Thought Corner: Dead Voices by Katherine Arden (Reread)

Why hello there. It’s October 20th, and today I’m continuing my reread of the first two books of the Small Spaces series by Katherine Arden. The goal is to refresh my memory of the books before reading Dark Waters, the third installment of the series.

I had a great reading experience with my Small Spaces reread—which I detailed HERE—and was eager to dive into the second book.

A bit of history…

I read Dead Voices not long after Small Spaces, as I started the series a few months shy of when the second book was due to release. As a consequence, I read them both in 2019, and I did go and check my Goodreads to be sure I had the dates right. Of the two, I recalled the least about Dead Voices. I knew it was one of my favorite reads of 2019 and that it had something to do with a mountain, and an isolated ski resort during a winter storm. It was definitely time for a reread.

The rundown…

Small Spaces ends at a place of so much potential. This was due to a couple of unresolved mysteries and an offhanded comment made by the smiling man. And Dead Voices is a fitting sequel for it. The perspective branches out beyond just Ollie’s, to Coco’s too, though the trio is together again and headed off to a vacation at a ski resort on Mount Hemlock that’s yet to open to the public. It’s the perfect sort of isolated set up to get the story rolling toward the inevitably creepy adventure later on. It was all thanks to a bit of luck (?) on Ollie’s dad’s part, though given the context of the series, coincidences are suspicious.

Since this was the second book, there was less time spent introducing the characters, though the story does do a little recap of the events of Small Spaces in an abbreviated fashion. I would still read the books in order though. And getting the second perspective afforded another look at the story outside of Ollie’s view of it, as well as more information about Coco. There was more about her fears and her hobbies and other interests.

Much like Small Spaces, I came away with a greater appreciation for the story, the characters, and the detailed world. It felt lived in, with its own stories within the story—think urban legends, local ghost stories, and unsolved disappearances—that were wrapped up with the clues about the history of the area and the ski resort.

A highlight of the book was the friendship between Ollie, Coco, and Brian. It was a bond that was tested. But there was never any doubt that the three were great friends. They trusted each other. And they often tended to try and stick together to solve their problems, which was just great to see.

Let’s get spooky…

Whether it’s just an ordinary place filled with interesting items, or a bona fide haunting, I love a good house story. These stories can include other places besides homes, of course. But some of my favorites centered on the people while also exploring the places as their own sort of characters—as well as sometimes unraveling a mystery of what haunts the walls. The ski resort finds itself somewhere in there with its long and tragic history. Its story—and that of the people who once and currently know it—was just as relevant as that of Ollie, Coco, and Brian.

Games really took a high stakes and terrifying twist in Dead Voices, where being too trusting and ignoring or misinterpreting warnings could have consequences. It was like a game of chess at times, with the trio having to trust in their skills and in each other. It was far from fun for the characters, but it was such a good story.

In conclusion…

I’m glad I did this reread. I’m prepared for Dark Waters, and I look forward to reading it soon. Until then, happy reading!

Music Monday (177): Kim Petras, India Arie, Leela James

  Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: I really like this song by Kim Petras. It's called Future Starts Now. Give it a listen! 

Andrea: Hi All! This week I'm listening to Ready For Love & Steady Love by India Arie and Fall For You by Leela James.

As always, have an amazing week!

What are you listening to this week?

Thought Corner: I Watched Nightbooks (2021)

Released on September 15, 2021, Nightbooks (Netflix, 2021), is a dark fantasy film that follows Alex Mosher (played by Winslow Fegley), after he inadvertently finds himself trapped in the apartment of a witch and forced to tell scary stories each night. It was a race against time. It was an interesting set up, and I approached the movie with an open mind, since I wasn’t familiar with the book it’s based on. But I was really excited for it, based on the trailer.

I really enjoyed this movie, I was surprised by the direction they went with it. Much of what Alex’s day-to-day life was like was a mystery. It was due to the start of the movie. In the beginning, we don’t spend much time with Alex or his parents in his ordinary environment. Instead, Nightbooks offers up a small but tantalizing offering, enough to get the viewer interested in what could have possibly happened to cause Alex to tear posters from his walls and shove books into his backpack before leaving in a hurry. The questions of “why” is part of what propels the narrative forward and provided another mystery outside of the apartment and the witch.

From there, the most threatening and magical aspects of Nightbooks were quick to be known. Characters introductions were sort of brief, but it was well acted. Natacha, the witch, is played by Krysten Ritter. She was menacing, and her motivation was largely unknown for a long time. Given that the setting was limited to the confines of the apartment’s many but strange rooms, there was only one other prominent character besides the cat. Yazmin, played by Lidya Jewett, was a highlight of Nightbooks.

The movie had a far moodier atmosphere and more horror/jump scare instances than I thought it would have. There was danger, but despite the brooding tone, there was still an element of whimsy and a lot of Grimm’s Fairy Tales references. I also enjoyed how the movie told stories within the story, the titular Nightbooks. Those scenes were fantastic.

The ending, while a satisfying conclusion for Alex and Yazmin, ultimately leaves room for another movie. I would definitely watch it.

All-in-all, Nightbooks was a fun film. It had the kind of spooky viewing experience perfect for October. And if you saw Netflix’s A Babysitters Guide to Monster Hunting, released October of 2020, then this one is a must watch.

Check out the Nightbooks trailer...

 

The Friday 56 (207) & Book Beginnings: Dead Voices by Katherine Arden

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Bestselling author Katherine Arden returns with another creepy, spine-tingling adventure in this follow-up to the critically acclaimed Small Spaces.

Having survived sinister scarecrows and the malevolent smiling man in Small Spaces, newly minted best friends Ollie, Coco, and Brian are ready to spend a relaxing winter break skiing together with their parents at Mount Hemlock Resort. But when a snowstorm sets in, causing the power to flicker out and the cold to creep closer and closer, the three are forced to settle for hot chocolate and board games by the fire. Ollie, Coco, and Brian are determined to make the best of being snowed in, but odd things keep happening. Coco is convinced she has seen a ghost, and Ollie is having nightmares about frostbitten girls pleading for help. Then Mr. Voland, a mysterious ghost hunter, arrives in the midst of the storm to investigate the hauntings at Hemlock Lodge. Ollie, Coco, and Brian want to trust him, but Ollie's watch, which once saved them from the smiling man, has a new cautionary message: BEWARE. With Mr. Voland's help, Ollie, Coco, and Brian reach out to the dead voices at Mount Hemlock. Maybe the ghosts need their help–or maybe not all ghosts can or should be trusted. Dead Voices is a terrifying follow-up to Small Spaces with thrills and chills galore and the captive foreboding of a classic ghost story.

Beginning: "Snow and road salt flew up from their tires as they got on the highway heading north."

56: "Mr. Adler popped back in from the kitchen. A few yards away, Mrs. Wilson and Coco's mom were attacking the fireplace with mops and shovels and buckets."

Comments: I'm done with my reread of Small Spaces and Dead Voices, and I'm excited to finally start Dark Waters. What are you reading this week?

Thought Corner: Small Spaces by Katherine Arden (Reread)

Dark Waters was finally released in August. It’s been a few years since I read the first two books, and to prepare for it, I decided to do a reread of Small Spaces and Dead Voices. I figured there was no better time to do it than in October.

A bit of history…

When I picked up the series, I originally read them from the library. It’s been one of my backburner goals to add to my collection of Arden books, and since I liked the series so much, I knew I would eventually end up with copies for my shelf. I didn’t get around to it until August of 2021. But better late than never, right? So it’s been quite some time since I read Small Spaces.

The rundown…

Small Spaces is one of my favorite books, and I wanted to see if my memory of what the story was is actually how it reads. I remember having a lukewarm reaction to the first few chapters. However, upon my reread, I have a much better appreciation for the characters and details. I also noticed how atmospheric the story is. The October scenery in the town, Evansburg, fit well with the earlier chapters, which—initially—seemed quite ordinary, if not a touch eerie with the title incorporated into a warning for Olivia “Ollie” Adler.

In the beginning, Ollie comes off as kind of brash, but I get what’s being portrayed here. I picked up on all the little clues sprinkled in about her character (some of which I missed or just forgot about), and I found her actions—like quitting her clubs and pulling away from people who were just trying to reach out to her—to be refreshingly frank for such a tough topic, but handled in a way that would fit for the target audience. There’s so much I could say about Ollie, but since it’s not alluded to in the synopsis, it would be massive spoiler.

Let’s get spooky….

One of the places where Small Spaces shines is how it creates its own local legends, and ties them into the current spooky happening in the story. Arden submersed the characters in situations where the past (which couldn’t rest both literally and figuratively) and the present collided. The story within the story, also titled Small Spaces, almost acted like a bridge. It was part memoir and part cautionary tale, which also contained some of the much needed answers to the big mystery of the book.

The scares are unique, to say the least. “The world behind the mist,” with the smiling man and his scarecrows, could be downright terrifying. And one of the best parts was how Ollie, Coco, and Brian navigated these challenges while having to face their own fears during a seemingly impossible situation.

In conclusion…

Small Spaces is still one of my favorite stories, and it’s a great read for this time of year. I came away from my second foray into this story with a greater appreciation for it. And now, I’m looking forward to my reread of Dead Voices. Until next time, happy reading!