Title: Tighter
Author: Adele Griffin
Pages: 224
Genre: YA/ Horror
Source: Book It Forward ARC Tour
When 17-year-old Jamie arrives on the idyllic New England island of Little Bly to work as a summer au pair, she is stunned to learn of the horror that precedes her. Seeking the truth surrounding a young couple's tragic deaths, Jamie discovers that she herself looks shockingly like the dead girl—and that she has a disturbing ability to sense the two ghosts. Why is Jamie's connection to the couple so intense? What really happened last summer at Little Bly? As the secrets of the house wrap tighter and tighter around her, Jamie must navigate the increasingly blurred divide between the worlds of the living and the dead. [via GoodReads]
Tighter is a modern retelling of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. In it we meet Jamie who arrives on the island of Little Bly to work as an au pair for a young girl. Shortly after her arrival she begins to learn of the untimely demise of a young couple. Jessie (the girl in the couple) used to be the au pair before her and strangely enough resembles Jamie. And to make things even weirder Jamie begins to encounter the star-crossed lovers' ghosts.
I think the cover of this book is so perfect. It captures Jamie and her state of mind perfectly. One thing, and maybe what I liked about her the most, was how complicated she was. She comes off as someone with an attitude, she's standoffish and very defensive - which quite frankly, did not make her someone I liked. To complicate matters there is the constant hinting at some event that occurred in her past where she injured herself and in order to live without pain she is constantly on some type of pill or another. It doesn't matter whether the pill be a pain killer, anti-depressant or sleep aide - whatever it is, she's most likely on it. Therein lies the fun. The whole time you are trying to decipher whether the strange events occurring are fact or just part of the haze that Jamie's muddled brain is in.
Full of twists and turns and some jaw dropping moments I was fully gripped by this story. I have not read The Turn of the Screw so I definitely can't compare this story with the other so if you're looking for similarities, I can't help you there. What I will say is that Tighter was deliciously creepy, intense and quite the shocker. One of the best ghost stories I've read.
My Rating:
6 comments:
The cover alone creeped me out! Great review, I'll certainly keep it in mind :D
Thanks for the review.
Ann
Wow that's a little creepy. Thanks for the review.
Wow -- this is definitely a haunting cover!
I loved this book too! Ever since I read it I've wanted to see a review from the perspective of someone who hadn't read The Turn of the Screw. Thanks! It sounds like the story stands up well on its own.
Tighter does have a lot of similarities with The Turn of the Screw. It's a ton of fun catching all the little hints and references, but Adele also changed things around enough to make the story completely her own.
Let me start by saying I'm a 42 y.o female. While at my office about 3 weeks ago, a song came on the radio that stopped me in my tracks. I got out of my chair, went to check the radio station and immediately did an internet search to find out what this heavenly voice was. It was Adele singing "Rolling in the Deep". That night I went home and ordered this cd.
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