The setting is Smiths Hollow, Illinois, 1985. But if you’re a horror fan looking for a brisk, bloody read, The Ghost Tree delivers. It also has some key story flaws that, on balance, do have a negative impact on its overall success. And it captures the fraught realities of teenage life with almost flawless believability. It pulls off the exceptional feat of setting its story in the mid-’80s without recourse to an endless stream of hand-wavy (and cringe-inducing) pop cultural references. It’s addictively readable, tense and scary in all of its best moments. Share book reviews and ratings with Thomas, and even join a book club on Goodreads.ĭespite its title, Christina Henry’s The Ghost Tree is not a ghost story, but a story about a town under a curse, combined with nostalgia for some good old fashioned 1980s slashers. Book cover artwork is copyrighted by its respective artist and/or publisher. (Apr.All reviews and site design © by Thomas M. Henry’s fans will be happy to return to this world, but readers need not be familiar with earlier installments to appreciate this twisted take on Lewis Carroll’s classic tale.
These somber, occasionally disturbing novellas offer a mature take on the children’s story but balance the horrors of the City with hope.
“The Mercy Seat” sees Alice and Hatcher work together to defeat the malevolent leader of a magic-hating village in order to find a home of their own. “When I First Came to Town” reveals the origin story of Alice’s husband, Hatcher, this universe’s version of the Mad Hatter, telling of his early days as the best fighter in the City. In “Girl in Amber,” Alice must confront her past, coming to terms with herself as the little girl who faced off against the Red Queen. “Lovely Creature” introduces Alice’s sister Elizabeth, who possesses the same secret magic as her sister but refuses to follow in her footsteps.
This mesmerizing collection of four novellas, each set in the dark, Alice in Wonderland–inspired universe of Henry’s Alice and Red Queen, brings readers back into the shadowy world of the City where grown-up Alice is determined to forge a place for herself and her new family.
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