Tell Me What You See

This is an odd but strangely compelling book. If you think about the plot too hard, things fall apart and make no sense; you must, MUST, kick in your suspension of disbelief and just allow yourself to be carried along by the story. Dont question things too much, just let it be. Because the ride is worth it.

Every Christmas, sixteen-year-old Alissa makes a pilgrimage to the local cemetery with her friend Evelin to visit the grave of her father. They go at midnight every year, but this year, things are interrupted when Alissa accidentally falls into a crypt. While there, she stumbles across the casket of a small boy who has a strange plant growing right out of his chest. She cant explain it, but she is compelled to take the plant and later winds up eating it, still in the dead of night.

She is visited by two strange characters (Elia and Aren) looking for something, which she deduces (correctly) to be the plant. They are amazed that Alissa can see them and disappear quickly without offering her any help, leaving Alissa alone and confused by the strange things that start to happen around her.

Best friend Evelin does her best to help, even fending off Alissas ex-boyfriend-turned-stalker Simon. But Alissa seems to just slip farther and farther away from the real world. She can see people (like Aren and Elia) that turn into ravens and seem to comfort the dead and dying. She can bring back the dead, even though she doesnt at first realize that this is what her new power is.

Everything comes to a head when she finally tracks the raven-people to one of their hideouts and demands help. They arent forthcoming, but Alissa does learn from the meeting and when things immediately fall apart thereafter due to a violent visit from the maddened Simon, things really take an unexpected (and somewhat dissatisfying at least for the reader) turn.

As I mentioned in the beginning, this is a book with a haunting beauty, but one that you have to silence any naysayers in your head to truly appreciate. Recommended for readers aged 12 and up, especially those looking for something a little different in the horror department (since it really isnt horror&it just defies description).