Dreadful Sorry
Written by Kathryn Reiss
Reviewed by Carolyn R. (age 10)
"Oh my darlin', oh my darlin', oh my darlin' Clementine. You are lost and gone forever, dreadful sorry Clementine" "ARRRRRGGGGGH!" Molly Teague wakes up every morning after a gruesome and terrible dream that seems to be connected to her outstanding fear of water and includes a mysterious girl. In the dream, Molly is floating down a hallway to a closed door. Her curiosity tells her to open it, but there is a voice inside her head, urging her to run far from the door and the red liquid she suspects - but also fears - is blood seeping under it. All the while, "Oh my Darlin' Clementine" is playing in her head. Dreams become reality, and reality dreams, when she runs into (literally) a boy named Jared -- whom she calls Hob at first. When he follows her to Maine, where she has fled to escape swim lessons and her fears, she is swept into an adventure where she is Clementine, a girl who lived over 100 years in the past. In this suspenseful and thrilling tale of love, reincarnation and ghosts, Molly's life will be altered forever.
This book is outstanding, suspenseful and thrilling. I have spent many nights holding a shaking flashlight under the covers because I can't bear to tear my eyes away from this page turner. You never know what you are going to find when you turn a corner. The mystery might get more complicated, or you may unravel another part of it. This book is also very thought-provoking. It makes us realize and dive deep into ourselves to remember our fears, ambitions and regrets and to bring renewal. You have to be willing to open your mind to different ideas and let yourself be caught up in the thrill of the adventure. Molly almost reminds me of myself. I had a huge fear of the dark, which is not unheard of, but it was almost a phobia. Like Molly, I overcame my fear. Kathryn Reiss, the author, writes a lot of science fiction novels for young adults. I love science fiction and mysteries, so I gobbled this book up.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a creepy, spine-tingling mystery. It deals with some mature themes and there is some violence, so I would not suggest this book to younger readers. I would say no younger than a mature 9-year-old. This book is wonderful, though.