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pinksy's review
4.0
As a ghost story this was good. Plenty of things that go bump in the night and seances.
It got a little confusing but I was keen to see Tim find out the truth about sister Abi and how come something that they did as children changes everything!
It got a little confusing but I was keen to see Tim find out the truth about sister Abi and how come something that they did as children changes everything!
spookybookz's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this gripping ghostly tale of belief, grief and the unexplained. I Loved the authors writing such an easy read I couldn’t put it down. So much more to this than a ghost story, I really felt for the main character and his journey through this hard era of life he was experiencing. Wasn’t sure how the story was going to end but I loved the closure it was brilliant! 5 star read
beytwice's review against another edition
3.0
Part psychological ghost story, part coming-of-age whodunnit - this debut novel is certainly something! The Apparition Phase explores the concept of giving a ghost ‘shape’; when the haunting-obsessed twins fake their own supernatural photograph, eerie things start happening. The book deviates quite largely from this blurb, which I didn’t necessarily mind, but it’s worth noting! The tone takes a definite shift halfway through and while still paranormal in nature, the reader is placed into a whole new setting from there on out.
I really enjoyed the psychological elements to this story; the ghostly events are chilling and left me guessing as to the nature of the encounters until the very end. Pacing wise this is definitely more of a slow burn and I think if the last fifty page climax had taken up a third of the book instead, I would have been on a reading high for longer. The language was pretty if not a bit overdone given the YA tone of the book. Other than that, a fun guessing game and an exploration into loss, growing up, and what makes a ghost.
I really enjoyed the psychological elements to this story; the ghostly events are chilling and left me guessing as to the nature of the encounters until the very end. Pacing wise this is definitely more of a slow burn and I think if the last fifty page climax had taken up a third of the book instead, I would have been on a reading high for longer. The language was pretty if not a bit overdone given the YA tone of the book. Other than that, a fun guessing game and an exploration into loss, growing up, and what makes a ghost.
hiking_pages's review against another edition
4.0
‘The alchemy of our imaginations. I had been so adrift without it. The privets were choked with litter; the only incantations written on the concrete walls were the names of football teams and bands and doomed couples. I could not hold back the banality of this world on my own’.
Tim and Abi are somewhat antisocial, hyper-intelligent and share a common passion for all things paranormal. When they decide to fake a ghost photo and consequently scare the life out of one of their carefully chosen classmates, a chain of life-altering events sets in motion.
This was a cosy, nostalgic read for any of us who grew up enjoying tales of the paranormal and the fascination surrounding otherworldly happenings long before the internet and Tik Tok. I often think ghost stories represent forms of grief and this was no different, only told in a pleasantly subtle and empathetic way, especially as our protagonists are somewhat unlikeable from the off.
The plot was succinctly put together with nuances of classic ghost story telling and the descriptions were beautiful - I loved the inclusion of the Rollright stones and Avebury, as well as references to other famous paranormal books that i remember growing up in the late 80s and 90s.
It wasn’t quite the story I was expecting, but it was a really enjoyable ride none the less.
Tim and Abi are somewhat antisocial, hyper-intelligent and share a common passion for all things paranormal. When they decide to fake a ghost photo and consequently scare the life out of one of their carefully chosen classmates, a chain of life-altering events sets in motion.
This was a cosy, nostalgic read for any of us who grew up enjoying tales of the paranormal and the fascination surrounding otherworldly happenings long before the internet and Tik Tok. I often think ghost stories represent forms of grief and this was no different, only told in a pleasantly subtle and empathetic way, especially as our protagonists are somewhat unlikeable from the off.
The plot was succinctly put together with nuances of classic ghost story telling and the descriptions were beautiful - I loved the inclusion of the Rollright stones and Avebury, as well as references to other famous paranormal books that i remember growing up in the late 80s and 90s.
It wasn’t quite the story I was expecting, but it was a really enjoyable ride none the less.
mellii's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
ruthjenkins's review
dark
sad
tense
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Child death, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Violence and Vomit
ever_unread's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mike_brough's review
5.0
The best haunted house story I've read in a long time. Very accomplished writing, three-dimensional characters good atmosphere and it's well-plotted too.
The main character is so well-written that I could feel myself 17 again.
I can't wait for Mr Maclean's next novel
The main character is so well-written that I could feel myself 17 again.
I can't wait for Mr Maclean's next novel
halibut's review against another edition
3.0
Though written with a clear affection for ghost stories (particularly M R James and The Haunting of Hill House), the book is written more like a thriller. There's a bit more of an emphasis on pace, which meant some tense moments felt rushed through to hit the next plot beat, rather allowing moments of fear to expand fully. Those moments were present which I enjoyed, buy never fully capitalised on I felt. The latter two thirds became a bit repetitive too, filled with too much dialogue and a few too many scenes of automatic writing getting slashed or carved out. The narration felt like it had a too simple interiority, a too clear exposition of emotional state, though I can see this desire to forestall ambiguity maybe being a characteristic of the narrator Tim.