The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls

The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

A quick read.  Dark, creepy atmosphere and topics that address some of kids' deepest fears.  BUT, at the end, I am still thinking that this was overall Stephen King's It -lite.  :/  That being said, it wasn't bad, though I never really got into it.  I think in it's place, I'd recommend Neil Gaiman's Coraline as similar & much better (doesn't seem like so much of a knock-off).  Also, it's for older readers (9? 10?).


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The Flying Change

The Flying Change by Henry S. Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Taylor takes the disturbing moments that stick in one's mind for a long, long time (e.g. someone losing a finger, finding a corpse while mowing a large country lawn, witnessing the accidental death of a horse) and turns them into poetry. I wouldn't say haunting since memories similar to these (like visiting a dying relative in the hospital, realizing that a loved one can no longer control his/her bodily functions, or like the previous examples - something more gruesome) affect everyone. I think that the poetry is in articulating those memories, giving them a tangible existence so they can be shared without losing their impact.

Highly recommended for adults 30 & older. I don't think people younger than this will get it, maybe some of them, but I think a bit of life experience is needed before being able to appreciate these.

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