And the Trees Crept In

June 27, 2016
After Silla Daniels and her mute younger sister, Nori, escape their abusive father and a London on the brink of World War III, they make their way to the blood-red family manor where their estranged aunt Cath takes them in. When Cath’s grasp on reality falters and she retreats to the attic, the sisters are left with the sound of her constant pacing and a fear of the encroaching woods, home to the ever-hungry Creeper Man, whom Cath warned is coming for the sisters. Creaks, footsteps, and giggles echo through the decrepit manor while Nori, unbeknownst to Silla, spends her nights playing with an eyeless, long-limbed friend in the basement. Kurtagich follows The Dead House with a thought-provoking exploration of familial legacy and the sibling bond. The isolated and decaying manor setting creates an immediate sense of unease, and the villain is both physically and psychologically eerie; typographic manipulations and facsimiles of burned and torn notebook excerpts play into the psychologically unstable atmosphere. Readers will it hard to look away from this genuinely frightening story as the sisters’ sanctuary becomes a nightmare. Ages 15–up. Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary.

July 15, 2016
An emotional and chilling tale of loss, love, and personal demons. Fifteen-year-old Silla wants to be someplace safe, away from her abusive home and the threat of war. When she and her younger sister, Nori, escape to La Baume, Silla hopes the ancestral home of her mother and aunt will be a safe haven. At first Aunt Cath is caring and attentive, but then everything goes awry. And even though it isn't possible, Silla is sure Python Wood is creeping closer to La Baume...along with the malevolent entity called the Creeper Man. The novel is set in modern Britain, but Kurtagich's careful worldbuilding reeks of gothic atmosphere and will make readers forget where and when they are. Silla's spiral into madness seems drawn out for the sake of building her romance with Gowan, a boy who suddenly appears at the manor, which results in a conclusion that feels abrupt and somewhat unoriginal. However, the novel, which is told from Silla's perspective and peppered with notes from Nori and Aunt Cath, will haunt readers with its raw emotions, palpable pain, and consistent character voices. Silla is described as having "too-white skin," but diversity exists in Nori, who is mute and afflicted by a deformity. Frightening and compelling, this gothic will easily sweep fans up into its creeping sense of hysteria. (Horror. 13 & up)

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Starred review from June 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-When Silla and her younger sister Nori arrive on the doorstep of their estranged aunt's crumbling manor, they are cold, injured, and on the run from someone awful. Things start sliding into macabre territory right away, and within a few years Aunt Cath has gone mad and locked herself in the attic permanently. The two sisters and their mysterious friend (who has appeared from the forest) are trapped on the property with little food and a giant fear of both the Slender Man-type figure who may live in the woods, and the trees themselves, which appear to be closing in on them. Silla's dreamlike and unreliable narration works hand in hand with a host of unanswered (and unasked) questions to prime readers for a twist ending, which savvy consumers of horror will figure out. There's a bit of a romance, and the novel ends on an emotional exploration of the traumas that led to this nightmare. Kurtagich's horror imagery is satisfying and affecting-her descriptions of the day-to-day decay the girls face are as rich and scary as the monstrous man who scuttles around on all fours and the teeming mud pits that are waiting in the woods. VERDICT A great next read for teens who enjoy being scared; purchase where horror is popular.-Beth McIntyre, Madison Public Library, WI

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2016
Grades 9-12 Fourteen-year-old Silla flees London with her little sister, Nori, to their estranged aunt in the country. Having escaped their abusive father, everything is lovely at La Baumeat first. Aunt Cath is loving, and there's more than enough to eat. But the woods are strange. La Baume is strange. Even Aunt Cath is strange. And then things take a downward turn. Three years later, Aunt Cath never leaves the attic, Silla fears for her own sanity, and food is running out. Then the beautiful Gowan appears out of the woodswhich Silla considers haunted, believing if she and Nori try to leave, they'll risk the wrath of the Creeper Man. Gowan tries to revitalize their dying garden, but nothing can stop the encroaching forest from taking over. Silla, mute Nori, and Aunt Cath's contributions to the narrative are distinguished by unique design elements, though Silla is the main focus. Horror fans will delight in the grotesque poetry of this historical-feeling contemporary spine-chiller featuring a monumental twist ending. Not for the squeamish.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)