By Marcus Sedgwick
Many young adult books that I read are light and happy and involve some sort of romance. However, White Crow is the complete opposite of light and happy. It is dark, twisted, and haunting.
This book is set in a small seaside village called Winterfold in England during two time periods: present-day and 1798. In present-day Winterfold, sixteen year old Rebecca is reluctantly spending the summer with her dad, a former policeman caught up in a scandal. She meets Ferelith, a local girl who is known for her oddities. Throughout the summer, they explore the sinister history of the town and Rebecca learns that Ferelith has her own troubled history. In 1798 Winterfold, a local rector learns that a man named Dr. Barrieux is coming to town to live at Winterfold Hall. They soon form a twisted bond over the afterlife and attempt to form an experiment to find out what really happens when a person dies. These two stories weave into a suspenseful, horrific tale of good and evil. This is a page turner at its best!
I read this book in three hours and can still say it haunts me. It was that good! Some books that incorporate more than one point of view can be confusing, but Sedgwick ties the two voices together seamlessly. I should say that this book is not for the faint of heart or those who like light reads. Marcus Sedgwick is the author of several young adult books including Revolver, a Printz Honor Book.