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Jody 's Reviews > The Screaming Staircase
The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co, #1)
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What a fun and hauntingly great time this was. I decided to try Jonathan Stroud's The Screaming Staircase for one of my Spooktacular Halloween reads. After finishing this first book, I may just have to read the entire series right away.
The setting is London, England and this is not the London we know today. For the last 50 years there has been a problem with ghosts and hauntings. This has been named easily enough The Problem. See the thing about ghosts in this world is they can only be seen by kids or young adults. Once a person reaches adulthood they can no longer see or sense ghosts. So, the only people left to tackle the ghost problem are the younger generation.
In steps our main character and ghost psychic Lucy Carlyle. Lucy has the ability to hear ghosts and she also can sense their emotions at times. This is knows as Talent. Most children are born with a Talent, but they may be sensitive to sight or touch. There are many agencies set up throughout London that employ children and adult supervisors that specialize in fighting The Problem with the ghosts. Lucy is the newest member of the smallest agency known as Lockwood & Co. The agency is made up of 3 employees: Anthony Lockwood, George Cubbins, and Lucy Carlyle.
The story follows Lucy, Lockwood, and George on their ghost fighting adventures. There are plenty of creepy moments, close calls, and intense scenes. Also, a surprising twist I didn't catch until the last minute. The story was a mixture of ghost hunting and murder mystery, and the two were intertwined very well.
Mr. Stroud did a great job with the terminology and atmosphere of the book. The terms like creeping fear, dark specter, and raw-bones help give the story an ominous feel. The book is geared more toward middle grade readers, but it was really good for some creepy moments while reading at night.
The Screaming Staircase was exactly what I was looking for in a October/Halloween read. Great story, great characters, and most of all spook factor. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.
4 stars ****
The setting is London, England and this is not the London we know today. For the last 50 years there has been a problem with ghosts and hauntings. This has been named easily enough The Problem. See the thing about ghosts in this world is they can only be seen by kids or young adults. Once a person reaches adulthood they can no longer see or sense ghosts. So, the only people left to tackle the ghost problem are the younger generation.
In steps our main character and ghost psychic Lucy Carlyle. Lucy has the ability to hear ghosts and she also can sense their emotions at times. This is knows as Talent. Most children are born with a Talent, but they may be sensitive to sight or touch. There are many agencies set up throughout London that employ children and adult supervisors that specialize in fighting The Problem with the ghosts. Lucy is the newest member of the smallest agency known as Lockwood & Co. The agency is made up of 3 employees: Anthony Lockwood, George Cubbins, and Lucy Carlyle.
The story follows Lucy, Lockwood, and George on their ghost fighting adventures. There are plenty of creepy moments, close calls, and intense scenes. Also, a surprising twist I didn't catch until the last minute. The story was a mixture of ghost hunting and murder mystery, and the two were intertwined very well.
Mr. Stroud did a great job with the terminology and atmosphere of the book. The terms like creeping fear, dark specter, and raw-bones help give the story an ominous feel. The book is geared more toward middle grade readers, but it was really good for some creepy moments while reading at night.
The Screaming Staircase was exactly what I was looking for in a October/Halloween read. Great story, great characters, and most of all spook factor. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.
4 stars ****
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Reading Progress
October 4, 2017
– Shelved as:
to-read
October 4, 2017
– Shelved
October 8, 2018
–
Started Reading
October 8, 2018
– Shelved as:
kindle
October 8, 2018
– Shelved as:
spooktacular
October 10, 2018
–
2.49%
"It's never pleasant, sitting in a haunted house, waiting in the dark. The night presses in around you and the silence beats against your ears; and soon, if you're not careful, you start to see or hear things that are the products of your mind.
Reading this to my daughter. Should be interesting! :)"
page
10
Reading this to my daughter. Should be interesting! :)"
October 12, 2018
–
22.19%
""Lucy!" Lockwood's cry rose above the howling wind. I turned my head' saw the ghost-girl come rushing at me through the rising flames. Her face was blank, her eyes bore into mine; her arms were stretched toward me as if in greeting or embrace. It wasn't the type of embrace I fancied.
"
page
89
"
October 16, 2018
–
52.62%
"The mist grew thicker as we went; it coiled about the iron railings, and wound around the ghost-lamps, muffling and twisting their intermittent beams. Our boots rang on the empty sidewalks, echoing strangely so that it sometimes seemed as if another trio walked invisibly alongside us.
"
page
211
"
October 18, 2018
–
84.79%
"The bloodstain on the ceiling now spread almost wall to wall; in our corner, a single triangle of clean space remained. Elsewhere torrents of blood fell in curtains, roaring, driving, gusting like rain waves in a thunderstorm.
I may not have any fingernails after this book. Getting intense!"
page
340
I may not have any fingernails after this book. Getting intense!"
October 19, 2018
–
Finished Reading
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Andrea
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rated it 5 stars
Oct 19, 2018 12:31PM
Great book.
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Ursula wrote: "I love that book series! I was thinking about rereading it for halloween"Book 1 was a really fun read. I believe I will start book 2 before finishing up my review for this one. :) It does make for good Halloween reading.
Andrea wrote: "Great book."Yes it is, Andrea! Glad you liked it as well. :)
