Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Creepy ghost story connects history and horror.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
At the start of WHAT THE DEAD WANT, 16-year-old Gretchen learns that she has inherited a crumbling mansion in upstate New York. When she arrives, she meets her Great-Aunt Esther, a once-famous photographer now turned into a reclusive alcoholic. Also on hand are the ghosts of two mean little girls, who seem eager to hurt anyone who crosses their paths. Gretchen can't leave the Axton Mansion, however, as it may contain clues to the whereabouts of her missing mother. Gretchen stays and struggles to understand the residence's tragic past in order to set its captive spirits free.
Is It Any Good?
It takes skill to construct a convincing tale of a haunted house, and this contemporary novel with deep roots in the past finds something new to do with the standard horror tropes. What the Dead Want provides a reasonable answer to the question of why someone would stay in a mansion they know to be haunted. Author Norah Olson makes understandable Gretchen's quest to find her missing mother's whereabouts, but she also cranks up the suspense as the plot accelerates to its climax. That Gretchen and her friends are able to solve in a few days a mystery that obsessed her Aunt Esther for decades seems a bit unrealistic, but most readers won't be bothered by that incongruity.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how What the Dead Want addresses issues of racism and injustice. How has the legacy of slavery shaped the culture of the United States?
How have opportunities for young women changed over the last century and a half? Who were the pioneers who led the way for more opportunities for women in education and employment?
Why do people enjoy stories about ghosts and the supernatural? How do horror stories allow readers to explore questions of mortality and destiny?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , History
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Katherine Tegen Books
- Publication date : July 26, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 320
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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