it so-say happened but there are other parts that were creepier in the book. For example, the scarecrows, that come to life, as well as a creepy bus driver. I knew about the scarecrows before I read the book, but not the bus driver.
At the farm, Ollie, Coco and Brian decide to go on their own instead of being taken by the scarecrows. How far do they get? You’ll have to read to find out.
I’m sorry, but that’s all I really want to write. I did LOVE the book, but if I write anything else it will spoil the plot, which I really don’t want to do as with middle grades, they’re simple plots with big twists, and if I put one of the twists here, then I’ll end up putting them all. It’s certainly better to read them for yourself to get the shock value!
Overall then, the atmosphere in this book was what kept me gripped! I kept turning the pages waiting for something to happen. When it did, it was really good. Even the anticipation was good though! I couldn't WAIT to see what would happen! That’s why I’m giving Small Spaces 5 stars!
Stand by for my next review, coming soon...
Comments
Post a Comment