What an awesome book. It’s the first book in a while that I’ve had the desire and ability to sit and read almost fully in one sitting. I’ve looked at this author’s books before, but this is the first one I’ve read. Believe me, I will be reading more!
Don’t breathe a world alternates between a summer fifteen years ago when twelve-year-old Lisa disappeared into the woods to become a fairy queen, and now when her brother Sam and his girlfriend are trying to solve the mystery. Both halves of the story are compelling reads with enough mystery and intrigue to frustrate you each time the book switches.
I love the part that takes place fifteen years ago. Lisa is pretty much exactly what I was like at twelve and I easily see myself in her as she starts finding clues that fairies are real. The author captures that small town summertime feeling perfectly as Lisa, her brother, and her cousin camp in the yard, play in the forest, and run around town. It’s when they start to realize that there really is something in the woods that the dark line between fantasy and reality starts to blur.
The now part of the story is told through Phoebe, Sam’s girlfriend who has more than enough of her own issues and fears regarding fairies. She’s dying to know more about Lisa. Again the line between fantasy and reality blurs as they try to find clues as to where Lisa has been, and hopefully rescue Lisa herself. Page after page, Phoebe is drawn deeper into a web of lies and half truths that as the reader you can barely work out yourself.
Just a really, really great book. I can’t wait to read her other works if they are even half this good. The author has a great grasp on writing from a child’s POV within an adult book which is one of my favorite things. That age of around twelve is such a blurry line of childhood and adulthood anyway that someone who writes it well is amazing. Highly recommend this book.