The Seer of Shadows: 04/04/15

The Seer of Shadows by Avi is set in New York just as the city is beginning to modernize. It's 1872. Horace Carpetine has been apprenticed to a photographer who specializes in ghost photography.

Well before the modern day Photoshop, photographers with access to a darkroom could use superimpositions and collage and hand retouching to augment their photographs. Some used their skills to make apparitions "appear" in their work.

Horace's first big job is to take the reference photographs that will help the photographer make his ghostly portraits for the wealthy family that's hired them. Except in doing so, Horace unearths an actual ghost and a dark family secret.

For fans of Goosebumps and similar books looking to sink their teeth into something a little scarier, The Seer of Shadows is perfect. For older readers who also enjoy Stephen King's shorter works, like "Sun Dog" will also like this one.

Five stars

Comments (0)