“She is a Haunting” is a YA book with generational horror, a haunted house, inner demons, and a look at the colonial oppression of a people; sounds like a lot over the course of 350 pages? It is.
I wanted to like this book with its vivid horror scenes and references to the harm done to the protagonist’s family’s ancestors. Still, the execution ultimately needed more polish, feeling disjointed in some areas to go as far as being tough to follow as it weaved between dreams, the present, and flashbacks. In addition, separate threads of the story didn’t unravel smoothly, such as the parts revolving around the character’s sexual identity. Specific devices to move the plot forward seemed too convenient regarding the haunting itself as well, leading to an abrupt ending.
Ultimately, I was middle of the road on this book, enjoying some parts while feeling pulled out of the story by others. I rounded this up to a 3 out of 5 stars and likely wouldn’t recommend it based on my tastes.
Happy reading!
Chris Kauzlarich 