Review: Charlotte Says by Alex Bell

Author: Alex Bell

Genre: YA Horror

Published by: Stripes

Publication date: 07/09/2017

My rating: ★★★★★

 

 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The much-anticipated prequel to the bestselling FROZEN CHARLOTTE, a Zoella Book Club title in Autumn 2016.
Following the death of her mother in a terrible fire, Jemima flees to the remote Isle of Skye, to take up a job at a school for girls. There she finds herself tormented by the mystery of what really happened that night.
Then Jemima receives a box of Frozen Charlotte dolls from a mystery sender and she begins to remember – a séance with the dolls, a violent argument with her step-father and the inferno that destroyed their home. And when it seems that the dolls are triggering a series of accidents at the school, Jemima realizes she must stop the demonic spirits possessing the dolls – whatever it takes.

Trigger warning:

• Domestic violence
• Animal and child abuse

 

Charlotte Says is a prequel to the brilliantly creepy Frozen Charlotte. Set in 1910 and tells the disturbingly creepy story of the dolls origin. If you’ve read Frozen Charlotte you’ll know a little already, I’ve been eager to find out how it all began and I definitely wasn’t disappointed.

Charlotte Says follows Jemima after moving to Dunvegan school, where she’s working as assistant mistress after a fire that killed her mother. The chapters alternate between the present and a month before, we’re we find out what really went down at Whiteladies. Not long after Jemima’s arrival a parcel arrives addressed to her containing a toy chest full of Frozen Charlotte dolls and a solitary frozen Charlie doll, you can see where I’m going with this. Things get creepy when Jemima starts hearing noises from the play room, scratching and giggling. Incidents occur, ranging from the mildly creepy to violent, which the girls blame on the Frozen Charlotte dolls, things get progressively worse from there.

I said this back when I first read Frozen Charlotte and it still applies, the slightest noise had me convinced there were Frozen Charlotte dolls were plastered in the walls. Despite this I kinda still want some, I know, it’s weird! I loved this one so much, I pretty much got everything I wanted from it. Since reading Frozen Charlotte I’ve been eager to find out exactly what happened at Dunvegan school, where the dolls came from and how they became possessed. The characters and development are well written, adding to the scares. I live for spooky atmospheres, the kind that play tricks on your senses and have you believing you heard someone laugh or scratching. I won’t say anymore as I don’t want to spoil it for you. It’s honestly the perfect companion to Frozen Charlotte and I can’t recommend it enough, definitely read Frozen Charlotte first though!

Buy from: Book Depository Waterstones

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