A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
**4.5-stars rounded up**
A Place for Vanishing is the most recent YA-Horror novel from one of my new go-to authors, Ann Fraistat.
I actually recently read Fraistat’s debut, What We Harvest, and was so impressed with the story she created within those pages. It sucked me in from the start and never let up.
This story is similar in a lot of ways. The first being it gets started quickly and has a great cast of characters. This feels more gothic though and a bit more cerebral.
In this story we follow Libby, who has recently been diagnosed with bipolar III. The events that led to that diagnosis were difficult not just for her, but also her Mom and little sister, Vivi.
Looking for a fresh start, her Mom decides to move them into her childhood home, Madame Clery’s House of Masks, a property she has been avoiding for decades.
The crumbling gothic mansion brings the atmosphere I most crave. From the very start, I was hooked on this property and learning more about it. It’s fascinating.
There’s a prominent insect theme carried throughout the house, not just through the presence of the little beasts, but also through the various architectural details of the home, most notably the beautiful stained glassed windows.
In the local area, there are many rumors circling about the property, mainly surrounding numerous disappearances over the years. But is it haunted? Cursed? Is there actually any truth behind the speculations?
Libby befriends a local boy, Finn, who has his own interest in the house, stemming back to the disappearance of his father years before.
It’s not long before Libby and Vivi begin noticing strange things occurring around the home, including their Mom’s changed behavior. It’s soon clear that this house is more than just a house. There’s something sinister here, lying in wait just under the surface.
We follow along as the girls try to figure out the truth surrounding the property and if possible, a way for them to survive it unscathed.
I really loved this. It has such a vibe and it is sensationally carried through start-to-finish. If you are a Reader searching for atmosphere, dark and dangerous, this is definitely a story you need to check out.
Ann Fraistat is an absolute gem in the YA Horror genre.
Early on it made me think of Katrina Leno’s Horrid, just in the set-up of returning to the mother’s mysterious, gothic-feeling childhood home, full of dark secrets.
Fraistat kept this interesting by adding in numerous turns that I wasn’t anticipating. Similar to her first novel, this included some very interesting occult themes that felt historic and genuine, as well as eerie.
The House of Masks certainly lived up to its name. I really enjoyed learning more about the history of the property itself and the events that occurred there.
I think Fraistat was successful in building-out the feeling of the home so much, it actually became a character unto itself. I love when an author is able to achieve that.
I feel like Fraistat is one of the best going right now in the YA Horror space. It is important to keep in mind, this story is gothic, occult, thoughtful, emotional Horror, more than slasher, body or Horror thriller though, so it all depends what you like and what you’re looking for.
Overall, I had a fantastic time with this. It was beautiful, engaging, thought-provoking and at times, jaw-dropping. I’m so glad Fraistat is out there creating stories for us all.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next!