A sequel to Newman’s The Secrets of Drearcliff Grange School, this novel continues the story of Amy Thomsett, a young girl at the school who is a living poltergeist, able to move and manipulate objects with her mind. It’s a follow-up to that earlier book, but works as a stand-alone tale with its own contained plot. Here, as the novel begins, Thomsett and her school chums are in London as part of the Great Game, a contest bringing various unique schools together in a battle to solve puzzles and bring back the trophies, becoming the best of the best. Amy is an ‘unusual’, someone with peculiar abilities that make them more than human. During the game, Amy encounters the spirit of a woman with a cracked doll’s face and a mystery begins that will challenge Thomsett and lead her to ask dark questions. It’s Harry Potter or Miss Peregrine but shot through with Newman’s lifelong love of horror.
Set in the first half of the 20th century, it’s written as part-pastiche of the style of novel one might have found on bookshelves back then. It’s also Newman’s own highly individual style, verbally dense and utterly in love with all of the cultural references that he knows better than probably anyone else. For this reviewer, that was a problem with the novel that stalled any real enjoyment. Newman has clearly built a vibrant world these characters exist in and thought through interesting, complex back-stories for them and their abilities and as such takes frequent detours to drop in histories or even jokes so arcane that only he probably fully gets them. The main set-up and the mystery at its heart is compelling, but after the first 100 pages almost nothing had really actually happened.
Still, it is well-written and as noted, it is more Newman has such a particular, idiosyncratic style this isn’t an issue of it being a bad book. Far from it, instead being much more a case of if that style appeals to you, there’s warmth, humour, creativity and imagination to enthral. If you don’t, none of that will matter because it doesn’t connect, Newman’s approach too distracting or (for this writer) eventually simply annoying to engage. So, it’s a case of if you already know and enjoy his novels and short-stories, you’re not likely to be disappointed as it fits in with Newman’s other well-regarded works. If you don’t, give it a try, of course (especially if you enjoy those similar works mentioned above) but be cautious, it is certainly not for everyone.
THE HAUNTING OF DREARCLIFF GRANGE SCHOOL / AUTHOR: KIM NEWMAN / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
