“HAUNTED,” by Joy Preble, Sourcebooks Fire, $9.99 (young adult)
Russian folklore is as rich and varied as the country it comes from. And once again that folklore plays a starring role in Joy Preble‘s writing. This time in “Haunted,” the follow-up to “Dreaming Anastasia.” Only this time mermaids, or Rusalkas, are the driving force.
Last year was a hard one for Anne Michaelson. In the matter of a few days she learned some surprising information about her heritage, that she had magical powers and that Anastasia Romanov was being held captive in an alternative universe of sorts.
Now all she wants is a normal life. She’s even got a hot lifeguard boyfriend. But no matter how much she tries to put her life behind her, Anne can’t deny that she’s changed.
The powers that were supposed to disappear after saving Anastasia have only gotten stronger. Anne’s dreams aren’t her own, and a mysterious woman has begun appearing wherever water exists.
Ethan has returned, and once again, Anne feels drawn to him. There’s another force that’s pulling Anne, as well, and it looks like nothing will ever be “normal” again.
After finishing “Dreaming Anastasia” I was really looking forward to “Haunted.” I couldn’t wait to see how the author had grown as a writer. And, for the most part, I wasn’t disappointed.
There’s definitely a greater maturity to Joy’s prose and to her storytelling abilities. She jumped straight into the story with a surprising character: Baba Yaga, a witch that flies around on a giant pestle, has detachable arms and lives in a hut that stands on chicken legs. Baba Yaga played a role in “Dreaming Anastasia,” and it was nice to gain a better understanding of what makes her tick.
Joy’s characters also had more depth, though some of that may have come from being a sequel.
“Haunted” is a fast and enjoyable read. If I have any quibbles, it’s that toward the end things get a little confusing and are perhaps a bit rushed. That said, however, the novel’s overall pacing was much better than its predecessor. Kudos to Joy for crafting an impressive second novel.
